Toy World July 2019 by TOYWORLD MAGAZINE

July 2019 Volume 8 Issue 10

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CONTENTS July 2019 Volume 8 Issue 10

John Baulch

37 Feature: Tech Toys & Gadgets

58 Feature: Construction Toys

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

Mark Austin

Sales Director mark@toyworldmag.co.uk 01442 502 405

Anita Baulch

Circulation and Financial Director anita@toyworldmag.co.uk 01442 502 406

News

Opinion

Features

07 From the Publisher 08 News 18 Industry Moves 20 Marketing World 24 Licensing World 52 Fresh 100 Allegedly

28 NPD column 31 Talking Shop 70 Viewpoint 84 Vegas Review

37 Feature: Tech Toys & Gadgets 54 Special Feature: Don't toy with children's safety 58 Feature: Construction Toys 62 Brand Profile: Lego 72 Feature: Dress up & Role Play 86 Feature: Stationery 95 Feature: Farm Toys

Rachael Simpson-Jones Editor rachael@toyworldmag.co.uk 01442 502 406

72 Feature: Dress up & Role Play

86 Feature: Stationery

Lisa Currie

Assistant Editor Lisa@toyworldmag.co.uk 01442 502 406

Mark Crowford

Design and Production Manager markc@toyworldmag.co.uk 01442 502 405

toyworld The business magazine with a passion for toys

Alakat Published by

61 Maxted Road, Hemel Hempstead, Herts, HP2 7DZ

www.toyworldmag.co.uk @toyworldmag @baulchtweet

toyworldmag

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Toy World Magazine

would like to start this month by focusing on the BTHA’s latest campaign, which is aimed at encouraging MPs to change the law as it relates to online platforms and their wholly ineffective policing of third-party sellers. I am delighted to see that the BTHA is making a stringent effort to address this loophole. It is a highly complex and detailed issue; you can read all about the BTHA’s campaign and what needs to be done in an in-depth article which starts on page 54.

from the publisher

John Baulch - @Baulchtweet

I’d like to encourage the whole toy market to come together to fight this iniquity. It is important that everyone gets involved. Every time I write about this subject, people tell me to keep it up, often adding: “It’s great that you can say these things, because we can’t – we have to maintain a relationship with Amazon.” But here’s the thing: it doesn't matter how much turnover you do with online marketplaces, there is a bigger picture here - for the longterm future of the toy industry, we need to do all we can to stem the tide of unsafe and counterfeit toys on online third-party marketplaces. The fact the industry is losing a vast amount of turnover to these dubious operators just adds insult to (potential) injury. I should stress two things; first, it’s not just Amazon – the BTHA study involved buying toys from Amazon, eBay and AliExpress (a subsidiary of the Alibaba Group). Second, the issue is not with branded toys sold via the main sites; these all passed with flying colours, as of course they should with any legitimate retail operation. The issue specifically lies with third-party sellers, and this is where the platforms are failing their customers. Currently, their only responsibility to police these companies is a moral one, and that is clearly not enough. The only way we are going to stop this happening is by the law being changed. As things stand, the platforms aren’t doing anything illegal; it could be argued that their behaviour is immoral, but obviously there is a big difference between legality and morality when it comes to accepting responsibility and doing something to stop it happening. That is why it is important that everyone unites behind this campaign and actively gets involved. You can start by writing to your MP – come on, it’s summer, you have time to do it today. The BTHA can provide a template letter. It’s imperative that we get the message across to the people who are responsible for changing the law that there is a problem. Who knows, if they can acknowledge that, they might even decide to do something about it. It seems an eternity since the Toymaster show, but as our last edition went to print before the event, I just wanted

Toy World 7

to congratulate the team on delivering another hugely successful show. On a personal level it is always a joy to attend, not to mention an incredibly productive three days of work and play. The atmosphere is relaxed, and the sense of camaraderie is clearly evident; I never cease to make new friends and contacts at the show, and I’m sure that’s true for other visitors too. But it’s not just a three-day social whirl – far from it. The Toymaster show is a well-run, professional event – and importantly, retailers actually write orders. Suppliers offer attractive deals and members and non-members scratch the pad. It’s not rocket science, but it works. Many retailers I spoke to at the May show pointed to a noticeable dip in footfall in their locality in recent months, and most had no doubt where to put the blame – and yes, we’re back to the B-word. Regardless of your political affiliation or stance on Brexit, it is hard to disagree that it is having a significant short-term impact on consumer confidence and spending. Decline in footfall is obviously a major issue for a bricks and mortar retailer; in the end, you can’t sell anything to people who aren’t coming in to your store. The lack of a brand new craze has also been welldocumented; maybe we’ve been spoiled in recent years? Go back a few years and we often had to wait three or four years between really hot crazes; we’ve had a fantastic run, but maybe we’re reverting back to the mean? It is also no great secret that licensed merchandise has been a bit subdued of late, but with the release of Toy Story 4 and the arrival of the Harry Potter Wizards Unite mobile game, the next few months should hopefully see a major resurgence in this area. Ultimately, for those retailers and suppliers wondering ‘is it just me?’ a gathering like the Toymaster show allows them to appreciate that others are in exactly the same boat. Perhaps that’s why the general mood at Toymaster belied the current trading conditions, or maybe it’s just that people realise that the vast majority of the current problems are largely beyond our control, so it’s not anything that we are – or aren’t – doing as an industry. Brexit will undoubtedly throw up some challenges along the way, but there will always be kids; they’ll always receive pocket money and need to be kept occupied on rainy days; Christmas and birthdays will come round - and kids will always want toys. None of that will change, thank goodness: we may just have to jump through a few more hoops along the way.

News Argos reveals top toys for Christmas 2019 200 days before Christmas, Argos released its top toy predictions for 2019. The top 12 list includes toys inspired by innovation, TV, movie and gaming properties, and animal trends. Research conducted by Argos has revealed a quarter of UK shoppers have already started their Christmas shopping, with 10% having already finished it. The research also revealed that 32% of shoppers expect to spend more on gifts this year, with parents expected to spend an average of £273 on presents for their children. The top toys will be available to buy at Argos from Saturday 27 July 2019: • Pets Alive Boppi ‘Booty Shakin’ Llama (Zuru/Tobar) • Blume Doll (Skyrocket) • Owleez (Spin Master) • Paw Patrol Mighty Pups Super Paw Jet (Spin Master) • Fisher Price Imaginext Transforming Batmobile (Mattel) • Lego Harry Potter Knight Bus (Lego) • 7” Real Walking Buzz Lightyear (Mattel) • Furreal Cubby Bear (Hasbro) • Kindi Kids Toddler Doll (Moose/Worlds Apart) • Fortnite Battle Bus (Moose/Worlds Apart) • Peppa’s Stage Playset (Character) • L.O.L. Surprise! 2-in-1 Glamper (MGA) Juliet Ward, head of toy buying at Argos, commented: “Digital entertainment is influencing play more than ever before with popular franchises inspiring toys like the Fisher Price Imaginext Transforming Batmobile and 7” Real Walking Buzz. It’s really exciting to see online video gaming entering the toybox with the Fortnite Battle Bus allowing children to recreate what they see on screen in real-life at home. Animals continue to heavily influence toy innovations, such as the Cubby Bear and Owleez. And kids and big kids alike won’t be able to resist the delightful Boppi – the world’s first booty shakin’ llama. There are some really quirky innovations on the list this year, such as the collectable Blume Dolls, which magically sprout out of their flowerpots when sprinkled with water.”

Mattel rejects renewed merger bid from MGA Entertainment Isaac Larian, founder and chief executive of MGA, has confirmed that renewed his offer to merge the companies, having made an initial approach a year ago. Once again, Isaac did not propose a specific price for publicly held Mattel, suggesting that an investment banker or other outside party could help determine an appropriate figure. However, he confirmed that any purchase price would be at a premium to Mattel’s current market price. A letter sent to Mattel Chairman and CEO Ynon Kreiz, which Isaac has posted on LinkedIn, cited the company’s rising debt and tumbling share price as an impetus for a deal. However, Mattel is confident that its turnaround is taking shape thanks to a widened marketing of its core toy brands — especially in the entertainment and digital fields — and to a $650-million cost-cutting plan. MGA’s latest offer was conditional on Isaac Larian becoming Mattel’s chairman and CEO, and on all of Mattel’s current directors “resigning without any further compensation,” a condition which made it extremely unlikely that the deal would be accepted. In response to the letter, Mattel’s chief legal officer, Bob Normile, wrote to Isaac Larian. He stated that Mattel’s board had “unanimously concluded that your proposal is not in the best interests of Mattel and its shareholders”, and that the directors had no interest in further discussions. According to several media sources, Mattel said that it had no further comment to make on the subject. Isaac Larian told Bloomberg: “I try to do things in a peaceful manner, very confidentially, and you saw what the response was. There are other options available to take over a company for the sake of shareholders, and we are looking into different ways.” Isaac is known to be a Mattel shareholder but has declined to specify his stake. He also declined to elaborate on what the next steps are in his bid. “I’m looking at other options, frankly, because I don’t think the board is looking to do what’s right for Mattel shareholders.” Mattel’s shares rose as much as 12% following the offer.

MARKETING & DISTRIBUTING BRANDS

11 Deer Park Road, Northampton, NN3 6QD, UK • tel. 01604 678780 • email. sales@dkl.co.uk • www.dkltoys.co.uk

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News Flagship FAO Schwarz opens in Beijing, further locations to include Dublin As the first Asian flagship store opens, FAO Schwarz makes public plans to open in Dublin, weeks after ThreeSixty Group’s COO exclusively revealed the brand’s expansion plans to Toy World. China’s largest toy retailer has introduced the FAO Schwarz Beijing store, located inside the flagship Kidsland store at China World Mall, in a prime shopping and lifestyle district. “The introduction of FAO into China reflects our confidence in the potential of the Chinese economy and market development,” said chairman and CEO of Kidsland Lee Ching Yiu. “This is an important advantage for Kidsland to provide quality experiential retailing. FAO Schwarz plans to open a large flagship and several medium-sized stores in China in the next two years.” Opening in October, the Dublin store will be the second location in Europe for the brand. The new location will take up an entire floor of Arnotts Department Store. The flagship comes with an investment of €1m and will employ 40 to 50. Donald McDonald, managing director of Brown Thomas Arnotts described the exclusive partnership as a ‘huge coup’ for the Henry Street store. “Everything that you have in New York will be recreated in Dublin. We’re talking about customer experience and engagement, people want to be interactive and engaged in the story of the brand,” he commented. ThreeSixty Group’s COO Jan-Eric Kloth added that it “promises to be an adventure largerthan-life that sparks the imagination in all of us”. Speaking to Toy World back in April, Jan-Eric detailed the company’s ambition to be represented in the top 15-20 cities across the globe – “every major tourist city” – over the next three-five years. He commented: “These are huge moves – a really exciting journey lies ahead."

Toytown Seaford to move premises Toytown Seaford, which celebrated its 10th anniversary in April, is on the hunt for a new location as building work forces a move. The popular independent retailer has been located in an old, characterful building for the past decade, but extensive dry rot means half the shop floor needs to be taken up and replaced, and the property is also in need of a complete rewiring. Ultimately, this means that owner Ginette McGee must relocate her business. Speaking to Toy World at the Toymaster May show, Ginette was keen to emphasise that Toytown Seaford is simply moving elsewhere, not closing. “Due to the condition of the current premises, which requires substantial modernisation, Toytown has to vacate its present home by the end of August this year,” she explained. “We are currently considering a number of options for the business while we look for a new brick & mortar location, including the creation of an even stronger online presence, flexible pop-up shops and exciting market stalls in time for the busy Christmas period. I’d like to thank all my suppliers and customers for their support and understanding during what has been a rather stressful time – once again, the toy industry has demonstrated its kindness and generosity.” In a statement which went out to Toytown Seaford suppliers, Ginette added: “I look forward to seeing you at the shows in the meantime and placing new orders with you in the not too distant future.” Toy World looks forward to bringing readers news of the toy shop’s new location.

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Learning Resources celebrates 25 years of hands-on learning

A celebration event took place in Kings Lynn to celebrate the milestone achievement. The party was attended by company staff and their families, who were joined by business partners and VIP guests from the US, including Lisa Guili, general manager, Educational Insights, Rick Woldenberg, CEO, Learning Resources Inc. and founder Jane Woldenberg. The company has seen huge development since current MD Dennis Blackmore started the European subsidiary of Learning Resources Inc from his living room 25 years ago. In the early days, Learning Resources products were only sold to teachers and schools, but the company now also counts major retailers including Amazon, Hamleys, John Lewis, Jarrolds, Fenwicks and Toymaster shops as customers. One of the company’s early lines, Three Bear Family Counters, which could be sorted by colour, by size and by weight, was the product that convinced Dennis to join Learning Resources and establish the company in the UK. Since then the company has grown to supply award-winning educational toys and learning aids to more than 60 countries across Europe, the Middle East, India and Africa and employs 37 people at its Norfolk headquarters. Dennis commented: “Almost everything has changed in the last 25 years, from the products we develop and sell, to how and where our customers buy them. I am proud to be based in Kings Lynn and employ local people, and it’s gratifying to see how widely our products can inspire young children with a love of hands-on learning. We look forward with optimism to the years ahead.”

UL to host toy safety seminar The seminar will cover the regulatory changes affecting the toy sector as well as the increasing emphasis on sustainability. Leading global safety science company UL is preparing to host a seminar on toy safety at its newly opened campus in Basingstoke, UK. Taking place on the 17th July from 10am until 3.30pm, topics will include: Regulatory updates for the international markets; Trends in recall and enforcement activity; Sustainable toys: challenges and opportunities; and a panel discussion on the theme of sustainability. Participation for this event is free of charge but seats are limited. To register, visit www. connect.ul.com/ UKInTheNewsToySeminar2019.

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Re:creation welcomes Mightymast Leisure to portfolio Established for over 30 years, Mightymast Leisure is a recognised industry leader in the world of games and sports equipment. The brand has a global reach, supplying products across a variety of retail channels including high street, online and specialist outlets worldwide. Its portfolio covers a comprehensive range of gaming tables, including table football, air hockey and table tennis. The company has also established a successful branding and personalisation service. Re:creation general manager, Adrian Mayes, commented: “We are delighted to welcome Mightymast to the Re:creation family of brands. This impressive and wellestablished company has more than proved itself to be a highly profitable business. The team’s knowledge and expertise in the world of games equipment is simply second to none, and that experience is clearly demonstrated in a world class, innovative product range. Mightymast is a perfect complement to our existing offering. We aim to unlock further potential, with a focus on opening up new retail channels and product development that will create incremental opportunities among new audiences.” Mightymast Leisure will continue to operate from its base in Rendlesham, Suffolk. Further enquiries to Re:creation at sales@recreationltd.co.uk, 0118 973 6222.

Revell owner Quantum acquires Carrera Munich-based Quantum Capital Partners (QCP) has acquired Stadlbauer Marketing & Vertrieb GmbH (SMV), based in Salzburg, Austria, in a strategic move that will see Quantum strengthen its market position in the toy industry. In 2018, the Quantum Group acquired Revell GmbH, a leading manufacturer of plastic model kits as well as radiocontrolled toys. With its renowned Carrera brand, SMV is a market leader in slot racing cars. The Carrera brand is known for producing true-to-life and high-quality products, with cutting-edge technology standards. Radio-controlled cars, aircraft, drones and boats are also produced under the Carrera RC brand. The SMV brand portfolio also includes renowned German toy brands Pustefix, famous for soap bubbles, and doll manufacturer Schildkröt. The newly established Quantum Group, comprising the Carrera, Revell, Pustefix and Schildkröt brands, generates revenues above EUR 130m. Stefan Krings, currently MD of Revell, will be group CEO and manage daily operations at SMV with the existing management team, including MD Dr. Norbert Frömmer. The Stadlbauer family will continue to support the company in an advisory capacity.

Tigerhead teams up with Geemac for UK & Ireland distribution Under the new agreement, Geemac will act as the exclusive UK & Ireland distribution partner for the Tigerhead toy portfolio. The partnership will see Geemac distribute all of Tigerhead’s toy brands within the region, which include Magic Kitchen, ShakeHeadz and Bloomy Belles. Tigerhead is an international toy company with offices and showrooms in Spain and Hong Kong. Its team designs, develops, manufactures and markets a wide range of toys, from collectibles and moulding compounds to sports equipment such as the Messi Training System for young footballers. “We are very happy and excited to start this cooperation with Geemac,” added Pedro Sangil, Tigerhead CEO. “Both companies share a similar passion for toys, as well as values, principals and industry vision. We have some great products coming in 2020.” To find out more about Tigerhead, go to www.tigerheadtoys.com.

Hasbro partners with Wicked Cool Toys to bring back Micro Machines Hasbro has entered into an agreement to appoint Wicked Cool Toys as global master toy licensee for one of the hottest toy lines of the 1980s and 1990s, Micro Machines. Wicked Cool Toys’ portfolio includes original IP as well as the master toy licences for top brands including Pokémon and Cabbage Patch Kids. Micro Machines, a top-selling line featuring collectible component style play sets and miniature vehicles, originally became a hit in the mid-1980s. The new line of Micro Machines is expected to hit store shelves in autumn 2020. Michael Rinzler, co-president of Wicked Cool Toys, said: “Micro Machines is one of those amazing nostalgic brands that still has appeal 30 years later. There is huge potential to bring it back.” Jeremy Padawer, co-president, continued: “Considering recent toy unboxing trends, the brand’s multigenerational appeal and the vehicle category’s ripeness for something ‘new’ again, we believe Micro Machines will be a global phenomenon.” The original Micro Machines line was made by Galoob, which is now part of Hasbro. The range is known for its petite size, as well as for its popular advertising campaign – each spot ended with the slogan: ‘If it doesn’t say Micro Machines, it’s not the real thing!’.

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Judged by 200 Parent Influencers at the BlogOn Event on 21st September at Coppid Beech Hotel Bracknell. Entries close 31st August

Â£10 per entry and 1 sample required.

Winners will be announced at the BlogOn Xmas Party that evening - brands welcome to attend

www.BlogOnToyAwards.co.uk TOYWORLD S4E 2019210x138.pdf

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News Magic Box to launch SuperZings Series 4 A fourth series of SuperZings will hit shelves on the 23rd August. Series 4 will see the introduction of 80+ new characters including rare and ultra-rare finds, with accessories and play sets adding new elements of gameplay. Eight new Blaster Jets vehicles and eight super-powered Mega Jets are available to collect. The Mega Jets and Blaster Jets are interconnectable. The Starter Pack, priced at £5, contains three SuperZings, one exclusive metal Blaster Jet and an ultrarare SuperZing. The £6 Danger Gang tins each include five exclusive Danger Gang Villains, while the Blister Blaster Jet pack (RRP £7) contains four SuperZings (one silver), a blaster slider and a blaster jet. Range expansions for autumn/winter 2019 include the Kazoom Lab: Professor K Vs Engima, the Hero Monster Roller Truck and the Power Tower playset. Series 4 will be supported by a significant launch marketing campaign including TV, digital, social, unboxings, PR and webisodes to introduce the characters as well as the full product range. Julia Cake of Magic Box Toys commented: “We’re really excited about the fourth series of SuperZings. Each new series sees its own point of difference, and we are developing a strong licensing range with Lisle Licensing which offers the opportunity for SuperZings to grow even further.

Hong Kong Mega Show aims to raise the sourcing bar this October In 2018, over 33 countries were represented by 3,972 companies during the Mega Show Series, whilst 51,000 buyers originated from 132 countries. This attendance helped cement the show’s position as a leading global sourcing event and vital buying and selling platform during the Southern China autumn sourcing season. From October 20th-23rd, the Asian Toys and Baby Products show, the Asian Festive, Christmas and Seasonal Show and the new Asian Sporting Goods Show will run alongside a further two trade events including the Asian Gifts and Premiums Show. October 27th-29th will then play host to a further three shows including the Asian Stationery Show. All shows take place at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. Full details and application forms are available on the show’s website.

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BlogOn details Toy World spoke to Laura Seaton, managing director of the BlogOn Conference and founder of the blog tiredmummyoftwo.com, about this year’s BlogOn Toys event which takes place on the 21st September. What can visitors expect from this year’s BlogOn Toys? The 2019 BlogOn Toys event is our 13th conference and our third toy focused event. We will once again welcome 200 parent influencers who have established blogs, vlogs or social media channels. We’re looking forward to hosting a buzzing brand den, with some very exciting brand partnerships. Our new venue means that we are now able to offer a full day’s experience with more breaks, allowing the attendees to spend more time in the brand den. We will also be hosting our Christmas party the same evening, where everyone can enjoy a Christmas-themed dinner buffet.

How can toy suppliers get involved in the conference? The BlogOn Toys event is hosted at the ideal time of year for showcasing new autumn/winter lines and key Christmas releases. We have space for 30 brands in the brand den, where companies can take a stand for £250 - £350. Brands can also enter the Toy Awards for just £10 per entry; judging takes place at the event, and the winners will be announced at the evening party. The BlogOn Goody Bags present a great sampling opportunity - these are given to each attendee and are shared across social media.

The entries for the 2019 BlogOn Toy Awards are now open – what level of interest have you had so far? The Toy Awards opened at the end of May and we’ve had a great response. Kids@Play, the winner of last year’s Bloggers Choice award, submitted its entries immediately and I can't wait to welcome the company back to the event. The Toy Awards are open for nominations until 31st August so there is plenty of time left to get involved, and we hope to surpass the 200 entries we have had in previous years. We are especially looking forward to seeing the entries in our new Christmasthemed toys category.

Why did you decide to move the conference to the Coppid Beech Hotel, Bracknell this year? Although we have always had a great response to our events in Manchester, I always wanted to hold one of our toy events in the south. I have worked in the toy industry providing blogger outreach services for many years and most of my clients were based along the M4 corridor, so I see this as a key location. We have had a great response to this change from our influencers, and we are expecting to welcome lots of new attendees to the event.

What advice do you have on making the most of the conference? I work with all attending companies, discussing their requirements in advance to offer tailored advice on how they can achieve their goals. For example, if a company wishes to increase its social media presence or make a hashtag trend, then a twitter competition or something similar might be a good idea. We have launched products at the event, created a social media buzz and compiled lists of people who later produced blog reviews for companies. We already have some great things planned for this event, and I can't wait to share it with everyone.

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News New retailers join Toymaster

Asmodee products dominate awards at UK Games Expo

Conways Bookshop and Quayside Bookshop join from ROI, while UK retailer The Hop Pocket has also become a member of the buying group. Trading as Eason Sligo and Eason Quayside respectively, Conways Bookshop and Quayside Bookshop have been announced as new members of Toymaster. Located in Sligo, the stores offer toys alongside games, books and stationery. “We wanted to get access to lots of different brands that will enable us to grow our toy business,” explained Conways’ Dierdre Reilly. “We feel that there’s a gap in the market in Sligo, and we have really enjoyed visiting the Toymaster show and making new contacts. Some of our Easons colleagues are members of Toymaster, and they have found membership of the group to be really beneficial.” Conways Bookshop is at 45 O’Connell Street, Abbeyquarter North, Sligo, F91 YF51, while Quayside Bookshops is at Unit 2 Quayside Shopping Centre, Wine Street, Sligo, F91 K510. For more information please email Deidre on dreillyeason@gmail.com or call 00353 71 914 0660 (Conways) or 00353 71 917 1886 (Quayside). The Hop Pocket Craft Centre in Worcester has also been confirmed as a Toymaster member. A collection of independent shops offering an alternative to both the high street and out of town shopping, The Hop Pocket is spread across a number of old agricultural buildings. The shops are mainly under one roof and there is a large, free car park for customers. The Hop Pocket Craft Centre is located in Bishops Frome, Worcester, WR6 5BT and can be contacted on 01531 640323 or by email to Mathew Pudge on Matthew@thehoppocket.com.

With awards in each category selected by a panel of judges as well as a public vote, UKGE’s prizes honour a wealth of the very best titles to have emerged in recent times or making debuts at the show – and an impressive 24 out of 32 awards were taken home by Asmodee products. UKGE is the world’s third-biggest show of its kind, and the UK’s biggest tabletop gaming convention, with a record-breaking 25,704 unique visitors attending the event at Birmingham’s NEC in 2019. Winners included Who Did It?, the Fun Fast Games title which took the Judges’ Award for Best Children’s Game, Ticket to Ride: New York (People’s Choice winner for Best Family Game) and Maki Stack, which was crowned Best Party Game by the judges. Asmodee has been a major feature of the show throughout its continued growth, with a team of over 150 demonstrators on hand to show off its hottest products to guests. Among products which drew the crowds was Ticket to Ride: London, a new mini edition which made its worldwide debut with a limited-numbers launch at the show. KeyForge: Age of Ascension, the hotly anticipated second release to Asmodee’s breakout hit card game, also attracted high attention as the game celebrated its European launch. “We are thrilled by the success of our products at the UKGE Awards,” said Ben Hogg, marketing manager at Asmodee UK. “With recognition in almost every category, from children’s and family to roleplaying and miniatures, it’s proof that there is something for everyone in the Asmodee catalogue.”

Wally’s Toy Shop acquired by Messenger Enterprises The independent toy store, which is located in Thame, will now become a member of the Toymaster buying group, as Jason and Emma Messenger of Messenger Enterprises add to their portfolio of independent toy shops. Joining Ellenbray Toys and Stationery in Frome, Hamlins Toymaster in Berkhamstead and Thorntons Toymaster in Wiltshire, Wally’s is situated on Thame’s thriving high street and is currently trading well. “We’ve been in Thame for around five and a half years and have three full time staff, including myself,” explained Wally’s manager Sam Walker. “Our customers support us well and we are happy with how the business is doing. We like to provide a mix of toys; when families come in I like parents to find things they like just as much as the kids. We stock a combination of mainstream and traditional products.” The takeover means that Wally’s will now become a member of Toymaster, which Sam says will offer much greater buying power. “As a small, independent retailer, it can be a struggle to keep lines of communication open with bigger suppliers, but Toymaster should help us do this more easily. I’m really looking forward to seeing where membership takes us.” Wally’s Toyshop is at 96-97 High Street, Thame, Oxfordshire, OX9 3EH. For more information call 01844 261947 or email sam@wallys.toys.

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Industry Moves Alpha Animation and Toys welcomes Anne-Marie Noon to the team Alpha Animation and Toys UK has recruited toy industry professional, Anne-Marie Noon to its marketing team. Anne-Marie’s impressive background in the toy industry includes toy buying at John Lewis & Partners, followed by almost 12 years in brand and marketing management roles at GP Flair, placing her in a strong position to further grow the existing robust marketing strategies at Alpha. Speaking of her new role, Anne-Marie Noon said: “The Alpha UK team has done an incredible job of building the UK business thus far and I’m extremely excited to be joining it to work on its wonderful portfolio of brands during such a strong trajectory of growth.” Kerry Tarrant, marketing manager, Alpha Animation and Toys UK, added: “We are delighted to welcome Anne-Marie on board. With her extensive industry and marketing expertise, she will be a perfect fit to the team. We’re eager to get to work with her on new campaigns and brand promotions.”

Flair unveils new marketing structure and appointments Iulia Toader is promoted to marketing manager for Boys & Girls Toys, while Gurpreet Chohan takes up the role of product manager. Iulia joined Flair in February after spending the last five years in Dubai as marketing manager for I-Brands, a leading toy distributor in the Middle East Region, where she successfully brought to market multiple international brands. Gurpreet joined the company on 3rd June as product manager for the Boys category, bringing with her experience gained in product development and retail, Iulia Toader most recently with eOne. She will join Magali Clouzet, senior brand manager for Girls Toys to complete the GP Flair Girls & Boys Team. Going forward, the Flair Marketing Department will be organised in two teams, with the GP Flair portfolio led by Iuila Toader, and the Just Play Portfolio led my Marta Zietkiewicz. Emmanuelle Cadet, Flair’s Head of Marketing, commented: “It is with great pleasure that we can announce the new structure of our Flair Marketing Department. With two strong teams and managers, we are shaping the organisation to support the development of our ever-evolving business. Since Gurpreet Chohan joining us in February, Iulia has adapted incredibly well to her role, so I am delighted to extend her responsibilities and to welcome Gurpreet to the team.”

Chris Ashton leaves Groupon After three years at Groupon, Chris Ashton has resigned from his position as category manager – toys, nursery, sports and pet care. The experienced toy industry professional is now on garden leave, and is currently looking for a new role in the toy market. Chris told Toy World: “My role at Groupon has changed dramatically in the last six months, so I felt that now would be a good time to look for a new challenge. Having spent many years in toy retail buying with Groupon, The Toy Store, Toys R Us, Harrods, Safeway and Woolworths, I would love the opportunity to stay within the toy community and use the experience and contacts I have built up over the past 25 years." Chris can be reached by email at chrisashton8@hotmail.com or by phone on (07868) 292570.

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Orange Tree Toys appoints new area sales manager Lezley Turner has joined the team as area sales manager for the south and commenced her new role in June. Lezley brings a wealth of industry experience gained from her time with the likes of Gemma International, Yankee Candles and Hallmark Gifts, all of which will be of benefit both to Orange Tree Toys and its customers across the South. Mike Hartshorn, head of sales at Orange Tree Toys, commented: “I am really excited to be welcoming someone of Lezley’s experience to our team, especially at such an exciting time for us. We are about to release our fantastic new Moon & Me collection into the market along with additional Disney characters, plus lots of new Orange Tree Toys branded products in time for Christmas.”

Toy World welcomes new assistant editor Lisa Currie Lisa has joined the team and will be working alongside editor Rachael Simpson-Jones. A graduate of the University of Sheffield with a degree in English Literature, Lisa has honed her journalistic skills as a writer and deputy editor at the Tab Sheffield, a website covering youth and student culture. She has also produced an online blog following her adventures travelling in South East Asia and Australia. Publisher John Baulch commented: “We are delighted to welcome Lisa to the team. Her writing skills, positive attitude and enthusiastic demeanour are sure to be huge assets to the company. We look forward to introducing her to the toy industry over the coming months.”

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Marketing World AB to manage PMS’s Elves Behavin’ Badly this Christmas PMS International Group has appointed creative agency AB to help continue its promotion of Elves Behavin’ Badly. The annual elf phenomenon sees adults buying the toys to trick, surprise and shock their friends, family and colleagues. With a whole cast of characters including Elfie, Elvie and Rudie the reindeer, the brand presents plenty of opportunities for japes and jokes during the festive season. This year the brand will benefit from an advertising campaign from the creative team at the full-service agency AB, which is well known for its edgy, boundary-pushing campaigns. Paul Beverley, MD at PMS International, said: “With its expertise in film, digital marketing, brand and creative design, AB offers our cheeky elves a really exciting opportunity for 2019. The festive season is a chance for everyone to relax and unwind and Elves Behavin’ Badly are the perfect way to have a bit of fun. We can’t wait to let the elves loose at the end of October. The Elf Season nicely and hilariously fills the gap between Halloween and Christmas.”

Playmobil announces Nick Jr. partnership Playmobil is continuing to support its retail distribution network via an advertising partnership with the No. 1 entertainment brand for children. The strategic campaign will run until the end of October 2019, with Playmobil creating bespoke idents for the coveted 5-7pm evening slot. Playmobil’s advertising placements will appear on Nick Jr. and Nick Jr. Too, as part of its sponsorship of Playful Evenings on Nick Jr. The partnership is the latest in a number of UK broadcast campaigns for the brand, including a summer-long partnership with The Club with Bex, which runs 4-7pm on Fun Kids Radio. These hand-picked partnerships form an integral part of Playmobil’s commitment to retailers, as well as its expansion into the entertainment space. Jamie Dickinson, marketing and display manager for Playmobil UK, said: “Our intention is to provide retailers with support via a comprehensive and targeted advertising programme, which also reaffirms our position as a much loved and well-respected entertainment brand. We have really enjoyed working alongside Nick Jr. and we look forward to seeing how the idents are received by the channel’s viewers across the UK.”

Spin Master’s Kinetic Sand partners with SuperCamps for summer Spin Master has announced a partnership between the best-selling sand brand and SuperCamps. Kinetic Sand activities will run in all 60+ SuperCamps venues throughout the summer holiday season, reaching thousands of children. The experiential partnership includes extensive marketing activity through SuperCamps’ digital channels to drive awareness of the Kinetic Sand summer activities, including website promotion, e-newsletter and social outreach, alongside May half term promotional posters. SuperCamps kids will also have the chance to win individual packs of Kinetic Sand during their visits. Hannah Ward from Spin Master commented: “We are delighted to be partnering with SuperCamps this summer. When kids get to experience Kinetic Sand through hands-on play, they absolutely love it and are entertained for hours, so we are very excited to be able to give them this opportunity through fun activities.” Nathan Nicholas from SuperCamps added: “We are pleased to add Kinetic Sand to our offering this summer. Hands-on creative play is such an important part of early years development, and Kinetic Sand provides a completely new, interactive experience for our kids. We can’t wait to see their faces.” Further introductions for the brand in 2019 include the return of the best-selling Sandbox Set, which is now available in brighter colours. Spin Master will also be launching the Sandisfying Set this summer, which lets fans create mesmerising sand effects and videos to share with friends. The set comes with 10 different tools, 2lbs of Kinetic Sand, a transformable sand box, phone stand and backdrop for filming videos.

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Opinion

TV still reaching a substantial amount of kids This month, Josh looks at PwC’s recent Kids Digital Media Report 2019, focusing on TV’s role in the evolving media mix.

hen considering children’s current screen viewing habits, it is easy to write off TV as an outdated medium. However, 2019’s edition of the Kids Digital Media Report, released by SuperAwesome and PwC, gives evidence to the contrary, reporting that TV is still reaching a “substantial” portion of under 13s’ media time. The report highlights just how sought-after kids’ TV ad space has become, as competing brands battle it out to secure inventory during key seasonal periods. It’s no secret that the increase in choice, driven by kids’ ever-growing affinity to technology, is the driving force behind the recent erosion of addressable TV audience time. With kids opting to spread their time across a blend of YouTube, Subscription VOD (e.g. Netflix) and video games, methods of reaching this audience have never been so fragmented. With the bulk of high-quality kids’ content investment being channelled into non-ad funded SVOD platforms (with an estimated $2-3bn spent by Apple, Disney, Netflix and Amazon annually), the scope for reaching this audience with brand messaging has narrowed

considerably, with 60% of global Netflix customers watching kids and family content. However, this could all change if one of these giants decide to introduce a hybrid ad-funded/ subscription service, following the successful model adopted by Spotify and others. But what about those kids that are in online environments with ads? It turns out that it’s not just TV time that’s on the decline among kids. Recent insight indicates that kids are spending fewer total hours in front of screens than they have at any point over the past five years. While the reasons for this are still up for debate, it appears that a perceived need for parental control could be the root cause. According to PwC Analysis, parents of 5-15 year olds identified pressures to spend money online and cyberbullying, as well as damage to their children’s reputations (either now or in the future), as among their top five concerns when monitoring their children’s internet use. This may have resulted in many taking a more restrictive approach when allocating their kids’ screen time. Despite the rapid growth of kids’ digital channels in recent years, they have not yet

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Josh Quirke

senior digital manager, Generation Media. Tel: 0207 307 7909 Josh.Quirke@generationmedia.co.uk

proven to be as effective as TV when it comes to influencing product sales. This can clearly be seen when comparing the effectiveness of sales driven by a YouTube influencer video campaign with a TV ad spot campaign; the latter often results in a higher return on ad spend. With many of the top influencers today demanding upwards of £20,000 per video, with only shaky guarantees on delivery, the cost of kids’ TV remains one of the most cost-effective ways to reach children. Although many of the most significant influencers have risen to become global stars, the likelihood that a proportion of paid-for views will fall outside of an advertisers’ target market is high, resulting in a wastage which will always have an impact on UK product sales. There is no getting away from the fact that digital channels are becoming an increasingly important medium for reaching kids’ audiences but, in the currently climate, the evidence still shows that TV remains a key success driver in this space.

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Licensing World Mattel secures Hello Kitty licensing agreement

Mattel has announced that it will begin producing Hello Kitty & Friends toys under a licensing agreement with Sanrio, boosting its share price. The company’s stock jumped 10% in mid-day trading following the announcement. Under the agreement with Sanrio, Mattel will develop and design toys, play sets, games and other products inspired by the Japanese company’s portfolio, including Hello Kitty, Keroppi, Chococat, Tuxedosam, My Melody and others. The toy lines will be available in North America, Europe, Latin America, Australia and New Zealand beginning in autumn 2020. “We’re excited to bring the Supercute world of Sanrio to life through toys that will allow fans of all ages to experience Hello Kitty and Sanrio Friends in new ways,” said Janet Hsu, chief franchise management officer of Mattel. “This relationship is another example of Mattel’s commitment to collaborate with globally-recognised franchises as part of our transformation into an IP-driven, high-performing toy company.” “Mattel is the perfect partner to align with our mission to evolve the brand and connect with Sanrio fans worldwide,” added Craig Takiguchi, COO of Sanrio. “Its global reach and creative approach to product development and storytelling is like no other. I am confident that together we will transform our toy business in a unique way that will resonate with generations of Sanrio fans.” Financial details of the deal were not disclosed. Hello Kitty is a $7b brand, and earlier this year Sanrio granted film rights to Warner Bros. to develop a movie based on the property.

Siso Toys UK takes on distribution of Ryan’s World Siso Toys UK, the new UK office of the Simba Dickie Group which formed last May, has partnered with kids entertainment studio pocket.watch to secure the UK distribution rights for YouTube phenomenon Ryan’s World with immediate effect. The YouTube star has garnered 27b views, with 42m views a month coming from the UK. Ryan’s World has 19m subscribers and Ryan is ranked as the No. 1 kids’ influencer, both globally and in the UK. The licensed toy range launched in the US last year to great success, selling out across the country and receiving the attention of major press outlets including The Today Show and Good Morning America, as well as being voted the No. 1 pre-school toy by parents for 2018. The range was picked up by major US retailers including Walmart and Target, with significant shelf space and store distribution to meet the demand from fans of Ryan. Siso Toys UK is looking to replicate that success in the UK with its line of Ryan’s World toys, produced under licence by Jada Toys. The range includes mini cars with characters, feature action vehicles and a Stunt Panda RC that performs tricks. “Following the acquisition of Jada Toys, we’ve received so much interest and enquires on the Ryan’s World range,” said Martin Whitaker, managing director of Siso Toys UK. “We previewed the range at London Toy Fair, receiving a massive level of interest, and are excited to launch into UK retailers.”

Playmobil announces new Scooby-Doo deal Warner Bros. Consumer Products EMEA has partnered with Playmobil on a new toy line. Playmobil has secured the worldwide rights for both Scooby-Doo core products and new Scooby-Doo theatrical motion picture products. The movie is set to be released in 2020. The first wave of products will launch in spring 2020 and will feature Playmobil figures of Scooby-Doo, Shaggy, Daphne, Velma and Fred. The iconic Mystery Machine vehicle will also be given the Playmobil treatment. A variety of play sets and accessories in different combinations including single packs, multi packs, blind bags and collectible figurines will also be available, while covermounts filled with Playmobil products and accessories will further ensure hours of imaginative fun for the whole family.

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Licensing World Basic Fun! agrees deals for Tonka and Care Bears brands

Basic Fun! has announced that it has an agreement in principle with Hasbro for the Tonka brand, as well as signing master toy rights with Cloudco Entertainment for Care Bears. The multi-year deal with Hasbro will expand the licensing relationship between the two companies, which already includes Pound Puppies, Lite-Brite, Lincoln Logs, Tinker Toy, My Little Pony Classic, Koosh and Weebles. The new line of Tonka trucks is expected to launch worldwide in autumn 2020, featuring classic steel Tonka Trucks, die-cast and traditional plastic lights and sounds products. A new line of Care Bear products will feature interactivity, collectability and playability, with an emphasis on sharing and caring. The range is also expected to launch in autumn 2020, throughout North America and the UK. The company plans to launch a dynamic marketing campaign for the Tonka brand, focusing on getting kids to have fun in the fresh air. The new vehicles and play sets will have innovative elements, yet will also stay true to the nostalgic Tonka Tough brand legacy that generations of fans have come to love. The new Care Bears line will be unveiled to key customers in Dallas in October and to the broader trade at Toy Fair New York in February 2020. A new animated series, Care Bears: Unlock the Magic, debuted earlier this year in the US on Boomerang and Cartoon Network in the US, as well as Tiny Pop in the UK. “Today’s kids are at risk of forgetting how to play with anything but a smart phone, which is why we are so thrilled to be taking on the iconic Tonka toy line that is all about going outside to play and encouraging kids to use their imaginations,” said Jay Foreman, CEO of Basic Fun! Paul Fogarty, Basic Fun! VP Europe, added: “There is a lot of internal passion to really get behind this brand and elevate it – it’s a big deal for us.” “We couldn’t be happier to bring back Care Bears with the same team that made it happen for us almost 20 years ago,” said Sean Gorman, president of Cloudco Entertainment. “Jay has a real flair for reigniting and reinventing classic brands and making them relevant for today’s kids and gift givers.” Jay added: “Now that we are truly in the sweet spot between the confluence of the millennial mom and her child with this heritage brand, and the craze of collecting, our launch has the potential to be bigger than ever.”

Mattel extends partnership with Warner for DC characters Mattel has announced that it has extended its agreement with Warner Bros. Consumer Products and will continue to be the global toy licensee for DC. The partnership will support and grow the core DC Universe, introduce new content for DC Super Hero Girls and includes rights to iconic DC characters in the girls, pre-school, vehicles, games and novelty toy categories. “DC is home to some of the world’s greatest superheroes, and extending our partnership will ensure we’re able to support the growth of this iconic brand and bring it to even more audiences,” said Janet Hsu, chief franchise management officer at Mattel. “Mattel is known for its winning design and innovation and, as the category leaders in dolls, vehicles and pre-school, we’re thrilled to support Warner Bros. long term franchise plans.” Stephen Teglas, senior vice president, North America, Warner Bros. Consumer Products, added: “Mattel has been our partner on DC for over 15 years and really knows our characters and understands the special connection they have with our fans. Their leadership in the preschool, vehicle and girl categories will help us bring great toys and experiences to DC fans of all ages.” This agreement continues Mattel’s efforts to expand the company’s brand into new commercial opportunities and builds upon its existing licensing partnerships with Disney, Universal, Nickelodeon, WWE, Microsoft and others.

Universal, Illumination and Lego announce expanded partnership for Minions Universal Brand Development (Universal), Illumination and the Lego Group have announced further expansion of their licensing partnership to include the record-setting Despicable Me franchise, launching with a collection of Lego building sets inspired by the upcoming feature film, Minions: The Rise of Gru. “We are excited to expand our partnership with Universal Brand Development to introduce the first Lego sets based on Illumination’s Minions and the Despicable Me franchise,” said Jill Wilfert, vice president, licensing & entertainment for Lego Group. “The films have become global blockbusters and are beloved by fans of all ages, and we believe the characters and scenes lend themselves to a creative and engaging Lego play experience.” The sets will be available in key international territories in 2020, to coincide with the movie release in summer 2020. “Universal is committed to giving fans richer, more engaging experiences through best-in-class consumer products, and we are thrilled to further expand our partnership with the Lego Group to include Illumination’s Despicable Me franchise,” said Joe Lawandus, senior vice president and general manager, global toys and hardlines, Universal Brand Development. “Illumination’s Minions, with their larger-than-life personalities, are global pop-culture icons, and the Lego building sets will open up new opportunities for fans to recreate and relive their favourite moments from Minions: The Rise of Gru.”

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NPD Insight

Brand and deliver?

This month, Rory explores the decrease in sales of licensed products in the toy market, and whether the bumper crop of movie releases in 2019 will reverse that trend.

ne area of the UK toy market which has a significant influence on the overall performance is licensing, but recently there has been a drop in market share for licensed merchandise. In 2015, licensed toy sales made up nearly 29% of the total market, but by 2018 this had fallen to 23%. So why did this happen? And with a bumper year for movie based toys in 2019, could this trend be reversed over the coming months?

the UK toy market, resulting in sales of non-licensed product securing a higher share. Over the last three years, the number of licences in the data is relatively stable; there were just over 390 licences in 2016, compared to 387 in 2018. While the total number of licences hasn’t really changed, the top 10 licences in value accounted for nearly £300m in 2016, while they only accounted for just over £200m in 2018; that represents a loss of £100m in two years. If we then look at the performance of brands, we can see that the top 10 brands were worth just over £280m in 2016, while in 2018 the top 10 were worth around £310m. It should be noted that L.O.L Surprise! was worth over £100m last year, which had a significant impact on the overall number, but there were also strong sales from brands such as Lego City, Little Tikes and VTech Baby. The top 10 properties for 2018 consisted of eight brands and two licences, showing that brands are taking up more value in the data. Similarly, in the top 10 new properties for 2018, there were seven brands and only three licences. It is clear that branded toys have been driving the market in the last couple of years, but could this be about to change in 2019?

So far in 2019 (up to May), the percentage of the UK toy market held by licensed product currently sits at 22.6%, which is down from 25% at the same stage last year. On the face of it, the inexorable downward trend of the last few years appears to be continuing. Looking back at 2015, a big factor in that year’s strong performance was the success of four huge moviebased licences: Star Wars, Disney Frozen, Despicable Me/Minions and Avengers. Indeed, Star Wars and Disney Frozen were the two biggest licences we had ever seen in the UK toy market, and both hit the market in the same year. Since then, the high level of sales for movie licences has not been replicated, although it’s worth pointing out that Star Wars was the first ever £100m property in 2016. 2017 was widely tipped as the next big year for movies, with a series of big summer Licensed Toys have lost share worth £113M in the blockbusters released, but sales didn’t quite hit the anticipated heights. Licensed Toys % of Total Toys Cars 3 was the biggest success, but with sales of 28.8% just under £30m in 2017, 27.5% 25.6% this didn’t come close to the levels of Star Wars or Frozen in the two years prior. Although, broadly speaking, movies still have a positive impact 2015 2016 2017 on toy sales, they are no longer the guarantee of massive success they have DocumentThe classification: Client/Third Party Confidential NPD Group, Inc. | Proprietary and confidential been in the past. Trends may now be changing in

Rory Partis

Director UK Toys & EuroToys NPD Recent weeks have shown a distinct change in the licence trend. In the latest week’s data, licences actually outperformed the total market and for the top 10 licences, seven were showing value gain versus the same week in 2018. Several strong movie-based licences have emerged in the past few weeks, with Pokémon a top 10 property with +60% growth and Toy Story the No.12 property a week before the movie is released. Similar to Harry Potter, the Toy Story licence appeals to both boys and girls, while parents also have a huge fondness for the previous movies, so the effect on licences should be noticeable once the movie hits cinemas and beyond. Looking ahead, Frozen II and Star Wars will both be released at the end of the year, while the latest Spider Man movie will be released in the summer.

It’s safe to say the UK retail market as a whole is challenging just now, as we’re seeing reflected in the current negative trend in the UK NPD EPOS toy data. Factors such as the challenging retail environment, negative consumer confidence, pressures on non-essential spend and th the current pressure on reducing plastics are all last four years having an impact. This is why it could be argued that it is more important than ever to have a strong licensing presence in toys and the current data trends are encouraging. 23.3% Given what is coming in 2019, there is no reason that we shouldn’t see a strong second half of the year for licensed toy sales. 2018

Licensed toys challenged for 4 year in a row

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Source: The NPD Group | Retail Tracking Service | Full year 2018 vs. 17

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.

Property Progression: Total Property (Brand + Licence)

Rank April 2019

Rank May 2019

Toy Story

#56

#24

Toy Story 4 will be released in cinemas on June 21st, and there is a lot of excitement around the next instalment. Toy Story has been an ever-present property in the UK market for the last ten years, but the new movie has boosted the property into the top rankings for May and we expect it to be in the top 10 for June. The majority of sales are currently split between Action and Building Sets but we will see sales spread across a number of categories from Youth electronics to Outdoor Toys.

Fastest Growing Licence in Toys The top gaining licences in the UK toy market this year makes for interesting reading with six spots taken up by movie-based licences and two from the digital world. The top gaining licence in 2019 is Fortnite, still going strong after a huge amount of publicity at the end of 2018. The Action Figure items from Jazwares and Funko make up the top sellers for Fortnite but the Nerf blaster range from Hasbro has also shown strong sales in recent weeks. Ryan’s World also makes the top 10 gaining licences, and the You Tube sensation has certainly seen strong toy sales in the US too. The range features elements of current crazes including collectibles, mystery blind packs and putty.

Fastest Growing Licences

Movie based licences take up 6 of the top 10 spots Sales Gained £M Fortnite Harry Potter Jurassic Park/World How To Train Your Dragon L.O.L. Surprise! Toy Story Fantastic Beasts National Soccer Club Incredibles Ryan's World 0.0

1.0

2.0

3.0

4.0

5.0

6.0

Source: The NPD Group | Retail Tracking Service | YTD May 2019 vs. 18

DocumentThe classification: Client/Third Party Confidential NPD Group, Inc. | Proprietary and confidential

Toy World 29

Talking Shop

Are you in? At this year’s Toymaster show, Toy World editor Rachael Simpson-Jones caught up with members to discuss the state of play for indies at the moment, what has caught their eye at the show and what they do to promote and develop their business, both with Toymaster help and without.

Kids Stuff Wells - Lee and Sarah Borastero Business has been great for us so far for 2019, and I’d say we are up on last year by 12-15% at the moment. We have no direct competitors locally, and the products we stock are selling across the board, but I’m still not 100% sure why we’re doing as well as we are. I’ve spoken to lots of other members at the Toymaster show, and they’ve said that they are either flat or down. Easter was phenomenal for us, with strong, consistent footfall and high levels of sales throughout the four-week period. Everything you would expect to be selling well is doing so, such as Lego, Playmobil and Orchard Toys. We don’t buy into short term fads or crazes, but instead stick to tried and tested traditional toys. At the show we’ve seen Pound Puppies and Strawberry Shortcake, which have taken us on quite a trip down memory lane. Basic Fun! has some retro Fisher-Price which is selling very well; with Toy Story 4 being released soon the Chatter Phone is particularly popular. We’ve also noticed that retro games and toys are starting to trickle through again. Games like Kerplunk, Monopoly and Downfall are making a comeback, but they are up against the strength of Asmodee’s games portfolio. Asmodee is our best games supplier; Dobble and Rory’s Story Cubes fly off the shelves. We don’t tend to do in-store events because of the layout of our shop. Parts of the building are 400 years old, and in places the ceiling is low enough to hit your head if you’re tall. Every square inch of space, including the walls, is covered in toys. However, we have a school fete coming up where we’ll be holding a charity Lego ‘fire walk’. It’s exactly what it sounds like – people will walk barefoot across Lego bricks to raise money, and we’ll be videoing it all - complete with a bleeper machine for the inevitable! We are splitting the proceeds between the school PTSA and McMillan Cancer Support, as Lee was recently diagnosed with leukaemia. Another school has picked up on the Lego fire walk setup and wants to hire it, so we are using that event as a test run before our fete and will then open it up to other schools in the area. The event will help promote our business by letting people know who and what we are. We’ve been a Toymaster member for 10 years and we’ve been in business for 21 years, but still we get locals coming in and saying: “we never knew you were here!”. The entrance of Kids Stuff isn’t very big, so people miss it,

even though the shop really opens up inside and goes on forever, like Aladdin’s cave. Paul Reader [Toymaster product manager] referred to us as an enigma when he first came to visit. We’ve painted the exterior of the building a very bright yellow now, to catch the eye, but we want to drive awareness through events and word of mouth too. We say to our customers that if they are happy with their purchase and our service, don’t tell us – tell their friends. Write something on Facebook,

Toy World 31

write a review online, spread the word. If people don’t use us, they will lose us. We both voted remain, but we respect the outcome of the Brexit vote. The government hasn’t fulfilled its end of the bargain, and people are now B.O.B - bored of Brexit. Whether we are in or out, something needs to give and the sooner it’s all over, the better. We have a lot of friends that have decided not to go abroad on holiday this year, and are instead vacationing in the UK. We’re starting to see a lot of tourists from South Wales, the Midlands, even from the east side of the country, and this is having an unexpected positive impact on sales. People staying in the UK for holidays is driving footfall into the shop, so I am quietly hopeful that summer trading will be strong this year. As mentioned earlier, we’ve been Toymaster members for a decade. Attending the Harrogate show is hugely beneficial, as is being able to pick up the phone and get straight through to a human - and speak to the same human again the next week. I will admit, we were sceptical when we first joined. Our local toy shop closed due to retirement and recommended us to Toymaster, but we really weren’t sure how it would work or what the catch was. It turns out there is no catch – Toymaster is simply a group of independent toy shops selling whatever products they want, but with excellent backup and support. You’re able to say to companies: “I’m a Toymaster member, and you’re a Toymaster supplier – I’d like your product please.” It’s so simple. That said, I do think that there are some misconceptions about what membership entails; people assume you have to stock certain things – which isn’t the case. Being a member has been brilliant for us, and I would tell any independent toy shop who is interested in joining the group to pick up the phone and talk to a staff member. I don’t think we would still be trading without the help and support of the Toymaster group, and I know others who feel the same way. Toymaster works for us, we don’t work for it. It’s a community. I hope that by the end of the year we’ll be trading up; Christmas last year blew us away, but it was late. Trade was slow and then sales suddenly exploded. As soon as Black Friday hit, it all kicked off, and it was total chaos – good chaos - until Christmas. If we are 5-10% up at the end of the year, I’ll be very happy. It’s certainly an interesting time to be in business.

Talking Shop Brendan and Emma Will - Will’s Toy Shop, Aberdeen Business is good, and at this point we are level, maybe even slightly up, on last year. We got off to a strong start in January and ended the month 20% up, while February and March were a bit slow. Then April and May were up. Easter doesn’t have as much as an impact in Scotland as it does in England; the schools take time off before Easter, and a lot of people will take the kids away at half-term. Aberdeen isn’t a tourist area, so we don’t feel the effect of Easter the same way those south of the border do. L.O.L. Surprise! is still popular, and we aren’t having any problems getting hold of stock; we order at the right time and don’t ask for too much, so MGA has allocation for us. We recently started doing a bit of Steiff, which has gone down well with our customers. The range starts at £17 for an 8” plush and the most expensive item we carry is £55, but we can also order in, so if a customer wants a £1000 Winnie the Pooh, they can have it. The Steiff Panda has become something of a star on our Instagram page, which has been fun, and we took it with us to the Toymaster show too. Pokémon is on the up again with the release of Pokémon: Detective Pikachu, and the new RPG game for the Nintendo Switch, which is set for launch at the end of the year, should boost things further. Lego Minifigure Toymaster loyalty cards have been popular. They entitle customers to a free figure when they buy five, and this definitely helps boost sales - people love a freebie. Something new we’ve tried this year is balloons; we became a QBB (Qualatex Balloon Boutique member) in April and that’s got off to a strong start. Over the summer we will probably do some character visits; last year the Ty Beanie Boo Monkey and Fox made an appearance at Will’s, and we loved the Flamingo which we saw in Birmingham recently. We stock kites and footballs for summer, Bunch O

Balloons from Zuru and waster blasters too, all of which sell well. Aberdeen is a mixing pot of different nationalities – such as Dutch, Norwegian and American - and they tend to take different holidays to the locals. We have an international school in Aberdeen that follows the American holiday structure, which is completely different to the Scottish one. Scottish kids will have seven or eight weeks off over the summer, while the international kids have a much bigger chunk off and tend to go away on holidays abroad. When we joined Toymaster, in August 2017, we wanted to gain access to brands we didn’t have back then, like Lego and Playmobil. However, we now consider the knowledge base that comes with the group an even bigger perk of our membership. The window displays are also really beneficial when you’re launching a new brand or product. We’re an unbranded member; Will’s celebrated 120 years in business last year, although toys didn’t come in until the late 70s or early 80s. As the years have gone by, we’ve become surrounded by the likes of Costa, Sainsburys and Tesco as small independent stores have dropped away. Will’s is well known in the area; we are proud of our heritage, and if we rebranded it might confuse customers. We have a busy Post Office within the store, and this is of course heaving come Christmas. While

customers might look at the toys while they are in the store, it’s not always what they’re there for. We are considering some shopping nights during November and December when the Post Office is shut, to try and attract more focused shoppers. There’s a little independent home and gift shop in our area we might team up with. We’re thinking of a family shopping night first, followed by an adultsonly night when the parents can come back and get all the toys their kids pointed out the first time. We have high hopes for Toy Story 4; I think it’ll really boost sales of licensed toys. Being a film you remember from your own childhood, the new movie means there are now parents and kids alike who know and love the franchise. We’re also excited to see the new My Little Pony range from Basic Fun!, like we were when Mattel re-launched Polly Pocket - retro toys are really popular at the moment. It’s so exciting to see a toy you had as a child making a comeback. We’re also hoping that Ty comes up with another special plush this year - last year we had Angus the Highland Cow, which was obviously popular up in Scotland. We also had customers in from Australia that had seen Angus on our Facebook page, and we posted them all over the world. In April we sent 20 to a gentleman who wanted to take them to America for his friends and family. If Ty could bring out another in time for summer, we would be delighted. Exclusives and annual specials are the sort of thing more companies should consider doing. It’s a great way to support indies. The main thing indies can really compete on is service. We’ve been told a couple of times that we have a better selection than some big toy retailers and much nicer staff, plus we have both the time and inclination to talk to customers, demo games and help order something in. We’re hopeful that this will be a good year, and we predict that we’ll end the year up.

Matt Booker - Corsham Toy Shop and Automattic Comics I moved premises in January after 25 years in a 25 square foot shop, which meant I tripled the size of my store; a better unit became available, only five doors up from where I was. Customers and friends had been pestering me to move to a bigger location so I could do more in the way of toys, rather than focusing on adult collectibles, comics and other ‘geek’ stuff. At the moment, Lego and Ty are best-sellers, Sylvanian Families and Playmobil are performing well, and pocket money is very popular. Licensed products have slowed down a little, but they are

still consistent; I think that the price sometimes puts people off. When you have customers standing in your store, literally weighing up a licensed box against a generic one, the amount of content in that box often speaks for itself. We have a generous section dedicated to Funko Pop! as demand remains high. New lines continue to come through thick and fast; I’ve been told Funko brings out 30-35 new figures a week. Recently, I’ve spotted toys and games from several big suppliers being sold in discount chains like Aldi for almost half what we’re selling them for, so I’ve

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simply stopped working with those companies. You just can’t compete on price in that situation. Instead I’ve turned to independent suppliers which offer products with a decent margin and who don’t supply discounters. Playmobil and Orchard Toys work well for me, and we stock Crazy Aaron’s Thinking Putty from Green Elephant. I met Aaron at the New York Toy Fair, where he did a PR video for my shop. He is genuinely a lovely guy and a massive toy geek to boot. Aaron doesn’t sell to Amazon and he protects his prices – this is the sort of company we like to have a relationship with.

indie viewpoint

Mark Buschhaus and Stephen Barnes Toy Barnhaus

Hard hats and SatNavs

I used to stock The Puppet Company years ago, and now I’ve moved I can do so again, stocking everything from little hand puppets right up to big dragons and dinosaurs. When I opened the new shop, my son spent the entire day showing off the Dragon in Egg glove puppet, and we sold out of them within three days. Our customers just loved them. The Puppet Company offers a quality range which lends itself well to demos, and the margins are good too. I won’t touch a product if the margin demand is too high. Brexit has completely screwed me. I’m a born and bred comic retailer, and this was mostly what I did before upscaling and moving more into toys, but overnight the price of import comics went up 9% on the dollar because of the weak pound following the vote. Between Brexit and the Trump tariffs, everything has become much more expensive. Most UK comic retailers reported that their sales nosedived overnight, and they are now having to diversify to save themselves. I understand that Brexit is what we voted for, but it has affected my business, and the uncertainty and dilly-dallying isn’t helping anyone. Once we do leave the EU, I think it’ll be a long, slow road back again. Because I have a foot in two markets, I’ve noticed that adult collectibles have slowed right down; people aren’t spending on themselves as things are too uncertain. However, the kid who gets £5 a week in pocket money doesn’t care about Brexit – if they want a Hot Wheels car and a pot of slime, toy retailers are there to sell them. Toys will never die, and there is money to be made regardless of what happens. I’ve been doing this a long time and I’ve learned to move with the times. If something isn’t selling, I just don’t buy it anymore. You can’t sell only the stuff you like personally; if your customers don’t want it, the margin isn’t there, or turnaround is slow, then what’s the point? I’ve got a great network of friends in retail that I can play swaps with, and I think this is something every independent retailer should be open to. Five miles up the road I might have a colleague with loads of product I’ve sold out of, Lego for example, and I might have plenty of stock they want just sitting on my shelves, taking up space. Go and chat with them, swap it out – retail for retail, or close out for close out - and get it moved along. Independent retailers need to stick together; this is why the Toymaster show is so great. We all get a chance to catch up, network, swap business tips and stories, and check out great products while we’re at it. I’ve always said that when I get bored of retail, I’ll get a proper job, but after 25 years I’m still not bored. I have found a lot of customers are returning to proper shops now; I think they miss the experience of shopping in brick & mortar stores. I like to say hello to each and every customer, offer them help if they need it, talk through the products and give one-on-one, personal service. With the youngest kids, I’ll get down to their level and chat to them about the toys. They seem to really enjoy it, and I certainly do.

s we head towards the half-year mark, trade in May was definitely better after a tough April. It felt like there were more people around, and we experienced a stronger month overall. We are comparing sales against some strong lines from last year, when Squishies were still massive sellers, the start of the World Cup gave a massive boost to sticker sales and L.O.L. was having a huge peak. We expect trading to continue in a similar vein throughout June but hope that by July, we will annualise this and be on a more even keel. Although 2019 is a massive year for movie releases, there are almost too many to get behind from a toy perspective – where do you start? However, one that has really helped turnover is the Pokémon movie; Detective Pikachu. The release led to a massive spike in sales for the new Unbroken Bonds trading card launch, and the Pikachu plush from Character has been one of our bestsellers. The big event of last month was the Toymaster show. We arrived equipped with our hard hats, ready to cope with all the building work going on! The work led to a new layout, and we needed our SatNavs to get us around. We did miss Martin Grossman trying to jump on us from his spot by the stairs, this year he had a cave downstairs. The show felt more spread out this year with the extra marquee, and once again it was a nice, relaxed environment to do business in. All the work that has been done over the last few years to modernize the Majestic has definitely paid off. The new bar area looks fantastic (we checked), the restaurant is very grand (somebody’s got to do this), and the rooms have all been done to a very high standard (all in the name of research, you understand). Overall, we found it to be a really good show. Speaking to other retailers, everyone agreed that trade has been very tough so far this year. This seems to have led to suppliers introducing some great offers to tempt us though, more so than ever before. Toymaster is always a show where attractive deals are used to get people onto the stands, and this was certainly in evidence. One of the best for us was IMC; they had some fantastic clearance lines, and our agent was so pleased with the order he nearly shed a tear. Mattel was also a standout, with some great close-out lines, along with strong offers on new lines going forward. Lego had the best offers they have ever had, giving us some great lines to go after. We came out of the show feeling very positive. We certainly spent a lot more than we had planned, but now have some fantastic lines coming in over the next few months. All credit to everyone at Toymaster for organising the show; it was a fantastic success, and we look forward to going back new year. Of course, a big part of the Toymaster show is the social side of things, and this did not disappoint. Harrogate is such a beautiful town, and along with the events that Toymaster puts on in the evening, there is a wealth of options to keep us fed and entertained. Our find of the week was a new steak place (more research), where they kept bringing out different meats until you have had enough – needless to say, Mark persevered until the end. Looking forward, we have got a few showroom visits over the next couple of months, before the Christmas deliveries start to roll in. It is a good time to finalise any Autumn lines, while also making a start on selections for early 2020.

Toy World 33

Toymaster

Awards Review

Toymaster Isle of Wight receives the 25 Years Membership award

Ian Faulkner and the Marshalls team

Stewart and Patricia Harper were honoured for 50 years in business.

Toymaster chairman Kieran Fitzpatrick accepts his Toby award

The Majestic’s Geordie Johnson was recognised for his longstanding support of the show.

Philip ‘Panzer’ Richardson with his Golden Teddy

Toymaster Awards Dinner recognises industry stalwarts

oymaster hosted the first ever Awards Dinner at the May Show in Harrogate, to mark its 30th year. The Wednesday night of the show welcomed suppliers and independent retailers alike to an elegant evening of food and live musical entertainment. Toymaster Isle of Wight was honoured with a special 25 Years Membership Award. An additional five Toby Awards were presented. These went to: Ian Faulkner and his team at Mashall Agencies in recognition of excellent service; Dave ‘Geordie’ Johnson in recognition of his 30 years working at the Majestic Hotel and supporting the Toymaster show; Harpers of Penrith to celebrate 50 years in business and

Gibson Games to celebrate 100 years in business. Finally, a Toby was awarded to the group’s Chairman Mr Ciaran Fitzpatrick, on the occasion of his company’s 75 years in business and for his pivotal role in the success of Toymaster. The BTHA also presented two Golden Teddies. Philip ‘Panzer’ Richardson from the Character Group was recognised for his four decades of service to the toy industry, as well as his honesty, dependability and kind heart. Craig Richards from Mattel also took home a Golden Teddy. Having worked in the toy industry for 34 years, he was described as a champion of independent retailers who takes a personal approach with all his customers.

Toy World 34

Mattel’s Craig Richards took home the second Golden Teddy of the evening

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Tech Toys & Gadgets

Feature

Pressing all the right buttons As evidenced by recent events, making a profit from the tech toys category is not always straightforward – however, plenty of companies are trying (and succeeding). Toy World looks at how respected toy manufacturers are adding value by combining popular playthings with innovative tech elements, to provide an experience that ticks all the boxes for today’s kids.

n late April, Anki – the company behind the Cozmo and Vector robots, as well as the Overdrive race-car system – went bust after a financial deal with a significant investor fell through. After selling approximately 1m toys, it was suddenly all over and some 200 employees lost their jobs. While toy industry players were sympathetic to the company’s plight, and that of its workers, it’s fair to say that the announcement wasn’t all that surprising. One of the underlying issues many had with Anki was that it was ultimately a tech company trying to develop toys, rather than a toy company making the most of tech. At $249.99 for Vector, $179.99 for Cozmo and $149.99 for the Overdrive Starter Kit, Anki didn’t exactly make its products accessible to the average consumer; and, at those prices, the toys were a heck of a punt for parents worried that their child would quickly lose interest in their new robotic pal.

Learning Resources also makes robots, but the company focuses the experience on learning through play - and at an attractive price point to boot. “We create products that help children learn basic skills or concepts such as maths, science, reading, language and coding through hands on learning,” explains marketing manager Simon Tomlinson. “We have done a lot of research into the different educational requirements that children need and recognise that technology as part of STEM learning is playing an ever-increasing role in education. Products like Botley the Coding Robot and Artie 3000 are at the forefront of STEM and help kids learn the concept of coding at an early age. Botley is available either on its own or as part of an activity set, and we often find that parents buy the higher priced activity set, because it has more to offer their child and the packaging and value proposition appears higher. Parents are actively seeking products to support their

Toy World 37

child’s development and learning, so our priority is to develop products that fulfil this need.” Elsewhere, several companies are looking to incorporate the latest tech into existing, popular brands. More than 60 years after its iconic brick was first invented, Lego has launched a new line, Lego Hidden Side, which blurs the borders between physical and digital play through innovative augmented reality elements. “Our years of experience in pioneering the convergence of technology and physical play have taught us that kids expect exciting play experiences that move seamlessly between physical and digital worlds – something we call fluid play,” said Tom Donaldson, senior vice president, Creative Play Lab at the Lego Group. “At our core we focus on tactile building, but AR presents opportunities to enhance physical Lego play with new action elements. We’re breaking the mould of gaming-first AR play

Feature

Tech Toys & Gadgets

experiences to create a new type of play where the physical world actually influences the AR layer, instead of the other way around.” Mattel’s evergreen Hot Wheels brand has likewise received something of a digital makeover; the new range of Hot Wheels id die cast vehicles can transmit race and performance data via an NFC tag to the Hot Wheels Race Portal, on which kids can keep track of times, laps and speed. Keen to offer Hot Wheels id at a price point ‘parents know and understand’, Mattel’s pricing starts at £6.99 for individual die cast cars. The Hot Wheels id Smart Track, with a price comparable to bigger sets within the Hot Wheels brand, further boosts the excitement, with a new design developed to enhance speed as well as racing, jumping and crashing, while also adding the total distance to vehicle stats. “Hot Wheels id isn’t changing the way kids play – it is extending it,” says Ron Friedman, director, Product Management and Global Marketing at Hot Wheels. “Hot Wheels is the No. 1 selling toy in the world, and is an established evergreen play pattern that kids have loved for over 50 years. With any brand, it’s important to evolve as your consumers do; we know that kids love to spend time in both physical and digital worlds, so we looked at how we can evolve the play experience to bring these two worlds together with play still firmly at the heart of the experience.” With the release of Disney Pixar’s Toy Story 4, Thinkway Toys - master toy partner for the franchise since the first movie aired in 1995 – has been enjoying the buzz (pun intended) surrounding its new toys. The company has taken toys that are already adored by fans, and added a layer of clever tech that brings them to life, just like in the movies – when the child says: “Someone’s coming!”, the Fall Down Buzz and Woody figures will drop to the floor. “This line offers the ultimate play experience for fans of the franchise,” comments Darran Garnham, CEO of Thinkway's UK distributor MTW Toys. “By allowing fans to control the toy with a voice command, we’ve introduced a unique offering that’s never been seen at any point throughout the property’s 25-year history. All toys should deliver core play patterns to a consumer; some amazing tech toys are over-engineered and lose sight of the fun and play potential. It’s a delicate balance and one Thinkway takes very seriously to ensure maximum play value.” Speaking of balance, it’s worth bearing in mind the level of technical development required to create these toys; given how skinny Woody’s legs are, getting him to stand up unaided was, according to MTW’s Geoff Sheffield, “a labour of love.” And while getting Woody to stand was a big challenge, getting the much sturdier Buzz to drop on command was an even bigger one. A subtle rocking motion was developed, which creates the momentum required to rock the toy backwards just enough to take it past the point of no return. Despite this level of technical mastery, the Thinkway line remains accessible to a range of budgets. “How much the price of a tech toy affects its success in the market depends on so many factors,” notes Darran. “Does the consumer see the added value the tech offers? Are you entering an existing category, or creating a new one? Has the item been developed to meet some current fad, and will therefore fall from favour quickly? All these questions need to be considered.”

For Moose Toys, which has revealed its new Scruff-a-Luvs Real Rescue plush line, pricing is an important factor. With an RRP of £39.99, the company has taken it’s best-selling rescueand-reveal toy and added a range of sounds and interactions that will draw children even deeper into the nurturing experience. What’s more, the brand’s major play element – washing the toy to transform it from a scruffy ball of hair into a beautiful pet – has been retained. “Scruff-a-Luvs has a unique wash-to-reveal process that is fundamental to the brand,” says Natasha Sumner, brand manager at Worlds Apart, which was acquired by Moose last year. “We wanted to ensure that the introduction of tech didn’t lead to the loss of this process; it’s loved by children and differentiates our product within the marketplace. The development of an electronic plush that can be submerged in water is something brand-new to the market, and we’re really proud of it.” Natasha adds: “Scruff-a-Luvs Real Rescue is set to be one of the most successful products within the Scruff-a-Luvs range; it’s our hero Christmas line and will be supported by a robust marketing plan from September through to December. Seeing really is believing with this product, so we strongly recommend that our retail partners support this launch with visual content to showcase the ‘wow moments’ the toy offers. Scruff-a-Luv Real Rescue has a high-level marketing campaign to support the launch including TV, cinema advertising during the launch of Frozen II, digital marketing, influencer activity and partnership activity with the RSPCA.” For Learning Resources, letting consumers get hands-on is key to strong sales. The company actively looks for experiential opportunities with retailers keen to demo its coding products and runs in-store workshops and events. Learning Resources also works hard to

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develop products and packaging that are appealing, interesting and accessible. “Tech toys should be embraced and made to stand out, so we work closely with retailers to ensure our range sits with complementary products, and always looks good and well presented,” says Simon. The Thinkway/MTW social media campaign is already well underway and is benefitting from the excitement surrounding the Toy Story 4 movie release. Support from key Disney influencers and famous fans will take place throughout the year, to include TV appearances and Thinkway-supported TVCs. McFly’s Tom Fletcher, who has a young son named Buzz, recently shared a video on Instagram showing the toys in action, which racked up over 400,000 views in the first six days after upload. Darran says: “The line lends itself brilliantly to UGC [user-generated content] and we are excited to see what else our fans post.” Mattel is also leveraging influencers in its Hot Wheels id marketing. In advance of the launch, toptier media and influencers were invited to preview the range at exclusive events in the UK and US, while an influencer programme will be supported by product reviews and comprehensive media strategy including programmatic, cinema, OTT and linear, always-on social channels and CRM email. The campaign will pit kids against each other in challenges across the globe, in a way that reflects the ethos of the brand while demonstrating how the range retains the core Hot Wheels play pattern that kids know and love. “We’ve spent three years developing and validating a segment that is true to core Hot Wheels play, which has always been about embracing the challenger spirit,” says Ron. “Hot Wheels id is a new way for kids to prove how fast their cars have gone or how many loops they’ve done. Technology is there to make the play better - not to change how kids play with their toys.” Over the next few pages, Toy World brings you a selection of the newest toys to press all the right buttons in the tech category.

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Tech Toys & Gadgets

Hasbro 0208 569 1234 | www.hasbro.co.uk FurReal’s latest interactive plush toy, Cubby the Curious Bear, is an ideal companion for kids; one who’ll take part in their adventures during the day and will happily snuggle up with them at bedtime. This curious young cub can hug back when picked up and held, play peek-a-boo and even dance. Kids can feed him his bottle or treat to hear him make eating sounds. When he’s spoken to, Cubby will babble back, and in night-time mode he will close his eyes, make sleepy sounds and play one of four 5-minute sequences of soft music. The ability to move his eyes, nose and mouth makes his face delightfully expressive.

Learning Resources 01553 819 386 | www.learningresources.co.uk A new, multi award-winning coding and drawing robot from Learning Resources, Artie introduces the basics of coding to children aged 7+ to fuel creativity and imagination. A built-in WiFi server lets kids use Artie anywhere, without the need for an internet connection. The easy-to-use drag and drop programming can be used on a Mac, PC, tablet or smartphone. With 360-degree movement, children can command Artie to turn right or left, forward or backward to watch him move in that direction. Four swappable, washable coloured pens are included, and the innovative drawing simulator software allows coders to test their ideas before setting Artie down on paper. Children will develop left- and right-brain skills as they control Artie 3000, including basic programming, geometry, maths, creativity, imagination and expression, as they develop patterns and drawing. There are four modes of play to enjoy, including pre-programmed shapes, games, art for colouring and freeform coding with browser-based apps, both point & click and remote control. Further coding languages will help to expand coding knowledge; these include Blockly, Snap!, Javascript and Python. Artie has pre-programmed codes that let him draw everyday shapes including a square, triangle, circle and an octagon, plus a star and a mandalastyle design. He can also play games including noughts & crosses and hangman, and can complete a maze. Artie can write ‘Artie Party!’, or children can create their own code to make Artie draw or write anything they want. Artie3000 is supported by a targeted marketing campaign including digital and social media, bloggers, YouTube advertising and in-store marketing resources.

Toy World 40

Spin Master 01628 535 000 | www.spinmastertoys.co.uk Juno The Elephant is a cute elephant with an animated trunk that can hug, pick things up and make trumpeting sounds. When kids give Juno her peanut and toy mouse accessories she will interact and play with them. With intuitive learning capabilities, Juno will grow from shy to silly through touch and play. The first interactive pet that kids can nurture and teach to fly, Owleez has already featured in a major Christmas Top Toy list and is expected to be a best-seller this Christmas. October will also see the launch of Hatching Dragon. Harnessing the success of Hatchimals and combining it with How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World, Toothless comes to life with light-up eyes, movements and interactive sounds. Kids can become friends with Toothless as they teach him how to fly and shoot plasma blasts, plus feed him and play games with him. But before all that, they must tap and shake their Dragon egg to encourage baby Toothless to hatch. Following the success of Boxer in 2018, this autumn sees the introduction of its ‘little brother’ Novie. Packed full of fun and interactive features, this pint-sized Bot offers plenty of play value at an attractive price point. Spin Master will be supporting each of these key lines through a series of strategic PR and marketing campaigns, including advertising, experiential, influencer and media activities each launch rolls out this autumn.

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Tech Toys & Gadgets

Wilton Bradley 01626 835 400 | www.wiltonbradley.com The X Factor and Mi Mic licensed range has evolved this year with the introduction of the X Factor Karaoke Disco Cube Speaker and the X Factor Microphone Speaker XF1S. The Karaoke Disco Cube Speaker has an eye-catching retro design and is the first of its kind to come complete with two microphones. The LED lights will light up any ceiling, flashing to the beat of the music as it plays through the speaker. The X-Factor XF1S microphone speaker has all the same features as the bestselling XF1 model but at a more compact size and a lower price point. Finally, the Microphone Speaker with Phone Holder, the latest addition to the Mi Mic range, has all the same features as the best-selling XF2 Microphone but with an innovative phone holder attachment.

Tobar 01603 397105 | www.tobar.co.uk Tobar introduced its New Born Animigos range earlier this year. These baby animals come with their own bottle and make sipping noises when fed. Each is packaged in a high-quality carry crate for storage and extra play value; kids can choose from a Bunny, Guinea Pig, Cat or Dog. These new products join the existing best-selling Animigos range, which this year sees the addition of a Scampering Sausage Dog. Dog lovers will also enjoy the Fancy French Bulldog, Walking Westie and Scurrying Scottie, as well as a Flipping Puppy which runs, barks and performs tricks. Cat lovers can choose from a cute New Born Kitten or a Ginger Kitten. The popular Trotting Pony is joined by the Rainbow Unicorn, a Tobar exclusive. Young savers can look after their pennies with a cuddly grunting piggy bank, while the best-selling Playful Piggy, Running Hamster and Bouncing Bunny continue at retail. This year also welcome the quirky Dancing Penguin to the range.

Moose Toys 0800 389 8591 | www.worldsapart.com Scruff-a-Luvs rapidly became a successful global brand after launching in 2018 and winning multiple awards, and this year brings an innovative new line to the range from Moose Toys; Scruff-a-Luvs Real Rescue. Launching in the UK in October, Scruff-a-Luvs Real Rescue brings the magic of Scruff-a-Luvs to life more than ever before, focusing on traditional play values whilst teaching children how to rescue, nurture, care for and love their electronic pet as if it were real. This is the first ever electronic plush that can be submerged in water. The rescue process starts from the moment the product comes out of the box, when kids will feel their new pet shivering. Each Scruff-a-Luvs Real Rescue will react to how kids nurture it - just like a real rescue pet - with over 35 lifelike sounds and interactions. It shivers, whimpers, burps and hiccups, can be fed and even has a heartbeat. The product is supported with a robust marketing campaign including TV and cinema advertising, influencer activity and digital marketing focused around the product tagline ‘Real rescue, real life, real love’. Following on from a successful 2018, which saw over £45,000 donated to the RSPCA, Moose Toys is continuing its partnership with the animal charity into 2019. For every Scruff-a-Luvs Real Rescue purchased, Moose Toys will donate part of the proceeds to the RSPCA.

Toy World 42

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Tech Toys & Gadgets

LeapFrog 01235 555 545 | www.leapfrog.com

Vivid 01483 449944 | www.vividtoysandgames.co.uk Vivid’s pocket-sized electronic spinning i-Top counts the number of revolutions and keeps track of scores, so kids can challenge themselves and their friends to beat the highest score. With three main play modes - Top Score, 99 Spin Challenge and Compass - the i-Top also features unlockable play modes; kids must spin the secret combinations to see special animations appear. i-Top is simple to enjoy but will take practice to master. A next-gen robotic pet that responds to kids, Vivid will be introducing Pooki to the market in autumn/winter. Through AniMotion technology and internal projection, Pooki can display emotions, adventures, presents and cartoons on her screen. With over an hour of animated content to discover, and the ability to respond to both touch and sound with her animatronic head and ears, Pooki can interact with her owner to create a long-lasting friendship. Kids can also feed Pooki with a variety of treats to see a range of responses. Launching in July, Pooki will be heavily supported by TV and digital campaigns, with additional marketing investment in influencer, social media and PR channels.

LeapFrog will be expanding its pre-school electronic learning brand this autumn/winter with the RockIt Twist and the LeapStart Go. RockIt Twist’s rotatable gaming system lets kids play in a new way, using four sides of colourful, light-up controls including buttons, spinners, dials, switches and a D-pad. One of the eight game controls will light up during play to indicate when it is needed. The RockIt Twist includes 12 games, each with three levels of difficulty, across five gameplay categories that help kids learn skills including literacy, maths, problem solving, science and creativity. In addition to these games, kids can hatch and grow three adorable virtual RockIt Pets (sold separately) from eggs to adults, and play a variety of games with them to make them big and strong. Children will also be able to listen to their own music with the built-in MP3 player. The innovative LeapStart Go is an interactive learning system for active minds. The sleek, easy-to-hold stylus brings LeapStart books to life through via an adjustable LCD screen and built-in speaker, making it ideal for right- or left-handed children. Suitable for kids from pre-school to primary school age, LeapStart Go makes it easier to understand more advanced information; deluxe activity sets like The Human Body and School Success (sold separately) feature interactive video effects that let kids zoom in, explore and interact by touching the stylus on interactive charts, book pages and more. The LeapStart Go is compatible with the entire LeapStart Library of activity books and can hold up to 13 LeapStart books at one time. Both new products will be TV advertised and supported through PR and digital activity.

MTW Toys 07734 479 973 | www.thinkwaytoys.com Thinkway Toys, master toy partner for the Toy Story franchise since 1995, has launched its Fall Down Buzz and Woody toys. Available in the UK through Thinkway’s distributor MTW Toys, the figures have created significant interest on social media, where videos of them performing their fall-down function have been widely circulated. Each toy features two ways to play; the 12” tall Buzz Lightyear figures features over 65 sayings and sounds, while the 16.5” tall Woody features 70 sayings, including his recognisable catchphrase ‘Reach for the sky’, and has a working pull string just like the toy in the movies. The pull string feature is only carried by Thinkway products, which helps set this range apart at retail. However, the most impressive feature of these toys is their ability to fall on command. Just like in the movies, where the toys become prone and act lifeless when they hear someone approaching, Buzz and Woody will drop to the floor when fans give a simple voice command. This allows kids to recreate the magic of Toy Story in their own homes. The range will be supported with a significant influencer campaign run in partnership with Disney. Well-known and respected bloggers will review Fall Down Woody and Buzz, and share their thoughts with their large fanbases. MTW will also be taking part in Christmas in July where it will be revealing the product to the British press. Each toy comes with a ‘Try Me’ function and semi-open packaging.

Toy World 44

Jazwares 1/2 page ads.indd 2

21/06/2019 13:55

Jazwares 1/2 page ads.indd 1

21/06/2019 13:55

Tech Toys & Gadgets

VTech 01235 546 810 | www.vtech.co.uk

Boxine 020 3608 3056 | www.tonies.com Launched in Germany in 2016, the Toniebox is an innovative audio player that’s proving an increasingly popular alternative to screens, smartphones and complicated controls. The first digital audio player suitable for children, its functional design – a tough shockproof cube lined with durable, sustainable fabric – and intuitive features help families put the fun back into storytelling and audio adventures. Users simply place a magnetic Tonie audio character onto the Toniebox and the corresponding content will start playing. If the Tonie is taken off the box, the audio pauses. Parents and children can also record their own stories or songs on a Creative-Tonie via their smartphone using the Tonie-App. Thanks to an NFC chip in each Tonie, the Toniebox always knows which content to play when paired with each individual Tonie. Stories currently available on pre-recorded Tonies include The Gruffalo, Zog, Little Red Riding Hood and Peter Pan, alongside a collection of songs and educational Tonies. The brand has now secured a licence with Disney, and is set to launch Disney Tonies in 2019. The brand recently undertook a large review campaign, where 600 families tested the product for three weeks. Respondents highlighted the product’s importance as part of a daily and bedtime routine, praised the relaxing songs, and commented that it offers an attractive alternative to screen time.

Continuing its growth within the youth electronics category, VTech is expanding its portfolio with new autumn/winter launches for 2019. A new addition to the Kidi range, the KidiGear Walkie Talkies boast a 650-foot range and high-quality digital audio, so kids can keep in touch both indoors and out. They can send text messages, enjoy the inbuilt two-player games and use the different voice effects to add to the fun. The KidiGear Walkie Talkies are also equipped with a secure digital connection, keeping the child’s conversations safe. There will be a strong media campaign for this product, launching in autumn/winter 2019 and running throughout peak season. TV advertising will be supported by extensive online activity; VTech will be working with a well-known kids YouTube influencer to help launch and build excitement for the new product. Also launching for autumn/winter is the Kidizoom Action Cam HD, which lets young adventurers capture photos and videos of themselves and their friends wherever they go. The supporting TVC highlights the cam’s new features, including HD video recording capability, an interchangeable wide-angle lens and a handle which will keep the camera afloat in water. Kids can now also record their videos in reverse mode. There will be a full media campaign for the Kidizoom Action Cam HD starting in July, spanning across TV and social media platforms.

Zuru 01604 401 719 | sales@geemac.biz Boppi ‘The Booty Shaking Llama’ stole the show during 2019’s Toy Fair season with her unique dance moves. Boppi dances to three catchy songs and is now available for the UK market. The Pets Alive range also includes the Magical Unicorn. With over 20 different ways for kids to interact and play with this enchanted character, the Magical Unicorn comes alive with lights, sound and movement. The Cute Scootin’ Hamster, Adorable Angel Fish, Magical Mermaid and Tiny Turtle will also be added to the range later in the year. The Robo Alive Dragon is one of the brand’s most sophisticated characters yet, and is available in a choice of either Fire Breathing Dragon or Ice Blasting Dragon. Both can walk, roar, gnash their teeth, rotate their heads, move their wings and breathe fire or blast ice through an LED inside their mouths. Robo Alive Dragon joins the Robofish, Attacking T-Rex, Crawling Spider and Creepy Cockroach. For FOB sales enquiries, please contact Geemac on 01604 401 719/sales@geemac.biz. For domestic sales please contact Tobar on 01603 397105/sales@tobar.co.uk.

Toy World 46

Tech Toys & Gadgets

Character Options 01616 339 800 | www.character-online.com The new electronic My Partner Pikachu Toy has two interactive modes. Using Pikachu’s head, nose and belly sensors, kids can unlock over 100 different reactions in Discovery mode, then switch to Training mode to learn his cues and interact with him. There are nine different ways to train Pikachu, and if the trainer is being inaccurate he will let them know. Tap It is a new, fast-paced, high energy game for all the family, comprising four electronic light-up pods with four different builtin games to play; Pong, Switch, Memory or Wireless games. Each mode is fast paced and hugely addictive, challenging players to master the beeps and defeat the opposition. Really R.A.D. Robots are packed full of attitude and come with a range of features at affordable price points. The collection will continue through summer with the highly successful MiBro, a remote-controlled buddy with over 50 functions and sounds. He can prank, spy, play or serve and comes with accessories. In late autumn MiBro is joined by Really R.A.D addition, Turbo Bot. The full-function remote control robot responds to voice commands, making it highly controllable, while all-terrain wheels and an autonomous explore mode mean it can go where other robots can’t. Turbo Bot comes with voice record and playback feature, plus light up eyes. For outdoor battles, the award-winning Laser X has everything kids need for the ultimate game of high-tech tag. Exciting range development is in the pipeline for Q3 2019, starting with the re-launch of the classic Two Player Pack. The new Laser X Morph Blaster set contains two ultimate blasters which double up as gaming pods; kids can play one-on-one in their own Laser X battle, or fold down either blaster into a gaming pod to play one of three built-in games and practise their speed and accuracy. The blast range has been increased to 90 metres. All Laser X gear works together, so kids can add to their collection and maximise game play.

Bandai 020 8324 6160 | www.bandai.co.uk Tapping into the current wave of 90s nostalgia, Bandai is responsible for the comeback of the original Tamagotchi. This virtual reality pet is recognised as one of the most iconic toys to hit shelves in recent months and has proved popular across the globe as the current generation of kids begin rearing their very own digital companion. With a mix of classic and new styles, Bandai’s Original Tamagotchi is available in either Gen1 or Gen2 versions, with different games and characters. The Connect n Play range includes 12 classic Namco titles, with the much-loved Pac Man version remaining an evergreen favourite. A hero item within Bandai’s tech/ interactive games portfolio, Pac Man Connect n Play comes in an iconic Pac Man games case and merges digital gaming with one of the world’s most iconic video game brands. A finalist in this year’s TOTY Awards, Pomsies is a range of loveable and wearable interactive pets. Launched at the end of 2018, this year brings new characters and styles including Bubblegum the Dog, Winter the Unicorn and Khloe the Koala. These virtual pets resemble fashion poms and can accompany children wherever they go. Each has a fuzzy tail that can be wrapped around the wrist, hair or backpack. Pomsies’ eyes light up and change colour to reflect their mood; hungry, silly, sneezy or super happy. With up to 50 different reactions for kids to discover, these pets even feature a freeze dance game mode which can be enjoyed when playing with friends.

WowWee 0203 598 5119 | www.jazwares.com The Untamed Legends Dragon from WowWee is the newest addition to the Untamed world. The dragon features wide-spanning motorised wings, and has sensors that recognise when to flap the wings based on how the toy is being held and moved through the air. The wings also spring open when the dragon is launched forward to attack. Touch and motion reactions also let the dragon express how it feels through sound and light. Distributed by Jazwares, Untamed Legends Dragon is available from October.

Toy World 48

You won‘t believe your ears … … the screenless audio system for children!

Pop me on and play! It’s that simple. Pick a Tonie, put it on the Toniebox and your audio adventure begins.

Put the Tonie on top …

sit back and enjoy listening.

Heard enough? Just take your Tonie off.

Ready for more? Simply put it back on.

You’ve got the magic touch! No complicated controls or confusing displays. It couldn‘t be easier.

Tap to switch chapters.

More information about the Toniebox and our whole range of Tonies is available at tonies.com

Press the ears to adjust the volume.

Tech Toys & Gadgets

Flair 020 8643 0320 | www.flairplc.co.uk

Mattel 01628 500 000 | www.mattel.com This year, Mattel is evolving digital play experiences for kids of all ages through new launches in Fisher-Price and Hot Wheels. Hot Wheels id, launching this summer, is the evolution of the beloved brand that generations of kids have played with. Through innovative vehicle play, Hot Wheels id brings together physical and digital with uniquely identifiable vehicles, a smart Race Portal, Smart Track and digital hub. Kids can build a personalized fleet, measure performance and compete with their friends. Hot Wheels id amplifies the physical experience through digital play, challenging kids to break records in both the real and virtual worlds, with the ability to measure and clock speed, count laps and measure distance travelled on specially-designed tracks and playsets. In autumn/winter, Fisher-Price introduces an interactive range of infant tech toys with fun features to keep little ones engaged. The new Linkimals range includes five products with innovative technology that work together to help babies learn. Including features which promote development, when joined together the products create an immersive learning experience through sounds, songs and phrases that teach numbers, colours and enhance motor skills. The Smooth Moves Sloth introduces children to opposites with games that get kids moving, listening and following along, whilst the Happy Shapes Hedgehog rewards the user with sounds, lights and phrases, as they press the different buttons. Also in the range, the A to Z Otter tests memory skills and plays the alphabet song as children learn new words. The Lights and Colours Llama provides stacking fun with over 25 sounds and encouraging phrases, whilst the Musical Moose teaches counting, cause & effect.

20Q is the ultimate tech toy and game that, through its in-built algorithms, always knows what players are thinking. The concept is simple; players think of something and then let 20Q guess what it is. It’s practically guaranteed that 20Q will succeed in doing so in less that the allotted 20 questions. The new 20Q is smarter than ever and comes with a new ergonomic design that makes playing even easier. Players can use it solo, testing it against whatever object they can think of, or outwit and amaze their friends as, with 20Qs help, they read their minds.

Trends UK 01295 768 078 | www.trendsuk.co.uk Supported by PR and social media campaigns, the Trends UK SpyX range includes a selection of strategically priced listening devices, laser alarms, night mission goggles and communication devices. Covering everything from pocket money toys to larger gift sets, the SpyX range offers products for all occasions and budgets. The Xtrem Bots are operated with a remote control or hand gestures and have animated/LED facial expressions which show their personality and moods. Easy to play with straight out of the box, the robots have advanced programmable features for longevity of play. The Xtrem Bots offer value for money at affordable price points, starting at £29.99 up to £59.99.

Skyrocket Toys 01489 668441 | www.skyrocketon.com Pomsies Lumies is the next generation of Pomsies; special feature plush with on trend rainbow and musical twists for extraordinary play appeal. There are three characters to collect: Sparkle Rush, Pixie Pop,and Dazzle GoGo, each with their own unique look and sound at an affordable price point. Each pet comes in on-trend colours, with a hair accessory. Pomsies Lumies shine brightly when placed on an object, magically absorbing its colour. Kids can use the colour-matching play pattern to nurture their pet (more colours mean a happier pet), coordinate outfits, or play games such as Memory and Whack-A-Mole. Depending on the colours found, the interactive Pomsies will show different reactions, with over 100 sounds and phrases. Music Mode can produce beats and melodies from everyday objects, adding an extra dimension to play with a wide variety of sound patterns to unlock. For more information, please contact Amy Saunders, head of Skyrocket UK on 07824 435512 or 01489 668441 or email to amys@skyrockettoys.com

Toy World 50

SOMEONE’S COMING!

OH BROTHER.

NOT AGAIN?!

70+

S! SAYING

P O R D Y THE MAND ON COEMIN THE MOVIE!

J U ST L

I KNEW IT!

4 VOICE COMMANDS

2 WAYS TO PLAY!

65+

S/ SAYING S! SOUND

©Disney/Pixar

For more info, visit us at www.ThinkwayToys.com

fresh FRESH THIS MONTH:

Each month Fresh sets out to find the latest products that will have toy retailers reaching for the phone. In July we have new releases from: A.B.Gee, Canal, Halilit, HTi and Tomy.

Fruitopia

HTI 01253 778 888 | www.htigroup.co.uk

Keeping in-line with fast-moving playground crazes is a key component to HTI Toys pocket money business model, and new brand Fruitopia promises to be a major part of it. With four fruity characters to choose from, the new pocket money brand includes a host of different items such as bubbles, putty and charms in delicious fruity scents.

Ideal for summer, kids can create sweet-smelling bubbles simply by waving the scented Bubble Wavers. The Fruitopia Bag Charms are a vibrant addition to any bag or purse. These cute and colourful charms easily clip on to accessories and include popular cosmetics such as lip balm and hand gel. Fruitopia’s range of Scented Dough comes complete in four sweet scents including strawberry, grape, watermelon and pineapple, and new Fruitopia Stretchy Putty is also available. A fruity twist on the popular putty craze, kids can stretch, snap and splat this putty for hours. The fluffy Fruitopia Pom Pom Keychains will brighten up backpacks to help kids stand out in the playground, while children can also enjoy hours of fun with the Fruitopia Snap Bands. Perfect for complementing any outfit, the bands are an ideal style accessory, no matter the occasion.

Halilit Music

Halilit 01254 872 454 | www.halilit.co.uk Halilit is experiencing another year of growth with flagship range, Halilit Music. With an extensive array of specially designed, accurately tuned musical instruments for little hands, this fun high-quality range is continuing to grow in popularity with both consumers and retailers. The range includes a variety of pick-up items which are beautifully presented in open CDUs, allowing customers to see and hear the instruments’ quality themselves. Six of each CDU fit perfectly onto the larger FSDUs, which Halilit will supply free of charge to stockists. The counter display units include firm favourites such as baby rattles, maracas, mini rainbomakers and more; perfect for impulse purchases.

Jar Melo arts & crafts products A.B.Gee 01773 570 444 | www.abgee.co.uk

A.B.Gee is showcasing a new range of premium quality children’s arts & crafts products. Jar Melo is a leading brand derived from Europe, and is the creator of the APT (Art, Play, Think) theory. There is something for every artist within this range, including silky washable crayons designed for kids aged 12 months and up. The Dinosaur dough modelling kit will appeal to creative kids with a love of prehistoric creatures. The dough is made purely from wheat with added food colouring, making it completely safe for kids from 18 months of age. The kit comes with a variety of cutters and moulds which all pack away neatly in the portable case.

As well as classic instruments such as baby drums, tambourines and xylophones, there are also gift sets on offer, such as the much-loved Baby’s 1st Birthday Band, the tropical-themed Calypso Band and the brand new My First Baby Band, which all offer an introduction to the world of music for children as young as three months.

A.B.Gee has some great introductory prices on selected lines, offering superb value for money at attractive retail price points alongside strong POR opportunities. Jar Melo boasts a comprehensive range of over 90 lines, and will be available in the UK this autumn exclusively from A.B.Gee.

2019 has seen a variety of retail outlets coming on board to support the brand, taking advantage of Halilit’s low MOQs and great price points. For further information on the range or the different price points Halilit have to offer, the team can be contacted on 01254 872 454.

Toy World 52

Ritzy Rollers

Slimelicious DIY slime kits

Tomy 01271 336 155 | www.tomy.com Ritzy Rollerz is a series of collectible characters aimed at children aged 4-7 years. The collection consists of 12 characters including Helena Heelz, Donut Dani, Frenchy Braid and Groovy Gaby. Each character has its own unique personality and comes with hidden charms in the opening of the ‘booty trunk’ with which to accessorise and customise the wheels. Each of the characters also features different textures including real flowing hair, cosy fur, shiny sparkles and metallic chrome. The collection can be customised to fit a child’s personality and includes three play sets; the Heelz on Wheelz Shoe Shop Playset with Helena Heelz, the Sprinklez on Wheelz Donut Shop Playset with Donut Dani and the Dance n Dazzle Spa Playset with Tori Tada, one of the popular alternative characters.

Canal Toys 07492 411 142 | www.canaltoys.fr/en

Slimelicious is the latest addition to Canal Toys’ best-selling So Slime DIY range. Slimelicious brings scents and smells to the company’s ‘No Mess! No Fail! Just add Water’ slime making innovation. The Slime Shakers in the Single, 3-Pack and Case are shaped to represent the smell of the slime they make; popcorn, hot chocolate, bubble gum, soda, ice cream and milkshake are available at launch. The So Slime DIY Slimelicious Station lets kids make 16 slimes, simply by mixing & matching the included colourants to create different scents and slime colours. This deluxe pack also includes six types of decoration, two tools and decorative straws. The range will be supported by an extensive marketing, PR, social media and influencer campaign, as well as TV advertising on key products.

TER ADD WA HO EE & S Ws? blume

act iv int er ts ! e pe

I Turn COLORS

into

s bow Chasing R ain ! ats & Mixin’ Be I I Touch!

Creators of the #1 Feature Plush Toy POMSIES!

Toy World 53

Special Feature

BTHA

Don’t Toy With Children’s Safety

As part of its ongoing drive to tackle the growing issue of counterfeit and unsafe toys in the marketplace, the BTHA has undertaken research which implicates three major online retail platforms in the selling of products that fail to meet UK/EU product safety law. Its findings have been published in a new 56-page white paper, Don’t Toy With Children’s Safety, which calls upon the UK Government to take major steps to address the problem. Toy World finds out more – and shares how toy companies can help.

he UK retail environment is changing, with consumers increasingly turning to the internet to buy the products they want. A 2019 survey conducted by the BTHA shows that 74% of parents now buy their children’s toys online, with online sales accounting for 37% of total toy sales in 2018. These findings are backed up by research conducted by the eCommerce measurement and management

specialist Profitero, which recently revealed that Amazon is now viewed as the No. 1 choice for toys in the UK by former Toys R Us shoppers. The legitimate UK toy industry - the fourth largest toy market worldwide - is worth £3.3bn, but it’s now under serious threat from unscrupulous third-party sellers operating from online retail platforms. Unsafe toys threaten children with serious injury or even death, and so their pervasiveness in global

Toy World 54

markets is a major concern to the industry. While direct (1P) sellers on online platforms must adhere to strict legal obligations, third party (3P) sellers have little accountability and limited traceability, often because they are based outside of Trading Standards jurisdiction. To gauge a clearer picture of how widespread the problem of unsafe toys is in the UK, the BTHA test-purchased 200 toys from 3P sellers on three of the largest online platforms

Special Feature that operate in this country – 100 from Amazon, and 50 each from eBay and AliExpress (a subsidiary of the Alibaba Group) - to assess their conformity to UK legislation and whether they raise safety issues. Of the toys bought, 58% failed to comply with UK safety requirements; non-conformity issues included a lack of traceability warnings, counterfeit copies of genuine products and missing warning markings. In addition, 22% of the toys assessed had serious failures that could threaten the physical safety of children, such as small parts and balls in toys for under-3s (a choking hazard), easily removable button cell batteries (which can cause death by burning through the oesophagus) and overly powerful magnets (which can cause serious injury or death if swallowed, by sticking children’s intestines together). Following the assessment, the BTHA informed the various marketplaces, their Primary Authority Trading Standards Office (where they have one), the BTHA’s own Primary Authority Trading Standards Office and the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy’s Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) While some of the toys highlighted were removed from sale, identical products remain on sale to this day. In its recently published Online Harms White Paper, the UK government has detailed the steps it intends to take to make the UK the safest place in the world to go online. The paper also proposes the introduction of a new regulatory framework to improve safety online. While this sounds fairly robust, it doesn’t address the concerns surrounding unsafe and counterfeit toys, instead focusing on the threat posed to the safety of children by illegal or harmful content across social media. The BTHA is asking the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, and the Home Office, to extend the definition of online harms to cover the potential physical

BTHA

harm that can be caused to children (and their parents) by unsafe toys bought from 3P sellers on global marketplaces, to prevent further harm being caused to legitimate UK toy manufacturers by unscrupulous companies. As frequently touched upon by Toy World (and its publisher John Baulch), Amazon’s record on counterfeit and unsafe toys being offered by thirdparty sellers is dismal. In June 2018, it came under fire for selling slimes containing unsafe levels of boron, and in January of this year a child in the USA was hospitalised after swallowing magnets contained in an Imden brand toy bought on the platform. Both stories relate to 3P sellers. In its 2019 annual report filed in the US earlier this year, Amazon stated that it may be: “unable to prevent sellers in our stores or through other stores from selling unlawful, counterfeit, pirated, or stolen goods…”. Hardly reassuring, but it’s not just Amazon that’s failing to keep consumers safe. The problem is widespread. The BTHA is calling upon the government to start forcing online marketplaces to take responsibility for the products sold by 3P sellers; currently, the Toys (Safety) Regulations 20117 imposes obligations on four types of ‘economic operators’ who might be involved in the supply chain, and who market, place or make toys available on the EU market - manufacturers, importers, distributors and authorised representatives (who might be appointed by a manufacturer for the purpose of having an EU presence). Unfortunately, a lack of clarity – or wilful ignorance - regarding the role of online marketplaces in the overall supply chain means many don’t feel they fall under the scope of economic operator regulations, and therefore don’t bother to carry out their obligations. For the BTHA, closing what it calls the ‘third part seller liability gap’ requires a two-pronged approach

Toy World 56

– 1. Regulatory enforcement by Trading Standards or other agencies/regulators in relation to breaches of the product liability/toy safety requirements 2. civil enforcement by a consumer as a result of damage/injury caused by defective products (whether by virtue of the product liability regime, a claim in negligence or for breach of contract) or enforcement of other rights, e.g. under the Consumer Rights Act 2015. However, the way in which toys are currently sold through online marketplaces makes both parts of the suggested enforcement process tricky; Trading Standards is limited in the actions it can take against overseas sellers and large online marketplaces, and consumers often find it difficult to enforce their rights with 3P sellers. The BTHA has suggested several ways in which the government can address these issues, such as increasing Trading Standards funding to strengthen its powers of enforcement; exploring the ways in which UK enforcement authorities can engage bilaterally with overseas counterparts; and developing (where necessary) cross-border civil enforcement agreements to enforce judgments against 3P sellers found to be liable in UK courts. In addition, while the BTHA has welcomed the government’s proposal to create an independent regulator to oversee and enforce compliance with a new, statutory duty of online care, failing to widen the scope of the Online Harms report means any regulator would lack the power to tackle the sale of unsafe toys on online marketplaces. In widening the definition of ‘online harms’ to include unsafe toys (thus bringing this issue within the scope of the regulator’s remit), threat of enforcement action would become a serious incentive for online marketplaces to start ensuring that the toys available on its platforms are safe.

In its white paper, the BTHA has compiled a list of suggested powers any newly appointed regular would require in order to enforce breaches –

respond to reports of violations or face penalties of up to $30m.

• The power to issue general and sector-specific codes of practice on what steps online companies are expected to take to discharge their duty of care towards their users in ensuring a safe online space (including making sure products available to purchase comply with relevant safety standards) • The power to oversee and take steps to ensure compliance by online marketplaces with the duty of care and published codes of practice (e.g. by having a power to require the disclosure of relevant information from the online marketplace and the power to issue breach notices requiring remedial action within a stated period) • The power to require online marketplaces to establish effective and easy-to-access internal complaints procedures as the first stage(s) of the dispute resolution process • The power to receive and investigate complaints regarding breaches of the duty of care and to make recommendations against a body found to be in breach. This should carry the risk that non-compliance with the regulator’s recommendations may result in adverse public reporting (and the consequent reputational damage that would follow). However, the BTHA

suggests that the regulator’s power to receive and investigate complaints is limited to where the online marketplace is unable or unwilling to resolve a complaint • The power to impose fines (whether subject to a maximum cap or not) by reference to the severity of the breach and the risk posed to the safety of children by that breach and the annual turnover of the seller/company. However, any fine would need to be large enough to be a deterrent. Outside of the UK, other countries have already realised the importance of strong anticounterfeit measures. From 1st January 2019, e-commerce platforms in China have been held jointly responsible for the sale of counterfeit goods listed on their websites. Previously, as in the UK, only individual sellers were liable for damages when found to be selling counterfeits. The new e-commerce law means online platforms must

As well as reducing the risk of serious injury or harm to children and their parents, tackling the sale of unsafe, non-compliant toys online could return approximately £400m in toy sales revenue to the UK each year, enhance Britain’s reputation for high safety standards, and show how the UK government is leading by example as it tackles what is a global issue. For readers who want to find out more, the full report, Don’t Toy With Children’s Safety, is available on request from the BTHA or can be downloaded at www.btha.co.uk/advocacy. BTHA members are also urged to contact their local MP with the results of this research, asking them to back the wider Don’t Toy With Kid’s Safety campaign and to place internal pressure on the Government to tackle the sale of unsafe and counterfeit toys on online third-party marketplaces. A suggested letter template is available upon request from Natasha Crookes, the BTHA’s director of public affairs and communication (natasha@btha.co.uk). Finally, suppliers and retailers should remain vigilant for products they believe to be unsafe, counterfeit or otherwise inappropriate for sale; suspected toys should be reported to the online marketplace itself, your local Trading Standards office, and the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy’s Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS).

newsanalysis The reputation of the UK toy industry is at stake Toy World publisher John Baulch spoke to Gary Grant, founder and MD of The Entertainer, about his involvement in the BTHA Don’t Toy With Kid’s Safety campaign; here’s what he had to say. I first noticed the problem [of unsafe products] a year ago, when my wife Cath ordered some cake flares from Amazon. When they turned up in a brown paper parcel from an address in Shenzen we realised they were basically indoor fireworks, with no packaging and definitely no safety warning. I wrote to my MP, but they did nothing about it. Shortly afterwards the squishy craze took off, and I noticed a huge number of lines being offered by third-party sellers online at a fraction of the price we were selling at. So, I ordered a selection and guess what – they all turned up in brown packaging, they all came from Shenzen, and not one had safety markings or any of the other required information. The quality was abysmal; you could tell that they would have contravened our safety legislation just by the smell of them. We’d never have been able to sell any of them in our stores. It seemed to me to be a complete double standard; if we had done that, Trading Standards would have been kicking my door down. Once again, I wrote to my MP, who told me that there is a legal process for dealing with issues like this – but, of course, there isn’t. It’s imperative that we get the message across to the people who are responsible for changing the law that there is a problem; first and foremost, we need them to acknowledge that. Dangerous toys are reaching the UK market via third-party online sellers, and the truth is that the online platforms are aware that they are facilitating this. As far as I am concerned, it wasn’t the companies in Shenzen which took my money for the so-called cake flares or the questionable squishies - it was Amazon. The only way we’re going to stop this is for the law to be changed. As things stand, Amazon isn’t doing anything illegal; it could be argued that its behaviour is immoral, but obviously there is a big difference between legality and morality when it comes to accepting responsibility and actually doing something to stop it. As an industry, we need to come together on this issue, which is why I’ve been working closely with the BTHA on this new campgin. If there is any bad publicity or, even worse, a fatality, it won’t be the companies in Shenzen whose reputations will be damaged – it will be that of the UK toy community.

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Feature

Construction Toys

Let’s talk about sets From the simplest of stacking blocks to enormous builds that take hours to complete, construction toys offer a host of benefits and play-potential. Rachael Simpson-Jones looks at how the category is evolving for this year.

mmersion into another world is one of the big draws of construction toys; the ability to sit and build for yourself a fantastical world you’ve come to know and love through movies and TV shows, or recreate ships and spacecraft you may have only seen in books or pictures. Across Europe and America, thousands of people recently marked the 75th anniversary of D-Day. To coincide with this landmark event and year, Polish construction toy manufacturer Cobi has created three special D-Day models which join its Historical collection - the American Sherman M4A1 tank, the American LCVP landing craft, and the American transport aircraft Douglas C-47 Skytrain – all designed to appeal to both adult history enthusiasts and young construction fans. Sets are also available in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the moon landings on 20th July, which allow space fans to recreate the Apollo 11 Lunar Lander, among others. For many people, models are a perfect way to show appreciation or remembrance of an historical event, and it’s even better if you can build them yourself. It’s on this basis that Cobi has made such a name for itself in the construction category, especially in the UK.

“Britain is a country with a tremendous history,” enthuses Aleksandra Niewierkiewicz, business development & sales director at Cobi. “Our main historical line is therefore ideally suited to the British consciousness, and that’s probably the main reason for the growing interest in our products. Whoever buys the first set usually buys more – it’s a combination of a passion for history along with construction and collecting. Cobi marks important historical anniversaries with related sets of blocks, including the 80th anniversary of the outbreak of World War II, the 75th anniversary of D-Day, and the 50th anniversary of the landing of man on the moon.” Lego has also produced a new construction set to celebrate the Moon Landings. Developed in conjunction with NASA, the 1,087-piece Lego Creator Expert NASA Apollo 11 Lunar Lander building model features a highly detailed replica of Apollo 11's Eagle lunar module, plus a depiction of the lunar surface, complete with crater, footprints and a US flag. Lego’s biggest new release in recent months, however, is its mixed-reality Hidden Side range, which combines augmented reality with physical construction play. (More on this in our exclusive interview

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with Marius Lang, head of marketing at Lego, on pages 62-63.) This major new introduction into the world of Lego reflects the company’s continued commitment for developing innovative, modern and in-demand offerings. Every year, 60% of the Lego Group’s products are new, enabling retailers to keep displays fresh and giving children the opportunity to immerse themselves in new and varied play experiences. Indeed, the popularity of the construction category may go some way to explaining why six of the top-10 best-selling Harry Potter toys are Lego sets, including the top 5, according to recent analysis by The NPD Group. Geomag, which first introduced its magnetic construction ranges in 1998, has also noted the need to include more exciting themes and even more compelling activities in its sets, to ensure they continue to attract the attention of kids with unfettered access to tablets and smartphones. “Even with tech freely available, the invisible forces of magnetism seem to be a timeless fascination for kids,” says Clive Wooster, managing director, Geomag. “Although we always aim to stay on-trend, some things are just a consistent winner during

Feature

Construction Toys

playtime, and magnetism is one of them. We have a lot of experience with this particular aspect of construction, which has enabled us to really understand the play patterns that make safe, fun and educational toys.” Retail approaches vary depending on the size and type of store, as well as the product they stock, but it’s clear that allowing customers to see a completed model, or try out a build for themselves in-store, really helps convert browsers to buyers. At Boswells Department Store in Oxford, Geomag demo days run by one of the company’s experienced demonstrators (or Geo-magicians) always translate into sales, when combined with promotions across the range. “Geomag harnesses the invisible forces of magnetism, so the best way to show that is to have product out of the box,” advises Clive. “To support our retailers, we supply Geomag-branded Playtrays with loose pieces free of charge with every order, along with POS, which allow stockists to involve their customers in builds. I've personally observed customers in shops, young and old, and it would seem that it’s a very hard product to put down.” As fully assembled Cobi sets are so well-suited to display - my husband keeps a selection of Cobi WWII tanks on our mantelpiece, and they’re certainly a talking point with guests - the company is involved in the production of special in-store displays,

creating block scenes which incorporate finished models. With such a wide range of sets to choose from (over 250 as it stands) retailers should also consider tailoring their selection according to their location. Toy retailers in Belfast, for example, might want to offer Cobi’s 600-piece Titanic set, while those near Weybridge in Surrey, the home of the Sopwith Aviation Company, may find that the Sopwith F1 Camel set is a popular choice with locals and tourists. To support its new Hidden Side range, Lego has created a multi-faceted selection of materials for its retail partners to take advantage of. These materials have been specifically tailored to each retailer, whether they be experiential and hands on, pure product placement or USP POS materials. Because the new range is AR (augmented reality) enabled, a completely new display innovation has been developed to ensure both staff and customers can experience the new kind of play that can be unlocked with the sets. Lego has found that any additional promotional activity above and beyond the products being sold in-store is successful in driving awareness and sales. Retail partners have hosted in-store photo opportunities, such as providing Stormtrooper outfits to customers over the May 4th bank holiday, shared Lego-owned assets on their own marketing channels and sent out correspondence to local news

outlets and influencers to raise awareness of product promotions. Storytelling is also key for Lego; having its own Lego digital platforms (Lego life app, Lego. com, Lego.com/kids and Lego TV) puts the company in a unique position to engage directly with kids and parents around the world. Recognising the need to cater to developing construction ability, Spin Master’s Meccano range offers budding engineers a variety of progressive sets designed to develop skills and maintain interest as proficiency develops. Meccano’s Set 1, Quick Builds, lets kids get to grips with real tools and gain a strong sense of accomplishment, with builds that can be disassembled and rebuilt. Loyalty to the Meccano brand is maintained even as the child grows older with subsequent sets including items such as gears to experiment with mechanical design and show how STEAM principles are practically applied (Set 3, Geared Machines), or working motors to bring creations to life (Set 5, Motorized Movers). Set 7, Advanced Machines, set for an autumn launch, will provide even more inspirational and challenging builds for would-be inventors. Over the next pages, Toy World takes a look at some of the construction sets to hit to the market, and what they offer today’s young builders.

Basic Fun! 01189 253 270 | www.knex.co.uk Basic Fun! is building on last year’s K’Nex success by adding even more new additions to its 2019 portfolio, including sets with a focus on new colours, engaging action play features and more impactful packaging designs. Available from July, the award-winning Dragon Revenge Coaster Building Set is already one of the top 25 toys of the year. The set features a moving dragon battling to catch the coaster car as it loops around a castle-themed thrill ride. Trail Rider is an authentic beach buggy replica that comes equipped with a grill and seats. The movements are motorised with a steering column, and there’s a fifth wheel tailgate to load up the vehicle. August sees the launch of the Construction Crane, which stands over three feet tall and features motorised movement for realistic crane action. With an after-build pick-up challenge included, the crane provides enjoyment that continues after the initial construction is complete. The Motorcycle Building Set is an ideal option for motor racing enthusiasts, and lets builders choose whether or not to add the optional support wheels when racing. The Kid K’Nex range of pre-school building sets has seen strong sales growth over the past 12 months. The Wings and Wheels set enables budding builders to take their constructions to the skies or back down to earth. Available in July, the Dino Dudes Building Set will inspire young dinosaur fans to build moving models using easy to assemble parts. With 40 building ideas included in each set, kids can discover plenty of dinosaur species to create. Finally, the Budding Builders Tub provides endless construction opportunities powered by children’s own imagination. K’Nex will be supported by TV advertising from September to December, and Kid K’Nex will be supported by sponsorship on Tiny Pop.

James Galt 0161 428 9111 | www.jamesgalt.com Launching in August, Marble Run Reactions is an engaging construction set which uses the popular Galt Marble Run to create fascinating chain reactions. Kids can challenge themselves as they build a chain of fun obstacles for their marbles to travel along, watching as they swirl around the vortex, send paddle wheels spinning, knock over dominoes and jump from drum to drum to raise the finishing flag. Marble Run Reactions is compatible with all Galt Marble Runs and joins the company’s bestselling Marble Run range, which includes Marble Run Racer and Glow Marble Run. Kids can watch as the glow-in-the-dark the marbles travel down the see-through chutes and tubes, and swirl around the vortex with the Glow Marble Run set. Turning off the lights, and placing the marbles in the glow-in-the-dark starter tops, will create the illusion that the marbles are flying through the air.

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Brand Profile

Lego

Hidden agenda Lego has made the move into augmented reality with the announcement of its innovative new Lego Hidden Side range. Launching in August, Hidden Side is Lego’s most adventurous voyage to-date, combining virtual and physical worlds. Rachael Simpson-Jones spoke to Marius Lang, UK & Ireland head of marketing, about how the company is faring in 2019 so far, and what Hidden Side means for product development going forward.

How has the first half of the year been for Lego Group? We had a great start to the year, which kicked off with the release of The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part in February. The movie drew plenty of families and Lego fans to the cinema, and the Lego sets that tied into the movie release allowed them to take the magic into their own homes and recreate their favourite scenes. Our Avengers: Endgame range also performed well for us in line with the movie, which delivered phenomenal results at the box office, and we’ve just celebrated the 20th anniversary of our Lego Star Wars range together with Disney. Our recent 2018 full year earnings report revealed a return to growth as a business; we grew global consumer sales by 3% while revenues grew by 4%, which we feel reflects the company’s current strength in the marketplace. We ended last year as the No. 1 toy manufacturer in the UK, with growth over the important Christmas quarter, and have entered 2019 on strong footing with good support behind us. Our core ranges are doing well, and we’re pleased with the performance of Lego City and Lego Friends in particular. In the UK, Lego City continues to be one of the biggest properties in the entire toy market. Lego Harry Potter launched in August last year, quickly becoming a top property and Lego Technic is likewise performing well; strong activations

Marius Lang

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involving a life-size Bugatti Chiron model have really heightened awareness and driven excitement for the brand.

What big developments are there to look out for from Lego in the second half of the year? Play is evolving, and as a key player in the toy category we are always looking for ways to innovate and offer exciting new play experiences. Our overriding desire is for kids to have fun through the Lego System in Play, but we also want them to build and develop key life skills. It’s vital that kids know how to communicate clearly, and creativity has become increasingly important in recent years, as has critical thinking and problem solving. There is a bridge between physical and digital play, and while adults may see these as very different things, today’s kids view them both as interlinked and fluid. As a result, Lego has looked very closely at how it can offer an experience that gives kids the ability to move seamlessly between both the physical and digital play platforms. Lego Hidden Side, which launches in August, offers a mixed-reality play experience that allows kids to seamlessly blend the physical and digital worlds with Lego. The models are great builds in their own right, and with some interaction with the sets they transform into a hidden world of

interactive mysteries and challenges to solve. First and foremost, the new range has been designed to offer the fantastic construction experience kids have come to expect from Lego, but on top of that there is also a great digital experience to enjoy. The app - which launches mid-July - lets kids immerse themselves into a digital ghostbusting story and will be expanded upon with new ghosts, new game challenges, and randomisation of gameplay for a captivating additional play experience. Lego Hidden Side is the first range within the construction toy space to offer an immersive experience that blends physical construction play with augmented reality. When we spoke to kids during the testing phase, the concept went down incredibly well and generated a huge amount of buzz and it’s something we’re hugely excited about.

Lego has always been a physical, hands-on play brand; can you tell us a bit more about why the company has made the move into tech and AR? Lego play remains classic and timeless constructing models with bricks in a physical way is as popular today as it always was. We’re proud that our bricks are viewed as a universal language that transcends generations, genders and geography, and therefore brings people together. In our view, there is nothing that will change this. That being said, we are aware that kids today are growing up differently to the generations before, with a different set of resources available to them throughout childhood. The Play Well report, a study we conducted globally last year, revealed that the way kids and parents think about play is incredibly varied. Parents prefer more traditional, physical play patterns, while kids not only rank digital play as being of much more importance, but also don’t differentiate much between the two types. As a key player in the toy market, Lego is looking to pioneer by exploring emerging play patterns and considering

how the flexible Lego System in Play - one of the cornerstones of the Lego Group - applies to them. It’s not a case of either/or; we simply want to offer a proposition which allows digitally minded kids to use the iconic Lego brick system in a new and unexpected way. Hidden Side offers the best of both worlds. It’s the biggest single piece of innovation that we have created in the past 60 years - and that includes the launch of Minifigures, back in 1978, which has gone on to become a huge part of the Lego success story.

How will this technology affect future Lego developments? The Lego brick is just as fun and relevant in 2019 as it was in 1958 and has inspired generations of builders. We are committed to furthering our innovation and development, and concepts like Hidden Side are just one way in which we are doing this. There was huge excitement last year when we brought Harry Potter back, but not a single product had anything to do with the digital space. Nevertheless, the range has continued to be a huge success. We’re looking at different things to make sure we cater to all fans year after year; the use of augmented reality is just one ingredient in this, and it won’t take anything away from our classic, successful recipe.

Are you confident about your stock situation in the UK as we move towards the festive season? While I can’t share specific information on our product distribution strategy, we are ensuring that any child with Lego on their Christmas wish list will be able to get it. We are monitoring the current UK climate very closely. The Christmas season is a key period for us, as it is for any retailer, and we are making sure we are ready and able to deliver.

How do you think the construction category as a whole will fare this year?

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The results I mentioned earlier showed that Lego was able to buck the global toy trend last year, growing consumer sales while increasing its share in all major markets. As a company we have been able to weather the more difficult times, and Lego continues to prove itself a timeless classic. We will continue to bring our classic toys to the market in new and wonderful ways. We hope that once Lego Hidden Side hits the market, and once kids have had a chance to play with it, it will prove that 60 years on, the company is as creative, innovative and on-trend as it’s ever been. We work hard to fully commit to our partners, showing them that the Lego brand is a constant within the market even during difficult times. While we can’t speak for the entire construction category, we are a major part of it, and we hope that retailers are confident in our ability to ensure that this is a successful year for the category.

And finally, is Lego working on anything else that our readers would be excited to hear about? In the second half of the year we are looking forward to marking the 50th anniversary of the lunar landing. We’ve just launched the Lego Creator Expert NASA Apollo 11 Lunar Lander building set, developed in cooperation with NASA, and on the 1st June, we launched the Lego City Space range which depicts a mission to Mars. Although a journey to the red planet hasn’t happened yet, we’ve worked closely with NASA on what such a mission could look like to get kids really thinking about the possibilities of space exploration. The NASA Apollo 11 Lunar Landing set looks back at space exploration 50 years ago, while our Lego City Space range takes a look into the future and asks what’s next. We’re sure it’ll be hugely popular and inspire kids, as space travel always has.

Construction Toys

Guidecraft 07725 833 273 | www.guidecraft.com Kids can enjoy engineering challenges, ratio exploration and gear connections in a play-based environment using the digitally inspired blocks and gears of the IO Blocks Tabletop System. The square, double-sided, puzzle-like base pieces interlock in a variety of ways to create a 2D or 3D base that supports IO Blocks and gears. Children can build both horizontally and vertically using the base pieces, while IO people with unique accessories and IO cows add an element of fun and imaginative play. Expansion sets and accessories can be easily incorporated with existing IO Blocks sets for endless construction possibilities. Each set includes activity cards with inspiring photography and graphics. Newly launched in May, PowerClix Frames Naturals combine elements of natural play and loose parts theory with the innovative STEM toy building platform of PowerClix. With organic, neutral colours, this open-ended, 74-piece set encourages children to build magnetic constructions using familiar shapes. Using inspiration from the world around them, kids can integrate any loose parts they find into their PowerClix creations. Included in every set are concept cards that feature eyecatching imagery, educational theory and related words. PowerClix pieces can be organised and stored easily thanks to the new metal plate built right into the packaging. Texo is an award-winning 3D design and construction system created by architect, author and designer Lester Walker. Combining simple puzzles, shape sorting and colour matching at their most basic level, the Texo system allows for a gradual progression, stacking the interconnected shapes before moving on to advanced architectural models such as bridges, houses, skyscrapers and more. Plastic rods and solid wood planks, coupled with the geometric precision of moulded plastic connectors, enhance the design and construction opportunities, while an included in-depth guide offers tips on how to maximise the potential of Texo.

Lego 01753 495 000 | www.Lego.com Lego Hidden Side is a new experience-driven, story-supported range of Lego construction toys set to launch in August. Set in the fictional town of Newbury, the range offers a series of eight haunted construction sets that, once built, unlock a hidden world of AR app-activated play. The range delivers the classic Lego brick building experience, complete with Minifigures, along with a whole new interactive dimension; the app allows users to assume the first-person perspective of characters Jack and Parker as they use their mobile phones to solve mysterious challenges. The various sets, including a schoolhouse, school bus and graveyard, reveal lurking phantoms when paired with the digital app. Engaging with the set will also alter the AR experience, meaning children must interact with their Lego model to advance game play. Some sets can be built in two different ways; either as they appear by day, or as the haunted version. This extends the build and play experience between both the physical and virtual worlds. The app also includes a digital game that children can play independently of the building sets, giving the user the opportunity to unlock new ghosts, challenges and more. Lego Hidden Side is the only Lego play experience available that fully and seamlessly integrates Augmented Reality with physical construction play. Sets will range in price from £17.99 to £109.99, while the app will be free to download from the App Store and Google Play.

Cobi 07796 175 764 | www.cobi.pl For the 75th anniversary of D-Day (6th June, 1944), the Allied invasion of occupied Normandy, Cobi has developed a special series of models which join its Historical collection. The American Sherman M4A1 tank, the American LCVP landing craft, also called the Higgins boat, and the American transport aircraft Douglas C-47 Skytrain, also called a Dakota, are all marked with a special anniversary logo and are constructed from Cobi blocks manufactured in the European Union. A unique gift for all collectors, these models have been faithfully reproduced with a focus on detail, colours and markings. The sets are ideally suited to display, making them ideal for all military enthusiasts, and feature moving elements such as wheels, tower, cannon and rifle barrels, propellers, doors and manholes. The models are printed with durable inks that won’t rub off under the influence of temperature or moisture, so they are able to withstand sandboxes, puddles and garden soil. In addition to detailed instructions, each box also contains a special vehicle statistics card that can be used for the Cobi Historical Strategy Game, which lets modellers play the role of commanders from the period of World War II. The rules of the game can be downloaded free of charge from www.CobiGames.com.

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Construction Toys

Spin Master 01628 535 000 | www.spinmastertoys.co.uk Budding engineers can experience the world of building with Meccano’s Set 1, Quick Builds. Ideal for curious minds, this STEAM range lets kids get to grips with real tools as they make all-new creations. Completing a build will provide a strong sense of accomplishment, while the nature of the kits means they can be disassembled and rebuilt again and again. Meccano’s Set 3, Geared Machines, includes gears to encourage young builders to experiment with mechanical design. With the included Maker Tool, young inventors can use the built-in hole punch, edge guide, screw gauge and scorer to turn any material into parts, before using those parts to build an all-new creation. Unlimited building possibilities let inventors create again and again. This STEAM building kit shows how principles from science, technology, engineering, arts and maths are practically applied. Ideal for those with a bigger thirst for invention, Spin Master Introduces Meccano’s most inventive building kit yet. Set 5, Motorized Movers, lets builders create an imaginative model and then use a working motor to bring it to life. This kit also comes with the special Meccano Maker Tool for the creation of parts, so kids can learn how to construct models using the materials around them as well as how to bring them to life. Set 7, Advanced Machines, is set for an autumn launch and will provide even more inspirational and challenging builds for would-be inventors young and old.

Smart Toys & Games 01903 885669 | www.smartgames.eu SmartMax is an award-winning pre-school magnetic construction system, which allows children aged one year and over to explore the fascinating world of magnetism in a fun and safe way. Following its successful debut in 2017, the My First Sets range has introduced two new kits; My First Dinosaurs features five iconic dinosaurs including the formidable Tyrannosaurus Rex. Soft to touch and easy to grab, little ones can mix & match the dinosaurs to create weird and wonderful combinations. Offering a new and creative approach to building for this year, the My First Totem set features eight colourful building blocks with different sounds, styles and textures. Kids can combine the sensory blocks to create their own totem, or follow one of the 24 fun construction challenges. A magnetic construction system that enables children from five years and over to build different structures using a selection of magnetic geoshapes, GeoSmart welcomes new additions to the range. The ingenious Flip Bot allows children to create their own remote-controlled robot car with turbo motors, which, once constructed, can be driven and flipped. GeoSmart has proved to be an ideal STEM magnetic construction set, featuring bright colours, strong magnetic geoshape pieces and a patented double-safety system. Since every piece is compatible with each other, this has become a popular collectible range.

Geomag 07831 886 997 | www.geomagworld.com Geomag Classic stimulates ingenuity and creativity through play, as kids create increasingly stable and impressive constructions. The kits comprise numerous construction elements in a wide range of shapes and colours, including magnetic bars, metal spheres and coloured panels. By learning to use the invisible forces of magnetism, builders can easily and safely develop abstract sculptures, futuristic buildings and spectacular 3D structures. The Geomag Classic range offers several options across a range of colour and style preferences. The Black & White sets are stylish and elegant, while the Glitter sets will appeal to those who want to lend a touch of sparkle to their constructions. The Glow sets will illuminate any structure with glow in the dark elements. Other sets are available across Color, Panels and Confetti themes. New for 2019 is the Geomag Rainbow line, characterised by magnetic bars and plastic panels that reflect rainbow tones to create colourful constructions. Each Geomag Classic line can be purchased in packs containing a number of pieces, varying from a minimum of 22 up to a maximum of 192 items, with a wide range of RRPs. Geomag Classic is an open ended system and all the product lines are compatible with each other. Limited only by the builder’s imagination, the play pattern allows kids to create complex magnetic connections.

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IO Blocks速 Tabletop System

Grippies速 Waves

Make connections and build your world through shape, material and science.

PowerClix速 Frames Clear

Sales Rep: Lorna Smith Email: lsmith@guidecraft.com

PowerClix速 Frames Natural

Phone: 44 (0) 772-583-3273 Skype: lorna.smith966

www.guidecraft.com

Construction Toys

Hape/Marbel 08456 000 286 | www.marbel.co.uk A range of soft and rounded 100% recyclable building blocks developed for small hands, Poly M blocks are made from premium polyethylene and are washable in water up to 30 degrees Celsius. A range of sets featuring 6-200 pieces is available for kids aged 18 months and over. Young builders can explore the wonders of the animal kingdom with the Zoo Keeper ‘n’ Cars set, which allows them to construct various zoo-themed vehicles and accessories. The vehicles can then be filled with a range of buildable animals. The Dinosaur Paradise Kit lets kids create their very own Jurassic playground; the set provides all the blocks needed to build a range of prehistoric creatures. Kids from the age of three years and above can then progress to sets of between 31-310 pieces, all themed upon transportation and movement. The Adventure Rocket is an impressive multi-level spacecraft and lunar explorer, while the Rainbow Counting Train lets children get to grips with the basics of colours and counting.

Vivid 01483 449944 | www.vividtoysandgames.co.uk BoomTrix is an extreme marble track consisting of launch towers, trampolines and other stunt accessories. Kids can challenge themselves to create the biggest and best chain possible, by using their imagination and experimenting with the laws of physics. As the ball bounces from platform to platform, kids can adjust the position of each element to ensure theirs are the coolest stunts around. BoomTrix lets kids design a different track every time they play. Vivid will be launching BoomTrix with a fully immersive marketing campaign. Different packs are available, including Multiball, which includes a fire goal finish, Showdown, the largest pack of all, and the Stunt Pack, which is ideal for expanding an existing BoomTrix track.

Tobar 01603 397105 | www.tobar.co.uk Tobar’s Junior Engineer’s Workshop range offers creative kits designed to test the metal of any budding engineer, using real nuts, bolts and steel. Each kit has a difficulty rating to help consumers choose the appropriate level of build, from easy to challenging. The sets are available in a variety of sizes and price points too. Smaller sets include Helicopter, Plane, Racing Car and Motorbike, while a larger Helicopter with moveable propellers, and an Aeroplane with moveable parts, are also available. The Monster Truck and Tank boast wheels which turn. More challenging kits for experienced builders include Action Bot, which features articulated joints, and the impressive Ferris Wheel with intricate carriages and a moving wheel. All products in the Junior Engineer’s Workshop range have a high-quality finish and vintagestyle packaging.

Re:creation 01189 736 222 | www.recreationltd.co.uk Engino is a unique, patented construction system comprises modular connectors that enable children to quickly and easily build fully functional technological models. The high-quality sets come complete with easy-to-follow instructions and are supported by a free online KidCAD app showcasing 3D step-by-step builds. The Engino range is exclusively designed and manufactured in the company’s state of the art production facility, based in Cyprus. The Engino STEM Heroes collection offers a comprehensive line-up of themed, multi-build sets complete with a full colour booklet of activities, challenges and ideas for further experimentation. The Greenhouse set, which won a Toy Fair Hero Product award this year, allows children to build their own functional mini greenhouse before discovering what effects temperature and water have as they grow their favourite plants. The Jurassic Earth motorised set will inspire students to discover more about dinosaurs as they build, while other themes include aeronautics, automotives, sea exploration and space exploration. Fans of JCB will enjoy Engino’s exclusive collection of four licensed multi-build sets, showcasing iconic machinery from this much-loved brand. The sets deliver across a range of price points and include the motorised Tall Crane set and the Back Hoe Loader. The soon-to-launch Academy of STEAM collection will introduce additional sketching and colouring elements to the play pattern, enabling children to design panels and features to attach to their completed models. Re:creation will roll out major marketing support throughout the second half of 2019, introducing new audiences to the world of Engino.

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Construction Toys

Ravensburger 01869 363 830 | www.ravensburger.com Starting on the 22nd July and running for three weeks to mid-August, Ravensburger is launching a significant TV and digital advertising campaign to coincide with the launch of seven new items for the GraviTrax brand. This fully integrated and cross-platform campaign will target children with TV advertising, while the digital campaign is aimed at parents with older children. GraviTrax is a unique range of STEM construction sets designed to help children explore and learn about the forces of gravity, magnetism and kinetic energy through play. Seven new expansion sets are joining the popular and already extensive range, including a Lift Expansion Pack and Tunnel Pack, plus add-ons such as the Scoop, Trampoline, Tip Tube, Volcano and Flipper. Each of the new sets offers a new layer of fun, excitement and creativity for fans to enjoy.

Flair 020 8643 0320 | www.flairplc.co.uk Stickle Bricks is a longtime best-seller, and Flair is continuing to support this range of first construction toys at retail. The Little Builder set is an ideal entry point to the range, allowing kids to begin building with an assortment of brightly coloured bricks. Offering even more imaginative possibilities, the Fun Tub is perfect for young builders and also doubles as a handy storage container. Themed sets such as the Stickle Bricks Fire Engine and Farm each come with special pieces that, when joined together, will create either a bright red fire engine or a colourful big-wheeled tractor.

Viewpoint Walk on by

Nat Southworth

MBA, ACMA Nat is managing director of Kids@Play Ltd, has bought toys for Asda, and held sales & marketing positions with Vivid, HTi, and Hornby.

’ve worked in toys since 2003: many knew me as a buyer before I switched to the supply side in 2005. I’ve been working in this industry for 16 years and have learned a lot during that time. However, when I took over the running of Kids@Play Ltd in 2018, I realised I knew little of the challenges facing a small company in our industry. In fact, those challenges are even greater if you happen to be a ‘new’ small company. So, I thought I’d share what it is like to be a new company in our industry – which, at times, can be truly shocking! Life through a new entrant’s lens can be heart breaking and I’m going to illustrate this through my experiences at the recent shows we attended. You sign up with enthusiasm, committing both time and resources to the endeavour. You commit to the events wholeheartedly, with team briefings and role-playing sessions on how to progress contacts. The show opens, and you watch people walk on by. You observe sales agents chaperoning buyers round the event and, depressingly, right past your booth, even if the buyers show eye movement towards your product line. Interestingly, I’ve experienced two instances where - having spent a number of days primed and ready for the buyer interaction - a buyer turned up with only five minutes left on the last day: “I saw you were new and I thought I’d pop on to see you - if I had time having seen all my existing suppliers….” In an industry which is built on new and innovative products, why do we not START by looking at the new entrants? Does nobody want to engage with the entrepreneurs, dreamers and disruptors? Is it harder to deal with them? Or do existing suppliers just make life so easy that buyers don’t need new entrants? When I was a buyer, I remember meeting a couple of smiley-faced New Zealanders a number of years ago in Nuremberg. We had a really

good chat, but their product was not ready for our business at that stage. They didn’t pack up and not come back, they persevered. You will recognise their name; Zuru. I get a lot of feedback – and banter - about this column, but standing at a trade show on the fourth day, having engaged with less than a handful of people who actually came by looking to buy something, will test anyone’s resolve. So what should we do about it? Clearly there are some questions to answer; To show or not to show? Before we throw in the towel, or people think I am just ranting and Kids@Play is withdrawing from all shows – let me reassure you, that is not the case. We have learned immeasurable lessons from our show attendance, and every show has introduced at least three new customers that over the lifetime of our business will more than pay for our attendance. We are a definite “show-er” (didn’t want to leave that without a hyphen) and I would encourage all new companies to get involved. I would recommend visiting the targeted show before committing if you can – you can learn a lot from looking and talking to other exhibitors. Trust me, there is a long list of hidden costs to take into consideration. Use agents or don’t use agents? This is a question of speed to results. Ultimately, it’s about relationships; if you have a good relationship with a buyer, or your agent has a good relationship, you are going to get some contact. Kids@ Play does not use agents because I want the most direct relationship possible with our customers. We therefore have to sacrifice speed, and I have to accept that I need a little more patience as I watch customers being ferried by agents between the multiple stands/product lines that they represent. Our team has been instructed to wave from our stand when we witness this happening, so please smile and wave back.

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How important are pre-show and post-show communications? I like our team to attempt to get appointments in advance, so we can dedicate time to our customers at the event. I know not everyone likes to commit to this, but we will always try. We sent a host of information out through the post after our last show and got quite a bit of feedback from it. Unfortunately, some of the feedback was that we’d sent the catalogues out with insufficient postage, meaning our customers had to pay to collect our information. Whilst I believe that is money well spent by them, I will happily take the postage cost off their next order. Something else? I’ve seen a lot of this over the years: trade show participants in fancy dress; free stock for visiting the stand; marketing activations – maybe a full marketing blitz on billboards on the way in to the show, stickers on the floor leading to your stand or even billboards in the toilets. I don’t know if any of this actually works, but fair play to suppliers for trying different things to get noticed. As an industry, we constantly debate: how many shows? How many suppliers? Reductions in retail outlets? Number of trade magazines? What we know for sure is that babies will continue to be born and children will always play with toys. This means there will always be a market for toys. Where there is a market, there will be competition, and where there is competition there will always be new entrants. In a market demanding new innovative products, it might be a bold approach to seek out those companies first. New companies will continue to appear at trade shows, but they desperately need our industry feedback to hone and enhance their offers to secure success. As a returning exhibitor, I shall now look forward to welcoming you to our stand after you’ve visited all the new exhibitors at the forthcoming Autumn Fair.

Engaging kids with impact

Ruth Clement Ruth is co-director of Full Steam Consulting Group and Insights Director of Consumer Fluent. She is a Consultant for Kidz Global and combines the best in Kidz Global’s syndicated data with Consumer Fluent’s own custom research in to connecting brands with kids and families.

eturn on advertising investment is not solely dependent on the scale and shape of a media campaign, or on how well it’s been negotiated. It’s essential that ads grab kids’ attention within the smallest window of opportunity, those split seconds before kids reach for the remote or swipe to skip the ads. 53% of pre-teen kids skip TV ads as soon as they appear on screen. YouTube has exacerbated the trend in the UK with 60% of kids skipping ads (68% have access to YouTube). Even pre-school kids now know how to skip the ads as they burn through their favourite entertainment, thanks to YouTube. For the past decade (and a bit longer), I’ve been conducting research for the leading brands and global entertainment corporations, studying the elements of advertising campaigns, animated shows, movie sequences, apps, video games and digital platforms, which engage kids and work effectively with their ability to process and retain information. I’ve observed the attentiveness and emotional responses of thousands of kids with the human eye and analysed them using heat maps and electronically coded facial expressions, captured in micro-seconds with the aid of Eye Tracking and Face Reader technology. It’s essential to understand what happens in the moments leading up to an ad break, as much as the moments within the ad break itself. As soon as the plot of a cartoon or show’s story reaches its resolution, kids’ attention plummets. The villain’s identity is uncovered (it was the caretaker). The peril is over; the rescue has been done. Kids visibly relax, get restless, plan what to do next. They might start to daydream, or to resume a game they were playing, or hunt for a snack, go to the toilet, check their social media (tweens+) or fast forward to the next episode. Here are my top 5 tips on how to grab and retain kids’ attention, in the split seconds before a child decides to skip your ad.

• S ound connects faster than light. Even before the music and credits begin to roll, kids invariably look away from the screen when a show comes to an end. However, they don’t “switch off” their auditory senses. To draw their attention back to screen, use the power of sound. Make sure that the sound is distinctive, discordant or readily associable with an experience which kids are familiar with and keen to rekindle or are curious about. The first sound in the first second of your ad is crucial, whether it’s the first notes of a jingle or a standalone noise, but always laden with purpose and meaning for the child. • H ere’s looking at you, kid. We are primed to look at faces first. All eye tracking evidence demonstrates that the fastest speed to first fixation is generated by faces, be they on packaging, on a web page, cartoon, movie, app or digital game. We even have a special section of our brain dedicated to interpreting the meaning of facial expressions and it is the first visual element which infants learn to focus on. Friend or foe? Faces reveal all. Faces, looking directly back at us, draw us in to a story about to unfold. A friendly face creates trust and intimacy, while an unfriendly face engenders excitement and trepidation. Both will grab and hold our attention. • P ause and take a breath. Have you ever picked up a cold call only to have the salesperson at the other end of the phone launch into their sales pitch without pausing to take a breath? Many TV ads do exactly the same thing, launching into a rapid-fire sales pitch before kids are even ready to listen. Kids need pause and space in which to process meaning, from the second it takes for them to locate the source of a noise, to the next second it takes for the storytelling to begin. Miss that pause and kids will simply tune out too soon to re-engage. A pause isn’t an empty space. It

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can be full of evocative imagery and sounds, but it’s a moment free of cognitive effort. • Quick to entertain and immerse. It’s great when we see and hear the uninhibited laughter of a kid who gets a joke or enjoys slapstick humour. Advertisers often use child actors to demonstrate their product and act out the emotions of pleasure or surprise in using it. Kids need to experience some of that same pleasure and surprise for themselves. The most popular attribute in advertising is humour. Humour forms a bridge between the actor and the audience, and it is as applicable to live action as it is to animation. • I nspiring, empowering, enacting. We want kids to respond to our ads by requesting our products. In the time it takes between seeing an ad and asking their parents for the product, we need kids to retain as much information as possible. We store the information in our memory which we’re most likely to retrieve. Advertising’s call to action can encourage kids to do just that, to store and retrieve information for a practicable purpose immediately after the ad has been seen. That purpose could be to perform the jingle; to re-enact the story telling (no props required); to learn a joke which can be retold to friends or family; to learn a trivia fact to test on their parents. Given that media laydowns for the Autumn-Winter season are due to be signed off and TVC production is underway, in this column I’ve focused on effective media advertising, understanding how to tackle what’s happening “upstream” in kids’ media space. I’ve worked with plenty of toy companies who consider media advertising as the default plan, the only plan in fact, to drive sales of new brands and innovation. If that’s the case, we need our advertising to work with every fraction of a second, from the moment entertainment content comes to an end to the within the first second of the ad break itself.

Feature

Dress Up & Role Play

However you dress it up… Rachael Simpson-Jones catches up with a selection of key suppliers to find out what’s new in the dress-up and role-play category for this year, how trends are driving product development, and how the companies support their ranges in the marketplace.

or young kids, a favourite movie or book character remains a popular inspiration for role play year after year. With Disney having released its Aladdin live-action remake in May, and Maleficent 2 set for release in October, Jakks is expecting to see an uplift across its Disney Princess ranges, boosted by comprehensive marketing support. “Jakks' Disney Princess Style Collection range is styled very differently to other products in the market,” explains Ken Goodisson, UK senior marketing director at Jakks Pacific. “The range is much more aesthetically pleasing and modern than other dress-up and role-play lines available at the moment, which we feel sets it apart from other ranges both in-store and on-shelf. Jakks always provides best in class toolkits and marketing assets to ensure strong presence online, as well as supporting retailers with in-store material such as planograms, POS and FSDUs as necessary.” ITV Studios Global Entertainment’s series Thunderbirds Are Go has proved successful across Europe, and is now into its third season in the UK. As a result, Pretend to Bee’s licensed costumes have struck a chord with fans, and will be made available on the annual International Thunderbirds Day at the National Space Centre. The company is also tapping into current social trends, such as the growing demand for llamas – 2019’s unicorn. “We cover popular trends such as unicorns and llamas with our plush zip tops, and have all the popular dressing up styles such as pirates, princesses, fairies and occupation costumes,” says Kate Skitt, sales manager, Pretend to Bee. However, while Pretend to Bee does keep its finger on the pulse when it comes to trends, it places the main emphasis on quality and learning through play. Kate adds: “We create costumes that are built to last and let children use their imaginations, whether they choose to role-

play the profession they want when they grow up, don fairy-tale or fantastic animal costumes, or make use of our great range of accessories.” Smiffys has developed a range of pre-school-size costumes perfect for toddlers between the ages of one and four. These miniature creations feature an easy-fastening design to make them quick and straightforward to put on and take off, freeing up more time for play and encouraging independence from an early age. Smiffys has also extended its range of Roald Dahl, Where’s Wally and Beatrix Potter characters, and has increased its licensed offering with new characters from The Wind in the Willows, Postman Pat and CBeebies’ Bing. “Our in-house creative team designs hundreds of new and innovative products each year, inspired by the latest trends,” comments Sharon Poulter, senior trade marketing manager at Smiffys. “We have a fresh children’s collection for 2019 available; with everything from pirates and fairy-tale characters to officially licensed costumes, there’s something for every little adventurer to enjoy. We’ve gone wild for animals, launched role-play costumes with exciting uniforms such as heroic firefighters and racing drivers, and brought characters to life with new makeup kits too.” Role-play specialist Casdon is enjoying a successful 2019, trading an impressive 50% up at the beginning of June and heading for its 6th consecutive record-breaking year. Instantly recognisable brands play a core role in Casdon’s product portfolio, with household names such as Dyson, Morphy Richards, Flymo, Hetty and Henry, Kenwood, DeLonghi and Mr Kipling appearing across the company’s various role-play lines. “Children love to copy what their parent do, so we make that as realistic as possible,” says Casdon’s managing director, Phil Cassidy. “Recognised brand names are essential to add to the realism.

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All our products help with child development; be it inspiring imagination, improving hand-eye coordination, understanding cause and effect, developing motor skills or social interaction - we cover the lot.” Understanding the burgeoning need for visual digital marketing, Casdon is investing heavily in a new website, five new products videos and what the company is calling ‘a year-round social media bonanza’, all designed to ensure that its toys are at the forefront of consumers’ minds. Stockists of Smiffys can benefit from a full support package, including customer-focused design, trend analysis, bespoke product development, packaging, POS and in-house photography. Sharon explains: “Our in-house designers and product development teams ensure we have the most innovative range of products in the market, and our dedicated account managers support retailers to increase sales during key seasonal events, as well as throughout the year. Grouping role-play items together and merchandising the collections front-facing will highlight children’s dress-up available in your store, while utilising child-sized mannequins, where possible, will also draw attention to any role-play costumes.” Retailers looking for display solutions should also consider Pretend to Bee’s bespoke FSDUs, which have been designed to showcase the company’s costumes in a way that is both eye-catching and efficient on space. Innovative point of sale packaging lets the products stand out at retail whilst keeping them in pristine condition on the shop floor, and packs of best-selling styles are available for retailers who are new to the dress-up category. Over the next few pages, Toy World takes a look at some of the latest products in the dress-up and roleplay category.

Dress Up & Role Play

Casdon 01253 608 428 | www.casdon.com Casdon combines pretend play with internationally renowned household names to bring replica appliances and role-play accessories to the playroom. 2019 continues to see a refresh across all packaging, with bright colours, bold designs and numerous languages now added. The Little Helper collection is home to the Dyson replica vacuums. These toys feature real suction and spinning beads, making them an instantly recognisable favourite. The Dyson Cord Free launched in September 2018. This cordless vacuum is a direct replica of the life size Dyson and has been specifically designed to be true to life, right down to the last detail. The model features working suction, realistic sounds and twist & turn action, and has been designed with the same bright colours as the real-life appliance. The vacuum also features spinning beads which are sure to mesmerise, as children clean house just like their parents, while developing essential life skills. Other classics in Casdon’s range of role-play toys are the Hetty and Henry Household Cleaning Sets. The Henry set, in striking red, and the Hetty set, which comes in pale pink, both feature a dustpan and brush, a mop, a sweeping brush and more, so kids can help out with cleaning tasks at home. The Mr Kipling Cake Stand & Tea Set, from the Little Cooks collection, is perfect to play at treating friends and family to afternoon tea. This brightly coloured shape-sorting cake stand includes a selection of cakes, plus plates and cutlery to help with serving. Little ones can also create a make-believe breakfast with the various Morphy Richards sets. Featuring the famous ‘tea folk’, the new Tetley Tea Set will appeal to kids and adults alike, thanks to its durability and nostalgic charm. Children can enjoy endless imaginative fun with this traditionally styled set, which contains a tin teapot, tray, cups, saucers and plates, all housed within a carry case for take-along tea parties. For summertime, the Flymo Lawn Mower features a foldable handle for easy storage and makes a mechanical click when it’s on the move. It also features the iconic orange base. A favourite within the Little Helper collection is the 60-piece Toolbox and Workbench. This 2-in-1 self-contained toolbox features a carry handle for portability and easily transforms into a sturdy workbench. The play set features a pillar drill, circular saw, vice, hammer and a host of extra accessories to keep young builders busy. Casdon will be increasing its marketing support for retailers in 2019 with a strategic year-round online campaign to further consumer awareness of the company’s popular toys.

Tomy 01271 336 155 | www.tomy.com Tomy’s new dress up collection, Adorbs, will be launching in July. Expectations are high after the brand was awarded Best Dress-Up by Parents Magazine at this year’s New York Toy fair. Adorbs provides an innovative dress-up solution for kids aged three and over. The range includes fairy and princess dresses that are easy to wear, affordable and simple to merchandise in store. Six cute and sparkly designs are available to collect in range of pastel colours, and will retail at an affordable sub-£8 price point. The unique tulip-back dresses are easy to put on and take off, and will help encourage independent play with minimal help from parents. The glitter orb capsule packaging can be used as dress storage after purchase, to minimise the dress-up mess and make the product easy to find. An ideal party bag gift, the orbs also allow kids to take their dresses anywhere and to swap them easily with friends.

HTI 01253 778 888 | www.htigroup.co.uk The Joie Junior Pact is an accurate replica of the contemporary Joie nursery pram, and is perfect for parenting role-play . Key features include a folding mechanism just like the real life version, and a shoulder strap for easy transportation. Suitable for children aged 3-8 years, the pram comes complete with a reclining seat and underseat shopping basket for storage. The vintage-style Baby Annabell Carriage Pram features a sprung chassis, adjustable hood and removable apron. The matching pillow and bedding set features the Baby Annabell lamb and floral rose design. Kids can create endless and imaginative hair styles with the My Little Pony Rainbow Dash Styling Head. Complete with a sticker sheet and My Little Pony hair accessories to enhance play, the product encourages creativity as kids style and decorate Rainbow’s long, multi-coloured mane. HTI’s Peppa Pig range covers all aspects of role-play, from playing doctors and nurses to cooking and cleaning. The range includes the Peppa Pig Medic Case, the Peppa Pig Hair Care Case, the Peppa Pig House Tea Set and the Peppa Pig Cash Register, which features pretend money and a working calculator.

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CHILDRENâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S DRESSING UP COSTUMES AND ACCESSORIES FOR EDUCATIONAL PLAY

High quality selection of designs for 6 months to 11 years. No minimums.

Go to www.pretendtobee.com Tel: +44 (0) 115 921 5690 Email: support@pretendtobee.com

Cross Body Purse & Play Phone This set comes complete with a play smartphone, wallet case, key fob, and play credit cards. Press the keys to hear unique locking noise! Play smartphone even flashes when you pretend to take pictures too!

Shop â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;N Play Cash Register Cash Register features a unique signature pad and real working calculator that makes sounds and phrases! You can store your play money, coins and credit card in cash drawer too!

ÂŠ Disney

For further details contact: 01344 638900

Travel Accessories Tote You can now play out your favourite vacation in style! Everything you need for your overnight stay can hang inside the Play Suitcase! It includes all the essentials you will need for your trip away!

The Play Suitcase includes real working wheels & a retractable handle. You can store all your travel essentials inside and hang the new travel accessories tote inside! Comes with 17 pieces including Suitcase Tag, Sunglasses, Passport, Passport Holder, Plane Tickets, Sticker Sheet, Eye Mask, play Ear Buds, Ear Bud Holder, Lip Balm and Cap, Handsantiser and Cap and Travel Map and Case.

Play Suitcase

Snap & Go Play Camera Your Play Camera can zoom in and out, flash and eject your picture! You can swap the 3 princess pictures for more fun!

Click & Go Play Laptop Play Laptop features lights and makes realistic computer sounds! It also has removable double sided backgrounds to mix up imaginative play!

Email: jakksuk@jakks.net

Dress Up & Role Play

Pretend to Bee 0115 921 5690 | www.pretendtobee.com

Interplay 01628 488 944 |

Pretend to Bee’s award-winning ranges are known for their high quality and attention to detail. The family-run company’s dress up lines are designed to be both long-lasting as well as easy to wear, and make use of durable, machine washable fabrics. Most costumes are designed with Velcro fastenings, elasticated waistlines and large openings so that they grow with children, to increase value for money. In addition to the company’s current line-up of generic costumes, this year welcomes a Llama Zip Top costume and a new faux fur-trimmed Velour Cape with LED lights, which comes in three colours. These new offerings will sit alongside Pretend to Bee’s best-selling Unicorn Zip Top. Also new are two deluxe Knight costumes, plus a range of tutu dresses featuring character detailing on the bodice and wings and a matching headband. Options include Swan, Unicorn, Flamingo and Peacock. A range of new dress up accessories will add the finishing touch to costumes; a plush Jet Pack, Light and Sound Wands, and a Sword and Shield set are available.

www.interplayuk.com Face Paintoos is a new concept that transforms face painting into a fun and easy activity for children and parents alike, making it simple to achieve perfect, long-lasting results every time. Developed with the expertise of a professional face painter with a decade of experience, the new Interplay range is launching with four different sets. Wild Pack, Pet Pack and Pretty Pack will all be available at sub-£10 while the bigger Party Pack will be £19.99.

Little Tikes 0845 0533 333 | www.mgae.com This summer, Little Tikes is launching the Tasty Junior Bake ‘n Share Kitchen. This colourful growwith-me kitchen can be raised in height as toddlers develop, while older kids can film their creations as they play chef using the smartphone holder. Complete with parent/kid recipe cards for Tasty Junior recipes to make in real life and 38 playable accessories, including a turn table, oven mitt, coffee cups and utensils, this kitchen comes with everything young cooks need. Part of the Tasty Junior collection, the Bake ‘n Share Emoji Cookie, Bake ‘n Share Birthday Treats and Bake ‘n Share Yummy Breakfast sets will bring baking to life. Perfect for engaging all ages of children and encouraging creativity during playtime, each set comes with 12 accessories and a selection of recipe cards featuring baking ideas which can be created in real life. The Little Tikes Shop ‘n Learn Smart Checkout comes with over 35 food items and accessories that are recognised by the checkout as they’re scanned through. Parents can download a free app that offers additional elements to play, encouraging children to develop their self-confidence and teamwork skills. Complete with four game modes, this smart checkout has fold-up features to save on space. Packed with features such as a rotating horn and galloping noises during movement, children can go on a journey in the Magical Unicorn Carriage. Ideal for onward development, the carriage is designed to adapt with the child, and comes complete with a push & pull harness and removable flooring. Finally, the Cape Cottage is a perfect place for kids to play house with friends. Featuring an arched doorway, brick details and window shutters, the cottage’s compact design makes it ideal for smaller gardens and outdoor play areas.

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Dress Up & Role Play

KidKraft +31 (0) 20 214 9420 | www.

kidkraft.com

Well-known for its award-winning dollhouses and play kitchens, KidKraft continues to expand its product offering while staying rooted in the ideals that have made it a success – innovative design and quality products. The KidKraft Country Estate Dollhouse stands at over four feet tall and includes interactive features along with more than 30 accessories. Designed for 12-inch dolls, the mansion boasts four levels, 10 rooms, a porch, a garage and a gliding elevator. The 31-piece accessories fully furnish the pastel décor house, with everything from nursery furniture to an outdoor BBQ set. Interactive features include a light-up lamp and flushing sounds toilet. Made of wood, this dollhouse will be a long-lasting fixture in any playroom. The KidKraft Artisan Island Toddler Play Kitchen offers hands-on fun for ages 2-5 years. With a chic tile-look backsplash and modern copper-look accents, this quaint wooden kitchen features an island countertop where food can be served. A chalkboard surface on the back panel allows chefs to write up the menu, jot down a grocery list or express their artistic side. Features include knobs which click and turn, an ice maker that dispenses play ice cubes and doors which open and close. A pan, spatula and spoon are provided and can be stored on hanging hooks. KidKraft's EZ Kraft Assembly, which has less hardware, fewer steps and preassembled parts, means less build time and more play time. KidKraft toys are sold in more than 90 countries by more than 28,000 sellers worldwide. With the 2016 acquisition of Big Backyard and Cedar Summit, KidKraft has expanded beyond the playroom into the backyard, offering playsets, playhouses and even more. For more details, contact Natascha.sparbier@kidkraft.com

Re:creation 01189 736 222 |

www.recreationltd.co.uk

Re:creation introduces two strong new dress-up items for the second half of the year. Happy Waggerz electronic wagging tails are motorised, themed tails with automated wagging action. Available in three popular styles at launch – fox, unicorn and dinosaur - Happy Waggerz attach easily with an elasticated and adjustable waist belt. An auto-switch off feature helps to preserve the batteries. The internet has been abuzz with the #rabbithatchallenge and Doolallie Flappers is set to bring the excitement to the UK with a range of four fun and friendly animal character hats. These plush hats have ears that flap when airbags in the paws are squeezed, putting the fun quite literally in kids’ hands. Llama, mouse, dog and bunny are available in wave one, with more characters to come soon. Re:creation will support both Happy Waggerz and Flappers with a major marketing campaign focusing on online, PR and events.

CMY

Flair/Just Play 020 8643 0320 | www.flairplc.co.uk Flair/Just Play’s all-new Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles collection includes a range of role-play accessories that will turn little ninjas into turtles in an instant. The new Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Role-Play Masks have four different sculpts that reflect the four brothers as they appear in the ‘Rise of’ series. The Signature Training weapons range includes Leonardo's odachi sword, Donatello's Tech- Bo staff, Michelangelo's kusari-fundo weapon and Raphael's Tonfa. Each pretend weapon also comes with throwing stars for added role-play value. Fans of PJ Masks can dress up as their heroes with the PJ Masks Costume Sets, while the Catboy, Owlette and Gekko masks provide an instant hero transformation. Both the Ben 10 Basic Omnitrix and the Deluxe Omnitrix enable kids to become Ben Tennyson with just a dial twist. With over 100 alien phrases, plus light & sound effects, the New Deluxe Omnitrix is ideal for creating Ben 10 adventures at home.

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Dress Up & Role Play

Smifffys 0800 590 599 | www.smiffystrade.com Smiffys offers a comprehensive selection of role-play costumes and accessory kits perfect for bringing a variety of characters to life. Dress up options include Dentist, Nurse, Surgeon, Police Officer, Fire Fighter, Army Officer, Racing Car Driver and Spaceman. The costumes feature an easy-fastening design to take the hassle out of dressing up, encourage independence and allow more time for play. Smiffys is committed to continually developing innovative and engaging lines to make sure it offers a strong selection of products for consumers to enjoy. The company’s new instant kits quickly transport kids and adults alike to a different world, offering everything needed to become a character of their choosing. Retailers are encouraged to look out for new characters, fresh licences and re-imagined heroes joining the Smiffys range soon.

Hape/Marbel 08456 000 286 | www.marbel.co.uk Crafted from the highest quality natural materials, Hape’s Kitchen & Food range is ideal for kids aged three years and above. Capturing a child’s love of food and cooking play, each new addition to the Kitchen & Food range enriches the collection further to increase role-play value. Higher ticket items such as The Pop-Up Shop come complete with all the components of a real-life working shop; a calculator to add up the shopping bill, a handheld scanner to read each item and a chalk board for displaying daily specials. At the lower end of the price range, Hape’s ingredients sets lets kids sort, slice, combine and serve. The Tasty Proteins set includes a chicken leg with removable flesh, a fish which can be filleted and lemon to squeeze over the top. The Chef Pack comes complete with five accessories including a measuring spoon set, an oven mitt and pot holder. Hape uses only water-based paints, which are tested rigorously to ensure that customers get both value for money and the highest quality product.

Jakks Pacific 01344 638 900 | www.jakks.com The Jakks Disney Princess Style Collection combines everyday play with contemporary Disney Princess flair. The collection includes everything from travel-ready accessories to role-play electronics and kitchenware. The Disney Princess Style Collection Suitcase includes everything needed for a pretend holiday. Kids can recreate a trip to the airport with the set, which includes the suitcase, a luggage tag, sunglasses, a passport and passport folio, plane tickets, stickers, an eye mask, a pair of pretend ear buds, lip balm, hand sanitiser and a travel map. The Disney Princess Style Collection Click & Go Play Laptop features a removable double-sided background. Pressing the on button and clicking the keys will trigger a variety of computer noises, while sliding and switching the laptop background will create a whole new look. The Play Camera has authentic camera-like features for young photographers to enjoy. Kids can pretend to zoom in and out, before pressing the button to make the camera flash. A shutter noise will sound, and one of three Disney princess pictures will drop down. With the Disney Princess Style Collection Play Gourmet Coffee Maker, kids can grab their included to-go cup, insert one of the two included beverage pods and press the button to hear realistic brewing sounds.

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Working suction

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Special feature

Vegas Review

John Baulch reports from this year’s Licensing Expo

icensing Expo attracts licensees and retailers from across the globe, although inevitably proceedings retain a distinctly American flavour. Whether it’s the stands on the show floor or the presentations given by licensing companies, understated rarely comes into the equation; big, brash and bold has always been the name of the game at Licensing Expo. Even when retail is challenging – and make no mistake, it’s not just the UK which is going through a turbulent phase – maintaining a front remains essential. Confidence is a preference to the habitual voyeur of what is known as ‘licensing life’. There are, though, subtle signs which reflect the prevailing retail conditions; according to those who took in all the licensor presentations, literally everyone is unlocking the vault; essentially, we’re all going back to the future – specifically the 80s and 90s. So many brands are making a comeback that I’m getting flashbacks to the early part of my career in toys and licensing. Some licensees have interpreted this trend as a sign that certain licensors have nothing new and are taking a risk-averse approach, but you can certainly see the logic in the strategy. The past is filled with creative riches and some of them are ripe for rediscovery. It’s just a case of separating the ones which merit reinvention from the ones which perhaps should have remained a fond memory. So, over the next few years, expect to see the return of many brands and characters from your childhood – or, in my case, my children’s childhood – and beyond. For example, it was announced in Vegas that Mattel will be bringing back Masters of the Universe, a legendary brand which enjoyed huge

success back in the 1980’s. I remember attending the UK launch event for the brand back in 1982, which was held at Granada Studios in Manchester; it grew into one of the seminal brands of the decade, and many would argue that its revival is long overdue. Numerous other classics from that era are also on their way back, including Micro Machines, Blue’s Clues and even Top Gun! Nickelodeon took this year’s showcase presentations up a notch or three with an appearance by Snoop Doggy Dogg: I think it’s fair to say that a bunch of ‘suits’ is not exactly Snoop’s regular crowd, but fair play, he certainly gave it his all. If you’re wondering why Nickelodeon chose Snoop, it’s because he is the voice behind a character in next year’s Spongebob movie, ‘It’s a Wonderful Sponge’. The partnership is already paying dividends; the gold Spongebob medallion which Nickelodeon presented him with in Vegas has become a popular fixture of Snoop’s recent Instagram posts. In addition to Snoop’s performance, the Nickelodeon showcase also saw a performance by a very talented 14 year-old Mexican social media star Bala, who joins Jo Jo Siwa, Ryan’s World and Baby Shark in Nickelodeon’s roster. In this brave new world, hot properties are clearly no longer just coming from TV shows and movies, with the online world providing a valuable new source of licensable talent and brands. Taking properties from the online sphere also changes the timelines for licensing programmes; you may not be aware of this, but the first B aby Shark video was actually posted online four years ago. Similarly, Ryan’s World has been online for over three years already. Contrast that

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with a TV show, where product is usually launched six-nine months after broadcast starts, or a movie, where product is traditionally on shelves weeks before the film has even been released. As usual, a plethora of new partnerships were announced during the show; some of the key deals of interest to the toy community are featured opposite. In addition, the US Licensing Awards are held during Licensing Expo. It was no great surprise to see Fortnite enjoying a great night, winning in five separate categories. L.O.L. Surpise! and Harry Potter were the other big toy brand winners. All three properties enjoyed a phenomenal year and having seen some of the new developments across all three brands, you certainly wouldn’t bet against them being in the mix again next year. Numerically speaking, the UK contingent in Vegas continues to hold up well; looking specifically at visitors from the toy community, licensees were generally well represented, while retailers were thinner on the ground, with the exception of The Entertainer, which sent a sizeable delegation to the show. To complicate matters slightly, next year’s Licensing Expo clashes with the Toymaster May show: both events will run from 19th – 21st May. Such is the challenge of running a global, cross-category event; it is practically impossible to find a time-slot which avoids clashing with another show or holiday somewhere in the world. In the meantime, attention turns to BLE, which this year moves to a new home at Excel and a new slot in the calendar; 1st- 3rd October.

Alpha Group expands roster with Subway Surfers and Chuggington Sybo Games has celebrated Subway Surfers’ 7th birthday and a landmark 2.5b downloads by announcing the appointment of Alpha Group as global master toy licensee for the popular mobile game. Alpha Group will have worldwide rights to manufacture and market figures, vehicles, remote control toys, plush, electronic toys, smart toys, games, role-play, dress-up and accessories, consumer electronics, novelties, activity and seasonal products based on Subway Surfers, plus Subsurf, the property’s consumer and lifestyle merchandise brand. Ranges are expected to launch in 2020. Sybo chief commercial officer Naz Amarchi-Cuevas commented: “Alpha Group has a proven record in bringing amazing and innovative products to market; and most importantly it fully understands the culture, ethos and pillars that embody the Subsurf lifestyle.” Herschend Entertainment Studios (HES) has also appointed Alpha Group as global master toy partner for Chugginton, in a multi-year collaboration that will see a broad range of toys across vehicles, track sets, radio control, plush, games, electronics, smart toys, novelty and seasonal products. The toy line will debut in 2020, along with a sixth season of the show. Celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2020, Chuggington is enjoyed by pre-schoolers on A-list broadcast networks and key streaming platforms in over 178 countries across the globe. “Chuggington’s heritage as a beloved animation and strong consumer products brand was reason enough, but Herschend’s passion and vision for the global franchise is what makes this opportunity so exciting,” commented Mark Slater-Hyndman, head of UK & Ireland for Alpha Group.

Nickelodeon takes on Baby Shark Nickelodeon and SmartStudy, the global entertainment company behind the Pinkfong brand, will partner to develop a new original animated series based on Baby Shark for global distribution, while Viacom Nickelodeon Consumer Products (VNCP) will be managing consumer products licensing worldwide, excluding Asia, for the property. “Baby Shark is a multiplatform phenomenon, and appetite for more content and products is strong around the world,” said Pam Kaufman, president, Viacom Nickelodeon Consumer Products. “Our outstanding creative teams are moving fast to get more Baby Shark product across multiple categories to retailers, and our content team is excited to develop a terrific original animated series that will bring this property to new heights and even more fans.” Min Seok Kim, CEO, SmartStudy, added: “We are really excited to be partnering with Nickelodeon to co-produce our first television series about Baby Shark and look forward to bringing our characters from the screen into the real world.”

Funrise appointed master toy partner for Caterpillar Funrise has announced that it has entered into a new multi-year licence agreement with Caterpillar, the world’s leading construction equipment manufacturer. Under the agreement, Funrise will bring its expertise in product development, manufacturing and brand marketing to produce, distribute and market a line of realistic toy machines based on Cat construction machines. The toy line is expected to include machines in a wide range of styles with innovative features, including motorised toys, toys with lights & sounds, radio control toys for indoor and outdoor play, freewheeling toys in different scales and Cat machines made of metal, all appropriate for kids aged 3 and up.

Moose Toys named as global master toy partner for Bluey Created by Joe Brumm and produced by the Emmy award-winning Ludo Studio for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and BBC Studios, Bluey has been a runaway success with audiences, landing the No. 1 spot of all series on ABC iview with 90m plays. The series follows the adventures of a six-year- old Blue Heeler puppy and her family. First launched in Australia last year, Bluey is set to launch on a global stage. BBC Studios and Disney have announced an international roll out from autumn 2019. Moose Toys will be global master toy partner for all territories excluding Asia. Initially launching in Australia for Christmas 2019, the first range of toys will be released in the US and other regions from autumn/winter 2020. Menal McGrath, vice president, Global Licensing at Moose Toys, commented: “The reception for Bluey in Australia has been phenomenal and we believe Bluey has what it takes to be a major hit in the pre-school aisle around the world. Bluey’s quirky and heartwarming stories align perfectly with Moose Toys’ core values to make kids happy.”

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Feature

Stationery

Too cool for school?

Innovative players in the stationery category continually strive to create engaging and eye-catching products for kids and adults alike, and this year is no exception. Rachael Simpson-Jones finds out more.

n the UK, where uniform codes must be observed for most primary and secondary education, stationery is one of the biggest ways in which schoolkids can express their personality and individuality. As such, manufacturers keep a close eye on emerging trends, upcoming film and game releases and social media rumblings to keep their ranges up-to-date and highly appealing. Sometimes, a craze can be combined with a licence, resulting in a popular combination of the two; take Blue Sky’s Harry Potter Skwisheez range of licensed, slow-release foam stationery products featuring Ron, Harry, Hermione and more, or Pyramid International’s Harry Potter sequin-covered notebooks. Both companies are also set to capitalise on the latest resurgence in Friends popularity; having recently made its way to the VOD platform Netflix, the phenomenally popular American sitcom is now being watched by a new generation of fans – and

they want to show off their enthusiasm. Blue Sky has developed a range of 90s-esque pens, notebooks, pencil cases and stationery sets based on the show’s fictional Central Perk café, while Pyramid is offering a notebook, diary and sticker set (among other products), highlighting some of the most popular lines from the series, including Ross’ classic “We were on a break!” “We are always looking at what trends are happening in the market,” explains Robert Ling, marketing executive, Pyramid International. “Friends arriving on Netflix has had a very positive impact on sales so far this year, a trend which is sure to continue as we get towards the show’s 25th anniversary in September. Season 3 of Stranger Things is also offering us an exciting opportunity, with Pyramid being one of a very few licensors for the property. We have explored new ideas with stationery for this range; the launch of our retro VHS-style notebook taps into the on-going trend for nostalgia. Of course,

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Batman’s 80th is sure to drum up excitement this year too, and we are expecting big things for the end of the year with Star Wars and Frozen II, ranges for which are being finalised at the moment.” Robert continues: “Big licences are great for stationery; they offer a real edge in the market and let the products stand out on-shelf. They are also extremely versatile; using Batman as a character is great for Back to School, while using the symbol or other subtle hints is perfect for drawing in older fans. And Stranger Things gives us a great opportunity to explore the 80s as well as supernatural themes.” Away from licensing, Crayola, a Vivid brand, is also tapping into trends with its new Take Note line. The range has been developed to appeal to fans of ‘bullet journaling’, an increasingly popular method of diarising that allows people to keep track of appointments, things to do and life events using short, concise points instead of lengthy passages. Leon Jarmolowicz, brand manager, Crayola, explains:

Feature

Stationery

“Our latest launch, Take Note, is the only brand to bridge the gap between the fun simplicity of kids stationery and more serious, professional adult lines. Bullet journaling make use of fantastic colours, highlights, accents and styles to personalise notes, diaries and revision plans, and all these elements have given rise to our Take Note line. The adult colouring trend and recent focus on creativity means our appeal extends well into tweens, teens and adults.” Crayola has entered 2019 on a strong footing, with record growth in the spring months. A strong plan for the Back to School period, combined with great innovation for the holiday season, means the company is well on course for double digit growth by year end. “As usual, Back to School is our second Christmas and we have a huge promotional plan in place,” says Leon. “Our biggest initiative is driving a significant increase in digital and social engagement. Instagram and Facebook are perfect for consumers old and young to express themselves, with art and creativity being a key part of that. Crayola, with its creative knowledge, breadth of range and strong consumer relationship is perfectly placed to use these platforms to inspire our audience. Selecting the right influencers to help carry this message is critical.” The brand has also partnered with The SeaLife Centre with an on-pack ‘Kids Go Free’ promotion, which it hopes will drive significant conversion to

Q&A

purchase in-store. And in the run up to the Christmas season, Crayola’s hero lines will be supported by heavyweight TV campaigns. Back to School is also a key period for Maped Helix. The company has been working hard over the last few years to build its in-store presence, further supporting the strength of what is already a very recognisable brand. Exciting initiatives with in-store activities have been very successful, and more are planned as the company moves into the Back to School season. “We aim to be more than just a company hanging a product on a shelf and hoping,” explains Gray Richardson, managing director, Maped Helix. “We want to bring our products to life with impactful packaging, in-store support or new product development. Each year we’re able to present one of the freshest new ranges of products in the market. We work hard to keep evolving and bring newness to our consumers. It’s not just the same products over and over again, but products that really stand out.” The company is making a concerted effort to become more environmentally aware; its new range of pens under the Oxford brand, which launched this year, is entirely packaged without the use of plastics. “We have a short-term commitment to remove single use plastics from at least 50% of our products by 2021,” says Gray. “We are one of the first major pen brands to produce a pen range as extensive as this, which

removes single use plastics from all products.” It was recently reported that the UK subsidiary of Smiggle, an Australian-based retail store chain that sells stationery and related accessories, had been threatened with a funding withdrawal after it approached some landlords in an attempt to lower its rental bill. Should Smiggle go under, retailers will be presented with a great opportunity to pick up some of the slack in the stationery sector. Crayola stockists can benefit from Vivid’s dedicated sales and marketing team, which works with retail partners on everything from range planning to marketing support to ensure that the brand works well for them. With 2019 set to be a record year for the number of floor displays Crayola is providing, retailers are advised to contact Vivid if they would like to benefit. Robert at Pyramid, meanwhile, advises retailers to allow a hands-on approach to product selection - one that enables the quality and style of each item to shine through. He also suggests highlighting the benefits of using stationery such as paper diaries and notepads instead of electronic devices such as smartphones. Afterall, he says: “A notebook never runs out of battery.” Over the next few pages, we take a look at some of the newest stationery ranges hitting the market this year.

Blue Sky

On demand

Toy World spoke to Gavin Holden, director at Blue Sky Designs, about how emerging trends and popular properties affect the development of its stationery lines. Has the arrival of Friends on Netflix been a boost to sales? Definitely – we’ve been inundated with retail requests for Friends stationery during the past six months, and our first complete range of products is due to arrive this summer. I would say Friends has probably been the fastest demand surge we’ve experienced in a long time. It really highlights the power of the platform, and how classic properties can be re-ignited so profoundly. With the likes of Netflix, you’re not just focusing on what’s new but also considering what the next comeback might be.

How does Blue Sky keep its stationery ranges innovative and appealing? We put huge emphasis on innovation at Blue Sky; it’s pivotal to our business as we must survive in a marketplace alongside much bigger PLCs. The business is built upon two key foundations: product innovation and speed to market. By investing in creative expertise and 3D design, we can work quickly and apply a much higher level of product innovation. We run product design meetings and brainstorming sessions at least twice a week, and

have done for over 15 years, meaning creative thinking is a part of Blue Sky’s DNA. When developing a new licensed stationery range, we spend time getting a deep understanding of the brand, what the consumer wants, and looking for clever elements that fit with a specific product. Sometimes it might just be an unusual way of opening a notebook, or a 3D tooled pen that looks like a movie prop. We aim to add a twist or something special to every product we make.

How do properties like Friends, Harry Potter and Smooshy Mushy lend themselves to stationery? We’re quite selective in the licences we sign, as not everything works well on stationery. We try to find brands that have very rich content. Harry Potter, for example, has numerous interesting props and elements you can draw upon for inspiration. Potions, spell books, wands and school crests all lend themselves perfectly to stationery; Harry Potter is arguably the ultimate stationery-friendly brand, as it’s all about being at school and learning. Friends hits a different demographic, as it fits

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better with ‘social stationery’. We’ve developed our Friends range to include clipboard sets, to-do lists, novelty pens and more. Smooshy Mushy is a great match from a material point of view; we were able to incorporate the squishy material across the range with squishy pen toppers and notebooks.

How can retailers make the most of stationery in-store? Creating in-store theatre drives sales within stationery, while stocking a sizeable range of at least 6-8 products helps to tell the full story of the brand. It’s always a good idea to position licensed stationery in key selling positions during the Back to School period. Blue Sky is happy to discuss how it can support retailers in terms of point of sale material, from window posters to FSDUs. We supply most of our stationery ranges in fully branded CDUs, which not only makes it easy for retailers to build their displays but also ensures the product is displayed as well as it can be. Being aware of key dates throughout the year is also key; events like theatrical release dates and anniversary celebrations are perfect for planning promotions.

Â© MARV

NEW FOR 2019

Stationery

Bandai 020 8324 6160 | www.bandai.co.uk New for 2019, Bandai’s Pretty Pixels Eraser Maker allows children to make their own erasers using pixelated templates and microwave heat as opposed to an iron. With erasers remaining a collectible favourite, Pretty Pixels provide endless create-and-collect opportunities. Available in Deluxe, Starter and Mini, the range features different themes including animals, fairies, cute and cool. Moulds and design sheets help to guide kids as they create erasers of varying sizes for use while at home and at school. Sticker Fun offers an easy and fun way to sticker. The high-quality stickers feature a special adhesive which lets users stick, remove and re-peel, making them ideal for decorating pencil cases and exercise books. Each Sticker Fun pack comes complete with a sticker stamper and two sticker tubes. The latest themes include Animals, Smileys and Princess.

Vivid 01483 449944 | www.vividtoysandgames.co.uk Crayola’s new Take Note range bridges the gap between kids and adult stationery with a fun and innovative range of products which are perfect for taking notes, writing a diary or bullet journaling; an increasingly popular trend that encompasses new ways to organise, manage and accomplish tasks in a colourful, creative and individual way. The Take Note range consists of gel pens, erasable highlighters, dual ended highlighters and felt tip pens. All contain washable ink, so users can create bold and colourful creations without making a mess. Crayola’s Color Wonder range is perfect for creating colourful masterpieces at home or on the go. Color Wonder’s mess-free colouring solution lets kids explore the magic of colour, without the mess. Each colouring pack features Crayola’s unique technology; the markers only write on the included pages and nothing else, to keep skin, furniture and fabric free of spills and smudges. Over 10 years on from its launch, Color Wonder remains unique within the marketplace and is as popular with parents as it is for kids. Set to join the existing range of Color Wonder licensed products are versions featuring some of 2019’s most eagerly anticipated movies: Toy Story 4 and Frozen II, plus YouTube sensation Ryan’s World. Seven-year-old Ryan has over 19m subscribers and more than 1b views per month of his toy review YouTube channel, and has teamed up with Crayola to release a new Ryan’s World Color Wonder pack.

Pyramid International 0116 284 3645 | www.pyramidinternational.com Stationery continues to be one of Pyramid International’s most popular product categories and is experiencing continued growth, thanks to the company’s strong licences and trend-led designs. Pyramid has produced a range for Disney Pixar’s upcoming Toy Story 4. The Buzz Lightyear premium notebook comes with a removable rocket ship box sleeve for added nostalgia, while the Alien Wiro is perfect for the back to school season. The range also includes an 800-sticker set, which offers an ideal option for impulse purchases. The eagerly anticipated third season of the Netflix hit Stranger Things is set for release this summer. The licensed stationery collection from Pyramid International includes a 3D lenticular Wiro, a premium notebook and quirky VHS-style notebooks that come complete with a sleeve and stickers. Demand for Harry Potter licensed products remains high. With a track record of success in Harry Potter stationery, Pyramid’s latest collections have been designed with both fans and trends in mind. The house collection of premium notebooks comes complete with colour-edged pages and metallic foiling, while the Dobby and Hedwig notebooks are textured with fabric and faux fur. Pyramid’s Marauders Map Sequin flip notebook brings a touch of magic to the range, with the iconic phrase and colour changing cover fitting in with the current sequin trend. The range also includes pencil cases, stationery sets, pens, Wiro notebooks and pencil tubes, providing options across all price points.

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Stationery

Blue Sky 01133 879 670 | www.blueskystudios.co Blue Sky is launching its full range of Friends stationery this summer. The initial launch range will comprise eight products, ranging from traditional notebooks to a coffee shop style ‘to do list’, plus a premium leather effect pencil case and a novelty quote pen. The demand for Friends products has surged in the past few months since the series landed on Netflix, and the company expects high demand for the range leading into autumn/winter. Blue Sky continues to bolster and refine its core Harry Potter range. This summer sees a number of innovative new products join the range; the rotating Snitch 10-colour pen is supplied in a plastic-free display box, while a collection of super chunky premium notebooks is also available. Notebook gift sets make an ideal present for Christmas and include premium notebooks packaged with pens in the shape of either Harry or Voldemort’s wand. August will see the launch of a new Quidditch themed capsule range, in time for the back to school/university period. The range features stylish new product formats with metallic gold printing. The new Paper pack is supplied in re-usable wallets and is complemented by a black and gold multi pocket pencil case and kit bags. Blue Sky’s patented Harry Potter Super Soft clip pens are also due to land in time for back to school. These collectible novelty pens feature Ron, Harry, Hermione, Hedwig and Draco, and are covered with squishy, slow release foam for a different and fun writing experience.

Maped Helix 01384 286 860 | www.mapedhelix.co.uk Maped’s new Mini Artists range is perfect for kids who love to enhance their pictures. For children looking to add a touch of sparkle to their drawings, the Color’Peps Glitter Felts offer an ideal solution. The pack includes eight eye-catching colours of shimmery ink that will make artwork shine. Also included in the Mini Artists range are the Color’Peps Magic Felts. Kids can add colour to their drawings with the eight brightly coloured pens, then use the magic reveal pen to change the colour of the ink. The Color’Peps Window Markers make drawing on paper a thing of the past. Kids can enjoy decorating windows and mirrors, while parents can rest easy in the knowledge that the ink is easily removed from glass surfaces. Just in time for the back to school period, Maped’s famous Zenoa eraser has been refreshed and released in three pastel shades. Maped’s innovative Bunny Pencil Sharpener introduces younger kids to stationery and shows them how to sharpen their pencils correctly. When the pencil is turned clockwise the bunny’s teeth nibble away the wood, leaving the pencil nib perfectly sharpened. The Frog Pencil Sharpener comes complete with eyes that pop up to signal when a pencil is sharp enough. Both items are available in a selection of fun colours.

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Green Elephant Trading 0870 803 2116 | www.greenelephanttrading.com Green Elephant Trading recently launched Pixie Crew in the UK and Ireland at both the London Stationery Fair and the May Toymaster show, where the range was greeted very positively by the stationery and toy trade alike. A fun and colourful new product range, Pixie Crew is C ideal for children aged 5-13 years and is designed to help M develop fine motor skills and creativity. Each product Y features a silicone panel and comes with a starter pack of coloured pixels. Further pixels are available to purchase CM separately. The system is easy to use; kids simply push or MY twist the pixels onto the silicone panel, where they stay in CY place thanks to the Pixie-Lock system. The pixels can be used again and again to create new designs. CMY Pixie Crew products range from key rings at £1.99 RRP to K premium backpacks at around £40 RRP. Stationery products include a large range of pencil cases and A5 hard-back journals. Many of the journals have removable and reusable covers which will fit onto any A5 notebook. Pixie Crew products come in a wide range of colours and different price points to suit any budget and are packed in stylish, premium packaging. Green Elephant is offering retailers a one-off launch pack which includes an in-store demo station and free products. The Pixie Crew in-store event pack includes 20 x mosaic panels, 2000 Pixels, templates and 20 vinyl stickers.

Stationery

Hape/Marbel 08456 000 286 | www.marbel.co.uk The Nebulous Stars range is based upon six appealing characters - Nebulia, Isadora, Hazelia, Marinia, Coralia and Petulia – and allows children to reach a state of calm through the medium of crafting. The range includes a choice of stationery products, including the Scented Pom Pom Pens. Bringing a pop of colour to pencil cases, each pen comes with a two-tone chunky pom pom cap, a metallic charm and its own special scent such as cucumber, grape, strawberry or blueberry. These gel pens are perfect for the back to school season. The Nebulous Stars Creative Sketchbook features 45 pages, over 80 stencils, 300 stickers and 10 pencil colours to choose from. Eight pages dedicated to drawing techniques will help kids expand upon their artistic skills. Kids can also create their own sparkling galaxy with the Swirly Stars Kit, using the geometric stencil tools, gel pens and rhinestone stickers.

GP Flair 020 8643 0320 | www.flairplc.co.uk GP Flair has introduced a new line of Fortnite accessories ideal for back packs and pencil cases. Kids can stamp their favourite Fortnite characters onto anything with the Fortnite Stampers. There are over 36 different 8cm characters to collect, each of which has a stamper in the base. Available in foil bags, duo and mega packs, each purchase comes with a handy collector’s leaflet. Keyrings and backpack chains will also let fans express their Fortnite style; Flair’s new line-up is ready just in time for the back to school season.

Design Group UK 01908 618 811 | www.igdesigngroup.uk Design Group UK holds long-standing relationships with some of the world’s biggest licensors, bringing their familiar characters to life through a variety of product formats. Products are developed in collaboration with evergreen, film-specific and trend focused properties offering innovation and coordination over a range of commercially strong items. The company offers a comprehensive portfolio of stationery products, across a wide range of price points and globally successful properties. Encompassing everything from paperclips to pencil cases, consumers can choose high-quality items for use in personal, educational and office environments, including notepads, pens, pencils, scissors, rulers, rubbers and hole-punchers. The licensed design team at Design Group explores the world of licensed properties thoroughly, referencing and researching categories to identify key trends and consumer needs. To support the upcoming release of Disney Pixar’s Toy Story 4, the team has created a range of new stationery featuring the iconic characters from the beloved franchise. Ideal for on-the-go creativity, the range includes colouring crayons, pens and pencils, sketch pads and more; the Toy Story 4 Travel Creativity Tray also comes with stickers, stencils and glitter glue.

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James Galt 0161 428 9111 | www.jamesgalt.com Galt’s best-selling Water Magic range welcomes a fun new title. Water Magic Unicorns features six reusable pictures that kids can reveal again and again with the special water pen. For 2019, the company’s popular stationery range benefits from three new additions; the Animals, Dinosaurs and Farm Reusable Sticker Books feature eight background scenes for kids to enjoy, complete with over 150 reusable stickers which can be used to create fun scenes.

Trends UK 01295 768 078 | www.trendsuk.co.uk The award-winning no-mess Paint Sticks range is being expanded with the new Paint Sticks Classic Art Station. Designed for creativity anywhere, the foldup, double-sided easel has a whiteboard and chalkboard side. Complete with six classic Paint Sticks, Chalk Sticks, paper and a duster, it is ready for action straight out of the box and provides handy storage when playtime is over. A new Paint Sticks Bucket will launch in summer. Containing 20 assorted Paint Sticks with a selection of classic, day glow and metallic colours, it’s ideally suited to school projects, travelling and storage.

Farm Toys

Feature

Having a field day From realistic ride-ons to miniature models, farm and farm-themed toys continue to appeal across the generations. Toy World looks at this niche category and what new products are available this year.

ummer is here, the birds are singing in the hedgerows, the sun is shining down on the rolling fields of barley… oh who are we kidding - it’s hardly stopped raining in recent weeks. Nevertheless, the hardworking farmers of Britain plough on (yes, pun intended), and kids want to emulate what they see happening around them across the beautiful British countryside. Ideal for kids who demand realistic and detailed farm toys, Britains, a Tomy brand with a long, rich heritage in this category, is poised to release 13 new models from manufacturers including Massey Ferguson, John Deere, JCB, NC and Land Rover, as well as a limited-edition Kane 50th Anniversary Silage Trailer and the Valtra Pink Playset, which comes complete with pink bales. Britains has also added Fendt and Vicon to its portfolio of licences for this year, with impressive new models available for both. Further extending its range of ‘Just like the real thing’ vehicles and accessories, Bruder has unveiled its John Deere wrapping chamber baler C441R. Complete with a wrapped and unwrapped bale, the model’s innovative conveyer systems moves the bales from the loading flap to the wrapping platform. The company has also recently launched its range of bworld scenery sets, to enhance the play potential of its models across a range of themes, including equestrian.

“The magic in farm toys is that they are loved across generations, by grandparents, parents and children alike,” says Florian Loh, area sales manager, Northern Europe, at Bruder. “Bruder is constantly developing the latest market models in line with new launches from the farming and agricultural industries. The introduction of the Bruder bworld scenery sets means kids can now access an exciting and innovative assortment of new play themes, in a way which is becoming increasingly popular among children of all ages. The range is an exciting move for us, and has got off to a very promising start with strong sales and great support from retailers.” At Jollys Toys in Thrapston, Northamptonshire, farm-themed toys are a winner with kids and adults alike. “Anything that combines farm animals or farming characters with games and puzzles does really well for us here,” explains Jollys’ owner Charlotte Croser. “We’re situated in a very rural area, on the border with Cambridgeshire and quite close to Lincolnshire, so as you can imagine we’re surrounded by both arable and stock farms. As a result, lots of our customers are farmers themselves, or are surrounded by that way of life. Just as a child living a large town or city might see ambulances, police cars or fire engines day to day, and could therefore develop a love of emergency-service themed toys, children here are more likely to see combine harvesters, tractors and muck spreaders driving through the village. They’re a very familiar

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sight. Plus, animals always appeal to kids; they feature in so many toys and games that they just go hand-in-hand with a love of farm toys.” The category appeals to all genders, which is another major reason why Charlotte finds it a reliable seller. “It’s a theme I can comfortably stock in the knowledge that it appeals to boys and girls alike, and that the adults accompanying their kids see it as quite a gender-neutral category. With themes like pirate or princess you often see parents choosing very gender-specific items, but farm toys appeal across the board.” At retail, Florian emphasises that farm toy stockists should try to keep up with the latest models and newest brands, and take advantage of promotional items and display solutions provided by suppliers, such as Bruder’s bespoke FSDUs. And in the farming village of Thrapston, Clare has discovered that helping to run the monthly farmer’s market increases both the footfall and sales in her toy shop. By filling the window of Jollys with farmthemed toys, she finds that those checking out the market – and in the frame of mind to shop – are often happy to pay a visit while in the area and spend that little bit more. Over the next pages, Toy World takes a look at what’s new down on the farm.

Farm Toys

Playmobil 01268 548 111 | www.playmobil.co.uk Recommended for children aged four and up, Playmobil’s new Spirit Riding Free collection includes seven sets to choose from, featuring characters and locations from the original television series DreamWorks Spirit Riding Free. The new play sets will inspire fans to recreate scenes with their favourite characters from the popular series, which is now airing on Netflix and Pop TV, or make up new adventures of their own. The Playmobil DreamWorks Spirit Riding Free: Barn with Lucky, Pru and Abigail offers plenty of space for the friends to relax and play before preparing the horses for a day of riding and adventures. There is also a ladder leading to the hayloft, with a cosy hammock for Lucky to rest in. The play set comes complete with an extensive array of accessories including a wheelbarrow, grooming tools, horse-riding equipment, interchangeable flowers and Sagebrush the horse. As well as Pru, Lucky and Abigail, the set also includes a Mr Granger character.

Smart Games 01903 885669 | www.smartgames.eu Introduced in 2017, the My First Sets introduce the youngest members of the family to magnetism. The My First Farm Animals and My First Tractor Set include a range of farm animals which are soft to touch, easy to grab and easy to connect using the signature magnetic SmartMax bars. Kids can mix & match the farm animals to create weird and wonderful combinations. As with all SmartMax products, all parts are 100% compatible with all other sets. Smart Farmer is a fun game for players aged five and above. The pigs, sheep, horses and cows need to be separated, but with only three fences to divide the field into separate meadows, players need to give their strategy some serious thought. Kids must place the fences so the animals each get their own space, and mustn’t forget about the animal’s water either - they each need their own supply. Chicken Shuffle JR is a unique sliding puzzle that challenges players to shuffle the chickens around until all eggs are covered. This Junior version includes 48 easier challenges plus 3D chickens and chicks.

Tobar 01603 397105 | www.tobar.co.uk Tobar’s 10.5cm die cast tractors are an ideal pocket money range. Available in three colours and showcased in a handy CDU, the tractors are suitable for children aged three and above. Younger children will enjoy the wooden pull-along tractor; complete with a wooden pig, cow and horse, the design-led packaging makes this a great gifting option. The Wooden Farm Playset is a complete farm in one box, and includes a farmhouse, trees, vegetable patch, animals, and the farmer and his wife. With a high-quality finish and plenty of play potential, Tobar expects this to be a popular choice for Christmas. Serious tractor fans will enjoy the Bburago range, which offers a complete line up of New Holland tractors and assorted trailers. These detailed die-cast scale copies are complemented by a range of accessories, including tipping trailers, front loaders, combination trailers, log trailers and a horse box. A Bburago scale version of the Massey Ferguson 8700 tractor is also available, complete with similar accessories. Finally, new for this year is the Fendt 1000 tractor with a full range of accessories and trailers.

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1:32 AUTUMN/WINTER NEW LINES COMING SOON

JCB TM420 Loader

Vicon FastBale

John Deere Gator RSX860i

FIND THEM IN-STORE

LIMITED EDITION

BUILD YOUR FARM

FIND THEM FENDT 828 Vario Tractor IN-STORE

Valtra Pink Playset (Limited Edition)

www.britainsfarmtoys.co.uk

Facebook.com/BritainsFarmToys

@BritainsFarmToys

BUILD YOUR FARM

Farm Toys

Orchard Toys 01953 423 422 | www.orchardtoys.com Orchard Toys strives to produce games and jigsaws which are interactive, fun and appealing, as well as enhancing learning and educational development. The company’s range features games and jigsaws for various ages which are ideal for teaching a range of skills in young learners. Farmyard Heads and Tails is suitable for children from 18 months and is a great introduction to farmyard animals and objects. The simple farm-themed matching and memory game encourages speech development, as children sound out the animals names and noises. Old MacDonald Lotto has featured strongly in the range for 10 years. Suitable for children aged 2-6 years, the game develops matching and social skills, as children race to fill their board with farmyard characters. The farmyard theme is prominent in Orchard’s preschool jigsaw puzzle range, with products from a simple collection of 2-piece farmyard puzzles to more challenging puzzles with 25 pieces. Orchard Toys prides itself on being one of the few British toy companies that still manufactures in the UK, using recycled board and paper that is sourced from sustainable forests. All products are designed with support from educational advisors including teachers, nursery practitioners, Early Years professionals and children themselves.

Tomy 01271 336 155 | www.tomy.com Jumbo Games 01707 289 289 | www.jumbo.eu Jumbo Games’ wooden Goula brand features bright, chunky and attractive designs, which all help children to develop a range of skills while having fun interacting with various elements of the farm. The Goula Farmhouse Geometric Shape Sorter is an ideal way to begin learning shapes and honing hand-eye coordination. Suitable from the age of one, the bright, fun farmhouse features a range of cut-outs which the colourful shapes can be pushed through and the roof then opens to empty out the blocks and start the game again. Also suitable for ages one plus are the Goula Magnetic Interchangeable Farm Puzzles. Each of the puzzles has two pieces which fit together with built-in magnets. The collection will help children to identify animals, learn first words, and pieces are also interchangeable, allowing for creative results. Each of the four animals in the Goula Farm Animals Tactile Puzzle features a hole in the middle. When the pieces are correctly placed in the base, the hole will be filled with a textured panel to add a sensory element to play. Little ones aged one to two will love learning the animals and developing their fine motor skills while completing the scene. Making dominoes accessible to little ones from the age of two, Goula Farm Domino uses pictures of farm animals and farmhouses instead of numbered dots. Children simply match the pictures on their pieces to create the chain. Each of the chunky cubes in the Goula Farm Cubic Puzzle has a design on four of its six sides and a hold through the middle. Children aged three and over slot the cubes onto posts to create one of four farm-related scenes. The puzzle helps develop problem solving skills and children will love creating new pictures each time they play.

Britains is set to unveil two new licences this year – the Fendt 828 Vario Tractor and the Vicon FastBale. The brand will also expand its licensed collection with the release of 13 new models from leading manufacturers Massey Ferguson, John Deere, JCB, NC and Land Rover, as well as a limited-edition Kane 50th Anniversary Silage Trailer. In addition to the new releases, Britains will implement a strong multi-channel marketing campaign, achieved through continued partnerships with leading farming events, social media and consumer adverts, plus reviews in specialist farm and replica magazines. Tomy’s John Deere pre-school range includes four different Johnny Tractor products, suitable for ages 18 months to three years. Push and Roll Johnny is made from soft touch plastic with round edges for safe play, whilst also featuring a simple push down button on the roof. Featuring two ways to play, Learn N Pop Johnny Tractor stimulates hand-eye coordination and enhances learning skills by matching shapes, numbers and colours. Radio-Controlled Johnny Tractor comes with an easy-to-use remote control featuring two buttons; one to move forwards and the other to spin around, and is durable enough to withstand bumps, while being soft. Build-A-Johnny Tractor is made from chunky parts, so is easy for little hands to assemble. The set features two ways to play; a free rolling tractor or buildable set. The 16-piece set includes a battery-powered drill to take Johnny Tractor apart and put him back together again.

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Farm Toys

Bruder 01491 412 415 | www.bruder.de Bruder has added the John Deere wrapping chamber baler C441R to its extensive range of ‘Just like the real thing’ vehicles, models and accessories. Suitable for kids from four years and above, this accurate 1:16 scale model is compatible with all tractors in Bruder’s 2000 and 3000 series. The baler is crafted from high-quality plastics in John Deere’s signature green and yellow colour scheme, and features a large flap into which kids can insert a round bale. To enhance the play experience, a wrapped straw bale is included alongside an unwrapped one. Further bales can be purchased separately. Bruder’s new conveyor system means straw bales can be transported from the pressing chamber to the wrapping unit, where the rotating film wrapper completes the harvesting process. This mobile and portable accessory can be used on its own or pulled along behind a tractor, and is suitable for indoor and outdoor play.

Schleich 01279 870 000 | www.schleich-s.com/en Schleich will continue to offer the best in imaginative play thanks to its detailed and realistic toys, and with the Farm World play sets, children can get to know about life in the countryside in a playful way. From strong bulls and sweet calves to cute dachshunds, several new animal figures are waiting to move onto the farm. Farm World is also set to benefit from even more horsepower; four new pony agility play sets are joining the range, and in the second half of the year Schleich will be releasing a large stable set which will include cute animals and detailed accessories. All Schleich figures are designed with great attention to detail and offer educational play, with Farm World helping to teach children about responsible interaction between people and animals.

Siso Toys UK 01620 674 778 | www.simba-dickie-group.de Siso Toys‘ Majorette range of die-cast vehicles and play sets offers fans features such as opening doors, suspension, transparent frontlights and detailed interiors. Die-cast are in 3“ scale and boast a strong licensing portfolio. Multiple themes are available including Farm. Collectors can enjoy the single pack Farm die-cast range, which includes tractors with a high level of detail and accurate interiors, while the Big Farm Theme Set includes five die-cast farm themed cars and eight animal figurines. The large, interconnectable Creatix Big Farm play set includes a farmouse, barn and workshop, as well as a farm playmat. The play set also includes three large die-cast farm-themed trucks to enhance the play experience.

HTI 01253 778 888 | www.htigroup.co.uk The Electronic JCB Tractor Ride On features chunky wheels and is crafted from tough, durable plastic. Designed to ride over rough terrain, kids can drive at speeds of up to 3kmph at the touch of a button while resting their feet on the footrests and towing the matching trailer behind them. The Teamsterz Farm range offers a selection of recognisable farm vehicles with high-quality die-cast shells and independent, free moving wheels. These detailed models are ideally suited to collecting; kids can transport their horses with the 4x4 car and horsebox, tend to their crops with the traditional tractor, or travel along country roads with the 4x4 Land Rover Defender. Also available is the JCB Electronic Digger Ride On, which features a heavy-duty front bucket for scooping, carrying and dumping dirt. Pressing the accelerator powers the digger, while the control stick jibs the bucket up and down. Finally, the JCB Fastrac Ride On has a squeaky horn and under-seat storage and helps kids develop spatial awareness through play.

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Allegedly

There were plenty of retailers at the ever-popular Distoy event this year – not just UK retailers either, but from Europe and, in some cases, even further afield. Some toy companies see this as a very bad thing, as they are concerned about retailers trying to agree direct exclusive deals with brand owners, cutting out the middle man. To a degree, I can see their perspective; no -one wants to find themselves or their business model surplus to requirements. One supplier even admitted to me that he is becoming increasingly nervous about sending samples to certain retailers, as he worries that there is a chance they could be used as ‘inspiration’ by those retailers’ product development teams. That said, I had just as many companies suggest that not only are they happy for retailers to attend, but they would ideally like to encourage more to do so. They see this as the perfect timing to present Spring Summer ranges to buyers and, with all the samples in one place, the logistics work too. It will be interesting to see how this particular dichotomy develops… The sad demise of licensed greeting card company Gemma sent shock waves reverberating through the licensing community. The company was formed over three decades ago by former toy retailer Lindesay Clarke, and was still being run by the second generation of the family, daughter Amanda Parkin and son Tim Rudd-Clarke. No-one has quite been able to explain why the company ceased trading; on one hand, paper products often operate on notoriously thin margins, and the fact that the range consisted largely of licensed cards would have eroded the margin even further. The company also traded heavily with Toys R us before its closure last year. However, unlike toys, there is no upfront tooling cost, while stockholding costs would presumably be significantly lower than many toy companies would face. Gemma’s fate certainly leaves a gap at the heart of the licensed card market, with licensors unsure as to which other card companies – if indeed any – might decide to increase their licensed offering to take advantage of recent developments… Isaac Larian has made another attempt to persuade Mattel to sell the company to him…with fairly predictable results. The fact that the offer was conditional on Isaac becoming Mattel’s chairman and CEO, and on all of Mattel’s current directors resigning without any further compensation, made it fairly unlikely that it would be accepted (“Sure, take it, it’s yours – I’ll just get my coat.”). Indeed, you have to question whether this was a case of Isaac making mischief, just because he can. Interestingly, Mattel’s share price climbed fairly steeply after the bid was made public (by Isaac on his LinkedIn page, natch). As a shareholder himself, Isaac was probably not too disappointed with that outcome, while I guess Mattel weren’t exactly complaining either… Around a month before the launch of the eagerlyanticipated Toy Story 4 movie, Smyths ran a particularly generous promotion, whereby ‘selected’ Toy Story 4 products were offered at 20% off list price,

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with a further £6 off a £15 spend. Or, to put it another way, a savvy consumer could get a £20 product for £10. That’s a hot deal in anyone’s language, but when a successful and switched-on toy retailer like Smyths is effectively offering 50% off a current, popular range, I think that tells you all you need to know about the state of retail right now… In blaming its latest set of subdued results on Brexit, Tesco echoed what independent retailers have been telling us for months – that, right now, footfall and consumer spend are both being impacted by the ongoing political uncertainty. The UK economy shrank by 0.4% in April, following a 0.1% reduction in March. Doesn’t sound too awful, right? Except a 0.5% reduction is the equivalent of £10bn; in two months, the UK lost more than its net contribution to the EU – and we haven’t even left yet! I recently took part in a podcast with my great American friends and counterparts Chris Byrne and Richard Gottlieb, where I put forward the theory that a No Deal Brexit could potentially be as disruptive for the UK as the tariff situation will be for the US - although I genuinely hope I’m proved wrong about that… Christmas is coming! We know that a) because people have started sharing Elf memes on twitter counting down to the big day and b) because Argos has once again been first out of the traps with the announcement of its predicted top toys for Christmas. There are undoubtedly some great products on the list, although with over six months still to go, I suspect we’ll see a few other winners emerge before the big day. Predicting what is going to be a hit in six weeks’ time - yet alone six months’ time - is no easy task these days. I’m not sure I fully buy into some of the statistics quoted by Argos in the accompanying press release; if a quarter of shoppers really have already started their Christmas shopping, I would be mildly surprised. If – as claimed – 10% have already finished it, I would be truly staggered. I would imagine Argos themselves would be gutted if 10% of consumers had completed all their festive purchases six weeks before the autumn winter catalogue is even launched… Over in China, they don’t have to wait for Christmas for a big surge in toy sales – Children’s Day is a huge sales driver in the region, and Toys R Us took full advantage of the festivities, increasing sales by 25% over the first weekend in June. While I’m generally wary of cultural appropriation, we could have certainly done with that sort of mid-year boost here in the UK. Toys R Us Asia is planning to open over 65 stores across Greater China, Japan and South East Asia this year, and has suggested that it is looking to double its Chinese store estate (to 400 stores) by 2021. It’s great to see TRU thriving in Asia, although it has all gone a little quiet in the US, save for the news that the lawyers who represented TRU during its Chapter 11 proceedings has been awarded the grand total of $56m in fees for fifteen months’ work. US suppliers must have been thrilled to hear that.

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