Toy World June 2019

June 2019 Volume 8 Issue 9

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The Team...

CONTENTS June 2019 Volume 8 Issue 9

John Baulch

32 Feature: Infant Toys

50 Feature: Arts & Craft

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

05 From the Publisher 06 News 14 Industry Moves 16 Marketing World 20 Licensing World 106 Allegedly

24 NPD column 27 Talking Shop 70 Viewpoint

32 Feature: Infant Toys 48 Company Profile: Usborne 50 Feature: Arts & Craft 72 Feature: Boys Action Ranges & Collectibles 90 Feature: Wheeled Toys

Contributors Moneeba Baloch | Nat Southworth | Jonathan Chambers | Mark Buschhaus | Stephen Barnes

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

72 Feature: Boys Action Figures Ranges

90 Feature: Wheeled Toys

Mark Crowford

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

toyworld The business magazine with a passion for toys

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

www.toyworldmag.co.uk @toyworldmag @baulchtweet

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Toy World 3

Toy World Magazine

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W

elcome to the June issue of Toy World.

Arguably the biggest news in the toy community last month was the acquisition of iconic British toy retailer Hamleys by Reliance Brands. Reliance, which already has a pan-Indian franchise agreement with Hamleys, is a huge player in its domestic market, but this will be its first foray into the international arena. A Regent Street flagship store is certainly a bold place to start, so it will be fascinating to see how it all pans out and what plans Reliance has for the brand, both in the UK and across the globe. For example, will the mooted New York flagship store be resurrected now that former owner C.banner is out of the equation? Either way, I am sure that suppliers will appreciate the renewed investment and enthusiasm which a new owner will bring to the table as a new chapter begins for the world’s oldest toy shop.

from the publisher

John Baulch - @Baulchtweet

Elsewhere, Hasbro announced its Q1 results last month, unveiling what some analysts described as “surprise” profits. Revenue from the company’s core franchise brands segment rose by a very healthy 9%, comfortably surpassing analysts’ expectations, while net revenue overall rose by 2.3% to $732.5m. Mattel’s results also showed signs of encouragement: Barbie posted its sixth consecutive quarter of growth, while other key brands and categories such as Hot Wheels, Jurassic World and Games all made positive contributions to a set of results which saw Mattel’s shares rise by 12% after they were announced.

I’m pleased for Hasbro and Mattel, and also for the toy market as a whole: hopefully these results will encourage analysts, shareholders, lenders and media observers to take a more positive view of the toy industry. We’ve also hopefully reached the point where everyone can start to move past last year’s Toys R Us bankruptcy. Developments like that cast a long shadow, and there is a tendency in some quarters to dwell on them long after their short-term impact has dissipated.

“annoyed” at Isaac’s “gloating” (their words, not mine). I suspect that the quotes from toy company executives in the article may have been taken out of context: it seems rather uncharitable (not to mention un-American) to begrudge success so publicly. Do we really hate it so much when someone in the toy community is doing so well?

After all, every toy company owner knows it could be their turn to have a runaway hit next; that’s the nature of the highly unpredictable and volatile toy industry we all know and love. In fairness, I suspect that most people in the toy community understand this; perhaps some outsiders don’t, and I think this particular article - with its overtones of implied resentment and jealousy – seemed to me to be a prime example of an outsider missing the mark.

Sure, it’s tough to compete directly with any line which is performing as well as L.O.L. Surprise!, but as the very healthy Girls Collectibles feature in last month’s edition illustrated, there is more to any category than just one line.

I suspect that shelf space and online / catalogue pages devoted to girl-targeted brands has expanded across the globe over the past year or two.

This month’s edition contains some equally wellsupported features on a diverse selection of product categories: Art & Craft, Boys Action Figure ranges, Infant Toys and Wheeled Toys. All things considered, 2019 appears to have got off to a respectable start, with all to play for as we enter the second half of the year. With some big toy and licensing events taking place just before and after this issue lands on desks (Toymaster May Show, Distoy and the Las Vegas Licensing Expo), we should not only get a good idea of the lines that are looking strong for the remainder of this year, but also start to get a glimpse of what we should be looking out for in 2020.

Indeed, I rather appreciated Isaac Larian’s slightly tongue-in-cheek pronouncement that he “blamed” part of his current success on “Toys R Us closing and the late Easter”, claiming that MGA’s Q1 worldwide shipping figure was up by 46%. As MGA isn’t a public company, this number can’t of course be officially verified, although few

As I’m writing this column before the start of the Toymaster show, it’s tricky to predict the mood at the event, although the portents are encouraging; several bouts of good weather appear to have provided some sales momentum to build on, while a 40-strong delegation from Australian retailer Toyworld (no relation) will certainly have added a new dimension to this year’s event. And look on the bright side; unlike the US toy community, we don’t have to grapple with the introduction of a 25% tariff on toys imported from China. Of course, with Brexit looming,

would doubt its veracity. The New York Post picked up on Isaac’s comments, using them in what I thought ended up as a slightly mean-spirited piece, which inferred that other toy companies were “fed up” with L.O.L. Surprise! and

there is no room for complacency and – like the US - we may yet have to deal with the ramifications of a political decision which is out of our hands. However, until we know what is going to happen, we keep calm and carry on.

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News Toy Fair experiences strong re-booking rate

Toy Fair 2020 has already seen a re-booking rate of 84%, an increase on the same time last year, as companies including Lego, PMS, Spin Master, Character Options, Flair, Learning Resources, Golden Bear and many more have once again confirmed attendance.

The show returns to Olympia, London, from 21st-23rd January 2020, and will provide a lively platform to promote their new products to buyers, retailers, licensors and the media, as well as the opportunity for visitors and exhibitors to network, forge new relationships and build on existing partnerships.

Acting head of Toy Fair, Rebecca Deeming, commented: “We are excited to see the return of so many exhibitors and the arrival of some fresh faces for Toy Fair 2020. The commitment from all of our exhibitors is what makes the Toy Fair a spectacular three-day event, right at the heart of the industry’s buying calendar.

“It is a testament to the show’s popularity to see so many applications already coming in. This allows us to keep developing and expanding the Toy Fair to provide the industry with an effective space to buy, sell and network. We are extremely appreciative of the support the industry continues to provide the show and look forward to seeing you all again in January.”

For companies looking to exhibit in 2020, there is still time to apply by completing an application form online at www.toyfair.co.uk.

For all Toy Fair queries, please contact Chris@btha.co.uk or call 020 7701 7127 to speak to one of the Toy Fair team.

Reliance Brands confirms Hamleys acquisition Hamleys has been sold to its Indian business partner, Reliance Industries, in a deal worth nearly £70m. Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries will acquire the retailer in an all cash deal.

Successive owners including C.banner, Ludendo Groupe and Baugur have attempted to turn the British household name into a global brand, with varying degrees of success. In 2017, a number of lossmaking stores were closed in the UK, Ireland and Nordic countries, a restructuring that helped turn that year’s £12m loss into a profit of £2.4m in 2018. There are now 167 stores in 18 countries, the majority of them in India, where Reliance is Hamleys’ franchise partner and operates a chain of 88 Hamleys franchise stores.

Reliance Industries has been firming up plans for retail expansion, combining traditional outlets with online in order to compete with Amazon and Walmart in India. The acquisition is the first of an overseas retail brand by the company.

Reliance Brands’ chief executive, Darshan Mehta, said Hamleys had pioneered the concept of experiential retailing and that the acquisition will make Reliance Brands a dominant player in the global toy retail industry. He commented: “Over the last few years, we have built a very significant and profitable business in toy retailing under the Hamleys brand in India. The worldwide acquisition of the iconic Hamleys brand and business places Reliance into the frontline of global retail.”

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 Hasbro announces surprise Q1 profits Hasbro has announced surprise profits for Q1 2019 and highlighted the Transformers spin-off Bumblebee movie successfully boosting toy sales as a major factor in the turnaround.

The company has been focusing on deals with production houses to boost sales of action toys, as it recovers from the impact of the liquidation of Toys R Us last year. Revenue from the company’s franchise brands segment, which includes Transformers and other long-running brands including Play-Doh and Monopoly, rose 9% to $393.6m in the quarter ended 31st March, far surpassing analysts’ average estimate of $361.7m.

Net revenue rose 2.3% to $732.5m, compared with expectations of a near 8% fall. Earnings of 21 cents per share beat the consensus market expectation of an 11 cents per share loss, as sales surpassed expectations.

The company has invested more in virtual games, including shifting Magic:The Gathering collectible cards into virtual form. Revenue from the company’s entertainment, licensing and digital business jumped 24% to $92m, primarily due to a new e-sports programme based on the online version of the card game.

The results were a major recovery from Hasbro’s $112.5m, or 90 cents per share, loss a year earlier, when it was hit by $61m in costs caused by the bankruptcy of Toys R Us. The company has cut its selling, distribution and administrative costs by about 31% year-on-year to $225.3m.

Barbie sales boost marks revenue uplift for Mattel Mattel has posted a strong set of quarterly results, beating Wall Street estimates for quarterly revenue. The results, along with Hasbro’s recently announced quarterly profit, indicate that the toy industry has put behind it the demise of Toys R Us. “We’ve moved on past Toys R Us,” Mattel CEO Ynon Kreiz told Reuters, adding that the company was benefiting from expanded partnerships with other retailers, ranging from grocers to drug stores.

A makeover of the Barbie brand, with new skin tones and professions, and a focus on movie franchises such as Toy Story and Jurassic World, highlight the company’s efforts to connect with the changing preferences of a new generation.

Under Ynon, who once headed TV production house Endemol Group, Mattel is placing increased emphasis on third party entertainment franchises, such as Toy Story, to create future growth.

Gross sales of Barbie rose 7% in the first quarter, the sixth straight quarter of growth, and the company has high hopes for an upcoming doll line based on Korean boy band BTS, which taps into the K-pop craze among teens.

A smaller-than-expected 2.7% decline in total sales to $689.2m was buoyed by a surprise rise in sales in North America. Analysts had expected a near 13% drop in the first-quarter revenue, according to IBES data from Refinitiv.

Character Group reports profits of £5.9m Character Group has reported profits of £5.9m for the past six months, with operating profit up more than £1m for the same period. Revenues were also up by more than £8m to £58.8m. The firm said it has delivered a strong first half performance and the directors remain optimistic about the progress the business will make over this calendar year and the 2019/20 winter season.

Leading in-house ranges include Peppa Pig and Stretch, and exclusive third-party lines, including Little Live Pets and Pokémon, all continue to trade well.

Character also continues to add innovative ranges, such as Hair Dooz, Odditeez Ploppz, and OMG Pets. Character has successfully tapped into the impulse trend category with innovative new lines being sourced and introduced regularly. Current brands include Cra.Z.Slimy, Treasure X and Bubbleezz.

The group will be introducing further new products and range extensions to its portfolio in the coming months, which will further enhance and strengthen the firm’s product offering for the coming year. The board remains confident in its strategy and the group’s flexibility to adapt to change. Group trading remains in line with management expectations and market consensus.

The Original home of STEAM toys. www.quercetti.com

Delivered within days direct to you from the factory Contact: Wendy Wood wwassociates1@outlook.com tel. 07399 623971

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News plaY-room thanks Independent Toy & Gift Show attendees Miles Penhallow, head of Toys & Children’s Gifts at plaY-room, commented: “We would like to thank all our visitors who attended. The sun shone on both days and we are happy to report that, even with the show starting on a Monday, we matched the previous year’s first day visitor numbers and increased our second day attendance by 15%. This year’s theme of ‘Jigsaws and Puzzles’ was well received, and we would like to particularly thank both our main sponsors Gibsons and Jumbo Games for their support. Attendees commented that suppliers had improved the quality of their displays.

The Best Stand Award was won by Playmobil, while the runners up were Juratoys (Janod), Tinc and Professor Puzzle, who were all highly commended. We look forward to welcoming both visitors and exhibitors to the next Independent Toy and Gift Show in 2020.”

The show also welcomed Rosie Marshall, toy buyer at Boswells of Oxford, who co-ordinated and collected hundreds of toys for the Oxford Hospital children’s ward. Rosie and Radio Cherwell would like to extend their thanks to the many suppliers that contributed to this worthy cause. If exhibitors would like to contribute next year, simply contact the plaY-room team for more information.

Owner of York Toymaster outlines reasons for demise After trading for the last two and a half years on Market Street, the independent toy store has been forced to close due to “extremely challenging trading conditions in York.”

“Sadly, the very high costs of operating in York drove our decision to move rapidly to protect our other stores,” explained director, James Colclough. An experienced retailer who runs a number of toy shops, James believed York would be right for his business. “We have traditionally had great success in bustling market towns and tourist locations, which led us to believe York would be an ideal progression,” he explained.

“However, whilst York attracts many visitors, we have noticed that our target shoppers, including York residents and young families, seem to prefer out of town locations,” James continued.

“One issue is parking; this week I paid £30.90 to stay for a full day in the Castle Car Park, whilst it can be free at York Designer Outlet.

In addition, on Saturdays, normally our busiest day, shoppers were deterred by party-goers including stag and hen parties. “ With a business rates bill of over £3,300 per month, the location was not providing adequate value for money.

James said: “I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the customers who have shopped with us, especially the children who enjoyed spending their pocket money. Particular thanks are also due to the fantastic and dedicated team of people that ran the York store.”

The company now plans to relocate to a smaller market town, as yet unconfirmed.

Pictured is Playmobil’s Andrew Fernandes, national account and field sales manager (right) receiving his award from the chairman of plaY-Room’s Retail Strategy Committee, David Fynn

Anki goes out of business Anki has announced its closure, which will see the loss of nearly 200 jobs. In a statement, the company reported that a significant financial deal with a strategic investor fell through at the eleventh hour.

Since its launch in 2010, the company has raised more than $200m in venture capital, enjoying successful sales of key products Cozmo and Vector. Vector launched last year after a Kickstarter campaign and recently received Alexa integration.

A representative for the company said: “It is with a heavy heart that we announce that Anki will be letting go of our employees. We’ve shipped millions of units of product and left customers happy all over the world, while building some of the most incredible technologies pointed toward a future with diverse AI and robotics driven applications.

But without significant funding to support a hardware and software business and bridge to our long-term product roadmap, it is simply not feasible at this time. Despite our past successes, we pursued every financial avenue to fund our future product development and expand on our platforms. A significant financial deal at a late stage fell through with a strategic investor and we were not able to reach an agreement. We’re doing our best to take care of every single employee and their families, and our management team continues to explore all options available.”

Character Options thanks Philip Richardson for 31 years of service as Banaghan & Co take over Irish representation After 31 years representing Character Options in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, Philip Richardson has announced his retirement at the end of August this year.

Joe Kissane, managing director, Character Options, offered congratulations to Phillip on his upcoming retirement and thanks for his fantastic service to the company.

Joe said: ‘Philip was with us from the very beginning, he was there through tough times but also enjoyed the successful years. As founder members of the group, myself, Richard, Jon and Kiran will always be grateful for his loyalty, commitment and the 100% support he gave in helping Character grow into the successful business it is today. Philip will be sadly missed by everyone in the business.”

Banaghan & Co. will take over representation for independent trade retailers for the Republic and Northern Ireland plus the Isle of Man. To ensure a smooth transition, the Banaghan Team will initially work alongside Phillip. Ireland-based national accounts will however be handled directly by the internal Character sales team.

“I would like to welcome Banaghan & Co to the sales force,” continued Joe. “We look forward to a long and successful relationship.”

Colm Banaghan added: ‘We are delighted to be appointed to represent Character Options and its great range of brands and products. It is our aim to use the close relationships with the independent trade we have forged after 60 years of business to add to the success of the Character portfolio.”

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News MGA takes Moj Moj on tour with Say Squishy campaign The squishy trend has taken the toy world by storm and continues to show no sign of slowing down. In the competitive market, MGA Entertainment has been showcasing its own squishy range, Moj Moj, by creating a ‘squishy’ wall as part of its spring/summer PR and marketing strategy.

The squishy wall began its tour in April at Legoland Windsor, before moving onto Smyths Toy Store Luton as part of its fifth birthday celebrations. Families were also given samples of the product, with over 8,000 getting into the hands of the brand's core audience. At 2m x 2m, the wall was created using over 750 Moj Moj products and completed with full branding, including the popular PopJam channel handle.

Alex Barltrop, senior brand manager, commented: “The squishy wall proved to be incredibly popular at the two locations we have visited so far, and we’re really looking forward to getting started with planning for the third location. Getting the product directly into consumers’ hands through experiential and sampling activity has been a great driver in raising awareness of the product, and the number of entrants we have had from the competition reflects its success. We are now looking to incorporate it into plans for the future, as it’s such a fantastic build which can be reused with the upcoming Moj Moj NPD.” The campaign also coincided with the Create a Moj campaign, which has encouraged children to design their very own Moj Moj. Following a collaboration with Girl Talk, influencer outreach and on-tour leaflet distribution, over 400 fans have entered to date with the winning designs being printed on a t-shirt as the prize.

newsanalysis Innovation and cooperation at Spin Master Toy World spoke to Spin Master’s general manager UK and Europe, Hedley Barnes about managing the current UK toy market and the company’s plans for the coming months.

How is 2019 shaping up for Spin Master so far?

While our first quarter results fell below the prior year’s performance, in part due to the shift in Easter, we had a number of successful launches in the first quarter, including How To Train Your Dragon. We are managing through a disruptive retail environment but are confident that we are well positioned to drive profitable long-term growth, particularly with our franchise brands like Paw Patrol.

Which new product launches are you most excited about?

I am really excited about the new line of Monster Jam toys, marking the start of our 10-year relationship with Feld Entertainment Inc. Consumers are responding positively to the line and appreciate the attention to detail that Spin Master has added to the trucks. We also have a lot of new innovation launching in autumn including Owleez, the first pet that you can actually teach how to fly; Dreamworks Hatching Toothless from the How to Train Your Dragon franchise and the latest introduction from Hatchimals, which is really quite incredible.

What do you see as the biggest challenges for the UK toy market this year?

The disruption in the retail environment continues to have an impact on our business and we are currently working on strategies to further insulate the business from this type of disruption.

The consumer’s content consumption habits are also changing, and it is important that our marketing efforts react to those changes to reach our target audience. We’re staying focused on our exciting new products and giving them the support to deliver magic to millions of kids this Christmas.

Paw Patrol has been a bedrock of your success over the past few years – how do you plan to sustain the level of sales and keep the product range fresh as the brand matures?

Innovation is key and has always been key to our success – both in content and in toys – and Paw Patrol is no different. When you see our showrooms and the products that our team is developing, together with the strong IP support, the story becomes clear.

Additionally, we are continuing to evolve our storytelling through the Paw Patrol show, introducing new themes that resonate with kids.

Spin Master has spent aggressively on TV advertising and consumer marketing in recent years – will 2019 see that strategy continue?

With a focus on innovation within our product lines, we also value investment in marketing programmes to excite our consumers across every territory. It is a testament to our success to date.

In addition to delivering strong marketing campaigns, what do you see as Spin Master’s other core strengths?

Our ability to innovate and develop strong partnerships really sets Spin Master apart. Outside of the above, the teams are such an important part of the puzzle for us. The energy, drive, open-mindedness and enthusiasm to make a difference from our UK team is a huge motivation for me personally, and I believe what makes the difference for our business.

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News Simon McIntosh sets up Strathmore Advisory After 22 years at the Vivid Toy Group and eight at Price Waterhouse, Simon McIntosh, former chief financial officer and chief operating officer of Vivid, has formed his own consultancy business. Strathmore Advisory will provide toy companies with advice on core business strategies.

During Simon’s time at Vivid, the company grew from a UK owner-managed business to an international organisation selling product to over 50 countries and working with some of the largest and most iconic brands in the industry including Bratz, Spiderman, Thunderbirds, TMNT, Disney, Care Bears, Moshi Monsters and Crayola. During his tenure, Simon business partnered four CEOs, oversaw three successful exits for shareholders, set up a sourcing operation in Hong Kong, led the acquisition of Nomad in France and negotiated many of Vivid’s key distribution agreements.

Simon’s experience means he is well qualified to help other toy companies on their journey. In particular, he can provide advice to CEOs and boards on corporate strategy, mergers and acquisitions, due diligence, funding/cash flow/working capital, exits, negotiating contracts with licensors and distributors, managing disputes, profitability analyses, logistics/distribution, systems & procedures and risk management.

Simon can be contacted at simonmcIntosh@strathmoreadvisory.com or telephone on 07500 805275.

Spin Master to distribute Big Potato range in North America In a three-year licence agreement, covering the US and Canada, Spin Master will be taking on over 15 existing titles from Big Potato games. Bestsellers in the line-up include family party game The Chameleon, which will be available at major retailers this spring, and shout-out trivia game Linkee, which will launch in the US in 2020. Big Potato and Spin Master will also be collaborating on new games and licences, including Disney Colorbrain and new party game for the nostalgic video-rental store Blockbuster – both set to launch this year.

Dean Tempest, co-founder of Big Potato, commented on the new agreement: “We’ve tried to grow our team over the last few years to be able to work with a large partner, and this new collaboration is already providing lots of exciting opportunities for Big Potato.”

“Big Potato is a boutique company with an extremely creative and talented team,” said Anton Rabie, Spin Master’s co-founder and co-CEO. “We’re thrilled about our partnership with them and the opportunity to bring their games to a wider audience.”

newsanalysis

Fitting the bill Toy age grading evaluation: why it’s so crucial and how UL can support you Through play, children make sense of their environment, improve cognitive skills, explore cause and effect relationships, and improve problem-solving abilities. Toys are important tools that support physical and cognitive growth. In order to offer stimulating and appealing toys, manufacturers should take into consideration the development, interests, and social influences at various ages and stages of child growth for safe product use. An accurate age grading evaluation will increase toy preference and safety for the child, while helping to increase the brand loyalty of parents and children alike.

What is the toy age grading evaluation?

Toy age grading evaluation is the determination of the appropriate age for whom a toy is intended, based on children’s’ abilities and interests at various ages, as well as the product features.

Toy age grading is the result of the consideration of several factors, including ‘child factors’ and ‘product factors’.

When talking about ‘child factors’, we have to consider: physical abilities (gross/fine motor skills), cognitive development (creativity and discovery, language skills, problem-solving skills, ability to focus), emotional development (feelings of happiness, emotional awareness, sensitivity to others, emotional strength and stability, spontaneity) and social learning, such as the child’s interactions while playing with others.

‘Product factors’, on the other hand, can be the characteristic of the play function of the toy, the number, size and shape of the parts of a product, materials, colours, sensory elements, and the level of realism or detail of the product itself.

UL’s child development and human factors experts can help determine the most accurate age grading of toys based on factors such as cognitive and motor abilities, as well as play behaviour and interests.

UL Age Grade Verification Mark The UL Verification Mark is an objective, science-based assessment that confirms the accuracy of marketing claims.

UL’s independent assessment process uses scientifically sound, repeatable methodologies to determine the validity of specific advertising or promotional statements (‘marketing claims’), to separate verified fact from fiction.

Why the UL Marketing Claim Verification Mark?

• Brings credibility to product claims • Differentiates products from those with self-declared claims • Delivers confidence to product buyers and makes customer decision-making easier • Showcases commitment to delivering on product claims • Additive to UL Certification

To learn more about toy age grading evaluation and the UL Age Grade Verification Mark, please get in touch with UL in Basingstoke on +44 (0)1265 312100, send a message to TOYS@UL.com, or visit CRS.UL.com.

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News The Toy Association reacts to Trump’s raised tariffs threat As Trump’s trade war with China escalates, almost every type of consumer product imported from China – including toys – could potentially face taxes of up to 25%. US industry body The Toy Association has described the threat as the return of a dark cloud threatening the toy and retail communities.

Tariffs so far have largely hit intermediate and capital goods, with limited direct impact on consumers. However, if Trump follows through with his threat to tax almost every product China imports to the US, it is estimated that nearly 4,000 product categories could be affected The Toy Association has announced that the proposed 25% tariffs on $300b in Chinese imports, including toys, would irreparably harm American families, jobs and businesses.

Trump has claimed that the tariffs will not raise prices for consumers, saying that China will bear the brunt of the taxes. He has encouraged companies to avoid tariffs by moving production out of China and into the US or a country like Vietnam, saying that the next round of tariffs represented “a tremendous amount of money that would come into our country.”

Steve Pasierb, president & chief executive at The Toy Association commented: “The return of a dark tariff cloud threatening the toy and retail communities would sharply increase the cost of toys and cause irreparable harm to companies of all sizes – particularly American small businesses. We have not relented in our fight against the threat of tariffs and will continue to push back aggressively on these damaging tactics that amount to nothing more than a tax on American families and their children and will lead to projected losses of tens of thousands of US jobs.”

“We support fair and free trade that protects American intellectual property, our workers, and businesses,” added Steve. “To be clear, any claims that tariffs are or will be paid for by China is a lie. China is not paying these tariffs; rather, American families and US companies are, through higher consumer prices and decreased profits. A fourth round on a range of everyday products will directly tax families even more.”

BubbleSaver appoints Kids International Marketing Within days of its initial trade press announcement, Danish company BubbleSaver has announced that it has appointed Kids International Marketing (K.I.M.). K.I.M. will manage the search for international distributors and UK & Ireland retailers.

BubbleSaver is a unique patented device which, when added to standard bubble bottles, eliminates any spillage.

K.I.M’s founder Kim Carter commented: “Inventor Jakob Adeltoft can be rightfully proud to have found the solution to an age old problem. Parents worldwide are going to love this product. Distributors from all over the world will be able to see BubbleSaver in the K.I.M. showroom at Distoy at the end of the month.”

Wendy Wood manages K.I.M’s UK & Ireland sales, and is seeking early adopters for this innovative product. First production has arrived in Denmark and can be on UK retail shelves in June.

K.I.M. is a UK based toy company which works with smaller companies providing them with entry to the global toy market.

For distribution enquiries contact: Kim or Corrinne Carter at kidsinternationalmarketing@gmail.com.

For UK & Ireland retail sales contact: Wendy Wood at wwassociates1@outlook.com.

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BTHA Briefing Rebecca Deeming The BTHA’s Rebecca Deeming brings Toy World readers up to date on the current news from the association.

I’d like to start off this month’s column by wishing a huge congratulations to our Director of Fairs & Special Events, Majen Immink, who has given birth to a baby girl named Freya. We all wish Majen an enjoyable maternity leave and look forward to having her back in the office at the end of the year. In the meantime, any Toy Fair queries can be directed to myself (rebecca@btha.co.uk) and Chris Baxter (chris@btha.co.uk).

Toy Fair has been shortlisted for Best UK Tradeshow over 8,000sqm at this month’s AEO Excellence Awards. Hopefully we will be able to report back in next month’s column with a win under our belt. Looking ahead to Toy Fair 2020, the show has secured an 84% exhibitor re-booking rate, an increase on this time last year. We’re very excited to welcome back so many regular faces including Flair, Lego, Character Options and Vtech, plus many more new exhibitors to the show in January. If you would like to apply to exhibit at Toy Fair 2020 or are interested in our sponsorship opportunities, then visit www.toyfair.co.uk.

Last month 150 BTHA members and invited guests attended our BTHA Toy Compliance Masterclass at BAFTA. This free full-day seminar covered topics including sustainability, connected toys, privacy by design, toy safety, a Brexit panel and more. Thank you to all of our speakers; Jane Smith - Milton Keynes Trading Standards, Martin Hyde – Comply Direct, David Bolton – British Retail Consortium, Amanda Farrell – The Office for Product Safety and Standards, Frank Faraday – BSI, Ian Gill – AA Thornton, plus Jerry Burnie, Wendy Phillips, Eric Edmonds and Antony Kirrane – Toy Safety Advisors BTHA. The seminar provided an informative and enjoyable day for everyone involved.

Good luck to everyone who is participating in in the upcoming Toy Trust Big Challenge. More than 130 participants from the toy industry will be taking part in either a triathlon, a 65-mile bike ride, or a 5km or 10km run/walk. This year’s event is based at Oxford Wet N Wild and should be a great family-friendly day out, topped off with an inflatable assault course.

Elsewhere at the BTHA, we have been feeding into three DEFRA consultations out for review, and the BTHA Toy Safety Experts will also be hosting two training seminars at the CTSI Symposium later this month.

If you would like to learn more about BTHA membership you can visit our website www.btha.co.uk or contact Tracey@btha.co.uk for more information.

Industry Moves Sambro appoints Tony Hicks as CEO Tony will be based at Sambro’s UK headquarters in Bury, and brings to the role 25 years of experience delivering growth strategies for major business units across Europe, Asia and North America for market leading international consumer brands including Carlsberg, Molson Coors and Mars.

Additionally, Tony brings significant toy industry experience; at Vivid Toy Group, he led the business turnaround and subsequent sale to Goliath, and at LeapFrog, he successfully developed the group’s international business in existing core markets, whilst also developing opportunities in a number of new markets.

Tom Falcon, chairman of Sambro and operating partner at Elysian Capital, commented: “Tony’s strategic background and experience in leading international FMCG and toy businesses, coupled with his strong relationships across the toy industry and licensing community, will be critical to delivering further growth for our business and driving our international expansion.”

Tony said: “I look forward to expanding on the great business that has been developed by the team at Sambro, as well as exploring the many new growth opportunities for the company. I also want to say how excited I am to be back in the toy business again– it is a wonderful business that I really enjoy working in.”

David Martin joins The Insights People as company continues expansion The Insights People has welcomed David Martin as chief commercial officer. Dave brings with him a wealth of experience of the toy and licensing industry, having previously held senior director roles at Crayola, Funrise and KD Group. Responsible for driving further growth, he will work closely with the research team to develop the next generation of services that the company plans to launch later this year.

Dave commented: “This is a new challenge for me, at a time when there is so much change in the kids' marketplace. I’m looking forward to being part of a team which is dynamic and collaborative, and working passionately to create something new which is going to help all aspects of the industry remain relevant with children for generations to come.”

As well as bringing in new faces, the company has made a series of promotions which will see Jenny Kieras become chief operating officer and Jonathan Watson chief product officer.

Amy Henry will serve as a US insights and strategy specialist, while Alex Rapley joins as client services manager and Tom Musk as head of content.

Chief executive Nick Richardson commented: “These additions and promotions are going to be key in helping us reach our ambitious targets. I am particularly delighted to welcome David; his arrival is a further demonstration of our ambition to become the global leading specialist in kids’ market intelligence – a vision we are hard at work on and hope to achieve in the very near future.”

Schleich expands UK marketing team In a year that’s shaping up to be one of record growth, and with ambitious plans for the future, Schleich UK has strengthened its marketing department with a new team member. Leticia Gibney has been appointed as marketing executive to further strengthen the team, and support the company’s marketing efforts across UK & Ireland.

Leticia brings previous toy industry experience, having worked for Mattel in Barcelona. With expertise in digital marketing and social media, she has also previously held a number of marketing and business development roles.

Speaking of her appointment, Leticia commented: “I am very much looking forward to this new role and so excited to be back in the toy industry working for a great brand like Schleich, which is seeing such strong growth.”

Paul Dearlove, Schleich UK’s trade marketing manager further added: “We are delighted to welcome Leticia to the team and look forward to her helping our rapidly growing business.”

Sequin Art names two new directors Earlier this year, Sequin Art bid a fond farewell to director Stephen Ducker, who retired after an impressive 43 years within the company. The company has now appointed Meryl Smith and Neil Clark as directors to lead the team and drive growth. Meryl was previously in-house solicitor and new product development manager, while Neil served as general manager.

Sequin Art is a family run business in its second generation. Founded in 1962 by Stuart Marcus, the market leading arts and crafts company now exports its products worldwide and produces almost 1m units in its purpose-built facility in Swaffham each year.

The appointments mark a new chapter for the business, which is expanding its product portfolio with two new ranges aimed at a younger target market. Neil commented: “We are excited to enter a new era by introducing Sequin Art Smoogles and our first Pinless Sequin Art. Both ranges are perfect for nurturing creative minds and are aimed at children from six and four years old respectively.”

Meryl added: “This is an exciting time for Sequin Art. We have recently launched our new website and are now partnering with Toy Like Me, an arts and play based notfor-profit, celebrating disability representation in toys.”

Toy World 14

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Marketing World Super Wings experiential activities resonate with fans On the back of strong broadcast support and the launch of series 3 on Cartoonito, Alpha Animation and Toys has put in place an extensive plan of activity to bring Super Wings planes into streets and shops around the UK. The star of the show, Jett, recently landed in London, to headline a Super Wings event at Hamleys.

The arrival of the popular character attracted hundreds of fans, who enjoyed face-painting, product demos and more. The costume character has also made visits to Smyths store openings in Lincoln and Romford, and celebrated store openings for The Entertainer in Kidderminster and Watford.

On the early May bank-holiday weekend, Jett made a visit to Paulton’s Park, where he delighted over 15,000 pre-school visitors and their families. Across two days, kids were treated to Super Wings selfie opportunities and ‘I met Jett’ stickers.

Retailers are backing the property with impressive window displays, social media activity and competitions. A recent collaboration with Flybe and Smyths also proved to be a huge success. The campaign included a competition to win a family flight and Super Wings products, and attracted over 9000 entries.

Kerry Tarrant, marketing manager at Alpha, commented: “The demand for Super Wings has gone from strength to strength, and our marketing activities have been incredibly well received by pre-school fans and their families. It’s great to be able to interact directly with our audiences and deliver that much needed theatre and engagement at retail.”

Fisher-Price sponsors Series 4 of Happy Mum Happy Baby After partnering with Giovanna Fletcher in 2017 and 2018, the company has announced its sponsorship of Series 4 of the successful Happy Mum Happy Baby parenting podcast.

With an exciting line up of guests on the roster, the new 10-part series will see Giovanna interviewing a host of celebrities, TV presenters and influencers, with a new episode each week. The guests will offer listeners an insight into their own experiences and provide genuine advice. Covering a broad range of topics, the series encompasses the honest and candid reality of parenting.

Speaking of the partnership, Mattel UK marketing lead Kelly Philp commented: “We’re excited to be extending our relationship with Giovanna, as we continue to offer parents honest advice and a helping hand through their parenting journey. We recognise that every child is unique, and the podcast is a really powerful way for us to engage with parents at all stages of parenthood.”

Happy Mum, Happy Baby launched in May with guest Nadiya Hussain, and will be available to download via iTunes and acast. The series will also be promoted extensively through Giovanna’s and Fisher-Price’s social channels, with video content of each episode shared on Giovanna’s YouTube channel

Interplay Creative Play Zones announced for Gloworm Festival 2019 Taking place on 17th and 18th August at Thoresby Park, Nottinghamshire, this year’s Gloworm Festival will feature the Interplay Creative Play Zone, highlighting some of the company’s most loved brands and toys.

Kids can have their face decorated with Face Paintoos, which transform the magic of face painting into an activity that everyone can enjoy. Zero painting skills are required, and the different looks are quick and easy to apply.

The FabLab area in the Interplay zone will offer makeovers, using colourful hair chalks and easy to apply glitter tattoos, ideal for festival goers aged eight and upwards.

Fuzzikins are perfect for inspiring creativity and imagination, and the multi-award winning pets for kids to colour again and again will also be available to enjoy.

Meriç Pekcan-Butcher, marketing manager, Interplay UK, commented: “We are delighted to sponsor Gloworm Festival; it is an amazing event for children and families. We can’t wait to get everyone festival ready with cute Face Paintoos for the younger ones and cool FabLab festival looks for the older ones, plus there will be creative fun for all with the much-loved Fuzzikins.”

Richard Walpole, Gloworm festival director, added: “We can’t wait to see families enjoying the magic in the Interplay Creative Play Zone. The Gloworm ethos is one of fun and creativity, and Interplay is bringing all of the above and more.”

Toy World 16

Marketing World Little Tikes Play Big tour supports local charities Little Tikes is celebrating the success of its Play Big tour, which visited shopping centres across the UK as part of the brand’s 50th anniversary year activity calendar.

The brand welcomed almost 20,000 adults and children throughout the month-long activation, which aimed to bring families together to enjoy play and make lasting memories.

The tour also encouraged children and adults to show support for their local children’s charities.

In each location of the Play Big Tour, Little Tikes partnered with local community charities who featured on a bespoke Donation Station. An overwhelming amount of support was garnered for the 10 charities, and Little Tikes has donated over £5,000 worth of its toys.

Little Tikes worked closely with experiential marketing team Sense London to develop the engaging and creative 12m x 12m spaces across the UK, where giant Little Tikes products were played alongside iconic toys to encourage adults to release their inner child alongside their children.

Michelle Lilley, head of UK marketing for Little Tikes, commented: “Working with regional charities along each stop of the Play Big Tour added a fantastic angle to our journey, enabling guests to take part in giving back to the local community whilst making precious memories with their nearest and dearest.”

Charities involved included: Child First Trust, East Anglia Children’s Hospice, Every Parent and Child, Walthamstow Toy Library, Tiny Tim’s Children’s Centre, Kids UK, North East Autism Society, Cedar’s Academy, Milton Keynes Play Association and Henry Allen Trust.

Opinion

Many happy returns This month, Jonathan examines how digital media channels are evaluated, paying particular attention to activations at the bottom of the marketing funnel.

R

eturn on Investment always has been, and always should be, a core focus when considering building marketing campaigns. In the consistently evolving modern media landscape, digital platforms are providing ever more sophisticated ways to track and optimise this.

This in turn has led to a renewed focus on activations which sit firmly at the bottom of the marketing funnel under the main criteria of action or conversion.

Amazon, unsurprisingly, has been at the forefront of this. Amazon’s advertising suite provides a broad range of solutions, including allowing advertisers to leverage consumer data to target audiences programmatically via their DSP. Arguably their most popular platform, however, is Amazon’s Advertising Console (formerly AMS, enabling Sponsored Products). The benefits of being able to measure live ROI (or ACOS) are clearly advantageous. Providing tangible results-based evidence that spends are working effectively is what all advertisers should be striving for.

There are debates, of course, as to how effective the platform truly is when it comes to driving mass scale, and whether or not one should bid on one’s own brand search terms, for example. However, as an addition to the marketing funnel it is undoubtedly of benefit; especially considering that, according to Amazon, an estimated 97% of global ecommerce sessions end without a purchase. It is also worth noting that Amazon is not the only player in this particular field, with providers such as Criteo offering similar solutions across other retailer sites such as Argos, The Entertainer and the majority of grocers.

Jonathan Chambers

Director of AV Investment, Generation Media.

Tel: 0207 307 7906 Jonathan.Chambers@generationmedia.co.uk

through to retail sites available with most channels and formats, the temptation is to attempt to judge them on whether they drive conversion. This approach fails to appreciate channels on their merits though; YouTube, for example, is a fantastic awareness driver with the ability to engage with a targeted viewer base. With relatively low click-through rates (CTR) of less than 1% on average however (in fact much closer to 0.1% in many cases), it would be judged an inefficient ROI driver.

Defining true ROMI (Return on Marketing Investment), however, is still incredibly difficult to measure accurately. The only way to do this on a channel by channel basis would be to track the user journey from ad through to conversion on the retail site. This relies on cooperation from retailers to share data which, to date, has not been readily available.

Even then, this still ignores the impact of offline media channels. Bottom of the funnel solutions work best when the top is being filled. This is where awareness channels, such as TV, excel and impact heavily on overall ROMI. As ever, it is clearly a delicate balance which needs to be struck when assessing the overall strategy, with each product having a unique response. If you would like to learn more about how the above should be impacting your 2019 media planning, get in touch.

The influence of such marketing channels is also causing a rethink of how other digital media channels are evaluated. With the opportunity to click

Toy World 18

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Licensing World Mattel expands partnership with Disney’s Pixar Animation Studios Mattel has announced the expansion of its global licensing agreement with Disney to span new titles and to design and develop toys inspired by characters from all Pixar Animation Studios’ film properties.

Included in the new agreement are upcoming 2020 movie releases such as Onward, alongside the studio’s back-catalogue, which includes Coco, Finding Nemo, Monsters, Inc. and The Incredibles. Mattel’s licensing rights in North America, Europe, Latin America, Australia, and New Zealand include a wide variety of products, such as action figures, miniature and novelty figures, plush and play sets, available from May 2020.

“Pixar is renowned for creating some of the most iconic and diverse sets of characters,” said Janet Hsu, chief franchise management officer at Mattel. “We look forward to bringing these characters to children of all ages so they can create their own adventures and stories through play. This relationship is the latest example of Mattel’s commitment to collaborate with globally-recognised franchises, as part of our transformation into an IP-driven, high-performing toy company.”

“Whether under the sea, in the clouds, on the racetrack or in deep space, we’re thrilled to bring Pixar’s innovative creativity to life through new interactive play experiences with Mattel,” added Josh Silverman, EVP global product commercialisation, Disney Parks, Experiences and Products. “These new lines of toys and products will celebrate Mattel’s commitment to imagination, and extend Pixar’s iconic characters and stories in unique ways.”

First ever Paw Patrol Summit recognises partners Viacom Nickelodeon Consumer Products (VNCP) and Spin Master joined forces to hold the first ever Paw Patrol Summit. Recognising the accomplishments of retail and licensing partners with the UK’s No. 1 preschool property across the year, a total of five awards were presented by Marianne James, VP Commercial Partnerships, Consumer Products and Experiences, Nickelodeon UK & Ireland.

Marianne commented: “We’re excited to be hosting our very first Paw Patrol summit, allowing us to celebrate all things Paw related and, most importantly, giving us the opportunity to recognise the truly outstanding work from our stakeholders that has helped to create our paw-some success story.”

Among those recognised was MV Sports, which took home Most Innovative Product for its Dream Den product. Aykroyds TDP won Best Softlines Partner, and Best Activation at Retail went to Home of Paw at Argos, which was delivered in May and October 2018. Primark was awarded for Broadest Range at Retail.

Now in its sixth year, Paw Patrol has been the No.1 pre-school property since 2016, the No. 1 programme for ratings across Nick Jr. and Milkshake!, and the most visited page on the Nick Jr. site.

In September, a new Mighty Pups themed range of consumer products will hit shelves, including plush, vehicles and a new lookout tower.

Elves Behavin’ Badly announces new licensing deals for 2019 Following the positive response received at Brand Licensing Europe in 2018, Elves Behavin’ Badly has announced a raft of UK licensing deals across apparel, dress-up and accessories, and balloons.

In the apparel categories, Park Agencies is planning a range of day wear including t-shirts, knitwear, hoodies, sweats and children’s nightwear, with Somerbond focusing on adult nightwear.

Elves Behavin’ Badly has also forged a new licensing partnership with Smiffys, which has been named as official partner for dress up and dress up accessories. “We are excited to be collaborating with Elves Behavin’ Badly on adding these naughty elves to our adult costume range,” said Dominique Peckett, director at Smiffys. “Seeing how incredibly popular the brand has become, there is no doubt that these characters will be in high demand for the Christmas party season.”

Orchard Crown has also signed an exclusive deal for Elves Behavin’ Badly foil balloons, and there are also a number of other licensing deals in the pipeline.

“The very positive response which we received from our debut appearance at BLE in 2018 has translated into a number of solid licensing partnerships and we are really looking forward to seeing the brand grow into these additional product areas in time for Christmas 2019,” said John Costi Mouyia, export business development manager, PMS International.

To consolidate its initial success, PMS will again be exhibiting at BLE in 2019, 1st-3rd October at Excel London – Stand Number E163.

Toy World 20

Licensing World The Paw Patrol Awards return Paw Patrol is championing young heroes for the second year, with the Paw Patrol Little Heroes Paw Awards 2019.

The Awards programme is set to be bigger and better than before with individual sponsors for the Awards from high profile organisations that support the pups’ values and characteristics, as well as further support through popular Nick Jr channels.

The eight Awards champion kids who deserve to be recognised for the challenges they have faced and for how they have touched the lives of others. Whether they have shown strength or courage, kindness or loyalty, have made a difference or shown leadership skills, the Awards celebrate children’s real-life stories.

The winners of the eight awards will be chosen by a panel of judges and finalists will spend the weekend in the UK’s capital with the ultimate VIP experience and attend an exclusive Awards ceremony. Runners up will receive a bundle of Paw Patrol toys.

Entries can be made by visiting www.PAWAwards.co.uk, and Awards include: the Rubble Award for Strength, the Skye Award for Courage, the Marshall Award for Loyalty, the Rocky Award for Making a Difference, the Chase Award for Leadership, the Everest Award for Kindness and Friendship, the Zuma Award for Being Helpful, and the Ryder Award for Kindness to Animals

Industry veterans join forces to form Brand-Ward Aiming to help IP owners and creators in the kids’ entertainment business grow outside of their core business and monetise their IP globally, licensing veterans Trudi Hayward and Jean-Philippe Randisi have partnered to create the new company.

Trudi has many years of consumer products experience across brand and entertainment properties, previously working for Beanstalk Europe, CPLG, Entertainment Rights, Viacom and ITV. Jean-Philippe Randisi’s experience includes high level positions at Disney, Saban Europe, Viacom, ITV and Zodiak Kids.

The company will achieve its mission of IP business maximisation by supporting: content – sourcing of IP, content strategy, production strategy, production financing, co-production; brand development – market positioning, marketing strategy and plans, digital exposure, marketing and creative assets development; and sales – TV/digital strategy, consumer products strategy, blending (merging broadcast and CP strategies), appointment and management of distributors and agents.

Trudi commented: “I am delighted to be working with Jean-Philippe again; I suspect it will be no surprise to the industry that we have joined forces once more, this time to offer our clients the best strategy across content and monetisation, globally.”

Jean-Philippe added: “With my content and media expertise, and Trudi’s consumer products experience and local market knowledge of retail nuances, we hope that partners will find our services hugely beneficial when creating and rolling out new IP.”

Zuru partners with Pinkfong on Baby Shark range Created by global entertainment brand, Pinkfong, the viral tune Baby Shark has amassed 2.6b YouTube views, charting at No. 6 on the UK Official Singles Chart and the Top 50 on Billboard’s Hot100 for 16 weeks. A new partnership with Zuru will see the production of a range of Baby Shark bath toys which will sit within the Robo Alive portfolio.

Based on real-life creatures, Zuru’s Robo Alive brand includes the best-selling Robofish, the attacking T-Rex and this year’s latest addition, the Dragon. Using robotic enhanced motion sensors, each of the designs features realistic characteristics while remaining an affordable option within the interactive and tech toys market.

The new Baby Shark range includes Baby, Mummy and Daddy Shark bath toys which all sing the song once placed in water. The range will be available at retail in the UK market from September.

Latest figures for the brand indicate an unprecedented growth in sales. “Robo Alive is one of our most popular and best-performing IPs”, said Renee Lee, Zuru’s global marketing director. “Pink Fong’s Baby Shark line is a really appealing and on trend item for younger children who want to engage in the brand. We expect this to be an absolute hit for bath time play and have phenomenal support from all our retail partners.”

Toy World 22

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NPD Insight

Royal baby fever This month, Moneeba takes a closer look at the next generation of toy recipients, examining the Infant, Toddler & Preschool Toys supercategory and its importance to the UK toy market.

W

ith the recent arrival of the Royal With over 30% of ITPS consumers choosing to Baby, it seems a good time to buy the item for its products features and play value, to take a deeper look into the it is important that the supercategory continues purchasing of toys for infants & to innovate and bring new products to market. toddlers to see what little Archie, Playmobil’s recent expansion into licences has seen and other babies born in the last few months, could Universal’s How to Train Your Dragon and Spirit and two thirds of those sales for boys. With the good look forward to playing with. Over £1bn was spent on Riding Free in the top 5 gaining properties in ITPS. weather in April, especially over the Easter weekend, toys for 0-4 years in 2018, accounting for nearly £1 in It seems that Archie may not only be playing with it was a strong start to the year for Outdoor & Sports every £3 spent on toys. While this figure has declined ITPS toys, with over 16% of consumers buying Dolls Toys, which was the No.1 supercategory in value size from highs of 38% of total toys for 0-4 years last year. Doll purchases for Boys aged and the fastest growing for in 2015, this age range the month. For April 2019, still represents the largest there was positive growth recipient demographic in from nine of the Outdoor the UK and is therefore & Sports subclasses worth closer scrutiny. and the top performers Unsurprisingly, the Supercategory Value share % of 0-4 Years Olds were Pools and Skates/ majority of spend for Skateboards/Scooters Infant/Toddler/Preschool Toys 0-4 years comes from Dolls which grew by +45% vs. the Infant, Toddler & Outdoor & Sports Toys April 2018. Last year, Preschool Toys (ITPS) Plush Little Tikes was the No. 1 supercategory, which is Building Sets property for 0-4 year olds, the biggest in the market Vehicles with 22% of consumers Games/Puzzles with 20% of share YTD purchasing a Little Tikes Action Figures & Acc April 19. The category was All Other Toys product. YTD it is the No. worth £428M in 2018.

Arts & Crafts 2 property with 7% of the Whilst the ITPS Youth Electronics total Outdoor & Sports supercategory is declining 0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45% Toys supercategory. in line with the market Plush is the next biggest YTD April 19, there are Source: The NPD Group | Consumer Panel | UK | FY 2018 supercategory for 0-4year still some very significant The NPD Group, Inc. | Proprietary and confidential 1 olds with 8% of consumer properties adding to the purchasing last year. YTD, overall market. Paw Patrol this supercategory has a 6% continues to the be the No. 1 property in ITPS as well 0-4 years has increased in the last three years and share of the total market. Plush shows a slight skew as the No. 2 property in total toys YTD. Paw Patrol now accounts for 12% of 0-4 Years doll purchases. towards Girls 0-4 year old consumers, with over 60% continues to see two items in the top 10: The Paw While L.O.L. Surprise! remains the No. 1 property in purchases and just under 40% purchased for Boys.

Patrol Vehicle & Pup and the Paw Patrol Ultimate total Dolls, Barbie is actually the top Dolls property The fastest growing property in this supercategory Rescue Vehicle. VTech baby is also a key property in for 0-4 Years, as well as being the second fastest is Little Live Pets which ranks at No.2 overall. Other this supercategory, with 6% share and ranking no. 2 growing Dolls property at total market level with 8% pre-school plush properties showing growth are in ITPS and no. 9 in the total market YTD. It is worth of share. However, Baby Dolls accounts for a third Hey Duggee and In The Night Garden, which have noting that there are some key properties in growth. of Dolls purchased for 0-4 Years with Baby Born and enjoyed a strong start to the year.

Peppa Pig, Melissa & Doug and LeapFrog Baby have Baby Annabell being joined by Poopsie, new to the With 0-4 year olds playing a key part in many all shown growth versus this time last year. eOne’s category last year. supercategories including ITPS, Dolls, Outdoor & Peppa Pig has grown by +3% YTD and is currently Outdoor & Sports Toys also proves a strong Sports and Plush, Baby Archie has a wide variety of the No. 10 property in the total market. Both Melissa category for 0-4 year olds, with 9% of consumer toys to look forward to in the next four years. & Doug and LeapFrog Baby are up +17%. purchasing coming from this supercategory last year

Moneeba Baloch

Account Manager, UK Toys, Euro Toys

Supercategory Value share % of 0-4 Years Olds

Toy World 24

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.

Item Progression

Avengers: Endgame has become one of the highest grossing movies of all time, since releasing at the end of March April Apr-19, so it is no surprise that 2019 2019 Item description the Funko Pop! Avengers Pop Assortment has climbed 125 Funko Pop! Avengers Assortment 165 40 places to rank at No. 40 from No. 165. In the Action Figures & Accessories supercategory, the item sits just outside of the top 10, ranking at No. 11. Looking at the movie month of April 2019, the item has sold incredibly fast with very little distribution. It made it in the top 5 items in the total toy market, when ranked by Value Velocity with only 18% weighted distribution, returning £371 for weighted value velocity.

Fastest growing Licences in Toys

Fastest Growing Licences Fortnite Harry Potter Jurassic Park/World How To Train Your Dragon L.O.L. Surprise!

Fantastic Beasts National Soccer Club Incredibles Toy Story Chevrolet £0

£1

£2

£3

£4

£5 Millions

Source: The NPD Group | Consumer Panel | UK |YTD Apr-19

The NPD Group, Inc. | Proprietary and confidential

2

2019 continues to see licensing toys being challenged, however there is still £1 in every £4 spent on toys dedicated to licensing products. In turbulent times for the licensing world, there are some very strong licences paving the way for success. New to the Toys category, Fortnite is the No. 1 fastest growing licence YTD Apr 2019, with the new Moose collectibles and the Nerf Fortnite items adding to the Fortnite success.

Following very closely behind is Harry Potter from Warner Brothers and Fantastic Beasts at No. 6. NBC Universal is also enjoying the success of Jurassic Park/World and How To Train Your Dragon. With the release of Toy Story 4 in June this year being hotly anticipated, the licence has already entered the top 10, currently being driven by the Action Figures & Accessories, ITPS and Outdoor & Sports supercategories.

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Talking Shop

Shopping around This month, independent retailers spoke to Toy World editor Rachael Simpson-Jones about how they keep customers coming back for more, what’s selling well at the moment and how they are getting ready for summer.

Nigel Kemp - Halesworth Toy Shop and The Toy Box, Beccles We had a slow start to this year’s trading, with January and February quieter than we would like, but now it’s all picking up nicely. March and the Easter period were good, and now the weather is getting steadily better, both sales and footfall are improving. The late Easter did affect business a bit; the long stretch between Christmas and Easter half-term was noticeable. Luckily the weather was warm and sunny, and so we were able to start selling outdoor toys like sandpits quite early on.

Collectibles is very much a core category for us and really helps to keep us going. Lego Minifigures is currently our best-selling range, and we’re seeing success with Flair’s Pikmi Pops too, which has really taken off. L.O.L. Surprise! is still selling through well, but we’re short on stock at the moment while we wait for the next shipment.

Schleich model animals is also a really healthy line for us. We have a big display and it always proves a draw. The collectibles market continues to provide huge opportunities for toy retailers, and there are a lot of major films coming out this year which should drum up interest – Frozen II, Toy Story 4, Pokémon Detective Pikachu, The Lion King etc.

Arts & crafts is a popular category with our customers. Hama Beads is performing well; the brand had a lull for a year or two, but it’s really bounced back over the last 12-18 months. Galt craft packs are popular, alongside traditional, old-school favourites like plasticine. We also offer arts & crafts accessories from Artstraws; pipe cleaners, googly eyes and the like; in the local area we are known for supplying these things. Arts & crafts lines seem to be purchased by kids and adults alike, but we notice that parents encourage children if they show a bit of interest in a crafting product.

We’ve moved away from big-box summer products like climbing frames and slides and have instead moved more towards sports equipment for activities such as tennis, croquet, badminton and swingball.

There used to be a sports shop opposite us and when it closed down a few years ago, we made the decision to fill that void by picking up a few sports lines, which has strengthened our offering. We also stock higher-end outdoor products and good quality footballs which

sell well. Mookie is a core supplier for our outdoor lines, and we also work closely with a local wholesaler who is very close at hand. This helps us keep right on top of trends and demands and means we can bring products in almost within the hour.

We run summer competitions with brands like Sylvanian Families and Schleich. Dan, the manager at our second store, the Toy Box in Beccles, which is about 12 miles away from Halesworth Toy Shop,

Toy World 27

organises demos and events quite often.

We always see an uplift in sales on the day, and we also get customers returning for more product once they’ve seen how much their child enjoys playing with it. These events also help sow seeds for birthdays and Christmas, as kids point out things around the shop that catch their eye. We sell gift vouchers too, which have proved popular. They are a useful gifting option for adults who might not know exactly what to buy for the children in their life.

Being a Toymaster member offers numerous benefits; the buying power it gives us really makes a difference to trading, and the central invoicing system simplifies things. Toymaster is a recognised, trusted and respected name in retail, so advertising your memberships helps your customers to know that they are in the right place.

The window displays draw in customers passing by, and the camaraderie the group offers is lovely. Being able to contact other members for help and advice is invaluable.

It would be wrong to say that everything is great in retail at the moment, but business for us is steady and we are fortunate enough to have two locations which benefit from strong local support. Everybody here is very locally minded and keen to support independent retailers. People often tell us they would rather use our toy shop before looking elsewhere. Beccles, where our second shop is located, is only a little town but it’s a great example of how big names and small businesses alike can all coexist and get on together, and footfall is quite high as a result.

It’s not easy to be an independent retailer, but we keep a close eye on our costs, watch what we buy and make sure we stock what customers want. We’ve also just had a small reduction in business rates through the council, which has saved us a few thousand pounds a year. We don’t have that saving earmarked for any one thing, but it does mean the financial pressures on us will just be slightly eased a bit this year and going forward. The challenges we face year after year don’t change much; if you have the right product and you can get people through the door to buy it, then 2019 shouldn’t be any different than any other year.

Talking Shop Rosie Marshall - Boswells Department Store, Oxford We’ve had a good start to 2019, and sales are slightly up versus this time last year. It’s always a challenge to get stock back in after Christmas in time for the uplift in sales during February half term, but we managed to do it, and this has really helped strengthen our position this year.

Like many toy retailers, a number of collectible ranges feature in our current best-sellers, including Lego Minifigures, L.O.L. Surprise!, Hot Wheels cars

and Pokémon trading cards. We’re fortunate enough to be able to offer the Minifigure Loyalty Scheme from Lego. This entitles collectors to a free figure when they collect five stickers, and we have many customers that take part in the scheme. In my opinion there’s currently less in the way of disposable income available, so smaller, collectible items are perfect for a reward, treat or pocket money spend.

Revell model kits and radio control items are performing very well for us, as are Stikbots from Brainstorm and the Zuru Robo Alive range. As for the arts & crafts category, we’ve seen a 10% increase this year. We use several different suppliers, but products from Galt and Interplay perform particularly well. Our location, directly in the centre of Oxford, means that

most of our customers are reliant on public transport as parking charges are at a premium. We therefore have to take this into account when placing orders; we don’t stock big box items as it can be tricky for our customers to transport them home on the bus.

I attend the twice yearly AIS import show and have bought into the spring/summer lines for this year, and I’ve also placed forward orders with Mookie to ensure we are covered on high-quality outdoor toys. This summer we will be holding a couple of events; we’ve just booked in a Stikbot event, as this is a brand that particularly resonates with our customers. Brainstorm is providing a Stikbot character costume which one of our enthusiastic staff members will be donning for the day, and we will be running an animation competition too. Kids are encouraged to create their own little Stikbot stop-motion animation and submit it to us; we’ll pick a winner and they will receive some great Stikbot goodies. This is the first time we’ve worked with Brainstorm on an event or competition, and we are really excited.

We’ve got a Geomag day coming up too. Geomag is providing a demonstrator who will come in and showcase the products. We’re reliably informed he also does balloon modelling – he’s advertised as a ‘Geo magician’ – so this is set to be lots of fun. We’ll also be running a 20% discount offer across our entire Geomag range. These events translate well into sales, and we try to offer a varied selection for customers to enjoy. We also see an uplift in sales after the event, when ‘pester power’ has kicked in. Obviously, it’s better for us when the company can provide their own people, but Boswells staff are more than willing to dress up and get in character. It’s all part of the fun!

We’re always open to working with companies on events and demo days, so, if you’re reading this and it’s something you can offer, please get in touch.

It’s important to Boswells to give back to the local community. I recently collected a huge number of toys after the Independent Toy & Gift Show in April which were very kindly donated by some of our suppliers. I

took these to our local hospital, the John Radcliffe in Oxford, for its children’s hospital Wicked Weekday radio show, where they were given out as prizes. The volunteers there are always so grateful to receive them; this is the third or fourth year that I have done it. Many of our suppliers offer stock before I even have the chance to ask if they have anything spare, and some have even sent us items since the show finished.

This means we can make a second drop of toys to the hospital. A big thank you to everyone who donated, and to the plaY-room team for allowing us to do the collection again.

Retail is challenging for everyone right now; I think consumers are becoming more cautious, questioning how much they spend and asking themselves whether they really need to make a purchase. That said, it just makes my job more interesting. There are still Toys R Us customers out there to be picked up; we started to see them at Christmas. At the moment it’s simply a case of trying to tempt new customers and to encourage back those that found us over the festive period. Events like the Stikbot and Geomag days are what pulls in fresh faces and turn them into loyal customers.

Being located in a department store comes with its own set of challenges, but we are in a great location and often hear shoppers telling their kids about how they used to visit the store when they themselves were kids. It’s very much a heritage thing at Boswells, and it’s lovely.

Jon Scrivens - Hamlins Toymaster, Berkhamsted There’s a large multi-storey car park being built opposite Hamlins at the moment, so business is slow; I think the building works are keeping customers

away. However, it does mean that instead of there being only 100 spaces for shoppers to use when they visit Berkhamsted, there will soon be 500. In the short term yes, this development work is hurting us, but long term it’ll all pan out for the better and we should see increased footfall.

Licensed How to Train Your Dragon toys have proved really popular, which is a pleasant

Toy World 28

surprise. Often, we find that movie tie-ins can be disappointing, but the Spin Master toys in particular are flying off the shelves across the entire range, from collectibles to the big feature action figures with sounds and lights.

We offer a good selection of arts & crafts kits at a wide range of price points. They sell well across the board, and Hama Beads is particularly popular.

indie viewpoint

Craft kits offer an attractive price point and are good for birthday gifts. A lot of arts & crafts ranges lean towards STEM learning outcomes too, which parents appreciate. Arts & crafts is a good, consistent category which helps peel kids away from screens. While we find that parents do buy a lot of these products, we are also visited by some really enthusiastic children looking for something novel to do. Once they get the crafting bug, they want to do more and more in the way of making creative products. It’s something different to simply playing with a ready-made toy.

We stock scooters, which are a nice option for a birthday gift. It’s important to have them on display, as customers like to look at them, have a go and choose which one they want in person; it’s difficult making a judgement without seeing and touching the product.

Because of the disruption with the car park we are still trying to work out how to organise summer events. It’s likely that we will be doing a games day for kids as well as adults. We order products for summer well in advance and everything is already in stock, so when the weather turns for the better, we are ready and able to cater to the increased demand. We stock a lot of Bestway outdoor products, which did really well for us last year.

Independent retailers offer a tangible point of difference and an enhanced customer experience. Customers like to see a product, get it out of the box and see how it works, so being able to demo stuff is crucial.

That’s what we really try and celebrate at Hamlins. We also try to offer a bit of everything; not just current ‘flash-in-the-pan’ trends but evergreen favourites too. For our customers, being able to find simple wooden blocks for a young relation is just as important as getting their hands on the latest action figure.

There’s always going to be someone selling the products you stock for less online, but that’s the case regardless of what industry you’re in. As a retailer we make sure the offering we have here is enough to meet most appetites, and we provide convenience too. While shoppers like to order online to arrive the next day, we’re always here and can pick up the pieces for them if a delivery goes wrong or falls through.

The owners of Hamlins are attending the Toymaster show this month, and also went to the FOB show earlier this year. Suppliers at the show usually lead with some great offers, so it’s inevitable that new orders will be placed there. There’s no point placing orders right before the May show, because the chances are you’ll get there and find an offer on the same product that would have saved you money. Toymaster membership offers great support for retailers, and the vouchers have become really important to our business. We also make full use of the Toymaster window displays; the artwork the group produces is ideal for us and takes the pressure off of us to be creative all the time.

People really must support their local shops. Its nice to browse and then buy online, but if the local shops aren’t there then browsing and handling physical product will be gone too - and that is something that will be sorely missed.

Mark Buschhaus and Stephen Barnes Toy Barnhaus

A sunny outlook As we write this, we are about to head out for the Toymaster show, which is one of the highlights of our calendar year. By the time you read this, we will have hopefully got over a week of doing business - and also a week of socialising. I think it is the only time of the year that we go out for three nights in a row. When we were younger, this was never a problem but as we get older, we certainly need more time to recover.

The Toymaster show comes at a good time of year. 2019 has certainly had a mixed start, and we are hoping that the second half of the year is stronger. Easter and the early part of May have been slower than we thought, although not a disaster. Last year, we were still doing a roaring trade on Squishies, and the L.O.L. craze was reaching full speed. So far this year, we are trading up on L.O.L., but customers are looking for the new products now; when they arrive, we see a real surge, but then it calms down a bit. However, having seen what MGA has coming for the rest of the year, we are confident it will still be our best-selling brand. Other than L.O.L., Lego is having a very strong time. The new Disney Minifigures have been fantastic, and the Marvel Avengers Lego range has been really popular. We are also very excited for the new Harry Potter Lego lines than launch in June. The first wave of lines has been fantastic, and the new lines, especially the Knight Bus, look fantastic.

Wheeled toys has been a difficult category for us over the last year or so.

Our scooter business has noticeably declined quite significantly, but we believe this is more of a cyclical trend than a long-term decline. We have brought in some lines from Dolu this year and have sold the My First Moto and My First Trike very well. Dolu’s range is good quality at a great price.

We also stock MV scooters and ride-ons, which provide a strong licensed option; we have sold these well for many years.

Craft is a huge category for us, and is a key category that independent toy shops always do well in. There is such a range of great products from a wide range of suppliers, and parents are always keen to try and get their children off screens and doing something constructive. Our best-selling line is Twisty Pets from Spin Master. Since launching last year, it has been fantastic; a simple concept at a good price point that has really connected with customers. Playdoh is an evergreen for us, so we have a bay of it in all our stores. My Fairy Garden from Interplay has been another popular seller over the past few years, and the range has been extended very effectively.

It sells particularly well at this time of year. We also see strong sales from Glowpad and Blow-pens from John Adams. Other popular ranges with our customers include Aquabeads, Sea Monkeys and Spirograph.

Looking at the Toy Barnhaus weather satellite, the forecast looks set fair, so we are hopeful of selling through some of our summer pools and inflatables over the next few weeks.

Happy selling to you all.

Toy World 29

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Infant Toys Tropical Paradise Sloth Jitter Toy from Skiphop

That’s your tot!

Both an essential part of early learning and development, and a perfect first gift for new parents, infant toys can help shape how a baby sees the world around them – but is the world around us shaping infant toys? Rachael Simpson-Jones finds out more.

R

ecent data from the NPD Group shows that, in the UK, an average of £159 is spent on infant toys such as play mats, gyms, infant plush, rattles, teethers and soft toys in a baby’s first year. In its second year, as learning and discovery through play become an increasingly important part of daily life, the average toy spend rises to £208. This means that by a baby’s second birthday, the total average amount spent on toys is £367. The data also revealed the importance

of promotions and discounts, with over half of those buying toys for an infant being influenced by added value or the chance to save money. This factor was also listed as a secondary influence for 29% of purchasers, even though the average price spent on those toys is only £11.15.

A total of seven VTech infant products appeared on the NPD table of best-selling infant toys, published in May. The company’s First Steps Baby Walker, the Scoop and Learn Ice Cream Cart and the Toot

Toy World 32

Toot Drivers Vehicles were ranked first, second and third respectively. “We are very pleased with this,” comments Graham Canning, sales director at VTech.

“The data shows the strength of the VTech brand and the breadth of product in our range, and secures our position as the No. 1 Infant, Toddler and Pre-School manufacturer for the past two years (NPD Sterling Jan 2017 – Dec 2018.) Having said that, we could do more; we are aware of the need to build on previous success by adding new and exciting items to the

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Infant Toys

range through the year. Parents and grandparents want to buy toys that are a high quality, good value for money and from a brand they can trust. VTech is committed to the continued develop of innovative products that have added value thanks to their electronics, as well as being extremely durable and fun to play with.”

Speaking to suppliers at recent shows, it seems that our increasingly connected world is starting to impact on the category, with social media and the rise of celebrity influencers placing extra pressure on toys to be both functional and beautiful. One leading infant toy specialist told Toy World that it’s no longer enough for a toy to be simply educational or entertaining (although these are still essential) – they also have to look great on sites like Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest, which the expanding online mum community is turning to more and more in the search for parenting inspiration and ideas. It’s easy to see why consumers are feeling added pressure to ensure that what they share online looks the part.

This is echoed by VTech, which told Toy World that that 27% of housekeepers with children aged 0-3 visit social networking sites more than five times a day, while 70% will refer to the internet before making a purchase (source GB TGI 2018 autumn.) Graham explains: “Consumers are certainly spending a lot of time on social channels, so it’s important for VTech to work with influencers on key launches such as ZoomiZooz. This ensures that we not only have a presence on these channels, but also generate content that our consumers engage with.”

“Infant product is becoming a lot more aspirational and inspirational than it was, and can certainly influence particular trends for the infant market in terms of colours, design and functionality,” notes Shahbaz Khan, country manager UK & Ireland, Clementoni. “You could say we’ve tapped into trends this year with the launch of our Baby Clementoni Llama, a super soft plush with added educational features.”

At Skip Hop, social media is used as a tool during the design and development of its ranges. According to Jon Tilley, country manager, UK & Germany, social media platforms not only enable the company to reach new parents, but also allow those parents to share their experiences of Skip Hop products with the company. The comments that Skip Hop receives online are forwarded to its production team and taken into consideration as it designs and updates its product ranges.

It’s an approach that’s paying off for the company, which notes how well its infant range is performing. “We have some exciting new product launches coming in 2019, from plush toys to new gyms such as our Tropical Paradise Gym & Soother,” says Jon. “We also have key line extensions across our Explore and More ranges. Our upcoming developments offer ultra-helpful and modern gear for every age and stage of early parenting, and we see toys as a very important category for the future.”

“All our products are designed with the brand promise ‘must haves, made better’ and are intended to blend seamlessly into today’s modern home décor,” Jon continues. “At Skip Hop we believe

in safe, innovative products that simplify life while enabling child development, driving independence and fostering imagination. With sensory play learning products, such as our Silver Lining Cloud Baby View 3-Stage Activity Centre with over 25 sensory- and motor-developmental features, we provide a developmental approach to play and learning. We are committed to safe, innovative products that perform well—at every stage, in every moment—so parents and kids can embrace their shared journey with more joy.”

Having received an ‘extremely positive reaction’ to its new infant toys, which were showcased at the London Toy Fair earlier this year, Clementoni has opened new accounts and increased retail shelf space for the Baby Clementoni range.

“We feel that there is a need for increased functionality in infant toys, driven by the technology we live and breathe on a daily basis,” explains Shahbaz. “Parents want to maximise their children’s development but shy away from introducing tablets at too young an age, so toys with increased play value are a must. We have upped the game with the Clementoni range this year; we know babies love the excitement of movement and action and so our

Toy World 34

Interactive Dancing Hippo is a great product guaranteed to create giggles and fun.”

The company also offers Turbo Tracks, a racing car set for babies as young as 10 months. Designed using extensive parent research, the product stimulates manual skill development and helps children to understand cause-and-effect relationships. Pressing the driver’s heads starts the cars off on their laps, which are counted as they go, while realistic sound effects keep babies engaged. The cars also feature a security system that blocks the movement of the wheels when curious infants lift them up; not only will the motor stop automatically, but the child can also learn numbers and listen to fun songs.

Bath toys remain a perennial favourite for infants, providing sensory, cause & effect play opportunities during an otherwise routine daily activity. Infantino has recently released a new bath toy range; the Glowing Jelly Lights jellyfish light up when they are submerged in water, creating a unique sensory experience, while the Jumbo Sea Squirt Fish lets kids spray, squirt and splash in the tub. The Senso Tub of Fun comes complete with four squirting aquatic bath toys, including a turtle, octopus, seahorse and frog.

Nivi Bhide, marketing director at Infantino, comments: "I am a huge fan of our new colourful and characterful bath toys. Infantino products are always made to encourage learning and to develop little one’s senses, and we are very confident this new trio of products will do just that at bathtime.”

As a year-round, consistent category, infant toys aren’t a tricky sell, but the increased importance on the look of a toy may mean that some retailers should consider their approach to in-store display.

Showcasing each brand individually in a way that highlights its colour palette, rather than mixing it in with other products, will help to draw consumers’ eyes, especially if they are on the lookout for a certain colour, shade or aesthetic. Retailers that provide an element of nursery alongside toys may also consider adding other infant essentials that complement the colour scheme of each brand, to create a more complete look and style that can help guide parents towards a purchase.

“When our products are displayed well, they sell even better,” comments Jon Tilley. “At Skip Hop we can provide retailers with a range of free-standing displays to showcase our products in very attractive ways. Our brand is shopped regularly, and we know consumers buy into the brand again and again, so we create ways for retailers to get the most out of our products and be able to always add newness. We also know that retailers are a creative bunch, so we often share best-of-retail imagery from across the world with our new partners to give them inspiration.”

Shahbaz meanwhile highlights the importance of communicating both the branding and the features of each product across packaging and retailer POS. He says: “We have designed both our packaging and POS solutions to ensure maximum impact in-store. We try to cater for all our retailers with the product range we offer, the POS packages available and the support we provide, to ensure that Baby Clementoni works as much for them as it does for us.”

Over the next few pages, Toy World takes a look at newest infant toys to hit the market.

The Right Toy at the Right Time

TM

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For details of the full range of new Lamaze lines and all sales enquiries, please contact TOMY on 01392 281 927 or email UKcustomerservices@tomy.com

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Infant Toys

VTech 01235 546 810 | www.vtech.co.uk VTech is launching a raft of new products for autumn/winter. Each product is specifically developed to help stimulate imagination, cognitive development and ageappropriate concepts for little ones.

The Hop-A-Roo Kangaroo, a friendly and interactive toy, will encourage kids to move with it as it hops and bounces around.

Made from different fabrics for babies to explore as they improve their sensory development, the Kangaroo also features sing-along songs, a little Joey in its pouch and a kissing button to encourage nurturing play.

A further new addition to the autumn/ winter range is ZoomiZooz, a group of animal friends who wobble, bounce, roll and zoom around. Designed with little hands in mind, there are over 24 fun animal characters to collect. The new ZoomiZooz Tree House play set is the perfect environment for the ZoomiZooz; it features a sliding track, a rolling rope bridge with trampoline, and interactive motion zones which prompt the animals to introduce themselves with fun phrases and sound effects.

As well as this, VTech is launching the Toot-Toot Drivers Train Set. Little ones can combine the varied track pieces, including four flexible track sections and supports for two-tier play. The motorised train and its wagon chug along the tracks, stop at loading points and pass through the swinging track bridge. The train and other Toot-Toot Drivers vehicles respond to the four SmartPoint locations, each of which triggers phrases, sounds and melodies.

There will be a full media campaign for the new ZoomiZooz and Toot-Toot Drivers Train Set starting in July, spanning TV and social media platforms for maximum reach.

Little Tikes 0845 0533 333 | www.mgae.com The Fantastic Firsts range from Little Tikes gives infants the confidence and encouragement to take all-important learning and development leaps. New for autumn, the 3-in-1 Switcharoo Table has three different play modes, switching from a school to a zoo with one surprise twist. Modes include sit and play, take-along activity toy, and stand and explore. With over 75 songs, sounds and phrases, kids will be encouraged to learn about colours and music through hands on activities that keep early standers engaged.

With over 200 songs, sounds and phrases, My Buddy encourages children to engage as they explore, discover and learn. Ideal for onward development, this toy grows with a child from six months to three years, and is available in pink and blue.

The Fantastic Firsts 3-in-1 Activity Walker encourages first steps with light projections on the floor that inspire little ones to move forward and find their feet. This multifunctional product is perfect for keeping even the most curious infants entertained, with activities and fun things to do for standing and walking play. The walker is available in pink or orange.

Iconic to the brand, the Rocking Horse introduces kids to back and forth fun rocking motion. Available in blue or pink, it is an ideal addition to any child’s bedroom or playroom.

Little Tikes is celebrating its 50th anniversary in the toy industry this year and will be highlighting its existing iconic ranges in addition to new product launches across all ranges, including the pre-school sector.

Hape/Marbel 08456 000 286 | www.marbel.co.uk Marbel, a distributor of numerous international toy brands to the UK and Irish markets, presents its Hape and Kathe Kruse infant toys and accessories.

Delivering both quality and functionality, the Kathe Kruse Baby Collection continues to perform well at retail. Alongside classics such as Henry the superhero dog, and Carlo the little monkey, the range welcomes some new faces for 2019 in the distinctive Kathe Kruse design. Kids will enjoy meeting Rosi, the fluffy and soft little piggy, and Tini, the gentle and loving unicorn. Each new character is available in a variety of different toys such as the Piglet Rosi Beanbag, a tactile and appealing toy filled with small granules. Made from a soft pink cotton with green check print, Rosi’s face is hand embroidered. The Unicorn Tini Towel Doll is made of a plush cotton and features a mane of pink tulle plus a two-layered skirt. The Piglet Rosi Mini Mobile, with its Velcro fastening, can be easily attached to any bracket and features a ring with an apple, a bell and a piglet to keep babies engaged and content.

Recognised as one of the largest producers of sustainably made toys, Hape’s own-brand Infant Toy range comprises multiple materials and textures in order to encourage sensory development. Hape reflects the best of nature, using whimsical garden motifs of bees, ladybugs and sunflowers in its bright and cheerful designs. The Play Arch, Pram Chain, Rattle and Pacifier Clip mark the latest additions to this popular range.

Toy World 36

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Halilit 01254 872 454 | www.halilit.co.uk From its nursery gifting brand, Taf Toys, Halilit introduces the Koala Collection.

Featuring the adorable new characters Kimmy the Koala, her baby Joey and Scotty the Snail, the collection includes everything from rattles and plush toys to developmental toys and baby gyms.

A hero product within the collection is the Koala Tummy Time Book, an eyecatchingly illustrated, freestanding tummy time book which is double-sided for different developmental stages. With high and low contrast images, crinkling parts, multi-sensory textures, baby safe mirrors and an added baby Joey teether in a little pocket, it’s an ideal companion for babies learning to support themselves.

Additionally, the new Hunny Bunny Stacker features a cute bunny pal and four colourful stacking rings, complete with handles and swirling colourful beads. A flat base ensures that babies can’t topple it easily.

Sensory specialist Edushape introduces some new baby toys to its rebranded range. The new products see a major focus on developmental value, sensory and STEM qualities. For example, the Tub Sub features a push & pull mechanism to sink or float the submarine during bath time play. The brand also introduces Geostackers.

These colourful and flexible geometric shapes, each with either a circular or square base, can be sorted and fitted into the correctly shaped corresponding tube on the frame provided. The Geostackers also help to develop colour recognition, counting, sorting and more.

Finally, the ever-popular Halilit musical instrument range continue to go from strength to strength. The introduction of gift sets such as My First Baby Band, as well as fresh designs on old favourites for 2019, ensures that the brand will remain front of mind with parents and guardians.

Orange Tree Toys 01242 244 500 | www.orangetreetoys.com Orange Tree Toys Push-Alongs are an ideal first toy for kids aged 12 months and up. Brightly painted and with numerous characters to choose from, the company’s range is perfect for encouraging first steps.

Education and development are key focuses for many of Orange Tree Toys’ products, and this is reflected in its range of musical instruments. Offering brightly coloured instruments suitable for young music makers, the range includes items such as xylophones to help with colour recognition and coordination.

Puzzles are a core category for Orange Tree. Perfect for encouraging counting and learning the ABC, several new puzzles join the company’s Animal Fairies, Animal Pirates and Dinosaurs ranges for 2019.

Orange Tree Toys also holds a portfolio of strong licences, which is expanding year on year. Recently the company signed a deal to produce licensed offerings for Moon and Me, a new bedtime programme on CBeebies. From the creator of Teletubbies and In the Night Garden, the show is already proving to be very popular with kids and adults alike. Orange Tree Toys is set to release a selection of new toys for this licence later in the year, including skittles, puzzles and more. It will also be expanding on its Disneylicensed line-up; Dumbo, The Lion King and Toy Story will join Winnie the Pooh.

All of Orange Tree Toys products are decorated using non-toxic paint, while the eye-catching packaging allows consumers to see the product inside.

Rainbow Designs 01329 227300 | www.rainbowdesigns.co.uk A new arrival to the Rainbow family this summer is the new Disney Baby Toy Story collection of infant developmental toys. The range includes soft toys and activity toys based on some of Toy Story’s most famous characters; Sheriff Woody Pride, Jessie the cowgirl and space ranger Buzz Lightyear.

Also available this summer will be the new That’s Not My… collection of nursery toys. Based on Usborne’s popular series of touchy-feely board books, the new collection features best-selling characters including the Kitten, the Puppy, the Bunny and the Monkey. The collection includes soft toys as well as developmental attachable blankies.

Ahead of the 40th Anniversary of the classic children’s storybooks starring adventurous dog Spot in 2020, the new Spot collection of infant toys will be available this autumn. The range includes plush developmental toys, on-the-go toys and activity toys.

Celebrations are already well underway for the 50th Birthday of Eric Carle’s The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Rainbow’s new Tiny and Very Hungry Caterpillar Collection features a selection of plush products crafted specifically for the newborn to 18 months age range. The range includes a wooden and plush Ring Rattle, a colourful apple-shaped Comfort Blanket and a textured Jiggle Attachable Toy. Also new are plush Booties presented in a gift box, a developmental Activity Spiral and a funpacked Activity Toy for sensory play.

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Infant Toys

DKL Marketing 01604 678 780 | www.dkl.co.uk Plus-Plus Big, designed for kids aged 12 months and up, offers retailers a great range of construction products for the younger builder. Plus-Plus Big is available in both standard and pastel coloured tubes; a strong pick-up line, the striking packaging on these tubes will catch customers’ attention. New to the range are the box sets, containing 50 large Plus-Plus pieces. Easy to follow instructions are included for inspiration, or kids can make their own creations using their imagination.

The Escabbo range offers a selection of colourful bath toys including the Bath Tidy with Squirters. This convenient storage bag is made from a fast-drying fabric and comes with three cheerful bath squirters made from soft plastic, so they’re easier for little hands to use. The best-selling Soft Cubes range lets children enjoy colourful numbered cubes made from soft material as they have their bath.

DKL supports all its ranges with a full marketing campaign, including everything from bespoke planograms to extensive social media and PR activity.

Chicco 020 8953 6627 | www.chicco.co.uk Chicco First Dreams Baby Bear is designed to comfort and reassure babies as they drift off to sleep. It features a soft tummy with a projector to serve as a soothing night light, and can play a goodnight message that can be activated with the touch of a button. There is also the option to play soothing melodies or a light show as babies fall asleep, all of which can be controlled by parents to suit individual needs. First Dreams Baby Bear is available in light blue, light pink and neutral beige.

Complete with lights and 30 minutes of soothing nature sounds and white noise, Chicco’s First Dreams Lullaby Sheep is an ideal toy to accompany a baby to sleep. The voice recorder function lets parents record their voice, while a special sound sensor will automatically activate the recording when certain sounds, such as a baby crying, are detected. First Dreams Lullaby Sheep is machine washable and available in both pink and blue.

Skip Hop 07920 798401 | www.skiphop.com Babies can experience a world of bright colours and vibrant sounds with Skip Hop’s new Tropical Paradise Collection, which includes the Tropical Paradise Activity Gym and Soother. The appealing tropical artwork, mesh canopy, friendly rainforest animals and ‘peek-a-boo’ crinkly leaf, plus a choice of two engaging sounds, give this activity gym 2-in-1 versatility. The detachable plush sloth soother attaches easily to carriers, prams, pushchairs and more, and parents can then stimulate their child’s senses further with the Tropical Paradise Toucan Maraca. Just the right size for little hands, this lively rattle will help strengthen a baby’s sensory and gross motor skills.

The Tropical Paradise Leopard Jitter toy is an ideal accessory for use when babies play on their activity gym, or can be clipped to the pushchair when out and about.

Featuring vibrant colours and textures, the leopard on this leaf-shaped teether will vibrate when pulled to help encourage cause-and-effect play.

A long-awaited addition to Skip Hop’s popular Zoo Collection is the new Plush Zoo Range. These super soft, 8” plush toys are available in six signature zoo characters, including Dog, Butterfly, Dino, Fox, Monkey and Unicorn.

A new line extension for Skip Hop’s Bandana Buddies is the Bandana Buddies Chime & Teethe Toy. Available in an array of colourful characters, this toy features multiple fabrics and a chime sound to help sooth babies. The hanging textured teether will keep little one busy, while a chunky ring allows it to be securely clipped to a stroller when out and about.

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Infant Toys

Juratoys 020 8878 2133 | www.janod.com

Casdon 01253 608 428 | www.casdon.com

Janod is proud to collaborate with Sophie La Girafe, one of the UK’s most recognisable toy brands, as wooden toy licensee.

A new collection of infant wooden toys was launched at London Toy Fair 2019. The feedback and initial response from customers has been very positive, and has translated into strong commitment from buyers.

The collection of nine wooden products is designed with a slight French accent, while the simple yet classic packaging designs are a perfect combination of the Janod and Sophie brands.

The Sophie collection is educational and fun for babies and infants. From puzzles to pull-alongs and building blocks, plus an iconic Eiffel Tower bead maze, the range is ideal for any nursery. Highlights include the Sophie La Girafe Bead Maze, which lets children slide beads along a colourful wire, sort three different shapes and play with the recognisable giraffe character.

Kids can also take a ride with the Sophie La Girafe Car. Sophie's head and the headlights of the car are on springs which give the product a fun and wobbly effect. Finally, the Sophie La Girafe Pull Along features a bell which tinkles when kids pull on the string, and comes in an open box for on-shelf presence.

Casdon’s infant-focused Little Ones range has been developed to appeal to a baby’s love of vibrant colours and shapes.

The Post Box is ideal for little ones aged 12 months+.

This bright product is a classic development toy that encourages recognition of colours and shapes. The Post Box also reflects Casdon’s ‘true to life’ philosophy, with its realistic design and recognisable features.

Also available from the Little Ones range is the Casdon Pan Pile Up. The six variously coloured pans can be stacked either on top of or inside one another, providing infants with a fun problem to solve. This toy also helps kids improve their critical thinking and fine motor skills.

Tobar 01603 397105 | www.tobar.co.uk Tobar’s Wooden Stack and Sounds Train plays one of three sounds when kids press down on the funnel, while the carriages of the train double up as shape sorters and stackers. The train acts as a push-along toy too, helping to teach infants about coordination and colour whilst remaining fun to play with. Try Me packaging will prove irresistible to customers at retail. For a more traditional option, the beautifully finished and packaged wooden Lion Stacker has stacking rings topped with a cute lion’s head.

The brightly coloured pull-along wooden Tractor comes complete with a wooden horse, cow and pig. These chunky toys are ideal for little fingers. Also available are a pullalong Unicorn and pull-along Dragon; both combine current trends with classic themes.

The Dragon is finished in bright colours, while the Unicorn comes in pastel.

Seven Sensory Balls, each with a different feel and texture, offer an ideal way to aid learning and development through play. These soft and chunky balls teach shape, texture and colour.

Mattel 01628 500 000 | www.mattel.com This year sees the introduction of Fisher-Price Linkimals, an interactive range of toys with fun features to keep little ones engaged. Linkamals contain innovative technology which allows the five products to work together, helping babies to learn better with sounds, songs and phrases that teach numbers and colours, while also enhancing motor skills. The Smooth Moves Sloth, Musical Moose, Lights and Colours Llama, A to Z Otter and Happy Shapes Hedgehog are packed full of features which promote development and create an immersive learning experience when joined together.

New to the Infant Laugh & Learn range, the Light-up Learning Vacuum and On-the-Glow Coffee Cup stimulate learning and role-play fun. The Count & Rumble Piggy Bank introduces cause and effect, as little ones are rewarded with lights and sounds when they drop in a coin. The Bounce & Spin Puppy and Bounce & Spin Unicorn help strengthen babies’ balance and coordination skills as they bounce along to songs and phrases. Finally, the Crawl Along Musical Unicorn and Push & Flutter Unicorn help give babies confidence as they learn to crawl and walk.

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Infant Toys

Infantino 07557 640 097 | www.infantino.com Launching this summer, Infantino has unveiled the latest addition to its popular Grow With Me toy collection, the 4-in-1 Grow With Me Playland. This action-packed activity centre has been thoughtfully designed to provide engaging play opportunities for kids from nine months of age. The toy encourages gross motor development and milestone achievement such as independent sitting and standing.

This multi-function activity centre is highly interactive and comes with a wide variety of features. Six different games engage young minds as they watch the balls roll, pop or bounce to music and bright lights. Kids can also press the hippo’s levers or drop the balls into the hippo’s mouth to watch them jump and bounce around the light-up ‘plinko’ board. Little ones can also bowl the coconut into the monkeys to be rewarded with sounds, colours and an early introduction to numbers. A great way to develop hand-eye coordination and an understanding of action-reaction, Grow With Me Playland folds easily for compact storage.

Other toys in the Grow With Me collection include the Senso 3-in-1 Sit, Walk & Ride, available in both Elephant and Unicorn designs. When sitting up, babies can explore the activities, enjoy sounds and lights and play with colourful balls. Pop 'n scoop ball play encourages first steps in walker mode, while ride-on mode encourages toddlers to collect the balls by moving around. The balls can be stored under the seat when playtime is over.

The bestselling Grow With Me Playtime Tepee features four hanging toys and a large-mirrored mobile, to engage newborns and infants with overhead discovery plus ‘lay & play’ fun. As babies begin to crawl, parents can close one side of the gym to create a crawl tunnel. For toddlers, unfolding the gym's sides creates a fun teepee.

Infantino’s toy collection also includes the multi award winning Sensory range. Each toy in this collection has been expertly developed to educate, excite and entice babies and toddlers. These innovative toys stimulate kids’ senses to nurture early exploration of the world around them. With products suitable from newborn to 12 months, and prices starting from pocket money, Sensory offers an attractive retail proposition. Each toy in the collection features loveable characters, high quality materials, textures, sounds, lights and bright colours. Best-sellers include Leon the Chameleon Light and Shape Sorter, the Sensory Discovery Robot and the 3-in-1 Walk and Drive Discovery Car.

Quercetti 07789 316 417 | www.quercettistore.com Best known for its STEAM focused toys, Quercetti offers two core ranges; Fantacolor and Migoga that start with products for children as young as 18 months.

Fantacolor, the original peg picture toy, includes in its range Pixel Baby lines, which provide the ideal way for children to learn colour matching.

Migoga marble runs are represented by the Migoga Junior range. Ideal for the very young due to the sturdy nature of the pieces, the range enables children to enjoy their very first marble run experience.

The company’s range also includes classics such as the evergreen favourite push-along toy Quack & Flap, which retails at an attractive sub-£10 price point.

Quercetti can supply UK retailers direct from the factory in Turin, with prices in sterling and a MOQ of just £350 to enable ease of ordering and shipping. For further information contact Wendy Wood on wwassociates1@outlook.com.

Posh Paws 01268 567317 | www.poshpawsinternational.co.uk From the world of Moshi Twilight, the Sleep Stories app, Posh Paws’ new collection focuses on four Sleepies, each of which will be available in three size variations.

Plush characters include Yawnsy the Sleepwalking Otter, Nodkins the Bedtime Bunny, Professor Feathersnooze the Owl of Nod, and Sleepy Paws the Snoozy Koala. Each soft bedtime buddy features self-soothing textural features and is ideal for snuggling up to as kids drift off while listening to tales from the app.

2019 will also see the Posh Paws team bring a plethora of popular Disney properties to life in plush form. Aladdin, Dumbo, The Lion King, Toy Story 4 and Frozen II are all among the new collections. With these five properties hitting the big screen this year, the ranges are ideally timed for even the youngest of fans to collect.

The extensive Posh Paws Winnie the Pooh offering has something for kids of all ages. The Christopher Robin official movie plush line includes Pooh, Eeyore, Piglet and Tigger in a range of sizes, each styled as per the characters on the big screen. The My Teddy Bear Pooh collection includes Pooh in his classic red jumper, along with Eeyore, Piglet and Tigger. Available in 7”, 10” and L sizes, the range is a great way to introduce the little ones to ‘The most Famous Bear in the World’.

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That s not my...

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Infant Toys

Jumbo 01707 289 289 | www.jumbo.eu

Tomy 01271 336 155 | www.tomy.com Tomy is introducing a number of innovative new products within its core brand ranges to expand its high-quality portfolio.

With over 20 years of experience in infant development, the Lamaze brand offers an extensive collection of activity and on-the-go toys that are designed to support every stage of baby’s development. This year, the Lamaze range is expanding to include lower price point Littles and Mini Clip & Gos, plus three new Clip & Go characters – Flannery Fox, Salty Sam and Barnyard Bob. Lamaze has also partnered with Disney to deliver a fun range of Clip & Gos featuring favourite Toy Story characters. Also available will be a twin-pack Water-filled Teether, a Fill and Spill Fruit Basket and Freddie’s Activity Bus. Spring/summer 2019, saw Toomies bring Sora the Chick front and centre, inspired by the best-selling classic line of Hide & Squeak Eggs. The brand has refreshed the popular Pic & Pop to give it a new egg theme, and introduced Beat It. This musical activity toy makes music or funny sounds when toddlers tap Sora’s shell, and the Chick rocks and wobbles to their tune.

New releases for autumn/winter will focus on additional core characters with hero product Tickle Time Turtle, a multi-feature floor toy with a unique tickle sensor. When kids swipe across Yuri the Turtle’s tummy, he will react with giggles, songs and funny sounds. The more they swipe, the more he laughs and sings.

A.B.Gee of Ripley 01773 570444 | www.abgee.co.uk A.B.Gee offers an extensive range of infant & pre-school toys, from classic brands like Fisher Price, Playskool and Tomy to the uniquely designed Chuckles range.

This in-house developed IPS brand is a range of classically designed, timeless educational toys that offer superb value for money at attractive price points, providing retailers with great margins. Each item is packed with fun functions, construction/puzzle elements and areas created to aid sensory engagement and development.

Exclusively distributed by A.BGee, the Tooky Toy range offers over 250 lines of beautifully crafted, high end quality wooden toys.

The bright and colourful baby walker has many built in functions, including a wire bead maze, shape sorter, recognition blocks, gears, mirror, abacus, xylophone and car peg slider. Features are designed to inspire little ones and assist with their first steps, whilst encouraging imagination, creativity, social and motor skills.

As a leading U.K. distribution expert, A.B.Gee can offer over 8000 SKUs from big brands perfectly selected to complement the company’s own portfolio of infant & pre-school toys, plus many more besides.

Jumbo’s Goula Pull-Along Caterpillar moves rhythmically and clicks when pulled, aiding development of sensory perception and handeye co-ordination. The bright and interactive Pull-Along Duck moves forward with a gentle pull on its string, turning the inner-drum to reveal colours and movement that pre-schoolers will love.

Developed to encourage spatial awareness, dexterity and problem solving, the Geometric Farm shape-sorter offers scope for discussion between parent and child.

The product encourages conversations as part of the play pattern, centred on the different shapes, colours and pictures on the building. The shape sorter also develops numeracy and organisational skills.

Adding an extra dimension to the Goula range, the 3-in-1 Musical Toy allows children to experiment with and learn new sounds. A range of instruments including a xylophone and cymbal are also available. Ideal for interactive play, the Goula Fishing Game delivers a variety of different gameplay formats featuring various shapes, patterns and colours. The game is decorated with a host of aquatic creatures, such as fish and dolphins.

Clementoni 020 3206 1397 | www.clementoni.com New for 2019 is the Baby Clementoni Llama, an adorable plush pal for babies from six months of age. This lovable creature will entertain little ones with a host of sound and light effects, and helps development by teaching letters, numbers and colours. This charming discovery toy helps further babies’ development in an easy and engaging way.

Joining the Llama in the range is the Baby Clementoni Interactive Rabbit.

The cute and soft bunny doubles as an activity centre to help babies from 10 months learn letters, numbers and more. The rabbit will react if the child brings the carrot near, by pretending to ‘eat’ and making appealing sound effects.

The Interactive Hippo is suitable for kids aged nine months and above. The hippo dances, sings and claps his hands, and is packed with interactive features for hours of fun as babies learn their first numbers, colours and animals.

Also in the line-up is Turbo Track, the first interactive talking race track designed for babies. Two cars are included, and with features such as lap counts, pit stops and the ability to overtake by going under the bridge, little ones from 10 months and over can enjoy car racing fun.

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Company Profile

Usborne

More than a feeling Usborne’s best-selling range of touchy-feely board books, That’s not my…, celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. Toy World spoke to Katarina Jovanovic, publicity manager at Usborne, about how the brand is marking its milestone achievement, what the books offer toy retailers and which new titles we can look forward to seeing this year.

That’s not my… celebrates 20 years this year. What’s behind this longevity?

The success of That’s not my… is down to the engaging tactile and sensory experience, and the simple repetition and comfortable rhythm of the words.

Fiona Watt, author and editor behind the bestselling series, uses her expertise to create a different sensory experience on each page, which captivates babies who are learning about the world around them through touch.

The bright colours, rounded edges and carefully selected textures all encourage sensory play, which, as every parent knows, is a crucial part of a child’s development.

my… is also a hit with adults as well as children, and its multiple awards and other recognition has kept the brand at the top of the pre-school charts for the past 20 years.

How will Usborne be marking the brand’s 20th anniversary?

The activity has already started with the publication of the 20th anniversary edition of Puppy in January, and through the year there will be retail promotions with POS available. The hero title for the year is Flamingo, which is published this month, so retail activity will increase over the summer period.

We are partnering with the National Literacy Trust hub in Nottingham, using the That’s not my… brand to support programmes targeting young families in areas with low levels of literacy. Other commercial partners include Creation Station and Rhythm Time, two organisations that work with parents and babies to introduce a love of arts, crafts and music from a young age. You’ll see That’s not my… sensory and storytelling events at major literary and family festivals throughout the year, as well as at baby raves with Big Fish, Little Fish, and storytelling events at ITV’s lifestyle show This Morning Live.

What new titles and associated products can we expect this year?

New titles this year include Zebra, Koala, Flamingo and Bat (for Halloween), as well as beautiful new foiled editions of Puppy, Mermaid, Lion and Polar Bear. We’ll be growing the world of That’s not my…

It’s also a hugely accessible series, available everywhere from independent bookshops to supermarkets. Usborne always puts the child’s interests first, including what attracts them and keep them engaged, and this has led to huge success; the series has been shared with little ones millions of times over throughout the last two decades. They really are musthave first books for any baby. That’s not

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with more baby apparel and toddler clothing in major supermarkets and an exciting range of jigsaws and memory games through Ravensburger. You’ll find plush toys and comforters from Rainbow Designs and bold and bright children’s bedding from Dreamtex.

How does Usborne support That’s Not My… at retail?

We understand how important it is to invest in retail space and eye-catching POS to support the series in every way possible and have successful promotions in the supermarkets with the book and clothing being displayed in joint promotions. We would like to repeat this activity with the plush toys and jigsaws, as these product lines are launched.

What opportunities do children’s books present toy retailers?

Children’s books provide a great opportunity to toy retailers, both as a complementary purchase alongside toys for families keen to get a book into their child’s hands and as an interactive toy in its own right. Usborne’s range of titles is perfect for this, with multiple lift-the-flaps, touch and feel, puzzles, sticker and activity books. If there is playability in the book, it complements the toy market wonderfully, which makes That’s not my… the ultimate interactive toy.

What do you think the next 10 years holds for That’s Not My…?

With over 20m copies sold worldwide and one copy selling every minute in the UK, we expect the brand to go from strength to strength in the future. We’ll be publishing exciting new titles with more on-trend characters and refreshing our current titles and old favourites with fresh new looks. You’ll see an increase in our licensing activity to include other appropriate product ranges, creating a whole world around That’s not my…, as well as increasing the scope of the series internationally. We feel that every toy shop in the country should be stocking That’s not my… books.

Bridging magnetic construction and loose parts, naturally.

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

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

www.guidecraft.com

Feature

Arts & Craft

Making things up A staple of wet summer holidays and cold winter months alike, arts & crafts activities provide entertainment and education in equal measure. Rachael Simpson-Jones finds out how the category is developing for 2019.

T

he tactile and sensory compound trend of 2018 has made its way firmly into the arts & crafts category for this year, with make-your-own slime kits, slime accessory makers, kinetic sands and squeeze ball creators carving out space for themselves alongside more traditional pursuits such as drawing or painting. Compounds such as slime have offered a firm foothold in the creative marketplace for those companies capitalising on the trend, with Canal Toys’ So Slime DIY range helping the company to become the fastest growing arts &

crafts manufacturer in the UK, according to the NPD Group.

“We are delighted with the latest NPD data,” says Paul Clark, head of UK at Canal Toys. “To achieve these results in our first year of trading in the UK is phenomenal; two of our brands are now in the top 10 growth charts for arts & crafts. So Slime DIY is currently No. 1 and So Bomb DIY is No. 7. We were the first brand to offer parents a simple but fun slime solution; just add water, no mess, no failure, and totally safe. Our range, which includes the So Slime DIY factory and So Slime DIY vanity case, plus our

Toy World 50

pocket money/impulse buy single pots, has proved a huge hit.”

On the back of its success with So Slime DIY, the company’s new scented Slimelicious range is launching in July. This extension of the existing So Slime DIY range offers children a range of appealing scents to add to their slime alongside bespoke containers.

“The Slime trend is evolving very rapidly, driven by social media,” explains Paul. “Canal Toys has reacted to this very quickly. Alongside our existing best-selling range, Slimelicious will satisfy the

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demand for something fresh and innovative. Our enthusiastic team travels far and wide looking for inspiration. Its ability to spot trends, and to design and bring products to market quickly, has helped us establish strong relationships with our channel partners in the UK. We constantly strive to design something fun, on trend and great value for money.

Every range is affordable, whether consumers are looking to spend their pocket money or wanting to treat someone to a larger present. Canal Toys prides itself on the bright packaging that makes every product attractive in retail, and we provide strong margins to offer partners the financial support they deserve. Our continued investment in marketing our brands helps to drive footfall and online traffic so that we continue to grow in this exciting market. In short, our team is passionate, determined and full of energy – we believe this translates into the product our consumers know and love.”

Arts & crafts also provide the perfect opportunity for stealth learning. Tomy is introducing three new items to its Aquadoodle portfolio; the new Pro range, focused on children aged three years and above, includes How to Doodle, My ABC Doodle and Shape & Create, which help children to learn letters, shapes, numbers and simple drawing techniques in a messfree way. The doodles dry up and fade, so the range is ideal for use both at home or on the go.

“The arts & crafts category as a whole is so

varied, and is a great way for children to not only get creative, but to progress on their developmental journey,” says Claire Ridley, marketing manager at Tomy. “Our core business is the 18-month range. The best-selling Super Rainbow Deluxe, Classic Mat and Peppa Pig range encourages children to lie on floor and get creative. However, our new Pro range for children over three years is focused more on learning and play, moving from the floor to the table so kids can learn together with their parents and friends.”

Togetherness is also a core consideration at John Adams, which has been creating art & craft ranges for over 50 years. “We tend to focus on evergreen products that stand the test of time and create a real connection with families for years to come,” explains Lynette Norris, marketing manager. “A growing social trend is the idea of digital detoxes and family time. Our products are a great way for parents and children to create something special together.”

For 2019 the company is introducing several new lines to its portfolio, including ColourMazing. This innovative take on traditional colouring lets young artists gently squeeze the ColourMazing pens to spread the coloured inks. The ink stops at the lines, helping kids to create perfect pictures every time. I had a go with this product at the London Toy Fair, and - as a deeply unartistic individual - I can safely say that ColourMazing is not only very satisfying, but also very easy to do. Had it been around in my youth, my parent’s fridge would surely have looked much more impressive.

Craft Buddy’s Crystal Art range also allows kids to create impressive works of art which can be displayed and gifted to friends or family. Each design has a numbered, adhesive template; using the ‘magic pencil’ included, crafters simply lift the coloured resin gems and place them on the corresponding numbered dots.

Gary Wadhwani, co-founder, Craft Buddy Ltd, explains: “Our Crystal Art range offers a huge assortment of designs to cater for all tastes and comes in a variety of sizes and products, including stickers, cards, frames, canvasses, clocks, and even LED canvasses with

Toy World 52

integrated lights, to bring an amazing glow to homes.

We attend a wide range of craft events throughout the year, and work with brand ambassadors on a range of projects, so we have a great insight into what consumers are looking for when it comes to designs and creations.”

Craft Buddy also holds trade open days at its Buckinghamshire HQ, where attendees can get hands-on with the products. This means that retailers can then use their knowledge of the product and its USPs in-store, to help inform customers.

Upcoming open days currently in the pipeline are scheduled for Friday 28th June, Saturday 29th June and Monday 1st July; to book a place, contact sales@ craftbuddyltd.co.uk.

At Whirligig Toys, which dedicates around 60% of its available space to arts & crafts lines, getting hands-on with products is key to presenting ranges to their fullest potential. Owner Peter Allinson comments: “Arts & crafts products work for all ages and have been a key focus for Whirligig since we first opened. In our shops, we make a real feature of arts & crafts by making up the kits ourselves. We love having a go, and it shows the customers that the end product is really worth having. Making up the kits ourselves also means that we can really understand them and pitch the kits at the right age group.”

Peter continues: “Art & craft products make a perfect present as everyone likes having a go, particularly if it is a new or usual project. We focus on kits - a box with everything that you need inside to complete the project, so that nobody has to worry about not having the right colour or having to go out and buy additional materials. We love to find kits that give children a little bit of instruction and then permission to go off and do their own thing as well. As we try and cater for older children 8-12, arts & crafts are great as they can usually get started on their own and spend as much time as they want perfecting the project.”

The team at Canal Toys is keen to work with retailers, trialling its arts & crafts lines in prime locations. With the summer holidays fast approaching, it’s a good time for the arts & crafts category; children want to spend their pocket money and parents are looking for ways to keep them entertained for six weeks.

“Arts & crafts lines often deliver stronger margins for retailers,” says Paul Clark. “Also, because our ranges have an element of collectability as well as creativity, retailers working with Canal can help their customers discover new lines that will really drive repeat purchases. In addition, our higher value products make fantastic birthday presents and Christmas gifts too.”

At Tomy, the advice is to talk about the developmental benefits the arts & crafts category can bring to children, and to allow children to try out the products in-store. Claire Ridley told Toy World that where this has been trialled on Megasketcher – a brand which features in the NDP’s list of top 5 Mechanical Design products, along with Aquadoodle – there has been a direct positive impact on sales. She adds: “Megasketcher, apart from its heritage, is like no other product in the market in terms of the quality of drawing users can achieve.

Most of our key retailers dedicate a sizeable area in their stores to the arts & crafts category which is great for Tomy, and, as proven with Megasketcher, the try-before-you-buy approach really works.”

Over the next pages, Toy World takes a look at what creative kids can get their hands on in the coming months.

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Arts & Craft

Bandai

Hasbro 0208 569 1234 | www.hasbro.co.uk

020 8324 6160 www.bandai.co.uk New from Bandai for 2019 is Foodie Surprise, the DIY sweet making kit. With various food carts to collect, from Ice Cream to Pizza Trucks, Foodie Surprise allows children to create real food that they can eat and share with friends.

Each food cart becomes a mould for the creation of themed sweets, while each kit includes collectible characters for added play value. All the ingredients are sugar free. Takeout boxes are available as additional sweet-making packs, which can be used alone or in conjunction with existing carts. This innovative product range will benefit from a heavyweight marketing campaign including TV, digital and events.

The Pretty Pixels Eraser Maker allows children to make their own erasers using pixelated templates and microwave heat. With erasers remaining a collectible favourite, Pretty Pixels provides endless create-and-collect opportunities. Available in Deluxe, Starter, Mini and Refill Packs, the range features different themes from animals to fairies across all things cute and cool. Moulds and design sheets will keep kids occupied for hours as they create erasers of varying sizes.

Sticker Fun offers an easy and fun way to sticker; a special adhesive lets users stick, remove, and re-peel the high-quality stickers. Each pack comes complete with a stamper and two sticker tubes, in themes including Animals, Smileys and Princess.

Hasbro’s new Play-Doh Stamp ‘n’ Top Pizza Oven requires no batteries or electronics, just imagination.

Kids can stamp a pizza crust in the oven, before creating and customising it any way they like. The cheese crank shreds Play- Doh compound into grated cheese, and the oven play set has moulds all around it for the creation of pretend pepperoni, veggies and other toppings. When the pizza is ready, pre-schoolers can display it with the pizza paddle or on the pizza stand, then slice it up with the cutter, ready to dish out. This set is ideal for kids who love to get creative with squishy materials and comes with five standard-size two-ounce Play-Doh cans.

It also comes with three creation cards that show how to make a variety of play food pizza creations step-by-step.

The Play-Doh Popcorn Party Play Food set toy comes with everything kids need to make creative Play-Doh popcorn masterpieces. Using the machine, users can crank pretend popcorn into the three buckets, which come in small, medium and large. Next, they can mix it up with snack mixes and add pretend food toppings such as pretzels and candy with the included stamps and moulds. Kids can also squeeze in syrup or butter with the syrup tool. The set features two creation cards that provide step-by-step instructions for four different makes.

This summer, pre-schoolers can meet Tootie, the unicorn ice cream sundae maker. As the unicorn dispenses Play-Doh colours from her bottom, she makes amusing sounds and changes her facial expression. The four ounce can of Play-Doh Colour Swirl compound features two colours in one can, allowing for colourful ice cream creations.

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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. Ideal for creativity anywhere, the fold-up, double-sided easel has a whiteboard and chalkboard side. Coming 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 for spring. Containing 20 assorted Paint Sticks in a selection of classic, day glow and metallic colours, plus a convenient carry handle, it’s ideal for school projects and travelling and is easy to store.

Trends UK is also introducing a new Face Paint Sticks range from Little Brian. Mess free, simply twist them up and they are ready to use. Long-lasting, safe and easy, they don’t smudge and wash off easily with soap and water making them ideal for on-the-go face decorating and school dress-up days. A 6-pack and a 12-pack are available.

3Doodler is the world’s leading maker of 3D printing pens. Compact and easy to use, the 3Doodler extrudes heated plastic that cools almost instantly into a solid, stable structure, enabling anyone to start creating in 3D within minutes and inspiring creativity alongside design, planning, building and spatial understanding. The 3Doodler Start Essential Pen Set is a fun and educational gift that both parents and kids will love. The printing pen and its creations are not hot to touch and use biodegradable Eco-Plastic, making it completely safe for kids to use.

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Arts & Craft

Character Options 01616 339 800 | www.character-online.com Combining arts, crafts and fashion is Character Options’ new Blinger, an innovative and easy-to-use tool which lets kids add sparkle and shine to their hair, clothes, accessories, stationery and more. The entry point is the Blinger Diamond Collection, which includes the Blinger tool and 75 stick-on diamanté gems. Once applied, the gems will stay on all day. Perfect for creating a funky look on any accessory, all kids must do is load, click and bling.

Refill sets of 75 gems add to the sales opportunities by driving repeat purchases. Each has five discs of gems that can be loaded into the Blinger, with clear, pastel and bright colourways to choose from.

Character Options also introduces the Oonies Squeeze Ball Creator. The latest development for the popular Oonies brand, the Squeeze Ball Creator allows children to create their very own fillable squeezy balls. Simply slip the deflated ball into the device and fill with liquid, before adding the glitter or gem accessories provided, to make a different squeeze ball every time.

Blinger and Oonies Squeeze Ball Creator will be available from July, and will be launched with TV, print and global influencer activity.

Epoch making toys 08435 574 062 | www.aquabeadsart.com Epoch making toys is launching a new range of 3D Aquabeads sets for autumn/ winter 2019. The sets are aimed at children aged between 4-10 years of age, and are perfect for keeping crafty and creative kids occupied during the colder months.

The new 3D range takes Aquabeading to a new level with plenty of extended play opportunities.

The 3D Crystal Carriage Set, which includes a moveable carriage base, harness and horse, is the hero product within the range. Once kids have decorated the carriage with the Aquabeads, they can then set off on imaginative role-play adventures. Bonus templates are included with a choice of designs, including a regal colourway plus Easter, Christmas and Halloween seasonal templates. The newly redesigned flip tray now offers a quicker drying time, so kids can start making their next creation straight away.

Aquabeads fans will also love the 3D Merry-Go-Round. The carousel base and horses can be decorated in a variety of colours and themes thanks to the bonus templates, which include Halloween and Christmas designs. The carousel even spins, making it ideal for combining with other Aquabeads projects.

Finally, the 3D Picture Frame Set gives children the chance to make a memorable keepsake. The picture frame can be decorated with a variety of creations, based on the included templates, and will complement any photo.

Craft Buddy 020 3417 6565 | www.craftbuddyltd.co.uk Craft Buddy’s innovative Crystal Art kits are a hit with children and adults alike, and help introduce new consumers to the therapeutic benefits of crafting. Crafts such as Crystal Art reduce stress levels, increase energy and help develop fine motor skills.

Suitable for everyone aged eight and over, Crystal Art combines a painting by numbers concept with the added sparkle of crystals. Crafters use the included pencil to lift the coloured crystals and place them into the corresponding dot on the adhesive card. The on-trend themes, including unicorns, cute animals, scenery and wildlife, produce Insta-worthy, Pinterest-ready creations, perfect for home décor or gifting.

Craft Buddy will be expanding its Crystal Art offering in July with two new licences. Fantasy artist Anne Stokes, who has a huge fanbase for her striking and lifelike designs, has over 340,000 Facebook followers. Her work encompasses a wide range of themes, from romantic enchanted forests to the gothic underworld. Anne reinvents classical topics with a strong design and impact and brings new creatures to life in a unique manner.

The Animal Club International brand also translates beautifully into Crystal Art kits.

Featuring species from all over the world, from jungle creatures to farm animals and domestic pets, the brand has a global appeal across all age ranges.

Craft Buddy is inviting existing and new customers to exclusive viewings of the Crystal Art Kits, as well as other ranges in its portfolio, at upcoming open days on the 28th and 29th June and the 1st July, at the company’s Chesham headquarters. To find out more and to view the new lines, including the Christmas offering, please email sales@craftbuddyltd.co.uk.

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Arts & Craft

Flair 020 8643 0320 | www.flairplc.co.uk The No. 1 creative food brand in France, the Mini Delices range offers kids a simple way to create and decorate their own sweet treats in hundreds of tasty varieties. Budding young cooks can become mini patisserie chefs with the 4-in-1 Chocolate Workshop; a Lazy Susan turntable is the centre of the action, sitting atop a bain-marie. Kids can use the cute moulds and mini accessories to create different types of chocolate sweets and lollies, and then decorate them with their favourite treats. Wrappers and mini gift boxes add a finishing touch when serving the creations to friends and family.

Also available is the Mini Éclair Workshop, which turns everyday bread into delicious chocolate filled and topped fancies. Once shaped and decorated, the mini eclairs can be displayed on the cake-stand-style shelves or packed into cake boxes ready to give away.

The Glitterific Glitter & Vacuum Studio is the ideal way for kids to show off their sparkling style. A mess-free craft tool, Glitterific inspires creativity and imaginative play as kids customise their crafts, fashion and more. Glitter can be added to any item using a special wand thanks to the included glitter cartridges and sticker sheets. Once the design is complete, the wand can be switched to vacuum mode to suck up excess glitter.

For more information about these and other inspirational creative play brands, including Spirograph, Mr Frosty and Plasticine, please contact Flair.

Spin Master 01628 535 000 | www.spinmastertoys.co.uk The No. 1 sand brand globally, Kinetic Sand stimulates the imagination as kids mould and shape it to form incredible sand creations over and over again.

Able to flow through fingers like a slow-moving liquid while leaving them completely dry, Kinetic Sand never dries out and sticks to itself, not kids, for long lasting play with easy clean-up.

The mesmerising motion of Kinetic Sand has sparked a new social trend.

Videos of the compound being squashed, moulded, cut and squeezed have taken off, with channels such as YouTube’s Sand Tagious amassing over 1.2m subscribers and millions of views. Social media users across all platforms are also sharing their creations with #Sandisfying, adding Kinetic Sand squishing to the autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR) trend that is gaining traction.

To make the most of increasing demand, the brand is preparing to launch the Sandisfying Set this summer. The new product lets fans transform Kinetic Sand as they create mesmerising effects and engaging videos to share with friends.

The set comes with 10 different tools, 2lbs of Kinetic Sand, a transformable sand box, a phone stand and a backdrop for filming videos.

Further introductions for 2019 include the No. 1 best-selling item in the UK, the Sandbox Set, which is now available in brighter colours. Stimulating children’s creative skills by allowing them to create anything they can imagine, the set also features refreshed character moulds and a play tray. More colours have also been added to Kinetic Sand 2lb Colour Sand range, including purple, green, blue and pink.

Learning Resources 01553 819 386 | www.learningresources.co.uk Stems, the Flexible 3D Maker Toy, is the latest creative toy from Learning Resources to promote STEM learning through creative construction. Stems’ intriguingly organic-looking pieces connect along their bobbly spines to create inventive models, from jumping frogs and bouncing balls to vehicles and DNA strands. Tactile and brightly coloured, play possibilities are as unlimited as a child’s ingenuity or imagination.

Kids don't need to buy different pieces to make a Stems creation; every Stem is the same simple shape, and they are so bendy that only one shape is required for the creation of anything imaginable. Strong, lightweight and portable, Stems delivers long lasting creative play value as one bright and colourful creation follows another.

The pieces of flexible plastic will also help to develop key creative learning skills as children zip them together, including problem solving, fine motor coordination, hand-eye coordination and curiosity. Stems suits all ages and abilities, appealing to every type of learner and creating confidence through success. Furthermore, Stems is easy to use, easy to clear up and easy to store, so the product makes economic and educational sense for retailers and parents alike.

Stems is available in tubs of 20, containing five vibrant colours (four Stems in each colour) - pink, orange, yellow, green and blue. Tubs of 60, containing 12 Stems of each colour, are also available.

Stems is supported by a targeted marketing campaign including digital and social media, bloggers, YouTube advertising and in-store marketing resources.

For more details please contact Learning Resources, sales@learningresources.co.uk.

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Arts & Craft

Sequin Art 01760 721390 | www.sequinart.com Sequin Art Easy, a new range set to arrive this July, introduces a unique Sequin Art concept that doesn’t involve push-pins or glue, making it ideal for younger children. The six eye-catching designs come with everything needed to complete a Sequin Art Easy craft set; a picture board, sequins, the play pattern and a special push pen that makes picking up the sequins effortless for any aspiring Sequin Artist. These new crafts are ideal for nurturing and developing creative minds and are aimed at children from the age of four years old. The simple-to-create projects will keep children busy and entertained for hours, while helping to develop hand-eye coordination, concentration and dexterity.

The crafts manufacturer and distributor is also working in partnership with Toy Like Me, an arts- and play-based not-for-profit celebrating disability representation in toys. The collaboration will see the launch of the first Sequin Art craft project featuring a fairy in a sparkly wheelchair. This inclusive design is intended to help disabled children increase their self-esteem and positivity, and will carry the Loved by Toy Like Me endorsement on the packaging. This makes Sequin Art the first craft-based brand to answer the Toy Like Me campaign call for better disability representation within the toy industry. The new fairy will be part of the Sequin Art Red range, and will be available for the 2019 Q4 period.

In addition, Sequin Art is also introducing a selection of new designs that will be added to the popular Blue and Red ranges in the second half of the year. Throughout 2019, Sequin Art is planning to continue investing in new product development and product quality, with a variety of new designs becoming available.

Canal Toys 07492 411 142 | www.canaltoys.fr/en With the introduction of So Magic DIY adding to its already successful So DIY portfolio, Canal Toys is set for a strong 2019.

So Magic DIY lets kids create their own terrarium, add characters and then watch it grow. All sets come complete with the terrarium, coloured sand, stones, collectible characters and a ‘magical’ tree. Different themes are available across the range, such as Tropical, Forest, Under the Sea, Crystal, Cosmic and Rainbow, each with their own exclusive collectible characters. The So Magic Wonder Garden includes a refill tree, tools and even a slime lake to make.

Slimelicious is a new introduction to the established and successful So Slime DIY range, available from July. 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. There are four products available in the So Magic DIY and Slimelicious lines, with price points ranging from pocket money to sub-£20.

Autumn/winter sees the award-winning So Slime Factory refreshed with a new Mix & Match version, while So Bomb DIY welcomes unicorn, heart and diamond shapes into its range.

All lines will be supported by comprehensive marketing, PR and social media campaigns, as well as TV advertising on key products.

Tomy 01271 336 155 | www.tomy.com With over 15 years of quality and success in the water-based arts & crafts category, Aquadoodle continues to innovate by bringing to market a new range focused on early learning while still retaining the mess free fun kids know and love. The brand will expand its portfolio with products that follow a child’s development as they approach school age, focusing on specific developmental milestones: fine motor skills, cognitive development and language, as well as social and emotional learning.

The hero line for autumn/winter is My ABC Doodle. Kids simply fill the no-mess water pen and sketch away on the mat as colours come to life. When the doodles dry and fade, they can start again. Youngsters can copy the shapes and designs around the mat, with or without the dotted grid, and every letter of the alphabet, plus numbers from 1 to 10, are also easy to trace. Through playing with the product in a relaxed and fun manner, kids will soon be able to count and write by themselves.

Aquadoodle experienced a prosperous year in 2018 with successful launch campaigns for Super Rainbow Deluxe and Dress Designer. This was achieved through its largest ever investment in TV advertising, which delivered 1,500 TVRs targeting parents and children aged 0-3 years.

The brand also launched its first ever sponsorship with the UK’s No. 1 commercial kids network VIMN Kids (Viacom International Media Networks) across its pre-school channels Milkshake! and Nick Jr. The brand will continue to be supported with TV and digital media campaigns focusing on the new My ABC Doodle line, Super Rainbow Deluxe and Dress Designer.

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Arts & Craft

Tobar 01603 397105 | www.tobar.co.uk Tobar’s Colour Your Own Cardboard Playhouse is an ideal outdoor or indoor project. Kids simply slot together the house and use crayons or pencils to decorate the pre-printed design.

This product provides fun whatever the season and weather - if it’s wet outside, then the playhouse makes for the perfect indoor den.

Tobar offers several slime kits in different types and textures. Kids can also choose to create their own candles, design and decorate glass bottles, paint their own piggy bank, or make their own sock monkey, rabbit, teddy bear or puppy using the company’s fun sewing kits.

Jewellery fans can use Tobar’s best-selling kit to make their own Friendship Bracelets, while little warriors can opt for the Paint Your Own Sword and Shield set.

Mookie Toys 01525 722 769 | www.mookie.co.uk From the makers of the Tybo Magic Mixing Orb comes the Tybo Print Studio, an easy-to-use starter kit for printing on fabric.

The Tybo Print Studio uses a special mesh silk that filters the fabric paint, allowing just the right amount through onto the fabric and making sure it’s evenly distributed over the stencil. Kids simply choose the stencil they want to use, slide it below the mesh and use the slider to spread the fabric paint across the stencil. The Tybo Print Studio slider with the slider tube is easy for little hands to get to grips with, while more advanced users can try free-hand designs. The kit includes a sponge to fill in any bits that may have been missed; creative kids can also use it to blend or mix the colours.

The mesh silk, stencil and slider are easy-clean; once rinsed they are ready for the next masterpiece. The Tybo Tidy Tie-Dye Print Studio comes with four themed stencils: burger, unicorn, hearts and pineapple. Fun stamps - heart, peace, star and flower - can be used to add a little more detail to the creations, or alternatively can be used on their own. The Tybo Tidy Tie-Dye Print Studio has everything needed to print on anything from t-shirts to canvas bags (not included).

Tybo will continue to benefit from a heavy media presence in 2019, including TV, PR and a range of social media activities comprising new digital videos.

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Interplay 01628 488 944 | www.interplayuk.com Following the succesful launch of Fairy Kitchen Garden, the first fairy home with pea shoots kids can grow, harvest and eat, Interplay is introducing new sets for autumn/winter. The Fairy Nature Garden is designed to support learning about nature.

The pretty fairy plant pot house comes with two fairies, a frog, a butterfly and two ladybirds, a bug house, a water butt and a wind spinner. The My Fairy Garden range also welcomes the Dragons’ Tower Garden set. Featuring a castle that is home to a mother and baby dragon plus a fairy, kids can grow pea shoots and mustard seeds in three separate growing areas.

Face Paintoos is a new concept set to make children’s parties and sleepovers even more fun by transforming face painting into an easy activity for children and parents. With Face Paintoos, it’s simple to achieve perfect, long-lasting results every time; everyone can apply and remove the face tattoos with ease. Developed with the input of a professional face painter with a decade of experience, the range is launching with four different sets - Wild Pack, Pet Pack and Pretty Pack will all be available at sub-£10, while a bigger Party Pack is available for sub-£20.

Fuzzikins is a rapidly growing brand for Interplay. With over 100% brand increase in 2018 alone, Interplay has engaging launches featuring new animals for 2019, introducing everyday low price point items alongside higher-priced play set items.

Fuzzi Babies are new for spring/summer. This collectible range of baby animals, which each come with a bed, a cuddly teddy and three pens for decorating, will be available at a pocket-money price point. A Fuzzi Street range featuring adorable cardboard shops with animal characters and accessories, plus a bigger Fuzzi School PopUp Playset complete with six Fuzzi Babies and a wise owl teacher, will launch from July.

Finally, the new FabLab Tie Dye Luxury Kit, with seven fashionable colours, lets kids experiment with creating their own fashion masterpieces on clothes, hats, bags and shoes.

Interplay is supporting their new launches with marketing campaigns including TV, digital, press events, PR and social media activity, plus much more.

Arts & Craft

John Adams 01480 414 361 | www.johnadams.co.uk John Adams Leisure is expanding its creative play portfolio in 2019, with over 20 new and refreshed product lines.

Joining the collection is the ColourMazing range, which offers kids a new and innovative way to colour in. The colour ‘magically’ stops at the lines to reveal perfect pictures every time. Kids can watch as the washable ink spreads to create colourful scenes.

Several sets are available, including 3D Jungle Adventure, Garden Friends and an On the Go Case.

Bookeez offers kids their very own book making studio for fact or fiction, poems or plays. The clever unit enables literary lovers to create and re-create their own story books, scripts, journals and more, by decorating, stamping and stencilling their pages. They can then see their stories transform using the special Bookeez tools. It’s simple to change a single page or the whole book with just a click, and everything stores neatly inside to minimise mess.

The successful Blopens range, one of the market leaders in colouring kits, has been extended for 2019. New products at key price points include a new 2-in-1 Easel, and Neon, Pastel and Shimmer hanging packs. A Rainbow Set, which combines three colours into one Blopens Tool, and Blopens Squeezy, a great junior starter kit for tiny hands, also join the range.

Glowpad is proving to be a firm favourite with young artists, so it’s now been paired with the ever-popular Paw Patrol licence. Fans of the show can draw their favourite pups with neon markers, before switching on the special light to see their pictures glow and transform. This set includes eight light settings, one of which is a colour changing light show.

All the key new launches will benefit from TV, VOD and digital advertising, plus a full PR and social media plan.

Casdon 01253 608 428 | www.casdon.com Bringing traditional arts & crafts into the home is Casdon’s Wooden Easel. Not only does this product encourage children to create and show off their artistic masterpieces, it also helps develop fine motor skills.

The traditional Wooden Easel houses a chalkboard surface on one side and a wipe-clean magnetic surface on the other, for no-mess drawing.

Children can use the chalk included to create art, or can use the included clips to hang their paper, keeping it in place as they work on their masterpieces.

Hape/Marbel 08456 000 286 | www.marbel.co.uk The Mad Mattr range of futuristic building dough is expanding for 2019.

Kids can press, mould, knead, squeeze and sculpt this compound, which never dries out and sticks to itself, not them. Created with both fun and practicality in mind, Mad Mattr is suitable for children of all ages and will help to build fine motor skills. As the dough begins to interact with the natural heat from a person’s hands it will flow and contract, creating a satisfying visual and tactile experience for adults and children alike.

The collectible Mad Mattr Meteor Monsters range offers all the fun of the super-soft modelling dough combined with the opportunity to collect Meteor Monster figurines. The brand has also gone mobile with its coloured Tool Box Construction Set, complete with over 20 brick building tools and two 5oz packs of Mad Mattr compound in both red and blue. The bright tool box is an ideal place for storing the tools and dough once playtime is over.

Finally, Mad Mattr is now available in portable Quantum Pods. Available in six colours – red, pink, purple, blue, green and teal – this futuristic dough can even be mixed together to create an entirely new colour combination.

Guidecraft 07725 833 273 | www.guidecraft.com Guidecraft provides teachers and parents with quality toys that encourage artistic exploration for little ones. From outdoor inspiration to inquisitive build challenges, Guidecraft’s products and accompanying inspiration cards invoke natural wonder and curiosity in children worldwide.

Children can collect trinkets, natural materials and sensory objects to place in the company’s Treasure Blocks. These smooth hardwood frames come with inset, acrylic windows and a removable panel, allowing children to place small objects and loose parts inside. Ideal for colour exploration, crafting and light table activities, the blocks can hold marbles, beads, twigs, leaves, small toys and more. Two screws on the removable panel keep objects securely in place until they are ready to be replaced. Treasure Blocks are available in clear and primary colour 8-piece sets.

Kids can also find and display objects with the stackable Treasure Tubes.

In stores from June, these round, transparent acrylic tubes with removable tops hold small objects to observe, display or rattle. Parents and teachers can place found items, creative inspiration and loose parts inside the containers for lesson examples and art activities. Children and adults can easily replace objects or take them out of the tubes for additional sensory experiences, and the tubes can be stacked on top of each other for a fully customisable display.

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DKL Marketing 01604 678 780 | www.dkl.co.uk Toy Story 4 joins the Hama Beads range this spring. A gift box containing over 4,000 beads is available, while the hanging box, containing over 2,000 beads, allows kids to create their favourite characters from the new film. The Hama Beads 10,000 Bead & Coloured Pegboard Bucket is the ultimate art & crafts kit, containing beads in 10 different colours as well as two-coloured pegboards.

There is also a five-pegboard bucket option, to offer customers a variety of price points.

Scentco Scented Stationery offers a range of pencils, pens, notepads and more. Each colourful product boasts a delicious scent guaranteed to last a minimum of two years.

The Smencils Cylinder countertop display will help to encourage impulse purchases.

The Cylinder holds 50 individually tubed pencils, which customers can’t resist opening and sniffing.

The best-selling Breyer Paint and Play Blister Kit contains a Stablemates Scale horse, a paintbrush and three paints, presented in a blister pack with hanging tag. New to 2019 is the Unicorn Paint and Play Blister Kit. Also available is the Paint Your Own Unicorn kit, which includes a Classic Scale unicorn, six paints, a paint brush and a design guide.

The PlayMais 1,000-piece bucket, which comes complete with instructions and accessories, is particularly popular. The bucket allows children aged three and up to create colourful 3D models and 2D pictures with just a dab of water. Retailers can benefit from an FSDU display featuring a play tray full of PlayMais pieces.

DKL supports all its ranges with a full marketing campaign, including everything from bespoke planograms to extensive social media and PR activity.

Wilton Bradley 01626 835 400 | www.wiltonbradley.com Made It, a new sub-brand from Toyrific and Wilton Bradley, features a collection of craft Yarn Animals which encourages kids to express their imaginative and creative sides. A great gift idea, this new range comes complete with a variety of fun yarn animal templates including a dinosaur, giraffe, unicorn and animal craze of the year: a llama.

Children can use any colour combination they wish to create the wildest design possible. From a giraffe with a brightly coloured neck to a llama with an afro, each pack includes a raft of colourful and crafty components to encourage imaginative play.

The new series of the Great British Sewing Bee is currently on TV screens, and Wilton Bradley’s range of licensed sewing stations and kits is ideal for fans of this popular show. The line-up consists of beginnerfriendly, high quality sewing stations and easy to follow kits, allowing inspired children to delve into the creative world of sewing. Each sewing machine and kit features easy to follow, illustrated instructions as well as a difficulty rating, so kids can choose appropriate projects as their sewing skills develop.

MGA Entertainment 0845 0533 333 | www.mgae.com Glam Goo combines toys, art and fashion, allowing children to channel their imaginative side and experiment with slime as they create and decorate their own wearable fashion accessories.

With slime continuing as big trend in the market, Glam Goo continues to appeal to all children looking to take the tactile compound on the go.

The brand kickstarted the year with its National Slime Day campaign, collaborating with three top influencers – Rosie McClelland, Emmalaila 123 and Creative Celeste - to demonstrate the product. The range includes the Glam Goo Deluxe Pack, Glam Goo Mega Pack, Glam Goo Fantasy and Glam Goo Confetti Theme Packs.

New packs will be released for autumn/winter.

Vivid 01483 449944 | www.vividtoysandgames.co.uk Crayola’s Washimals brand goes from strength to strength with a number of new additions. These cute and collectible flocked characters can be coloured and designed with any pattern kids can think of, before they simply wash the figure and start again. The new Washimals Vet Clinic and Beauty Salon play sets allow kids to enjoy their favourite Washimals pets either at home or on the go.

A new addition to the creative food play category is YoPop, the frozen yoghurt treat maker, which lets young chefs make tasty and healthy frozen treats at home. Kids simply add yogurt and their favourite flavours (such as raspberries or chocolate chips) to YoPop, then pop on a pouch and push down to fill it. The treat can be eaten straight away or frozen for later. YoPop will benefit from a strong TV and influencer campaign from launch across the summer period.

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Arts & Craft

Maped Helix 01384 286 860 | www.mapedhelix.co.uk A great gift idea specially designed to encourage children aged 4+ to be creative, the new Maped Creativ range of eye-catching box sets is now available.

The collection is launching just in time for the summer holidays, when creative and craft activities are most popular with Helix consumers. Each box gives kids the chance to make unique creations with their own hands, which can be used over and over again.

Customers can choose from 14 different boxes across three categories; Mini Box, Colour & Play and Board Activities. Each one contains a different and engaging activity for little ones to enjoy while learning and comes complete with a themed activity, stationery and simple instructions.

The Maped Creativ Travel Boards are proving to be particularly popular with young artists, offering something different to keep children occupied and entertained whilst on the go.

Make It Real 01613 024 100 | www.makeitrealplay.com

Clementoni 020 3206 1397 | www.clementoni.com

Make It Real’s range continues to grow as new additions are made to the company’s collection of fashion-focused DIY jewellery making, cosmetic, craft and design kits. Products are supported by a free app, containing interactive instructions, inspirational videos and interviews with real designers. An online forum has also been created, where pictures of completed projects can be posted and shared.

Make It Real’s current licensing programme includes cobrand ranges with Disney, Juicy Couture and Swarovski, while for autumn 2019, a new GoldieBlox STEAM product range will be unveiled.

Clementoni has launched a range of L.O.L. Surprise! craft and design kits. With the luminous Fashion Designer drawing board, kids can have fun tracing out the images of the dolls before decorating them with crayons, paints and stickers.

The Cool Jewels case is full of charms, chains and accessories which can be personalised using L.O.L. Surprise! style. Complete with plenty of pendants to decorate with stickers and glitter, the glam jewel case is ideal for storing the finished creations. Smaller kits allow kids to create trinket treasures; the Fabulous Rings, Fancy Bracelets and Glam Pendants sets are highly collectible for creative young fans.

Brainstorm 01200 445 113 | www.brainstormltd.co.uk The new Eugy collection, which is exclusively distributed in the UK by Brainstorm, allows children to exercise their creativity while also offering retailers and consumers an eco-friendly, sustainable product at a competitive price point.

Created in New Zealand by Dodoland, the collectible crafting range lets children create 3D models using environmentally friendly, biodegradable card printed with natural, eco-friendly inks. The simple assembly method, based on numerical sequences, belies the intricate creations children can make; a collection of cute animals and creatures including a dinosaur, panda, elephant and more. Each figure is sturdy enough to be used as a decoration in a child’s bedroom or elsewhere around the house. Kids will enjoy collecting the full range, while the fun facts accompanying each model lend the line a valuable educational element. Moving forward, new products will be added to the range, with an extended choice of animals and creatures increasing the creative possibilities.

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includ

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Viewpoint Welcome to my Tech Talk

John Baulch John has worked in toy trade publishing for over 35 years, and will be well known to our readers for his personal analysis of industry matters and forthright opinions. If they get past Anita.

Keep on running

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.

I

t turns out that tech may not save us after all. Reported global sales of 6.5m units weren’t enough to save Anki from closing its doors last month, with the unfortunate loss of 200 jobs, not to mention an awful lot of units rendered obsolete overnight. While not a toy company per se, the AI / Robotics pioneer had chosen to focus on products which most consumers would probably classify as toys. Not wishing to seem wise after the event, the company’s demise nevertheless reinforces thoughts I have been harbouring for some time about the slight disconnect between the worlds of toys and tech. If you look at the hot toys in recent years – L.O.L., slime, putty, fidget spinners, collectibles etc – they are all resolutely devoid of any tech presence.

tech category, as companies like VTech, WowWee, Spin Master, Character Options and many others have proved. However, connected play remains a minefield, and a tough category to get right. I don’t think it is any surprise that the aforementioned successful players are all toy companies integrating tech into their product development plans, rather than tech companies trying to develop toys. For starters, toy companies understand the critical relationship between price points and features; Anki’s Cozmo may have been feature rich, but at £170, was it really worth five times more than Boxer or Really Rad Robots? And even if it was, how many parents were willing to invest that sum of money in a luxury purchase that could be construed as a fleeting novelty or one trick pony.

Of course, there are some fantastic opportunities presented by the

In recent years, Anki seemed to increasingly relish its outsider

T

he London Marathon took place in April and saw thousands of people taking part. The event welcomes all levels of fitness - and all kinds of fancy dress.

Charity fundraising is a huge factor in many runners’ motivation, but everyone has their own reasons for participating.

Shortly after the event, the winner announced he was going to attempt to break two hours for the marathon distance. With the average time for a man to run the London marathon being 4 hours and 4 minutes and for a woman being 4 hours and 39 minutes, Eliud Kipchoge’s challenge to himself is attempting something superhuman.

I ran the Leeds Half Marathon last weekend. I did it for myself, as opposed to for charity and I completed it in 2 hours 9 seconds.

It’s the slowest half marathon I think I’ve ever done, and I know why: I didn’t train for it. I’ve been a tad busy…working. Everyone is quick to comment on work life balance, mental health awareness and the need to show you are winning at everything. I can now point very clearly to an area where

status, shunning traditional toy marketing and communication channels such as Toy Fair and the trade press - its focus didn’t seem to be on putting down roots within the toy community. Furthermore, a large percentage of Anki’s sales went through Amazon – which clearly hasn’t been enough to keep it afloat. Make of that what you will.

Ultimately, it is always sad when a company fails, and Anki certainly made waves during its brief moment in the sun. But ultimately, its closure serves to emphasise the importance of having a long-term sustainable business model; it doesn’t matter how much money you initially raise if you burn through it without establishing a solid foundation (and Anki blew through $200m in double quick time). It is all very well being a disruptor with a huge valuation on paper, but the old adage ‘turnover is vanity, profit is sanity’ is never wrong.

I am not winning; should I be really disappointed?

getting so excited about seeing a box mock-up.

I’m not. I can’t believe I am actually about to write this, but this time it was about the running as opposed to the race. I enjoyed the psychological challenge.

Having just about stopped hobbling round the house three days later, I am conscious that I should take some time to reflect on the progress of the business and, most importantly, get round to thanking all the people who have supported us.

During my MBA, we were taught a lot about reflection. I am not great at it, as my tutor would tell you. To do it properly you’ve got to really challenge yourself and question why you do things. (My wife has kindly pointed out that I do the running challenges because I’m nuts but that’s observation, not reflection.)

I’m not sure anyone in the toy industry takes time to truly reflect, as we literally go from Christmas to trade fairs, to selections, to spring/ summer, to shipping, to Christmas etc. And when we’ve done all that, we do it all again!

While I was running, I was thinking about all the things we’ve done in the last 12 months that we should be proud of. I was also thinking of all the people who have supported and helped us along the way. We’ve all got loved ones out there who support what we do - even if they haven’t a clue why you are

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Do you do this? Has someone thanked you for supporting them?

Wouldn’t it be great if we all started the day by thinking who helped us out last week and giving them a call or dropping them a line to say thanks? There is additional sincerity and gravity to a thank you made after reflection.

I’d like to thank the anonymous spectator at the half marathon who gave me a pack of Haribo. It was unbelievable to see their impact on a very energy sapped adult, but exactly the same reaction as when you feed too many to kids – rocket fuel!

Whatever you do to relax, its worth working in a little reflection time, because what we do is meant to be fun and we spend a disproportionate part of our life doing it. Keep on running!

July 2019

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Boys Action Ranges & Collectibles

In a world of their own

Boys’ properties are evolving rapidly, and with them the market for figures, collectibles and play sets. Rachael Simpson-Jones finds out more.

I

f there is one major property on everyone’s lips when boys’ toys are brought up at the moment, it’s Fortnite. Offering three different modes of play, the apocalyptic survival game boasted some 250m players as of March, up a staggering 50m since the end of 2018. With appetite for the game at an all time high, licensed product is also in demand.

“We launched our Fortnite toy line last December and we couldn’t keep products on the shelves,” enthuses Jonny Taylor, MD at Jazwares UK. “The product quality is exceptionally high and there is a great depth of characters to collect. What makes the Jazwares line so magical is that fans can build out their entire world, adding building environments, vehicles and so much more. As well as the action

figures we have further exciting new product categories to announce, and we’re confident that fans will be blown away with our offering for the second half of the year.”

Alongside Fortnite, Roblox - a massively multiplayer online and game creation system platform that allows users to design their own games - has also spawned its own Jazwares toy line. The game has millions of monthly active players in the UK and continues to perform extremely well at retail; Jazwares’ product line just entered Series 5 with Series 6 imminent, and recently won Action Figure of The Year at the Toy Industry Awards.

“The line continues to encourage fans to build out their own world of Roblox, with action figures, vehicles and play sets that reflect the hottest games

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on the platform right now,” Jonny explains. “It’s safe to say that gaming properties are more important than ever. With fans already playing for recordbreaking numbers of hours, and the consumption of YouTube and Twitch content sharply on the rise, it’s an evolving entertainment paradigm that’s changing at an ever-quickening pace. Video games and product IPs with genuine innovation are becoming a much more important part of the category mix.”

At Midco Toys, the likes of Fortnite, Roblox and Minecraft are proving popular with customers.

Owner Dave Middleton keeps a metre bay of Fortnite product in each of his stores and says that sales have remained steady even after the Christmas rush.

“Video game licences seem to be hotter than movie licences at the moment, and when you

Feature

Boys Action Ranges & Collectibles

look at the sheer number of film releases coming through each month at the moment you can see why,” Dave explains. “Back in the 90s, there were a couple of major blockbusters released each year, a big Christmas movie and maybe one at Easter. Now you’ve got two major movies coming out a month and as soon as a new film is released, the studio is promoting the next big thing and consumers move on. It’s overwhelming.”

Dave also highlights the negative impact of embargoes. “Disney is way too secretive about its properties, and often, the wrong stuff is being manufactured as a result,” he says. “If you’re a fan of a particular film property, how much better would it be to wait three years for a new movie that was just absolutely amazing? Disney has become a machine, churning stuff out as fast as it can, and while the toys its licensees are producing are high quality and full of play value, the studio’s approach can often work against us.”

He’s not the only one to air grievances about Disney to Toy World in recent weeks. One prominent UK retailer recently suggested that the studio’s increasingly steep royalty rates and upfront guarantees are squeezing margins in the action figure category to breaking point and driving up retail prices, making traditional-style figures far less affordable to kids. Fortunately, while Disney remains a major player in the sector, it’s still only one among many and there are plenty more opportunities coming through for toy manufacturers to take up.

“Funko Pop! is our biggest seller at the minute,”

adds Dave. “Marvel is strong thanks to Avengers: Endgame being out in the cinema, and we also see success with more obscure lines; something geeky which hasn’t quite hit the mainstream but is well known enough to be in demand. The Japanese superhero manga series My Hero Academia is popular, as are retro film characters, and we shift Pokémon like you wouldn’t believe. It’s also worth noting that WWE figures tend to come out around a year after a wrestler has made their TV debut because they are designed using body scans, so excitement for them builds a lot while the toy is in development.”

Excitement has also been building for the global relaunch of Spin Master’s Bakugan toy line.

According to Phil Hooper, UK commercial director, marketing, the response to the new range has been hugely positive, and everyone is excited about the relaunch of the property in its 10th anniversary year.

“We have a strong marketing programme in place to ensure we drive awareness of the line amongst new fans and create that all-important buzz,” Phil explains. “The innovative new Bakugan Battle Planet toy line introduces fan- favourite collectible characters from the popular TV series, alongside new play sets. The range will retain the essence of what made the original toys so popular, with new features that bring revolutionary card and app play to the table. Innovative new marble-like balls with ingenious technology instantly transform into multiple collectible characters when rolled over a magnetic card. The game will offer different levels of play, from beginner to advanced, and allow players

to compete against multiple opponents. This will offer enhanced collectability due to its wide range of strategy options.”

An extensive marketing and PR campaign from launch is set to reignite the ‘call to brawl’ amongst fans, while Spin Master will also be executing a creative influencer programme. This will see the creation of exciting new content which will bring Bakugan’s unique battling element to the forefront of kids’ minds, along with a raft of other initiatives.

Phil continues: “This is truly a 360 launch for the legacy brand. It’s about children becoming immersed in the whole world of Bakugan. With storylines themed around friendship, battling and competition combined with the new integrated toy line, Bakugan Battle Planet is anticipated to be one of our biggest and most dynamic franchises yet.”

The boys’ category as a whole must also continue to be dynamic, by moving quickly to embrace new trends and emerging properties, while keeping innovation and interactivity a part of the mix.

“Chasing film properties just isn’t the way it goes anymore,” says David. “The world moves faster than that now. With everyone wanting the same slice of pie, companies need to jump on things as they crop up rather than going after huge movie licences.

Opportunities abound, if you know where to look.”

Over the next pages, Toy World presents some of the newest boys’ figures, collectibles and play sets battling it out for shelf space this year.

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Alpha Animation and Toys 01293 804 599 | www.alphatoys.com

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There is a wide range of quirky and innovative new SpongeBob SquarePants collectibles available from Alpha Animation and Toys for 2019 as the brand celebrates its 20th anniversary. SpongeBob Squeazies are silly squeezable figures with a funny twist; as kids squish SpongeBob and his friends, bubbles appear out of their eyes, mouth or bottom. The range includes four characters; two SpongeBob designs, plus Patrick and Squidward.

SpongeBob Slimeez taps into the trend for all things slime. The 2.5” figures come apart so kids can squish and ooze the 2oz of official Nickelodeon Slime. The figures are packaged in blind cubes, with 12 different SpongeBob expressions to collect. A golden chase figure is also available in the first wave to further drive collectability.

Ideal for personalising bags, scooters or bikes, the Mini Clip Plush comes in an assortment of six core characters with a 2” clip for easy display. SpongeBalls are collectible squishy foam figures with stylised expressions.

Packaged in foil bags, there are six faces to collect in wave one.

Paying homage to SpongeBob’s ‘King of Memes’ status, the Masterpiece Memes line features an assortment of five highly collectible vinyl figures. Based on popular memes shared online, there is something to suit every mood, including Rainbow SpongeBob, Surprised Patrick, SpongeBob Gnar and more.

Hit pre-school brand Super Wings has added several key play sets to its toy offering for autumn/ winter, which fans of the show will recognise from the newly launched Season 3. The Rescue Riders Playset features Sparky the fire truck and Zoey the ambulance, who are both part of Dizzy’s Rescue Team. This play set is packed with features including water cannons, a telescopic ladder, electronic lights and sounds and a compartment to launch Zoey. The play set is compatible with all 5” Transforming Vehicles.

Also new to the Super Wings range is the new Missions Team Airport, the second core play set for autumn/winter. Featured prominently in Season 3 of the show, Missions Teams Airport is the launchpad for all Super Wings Missions and forms the base for the Super Wings characters. Compatible with all 3” Transform-a-Bot characters, kids can slide and turn the tower to release and launch one of the five mission teams. Complete with lights and sounds, the lift can be used to send a character to the top of the patrol tower as kids re-enact their favourite scenes from the show.

Toy World 74

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Boys Action Ranges & Collectibles

Moose Toys 0800 389 8591 | www.worldsapart.com Distributed by Worlds Apart, July sees the highly anticipated Battle Bus from Moose Toys land in major UK retailers as part of the Fortnite Battle Royale Collection.

Every Battle Royale begins aboard the Battle Bus, making it the most iconic vehicle in Fortnite. Designed for the true Fortnite fan, the Battle Bus is collectible quality at its best; packed with authentic details such as its hot air balloon, this must-have vehicle stands over 13” tall. Pegs allow fans to display two special 2" figures on top of the bus, making it the perfect centrepiece for a Battle Royale Collection. The inside of the Battle Bus also doubles as a storage case with room for more than 15 Battle Royale Collection figures; simply open the door to drop into battle.

The two 2" figures were designed exclusively for the Battle Bus. Burnout comes with two accessories and a display stand, while Funk Ops includes a deluxe stand, a Victory Umbrella and a mini Loot Llama.

The Fortnite Battle Royale Collection range from Moose Toys continues to be heavily supported by an extensive marketing and PR campaign, including TV advertising, pre-roll, in-store activations and top tier influencer partnerships. A range of additional vehicles and play sets, including the Port-A-Fort and Mega Fort, join the collection’s roster of 100 figures for 2019.

Hasbro 0208 569 1234 | www.hasbro.co.uk Hasbro’s long-awaited Power Rangers collection is due to launch this summer.

The Power Rangers legacy continues with figures, vehicles, collectibles and roleplay toys, celebrating Ranger teams from Mighty Morphin to the Beast Morphers.

Hasbro’s new Power Rangers collection aims to bring the teamwork, action and adventure of the property to fans.

Core items in the range include the Power Rangers Beast Morphers Cheetah Beast Blaster, which is powered by Nerf. The Electronic Cheetah Claw and the Beast-X Electronic Saber both feature reactive sound effects that respond to kids' movements, to lend an air of realism to Power Rangers role-play as kids battle monsters and villains.

The collection also includes the Power Rangers Beast Morphers Mask, which allows fans to mask up like the Red or Blue Ranger. Both masks feature design inspiration from the new Power Rangers Beast Morphers TV show, which is due to air in the UK this autumn.

Vivid 01483 449944 | www.vividtoysandgames.co.uk Vivid’s range of Harry Potter figures expands with new lines this year. Fans can collect the Harry Potter squidgy mini figures in blind bags or 7-packs, while exclusive figures are also available in the Christmas Advent Calendar. A range of 4” collectible vinyl figures will allow kids to recreate the magical world of Harry Potter in their own homes.

The Ooshies range welcomes the introduction of Toy Story 4, while new Ooshies XL figures give fans a chance to collect all their favourite Toy Story characters - Woody, Buzz, Bo Peep and the rest of the gang - in 2” scale. Exclusive figures can be found in the 12 Days of Christmas Gift Packs; with a figure behind each door, the product offers plenty of festive fun.

Micro Wheels gives car fans a new way to race. The new boost up activation feature allows kids to control the speed and performance of their vehicle; the more they pump, the faster the vehicles go. There are over 30 cars to collect including common, special edition metallic, rare glow in the dark versions and translucent stunt packs. Kids can either race alone or join packs to race with friends.

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ADVERTISEMENT

NEW TV & DIGITAL CAMPAIGN SERIES 5 OUT NOW SERIES 6 AVAILABLE FROM AUGUST Roblox.com/toys For sales inquires contact UKsales@jazwares.com TM & © ROBLOX. © 2019 Jazwares LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Boys Action Ranges & Collectibles

Spin Master 01628 535 000 | www.spinmastertoys.co.uk

Mattel 01628 500 000 | www.mattel.com Mattel continues to strengthen its action figures portfolio for autumn/ winter with new ranges from popular brands including WWE, DC Shazam and Batman, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom and Disney Pixar Toy Story 4.

The company introduced the Disney Pixar Toy Story 4 range in April, across action figures and Fisher-Price Imaginext, bringing to life the characters from the upcoming movie release. The action figures range includes the Ultimate Walking Buzz Lightyear, as well as 7” figures. Fisher-Price’s Imaginext range features the Buzz Lightyear Robot and Basic and Feature Figure Assortments, while legacy characters include the Imaginext Toy Story Buzz Lightyear & Pizza Planet Truck and the Imaginext Disney Toy Story Woody & RC. From the DC universe, the Shazam! toy range includes the 6” Action Figure Assortment and 12” Action Figure Assortment, featuring key characters from the movie. The DC Batman Missions world expands as new characters are introduced to the 6” and 12” Action Figures Assortment. In the Imaginext DC Super Friends range, key lines include the Transforming Batmobile RC, Joker Laff Factory and Figure Assortment.

Each character in the WWE Wrekkin’ Figure Assortment has a ‘wrekk-able’ accessory, deluxe articulation and true-to-life details. The WWE Wrekkin’ Performance Centre is a new play set featuring a backstage gym area plus collapsible scaffolding and a ring.

Finally, the Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom toy range continues to expand with the articulated, chomping Destroy and Devour Indominus Rex, fanfavourite Jurassic World Primal Pal Blue and the Jurassic World Snap Squad Assortment. The Fisher-Price Imaginext Jurassic World range debuts the Mega Mouth Tyrannosaurus Rex with chomping action, while new figures are also being introduced to the Basic and Feature Assortments.

Spin Master’ innovative new Bakugan line rolls into retail this autumn, introducing collectible fan-favourite characters straight from the popular TV series. A new range of Bakugan play sets will enhance the play experience by providing endless battling fun. Building on the brand's rich heritage and loyal fan-base, the long-awaited relaunch promises to be one of the largest and most dynamic legacy franchises across the globe. An integrated and extensive marketing campaign in the UK will support the toy range, card game and mobile app, reigniting the ‘call to brawl’ amongst new fans.

Spin Master has launched its new Monster Jam line for spring. With a commitment to detailed design, innovation and an original Monster Jam experience, Spin Master’s range of Monster Jam trucks incorporates realistic features and new technology. Embodying the style of their real-life counterparts, the trucks come complete with BKT tyres, stylised chrome rims, an authentic chassis with chrome detailing, and a moulded driver - just like the real thing, only smaller.

The range includes the all-new 1:64 scale die cast Monster Jam truck range. With over 100 to collect, and available in a one and two pack, these 1:64 scale trucks come complete with a collectible Monster Jam driver figurine. The 1:24 die cast models feature increased detailing and graphics, plus a working suspension system to absorb more impact.

Also in the range is the 1:43 Rev N Roar Monster Jam Truck, alongside the new Monster Jam Champ Ramp Freestyle play set and the Monster Jam Zombie Madness play set.

Panini 01604 877 888 | www.paninigroup.com Now the official collectible licensee to the Premier League, Panini is delighted to bring consumers a new era of collectibles and a prime collecting experience with commemorative newspaper sticker collection.

The new Panini Tabloid Sticker Collection is an opportunity to relive a breathtaking Premier League season with stickers, stunning imagery, special features and superstats. QR codes on the album pages can be scanned to gain exclusive access to video montages of the season’s most dramatic moments.

A starter pack includes an album and 20 stickers, while packets will contain five stickers each.

The collection will be backed by a multi-channel marketing campaign, with sampling nationwide including a broad range of Premier League clubs, soccer schools, academies and community programmes. There will be a heavyweight digital marketing campaign plus an integrated PR and social media campaign including activation with the Premier League clubs and key influencers.

Widespread support for retail will include POS and retail sampling initiatives.

This is the first of three exciting Premier League collectibles launches this year for Panini, with the Adrenalyn XL Trading Card Collection and Sticker Collection to come.

Toy World 78

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CONNECT WITH US @Jazwares #Jazwares © 2019 Epic Games, Inc. Fortnite and its logo are registered trademarks of Epic Games, Inc. in the USA (Reg. U.S. Pat. & Tm. Off.) and elsewhere. All rights reserved.

Copyright © 2019 Jazwares, LLC. All rights reserved.

Boys Action Ranges & Collectibles

Bandai 020 8324 6160 | www.bandai.co.uk Following the October TV release of the new ITV series Robozuna, Bandai will follow its spring/summer 2019 toy launch with phase two for autumn/ winter, including role-play and articulated figures. Clunk, the Combatabot voiced by Ali A in the show, comes to life as Mega Clunk. This 30cm articulated feature figure spins at the waist and includes an interchangeable, spinning arm so fans can re-enact Clunk’s battles. The Robozuna range will be supported by heavyweight marketing including TV, kids press, character visits and a digital campaign featuring the stars of the show, Ali A and Ethan Gamer.

Bandai is re-launching the toy range for Thunderbirds Are Go in autumn. Already a hit action TV series on ITV, the show is currently in its third series; Season 3 continues to air in the UK for 2019. The new toy line consists of collectibles, action figures and vehicles, all of which encourage imaginative rescue role-play and interaction between the characters and their craft.

Bandai continues with the Dragon Ball Dragon Stars figures. This range of poseable figures welcomes new characters from the successful movie which was released in January.

To encourage collectability, new characters from the Dragon Ball world will continue to be unveiled throughout the year.

Jazwares 020 3598 5119 | www.jazwares.com December 2018’s launch of the Jazwares Fortnite toy line introduced a wide range of true-to-game action figures, Domez, loot boxes, building sets, environments, plush and more for fans to collect and enjoy. Now, new styles and items are dropping into UK stores, including a refresh to the 4” Solo Mode Action Figures plus two new scales of figure: the 6” Legendary Series and 12” Victory Series. Further ranges will follow in 2019.

In a refresh to the existing range of 4” figures, six of the most popular outfits from the game are being added to the Solo Mode collection. True to the Solo Mode range, each 4” figure comes equipped with a harvesting tool, building material, and features more than 25 points of articulation.

The Legendary Series is a new scale for Jazwares’ Fortnite toy range. Launching with six styles, these 6” premium highly detailed action figures have over 35 points of articulation and come with a harvesting tool, weapons, back bling and interchangeable faces.

The Victory Series is a further new addition to the line-up, featuring six 12” action figures with seven points of articulation. As seen in the collector’s guide, included in all the Fortnite toys by Jazwares, fans can collect Fortnite favourites Skull Trooper, Tomatohead, DJ Yonder, Black Knight, Cuddle Team Leader and Rust Lord.

In addition, Jazwares also continues to excite Roblox fans with the recent arrival of its new Series 5 range of action figures and play sets, with series 6 launching from August. Recently awarded Action Figure of The Year at the Toy Industry Awards – Roblox’s latest launches feature fresh characters, accessories and play sets reflecting the hottest games on the popular platform. Each toy comes with an exclusive code to unlock a virtual item in the digital Roblox world, redeemable at Roblox.com Series 6 promises 24 new collectible Mystery Box Figures, fully refreshed Core Figure packs, new game packs and more. Fans will enjoy the Star Commandos Mix & Match set, the Summoner Tycoon 6-figure pack and the first ever deluxe play set, Museum Heist.

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Playmobil 01268 548 111 | www.playmobil.co.uk Playmobil is launching its latest collectible Figures Series 16.

The series introduces new characters for fans old and new, all with their own accessories for hours of role-playing. The new series will be sold in blind packets to add an element of suspense.

The 12 different figures up for grabs can be collected, assembled and interchanged to create countless different combinations.

Existing fans of the brand can incorporate each new figure collected into any set or scenario, while Figure Series 16 also provides an ideal entry to the range for new collectors. With each character representing a different activity or profession, there is something to meet all interests. Series 16 characters include Skier, Hair Dresser, Musician, Police Officer, Musketeer, Knight and many more.

The new series is available from August. For more information, please contact your sales representative or the main office on the number provided.

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Boys Action Ranges & Collectibles

Brainstorm 01200 445 113 | www.brainstormltd.co.uk StikBot, distributed by Brainstorm, offers kids a twist on traditional action figures. The brand retains all the elements of a classic poseable figure, but can be used with the StikBot app to create stopframe animations that bring the figures to life.

New for 2019 are StikBot Monsters, a highly anticipated addition to the popular line. StikBot Monster Capsules are ideal impulse purchases and have the allimportant collectability factor. There are six to collect, with each capsule including a collector’s sheet so kids can keep track of their acquisitions. To drive repeat purchases even more, one capsule in every 16 will feature a rare Monster. The StikBot Mega Monsters collection features larger, scary StikBots including Cerberus the three-headed dog, the indestructible Gigantus, and the fire breathing dragon Scorch.

StikBot Dinos were successful at retail in 2018, so this line will continue for 2019 with the addition of StikBot Dino Eggs and StikBot Mega Dinosaurs. With new lines added regularly to keep the range fresh and demand high, the play possibilities of the brand continue to increase.

Funrise 01908 555 640 | www.funrise.com

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Fart Ninjas, interactive farting Ninjas, are perfect for fans of practical jokes. Kids will love collecting the different characters to create a symphony of fart noises, perfect for pranking friends and family with the motion sensor activated sounds. Included in the initial range will be four smaller collectible figures, as well as Fart Ninja XLs, which not only creates noises, but records and plays them back too, for added pranking.

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Siso Toys 01620 674 778 | www.simba-dickie-group.de The first two seasons of CBBC’s The Deep have been well-received by fans, and the third season launched at Easter. Siso offers an impressive range of toys that fans of the show will enjoy. First up are the basic 4” action figures of the Nektons and Pirates, each of which is articulated and comes with a set of accessories. A Nektons family pack is also available, which contains all four figures dressed in diving suits. The Mag Knight and White Knight Nekbots are used by the Nektons for deep sea missions and exploration; both 25cm tall Nekbots have a control seat that the basic figures can fit in, include blaster features and are fully articulated. The action figure range will be supported with a media campaign comprising YouTube pre-roll and social media.

The Deep action figures are available from July, while the Knights are available now.

Trollhunters - Tales of Arcadia, a Netflix original which launched in December 2016, has garnered huge success. Siso’s toy range comprises detailed action figures that bring the world of Trollhunters to life. Each 3“ mini non-poseable figures set includes three figures ideally suited to battling action. There are three sets available within the assortment; each contains a hero human character and two troll characters. Three deluxe action figures are also available, complete with multiple points of articulation, light-up features and sounds. Hero character Jim is decked out in his armour, with a light up chest piece amulet, and carries his sword. The deluxe trolls Bulaar and Draal are 8“ tall and have lightup eyes. The Trollhunters action figures will be available from July and will be supported with TV, YouTube pre-roll and cinema activations.

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Boys Action Ranges & Collectibles

Flair 020 8643 0320 www.flairplc.co.uk Flair’s new Gormiti master toy range is based on Planeta’s TV series and includes all the main characters, from the Gormiti Lords and Heralds to the evil Darkans. Alongside action figures, role-play toys and accessories is an all-new element - interactive game play. Every pack includes a trading card that can be used with the Gormiti app to unlock exclusive game content.

Kids can choose from basic, deluxe and super deluxe Action Figures, while the One Tower Playset is available for the collectible mini figure series. The Elemental Bracer is compatible with the action figures and can be used to summon characters with the tokens provided.

Kids can also choose from the comprehensive collection of action figures from The Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles collection. The four brothers - Leonardo, Michelangelo, Donatello and Raphael - are available as Deluxe Ninja Attack Figures, and autumn sees new waves of figures released, each with their own unique features that add to the action. The Deluxe Slide Attack figures spin as they slide across a surface, while the 11” Giant Shell Storage Figures, available as Raphael or Leonardo, have 13 points of articulation. Each comes with two weapons, two throwing stars and an opening shell to store them in. To complete the TMNT experience, fans can choose from scenic play sets such as the Sewer Lair, plus vehicles including a collection of four Shell Hog Motorcycles and the 2-in-1 turtle tank.

Flair’s Action Man Timeless Classics collection is made up of Sailor, Soldier and Pilot, each available in single figure packs, with authentic packaging and all the articulation of the original, plus a signature Action Man dog tag. Alternatively, the three deluxe classic sets have extra accessories for the perfect retro experience.

Character Options 01616 339 800 www.character-online.com Goo Jit Zu is a new entertainment property and Character’s new collection of action figures comprises of zoo animals transformed into goofilled Goo Jit Zu fighters. Each action figure has its own gooey features, unique powers and martial arts moves, as well as a squishy compound to explore.

Compounds include super stretch, gooey, mushy and even crunch, increasing collectability for kids. An important launch for the company this season, Character will release Wave 1 in July with a full FSDU programme plus a global schedule of marketing activity including short films, influencer activity, TV advertising, digital activation, pre-roll and more.

The surprise-reveal collectible range Treasure X welcomes two new additions. Named Action Figure of the Year at the Australian Toy Fair, Treasure X Aliens is a throwback to the alien autopsy craze. Kids can dissect the alien to save the Treasure Hunter within. Each alien stomach contains a bag of slimy ooze that needs to be searched through to find the treasure and critter hiding inside.

The journey for real gold-dipped treasure continues with Treasure X Kings Gold. Featuring an all-new play pattern, kids smash the tomb-shaped vessels and dig through a ‘magic’ rock compound to find the hidden character within. There are 24 new Mini Beasts and Hunters to be found, as well as eight larger-scale Mystical Beasts. The Treasure Tomb play set will also be key to the collection, marking the first ever play set for the brand. Featuring 30 levels of adventure, kids can take on the ultimate quest to conquer the tomb and find the treasure.

Treasure X will benefit from continual waves of activity including events, influencer campaigns, online platform pre-roll and TV advertising.

WowWee 0203 598 5119 | www.jazwares.com Untamed Mad Lab Minis series 1, from WowWee and distributed by Jazwares, is a collectible range of miniature pre-historic and beast hybrid creatures, bioengineered from Untamed DNA. Kids can reveal the DNA samples, extract them from the Geoslime, Biosand or Terraclay, then classify the new creature - a Raptor, T-Rex, Allosaurus, Spinosaurus, Sabre-Tooth Tiger, Dire Wolf, Bear, Polar Bear, Gorilla, or Skeleton can be unleashed. The heads and bodies can be mixed & matched to create unique characters such as a Wolfasaurus Rex. A new Untamed Radioactive Dinos assortment and an Untamed Snake assortment will also be available from October. They join the latest Untamed 2019 launches, which include the Untamed Dragons, a fierce and unpredictable bunch that react with special SFX and visual cues depending on how kids play.

In October, Untamed Legends Dragon will be launched. This intelligent creature features large motorised wings, reacts to touch and motion, and expresses how it feels through sound and light.

For WowWee orders, please contact Jazwares on UKSales@Jazwares.com.

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Boys Action Ranges & Collectibles

Schleich 01279 870 000 | www.schleich-s.com/en The Schleich Dinosaurs range will inspire a younger age group in 2019, strengthening its offering even further with new additions to its core dinosaur themed world. The revised product range now invites kids from the age of four to enjoy impressive new prehistoric additions such as the Plesiosaurus or Dracorex.

Three of the range’s best-sellers have had a makeover for 2019; the popular Giganotosaurus now has a movable lower jaw and the Dimetrodon will be available for the first time in new colours. The Spinosaurus also boasts a new painted design and a movable lower jaw. In addition, this updated model is based upon the latest scientific findings, which reveal that it used four legs to move rather than two, as previously assumed.

A further two impressive new additions also join the range. The flying dinosaur Dimorphodon will catch fans’ attention thanks to its striking orange painted design, the stripe on its back and its wide-open mouth, while the Animantarx has thick armour to protect it from its enemies.

In the second half of the year, Schleich will also launch two never-seen-before prehistoric giants; the Plesiosaurus, a new underwater dinosaur with a long neck, will be available from July. Launching at the same time is the dragon-like dinosaur Dracorex, which will appeal to fans of dinosaurs and dragons alike, the Diabloceratops, which is part of the popular Ceratopsia genus, and a Giganotosaurus juvenile with a movable lower jaw.

Finally, monsters of a mythical kind will be top of the agenda as the fight for the Superweapon of Eldrador Creatures continues. There are six new creatures available from the worlds of lava, ice, stone and water. The figures are ideal for collecting, with fantastical designs and unique features that will guarantee action-packed play. Schleich’s ranges are supported by full marketing and PR campaigns.

Magic Box Toys 01403 251286 | www.magicboxint.com SuperZings from Magic Box Toys is a pocket money range with everyday objects and food as collectible characters. Tapping into a hero versus villain concept and theme which children already recognise, the brand has sold over 11m units to date.

Currently in its third series, SuperZings made the move into playsets at the end of 2018 and will be launching toy range expansions for autumn/winter 2019. New introductions will include the Kazoom Lab: Professor K Vs Engima, which sees the SuperZings fight for Kryptonite with battle weaponry and two exclusive characters, plus the Hero Monster Roller Truck, which comes complete with built in blaster and two exclusive characters.

MGA Entertainment 0845 0533 333 | www.mgae.com Following the 2018 success of Crate Creatures, MGA has expanded its Crate Creatures Surprise range and introduced two new collectibles to the series, Char and Stubbs. Two new products for spring/summer, KaBoom Box and Barf Buddies, have also been introduced to the range; in a first for Crate Creatures, children can now enjoy playing with slime with the Barf Buddies series.

The new products launched with a digital campaign combining influencer outreach and global social platforms, as well as an experiential event at local retailers which allowed children to interact with the characters.

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Boys Action Ranges & Collectibles

Fab Distributions 0207 183 0281 | www.fabdistributions.com Fab Distributions is a leading supplier of licensed mini-figures for the UK & Ireland markets. A fast-growing and forward-thinking firm, Fab is the exclusive distributor of the best-selling Barcelona-based brand Comansi. The brand covers major licences including Marvel, Mattel, Nickelodeon, DreamWorks, Spin Master, Entertainment One and many more, offering characters such as the Avengers, Justice League, Spiderman, Ben & Holly, Peppa Pig, Paw Patrol, Bob the builder, Doraemon, Fireman Sam, Shrek, Kung Fu Panda and SpongeBob Squarepants.

Comansi’s licensed-mini figure range continues to expand, offering an attractive proposition for all toy and gift retailers, from the small independent to big national chains. The hand-painted, realistic figures sell very well on the back of major TV series and successful movies such as Marvel’s Avengers, with Avengers: Endgame breaking several box office records. A strong pocket money and impulse purchase option, fans will enjoy collecting, playing with and displaying their favourite licensed ranges. Available in 6-figure bags or assortments of 24, retailers can benefit from several attractive instore display solutions including FSDUs and countertop display boxes.

Low carriage paid orders allow retailers to pick & mix from the extensive assortment of licences and characters available within the range, which offers strong margins and turnover.

Fab also offers a wider variety of ranges, including licensed Natural History Museum dinosaur eggs, excavation bags and glow-in-the-dark skeletons, exclusive Uncle Milton space expedition and prehistoric safari VR products, Lego watches with iconic Lego characters attached, Lego alarm clocks and much more.

To find out more, and to take advantage of a 10% introductory discount (quoting ‘Toy World’), please visit www.fabdistributions.com.

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fresh FRESH THIS MONTH:

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

In June we have new releases from: Hasbro, Lego and Kidicraft.

Harry Potter Lego

Lego 00800 5346 5555 | www.lego.com

The Lego Group has announced five new additions to its hugely popular Lego Wizarding World range, featuring scenes from Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.

Available from 1st June, the new products offer fans the opportunity to recreate scenes inspired by the films.

Sets inspired by Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban include the iconic Knight Bus, which transported Harry from the Dursley’s home to The Leaky Cauldron, while the Forbidden Forest set – which features an all-new stag Patronus element – allows fans to save Sirius Black from the Dementors. Beloved creature Buckbeak the Hippogriff also makes an appearance in the Hagrid’s Hut set, which opens up to offer extended magical play potential.

Sets inspired by Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire include the first challenge of the Triwizard Tournament, with a brick-built Hungarian Horntail dragon guarding a golden egg. Lego minifigures in the set include Triwizard Tournament competitors Fleur Delacour, Viktor Krum and Cedric Diggory.

Moon and Me toy range

Hasbro 0208 569 1234 | www.hasbro.co.uk Hasbro’s Moon and Me toy collection features the lovable characters, Pepi Nana, Moon Baby, Mr. Onion, Sleepy Dibillo and Colly Wobble across a range of figures, plush and play sets.

Kids can press the tummies of the Pepi Nana and Moon Baby Moon and Me Talking Plush, or give them a hug, to trigger fun sounds and phrases from the TV series.

Each character’s signature noise and other memorable expressions will captivate and delight toddlers, making them an ideal toy to take out and about, or to snuggle with while watching the programme. A range of 20cm Moon and Me Plush Toys is also available across the core cast.

Pre-schoolers and toddlers over 18 months old can practise tucking their toys into bed with the Moon and Me Goodnight Pepi Nana 34 cm Talking Plush Doll. Squeezing the Pepi Nana doll will trigger 12 signature sleepytime phrases and one song from the Moon and Me television series. An 8.5cm Little Nana comes attached to Pepi Nana's dress, and fits in her pocket, while the blanket adds to the toy's appeal.

Additional characters that will appear in Lego minifigure form across the sets include Harry, Ron and Hermione, Sirius Black, the conductor of the Knight Bus, Stan Shunpike and more. Larger Minifigures of Hogwarts’ groundskeeper Rubeus Hagrid and the Beauxbatons headmistress Madame Maxine are also available.

Fans can join the conversation on social media using #LegoHarryPotter to share their own magical builds.

3D Harry Potter puzzles

Kidicraft 01282 500 899 | www.kidicraft.com Kidicraft has been appointed the exclusive distribution partner for a Harry Potter range of 3D jigsaw puzzles within the UK and Republic of Ireland.

The 3D puzzle collection features images from the successful film franchise, including The Hogwarts Express and Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The initial range will include 300-piece and 500-piece puzzles.

Each puzzle is printed in high quality lenticular 3D, giving great depth and detail.

The easy-to-grasp Moon and Me Single Figures allow preschoolers to recreate their own storylines at home, while the Moon and Me Take and Go Toy House Playset allows children aged 18 months and up to engage in screen-free fun. This play set, which has space for up to six figures, can be closed up and carried along with its convenient handle for on-the-go fun.

Kidicraft will have full domestic stock availability in August, with pre-orders for the range now being taken. Following the initial launch, further introductions are set to join the range later in 2019.

Rounding out the range are the Figure and Vehicle sets.

Each contains one of the characters from the series and their signature vehicle. Each vehicle also has a fun feature; for example, kids can move the hook and shovel up and down on Mr. Onion's Bumper Roller, or they can bump the front of Colly Wobble's car for a surprise.

For more details, contact Kidicraft on sales@kidicraft.com.

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Feature

Wheeled Toys

Joy riding With a long, hot summer around the corner for most of us, and increasing scrutiny on the impact of traditional modes of transport on air quality and emissions, wheeled vehicles, especially electric ones, could offer major opportunities to those retailers looking to get on board. Rachael Simpson-Jones finds out more.

E-scoot from Jakks

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ccording to the Department for Transport, 24% of UK domestic greenhouse gas emissions in 2017 were from transport, producing some 118.96m tonnes of CO2 equivalent (MtCO2e). For those of us that rely on powered transport to get us from A to B, electric scooters – more commonly referred to as e-scooters – may provide the solution.

“At the moment there is a huge focus on the environment,” says Bryn Saysell, category manager at Hy-Pro. “You’re telling me that riding an e-scooter to work isn’t more environmentally friendly than driving your car or taking the bus?”

He’s got a point. According to the mobility startup Lime, which, along with many others, runs e-scooter hire schemes across Europe, every mile travelled on an electric scooter mitigates roughly 350 grams of carbon. Producing electricity for five million scooters around the world would emit 370 metric tons - less than 2% of CO2 produced by the same number of cars. In the UK, riding an e-scooter on public roads and pavements is currently illegal.

However, that looks highly likely to change, with the transport minister stating that he would “look quite closely” at finding a way of allowing e-scooters and similar vehicles on the road, potentially through a permit or licensing system. When this happens, the number of consumers, both kids and aults, looking to purchase one will no doubt skyrocket. Almost 250,000 e-scooters were sold in France in 2018 - a 129% increase on the previous 12 months – and a higher sales total is all but certain this year. In the UK, retailers will want to keep a close eye on how things develop.

In the meantime, e-scooters still provide plenty of ride-on fun on private land. “Trying to keep up with kids if they’re on a bike or skateboard is tricky for parents and grandparents,” Bryn adds. “e-scooters add a fun element to outdoor playtime, keeping families outside and playing for longer. We want to encourage outdoor playtime, getting families out of their houses and into the beautiful scenery the UK has to offer.”

Alongside Hy-Pro, which is currently developing an adult commuter scooter range including electric

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models, MGA Entertainment has also jumped on the e-bandwagon with the Viro Rides range, which boasts the Vega Transforming 2-in-1 Electric Scooter and Mini Bike. Launching in July, the ride transforms at the push of a button and folds up for easy transportation.

Fresh off the back of four weeks of TV support, which resulted in a major sales uplift, Jakks is ramping up stock for the second half of 2019 as it increases its marketing investment and builds upon its innovative Morfboard brand. The company is welcoming the Morfboard E-Scoot this year. “It’s time to broaden the Morfboard offering one year on, combining a globally popular ride-on with the MorfBoard essence,” explains Ken Goodisson, UK senior marketing director at Jakks. “Our E-Scoot travels at a top speed of 12mph with a run-time of 50 minutes, and takes just four hours to re-charge. It includes a 2.4GHZ rechargeable Bluetooth throttle, a patented rear foot calliper breaking system and a swappable 24v battery. Our marketing communications will enforce current UK law regarding the use of e-scooters, with added

safety recommendations to ensure kids can enjoy a great ride.” Jakks will assist all accounts with a comprehensive toolkit for online presence, keeping its brand inspiring and engaging for both existing and new customers. Ken adds: “Our ecosystem has set planograms and POS to assist in-store and we are developing ways to bring hands-on fun to the retail environment.”

Despite having only launched in the UK market last year, ride-on specialist Rollplay has enjoyed a strong start to the year, managing to substantially build-up the business whilst also furthering its mission to establish itself as an industry leader.

“We are excited to be launching our new Flower Power VW range, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Woodstock Festival,” says Kingsley Li, UK business development manager at Rollplay. “The added letter and flower stickers offer an element of customisation which kids enjoy. We’re also looking forward to the launch of the new BMW M8 GTE Racing, which will be available from early autumn. It will be one of the first racing design cars in the children’s ride-on category; the original version is participating in the Le Mans 24 Hours this year, so awareness of the vehicle should be high. Featuring a spoiler and real sponsor stickers, the car looks identical to its big brother.”

Rollplay has benefitted from some strong press coverage since it’s UK launch in 2018, as well as plenty of positive feedback, and has worked with a number of partners, celebrities and influencers on its campaigns. Rollplay’s hero products and new launches will continue to be supported by both above- and below-the-line marketing in order

to further raise the brand profile and increase distribution.

For the wheeled toys category, the loss of Toys R Us was particularly painful; the retailer’s warehouse style stores and ample floorspace meant it was particularly successful with bikes, karts, scooters and battery-operated vehicles. Not only did Toys R Us have the shelf-space to offer a huge selection of these products, it could also keep a substantial number out on display. We asked Kingsley how Rollplay supports retailers which would like to offer its bigbox products.

“Our drop shipping service means retailers can essentially sell our full product catalogue without taking up valuable and often limited shop floor space,” Kingsley explains. “Similarly, we can provide in-store POS and display materials which let retailers promote available product ranges without having to stock every item. This is particularly important during key sales periods such as Christmas. We understand that our products are not the smallest, so we try to support retailers in the most useful and effective way.”

Elsewhere, non-toy retailers have helped to fill the wheeled-toys void that Toys R Us left behind, with suppliers like Yvolve Sports and MV Sports partnering with Halfords on their ranges. You can read more about Yvolve’s new My Buddy Wheels range, which launches this summer, on pages 102103.

“Many wheeled toys such as scooters, skates and sit & rides come packed in very small boxes and sit neatly on most retail shelves,” notes Phil Ratcliffe, sales & marketing director at MV Sports & Leisure.

SOON!

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“Larger items, such as battery-operated cars and bikes, are finding more of a home in cycle chains, catalogue and on-line outlets.”

MV has launched over 150 new lines for 2019 across its own-brands and licensed ranges. The company has developed a new range of premium scooters called UMove, and a deal with Disney will include the studio’s forthcoming major releases in its licensed product portfolio. Having recently welcomed the Toy Story 4 Buzz Lightyear 6v Space Cruiser ride-on, a tilt n turn scooter based on Forky and other wheeled toys based on the successful Disney Pixar property, this new agreement is set to bolster MV’s licensed portfolio even further.

“Licences bring more characters and role-play to wheeled toys, providing a backdrop and context for children’s outdoor adventures,” adds Phil.

HTI is likewise continuing to move ahead with its wheeled toy offering, introducing 10 new lines to its Evo range including a Police-themed electric Teamsterz car and a 3-in-1 Cruiser designed to grow with children from 12 months to five years.

“We’re really pleased to have received great feedback about the new Evo range, especially as the Wheeled category is such a pivotal focus for our company,” says Alison Downie, global licensing and brand director, HTI. “Having experienced such a positive reception, we’re very much looking forward to the autumn/winter season.”

Over the next few pages, Toy World takes a look at some of the newest wheeled toys set to get kids outdoors this year.

Wheeled Toys

HTI 01253 778 888 | www.htigroup.co.uk From basic scooters to stunt scooters, batteryoperated quad bikes to princess trikes, the world of Evo from HTI has a comprehensive product offering for children aged 2-9. The company has invested substantially in its wheeled range, with 10 new lines being added to this key area for 2019.

HTI’s clearly segmented Evo range has already attracted a significant amount of interest from retailers this season. One of the biggest new additions to the Evo range is the 3-in-1 Cruiser, which has been designed to stay with the child from 12 months to five years. The innovative design includes an easily removable seat and adjustable handle height, meaning that this 3-wheel ‘move n groove’ style scooter can grow and adapt with the child across three different stages.

The traditional Inline Scooter has had a makeover for the 2019 season, with new bright colourways, a functional folding mechanism for easy transportation and optional light up feature. For the more experienced riders, three new Evo stunt scooters will appeal to youngsters with a love of the outdoors. Sleek modern frames and stylish aluminium decks ensure that these scooters are both eye-catching and on-trend.

The V-Flex scooter has quickly become a popular line in recent years, and the Evo range includes not one but five different styles with varied price points to suit every retailer. All Evo V-Flex scooters have high-quality features such as anti-slip footplates, TPR handle grips and hand brakes, allowing the child to learn to ride the scooter with confidence and ease.

A key differentiation for the brand, the Evo battery-operated vehicles range continues to flourish with several new additions and refreshed lines. A firm favourite last season, the Electronic Teamsterz car, which featured several times on CKN Toys’ YouTube channel, is now available with parental control and in three different colourways. HTI has the high demand for Police-themed battery-operated vehicles covered: alongside its new Police-themed Teamsterz car, an electronic Police motorbike with working headlights and footrests, plus a new addition to the best-selling quad bike range, are set to expand the play options for fans.

Unique designs for the Evo range and HTI-owned tooling allow the company to offer high quality solutions to general retailers and wheeled-retailer specialists alike.

Kids can practise their agricultural skills with the JCB Electronic Tractor Ride On, also from HTI. Featuring chunky wheels designed to move over rough terrain and a high-backed seat, the vehicle gives budding young farmers the support they need throughout playtime. The ride-on moves forward at the press of a button, and the driver can place their feet on the footrest for comfort. This easy to use vehicle is ideal for kids who love the outdoors.

Finally, the JCB Electronic Digger Ride On lets kids scoop, carry and dump dirt for engaging and imaginative outdoor fun. Drivers simply press down the accelerator to move, while using the control stick to jib up and down and move the bucket in and out. The vehicle is decorated with the iconic JCB colours and logos.

Wilton Bradley 01626 835 400 | www.wiltonbradley.com With road use becoming legal in certain countries, the electric scooter market is currently growing at a fast pace. The Xootz Viper and Elements electric scooter have been strong performers for Wilton Bradley, becoming successful both in the UK and worldwide markets. This year welcomes the Typhoon Power Drift Trike and two new electric scooters, the Electro and Energizer. The Typhoon Power Drift Trike was created using in-house tooling and 3D design, evolving the Viper design and colourway. With an impressive run time of 60 minutes and a maximum speed of 16km/h, this unique ride on will provide hours of outdoor fun.

The new Electro and Energizer electric scooters also follow on from the Viper design.

Wilton Bradley’s collection of electric ride-ons is expanding with the addition of the Mclaren P1, the BMW Police Bike, the Audi TT and the Fiat 500. These additions bring more exclusive models to Wilton Bradley’s electric ride-on range. New features include wing doors on the Mclaren P1 and a removeable handle on the Fiat 500; turning the product from a push-along to an electric ride-on, this feature allows the Fiat to develop with the child.

A new item for Wilton Bradley, the Range Rover Ride On & Suitcase is perfect for kids aged 2-6 years. Available in three colours, this officially licensed 2-in-1 suitcase makes travelling more enjoyable while also offering a fun storage solution for holidays and other trips. The suitcase has been designed to look just like the high-performance Range Rover Sport SVR. The eye-catching design replicates the best-selling Range Rover Electric Ride On, which is also available exclusively from Wilton Bradley.

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Morfboard’s™ patented Lock and Release Technology (LRT) transforms your play in seconds.

Drop X-tensions into the deck and turn 90 degrees. The Flex Trigger locks, and you’re ready to roll.

For further details contact:

Morfboard™ has revolutionized board sports! With LRT, the system’s patented Lock and Release Technology, kids can transform the ride in seconds. Drop the Xtensions into the board with a 90° turn, the flex trigger locks and they’re ready to go!

Morfboard has created a system that enhances the experience into action sports. Whether it’s blasting down the sidewalk with the Scooter Xtension, sticking tricks with the Skateboard Xtension, grabbing some air with the Bounce Xtension or finding balance with the Balance Xtension.

E-Scoot • Patented rear breaking system • Hot Swappable 24V Lithium Ion Battery • 2.4 GHZ Rechargeable Hand Throttle • 4 Hour charge time • 40 minute run time • 100 Watt In-Wheel Brushless Hub Motor • Patented Lock & Release Technology (LRT) • 12 MPH Speed • Auto Start (non kick start) Available: Autumn/Winter 2019

It all begins with one board.

01344 638900 jakksuk@jakks.net

Wheeled Toys

Jakks Pacific 01344 638 900 | www.jakks.com Jakks has set out to revolutionise the board sports category with MorfBoard.

With LRT, the system’s patented Lock and Release Technology, kids can transform their ride in seconds; simply dropping the Xtensions into the board with a 90° turn locks the flex trigger, so it’s ready to go.

With this innovative technology, Morfboard has created a system that elevates the ride-on experience to action sports levels. Whether it’s blasting down the sidewalk with the Scooter Xtension, sticking tricks with the Skateboard Xtension, grabbing some air with the Bounce Xtension, finding balance with the Balance Xtension or zipping around town with the E-Scoot Xtension, it all begins with one board.

Jakks’ latest addition, the MorfBoard E-Scoot, has a 40-minute run time and can reach speeds of up to 12mph. A Rear footbrake caliper system, 2.4 GHZ rechargeable hand throttle, 100 watt inwheel brushless hub motor and an auto start (non-kick start) feature make this scooter easy to get on and ride away, while its Swappable 24V lithium ion battery ensures a quick charge. The MorfBoard E-Scoot will be available from autumn and is suitable for riders aged 13 and over.

Re:creation 01189 736 222 | www.recreationltd.co.uk Suitable for riders from nine years, Razor’s Drift Rider electric drift cycle offers riders drifting fun, combining moto-inspired styling and 3D steering.

E Punk combines the fun of BMX styling with the manoeuvrability of a mini bike. Razor’s unparalleled expertise in electric power ensures this ride packs a punch, offering speeds of up to 9mph (14km/h) and around 40 minutes of continuous use.

Hot on the heels of Razor’s E Prime folding electric scooter comes the E Prime Air. Razor’s most sophisticated electric scooter yet offers a sleek design, a high-torque, brushless hub motor and a large pneumatic front tyre.

Finally, the Power A2, a lithium-powered, folding electric scooter, offers riders aged eight and above a compact and modern design.

MV Sports 01217 488 000 | www.mvsports.co.uk As Avengers Endgame joins highly anticipated upcoming releases such as Toy Story 4, Lion King, Spider-Man and Frozen II, MV will be supporting each property with a comprehensive range of bikes, trikes, scooters, skates and ride-ons, each with its own distinctive look and feel.

Evergreen properties Batman, Peppa, Disney Princess and Paw Patrol are established customer favourites. MV’s Paw Patrol range features brighter colours and even more action-packed graphics, while the Disney Princess lineup benefits from a bolder look thanks to a colour pallette makeover, new bespoke plaques and stylised graphics.

L.O.L. Surprise! continues to go from strength to strength. MV’s range of scooters, skates, and bikes is embellished with glittery wheels and sparkly accents. New additions to the range include a Hopper, the 3-in-1 Scootin Suitcase and the Dream Den. MV’s own-brands are expanding year on year; 2019 sees the launch of a new range of premium scooters and ride-ons.

Umove is appealing to both children and adults alike, featuring lightweight, high quality and affordable products which grow with the child. The company’s domestic range of UMove scooters features eye-catching bursts of colour combined with bespoke features such as a patented adaptable tilt system, LED wheels, and a clip feature for portability. The range offers premium specification wheeled toys, without the premium price tag.

The Stunted range comprises a market leading lineup of stunt scooters and accessories ideal for beginners through to experienced riders. New to the range are an entry level model and two top-spec scooters featuring water decal and neo-chrome finishes. All of the Stunted stunt scooters now feature reinforced box decks and have been upgraded with pro style clamps, which not only improve durability and strength but also enhance the look of the product.

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Wheeled Toys

Rollplay 07986 971902 | www.rollplay.com After the success of Nighthawk, the sit, slide and glide ride for pre-teens which hit UK shelves last summer, Rollplay has announced the launch of its latest high-performance offering, the Wave Catcher. Available from autumn, just in time for the Christmas buying season, this electric scooter has been inspired by the art of windsurfing and will allow the user to cruise, carve and shift at speed.

Featuring a rear skateboard-style truck with a height-adjustable central throttle at the front, it will offer a new riding experience with more control over the vehicle and one-handed steering. Integrated suspension will deliver a smoother ride, while a rear foot brake provides ease of use and safety. The Wave Catcher is suitable for ages eight and over.

This latest addition to the Rollplay line-up will further enable the brand to carve a path in the new sub-sector of innovative, high-performance rideons. Also available in the range are the Turnado and Uprider.

As well as its own-brand ride-ons, Rollplay’s impressive portfolio comprises an assortment of licensed vehicles including the Dragon Mini Quad. This fun four-wheeled rugged ride for pre-schoolers, ties in with the theatrical release of How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World. The VW Flower Power Beetle and Bus launched to celebrate the 50th anniversary of The Woodstock Festival, and September will welcome the new BMW M8 GTE, which is ideal for budding racing drivers.

Hyper Toy Company 07775 706 929 | www.hypertoys.com Hy-Pro 015825 670100 | www.zincflyte.com The Midi Flyte range, Flyte’s best-selling model suitable for 4-8 year olds, welcomes a new addition. Luca the Llama will be making an appearance in the summer, ready to take young explorers on the adventure of a lifetime.

Flyte’s new website is set to launch in time for the peak buying season after sales soared in the first quarter, and is set to showcase the range expansion Hy-Pro has planned. The brand is releasing a new range of accessories to match its recognisable Flyte case designs; the new product offering will include lunch boxes, backpacks and travel compendiums. Each travel accessory will match one of the popular Flyte characters, such as Chloe the Unicorn and Polly the Panda. In addition to the new website, increased influencer marketing and digital campaigns will support the new launches.

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Hyper Toy Company has been creating fun for 28 years, ever since Hyper Bicycles was established in 1990 by the former pro-BMX Racer, Clay Goldsmid. The company has produced millions of bicycles over the years and is now bringing the same expertise and capability to the toy business.

The company’s experience in designing and creating innovative, high quality products across both specialist and mass markets, and its broad knowledge of every aspect of the production process, makes Hyper Toy a one-stop solution for retailers of wheeled products.

To complement its successful range of bikes and ride-ons, the company is now introducing its new scooter brand Riprail. A full range of scooter levels is on offer, suitable for beginner riders through to pros, all created using the highest-quality components and sporting the latest designs and paint finishes. Each model has been designed and built with the same attention to detail and passion for quality that has been the hallmark of all Hyper Toy’s previous products.

Hyper Toy supports sales with dedicated websites, regular social media coverage and sponsored events, while also ensuring it gives back to the sports it owes its success to by sponsoring up-and-coming riders. For more information, please contact james@hypertoys.com or diane@ hypertoys.com.

Action packed!

Company Profile

Full speed ahead How has 2019 been for Hy-Pro so far, and how are your core brands currently performing?

Atul Shah

Bryn Saysell

Emma Mitchell

Atul: We’re seeing growth of 15-20% year on year for Zinc, while Flyte, which is in its fourth year, continues to perform incredibly well for us. It’s taken a while for people to understand what Flyte is; unless consumers have seen it in action, being ridden by a child at an airport or train station, it might not be immediately apparent what the brand offers. Awareness is now building, and so far this year we’ve seen huge growth for Flyte.

Emma: A lot of this growth is being driven by our own website, and with a new, much more user-friendly version due to launch soon this will only continue. We’ve put a lot

Hy-pro

With recent personnel changes, significant growth in its hoverboard portfolio and brand extensions in the pipeline for the best-selling Flyte range, Hy-Pro is enjoying exciting times. Toy World editor Rachael Simpson-Jones spoke with CEO Atul Shah, category manager Bryn Saysell and marketing manager Emma Mitchell to find out more.

of effort into our content, including social media and influencer marketing. We’re working with influencers who have really helped us connect with the parent community. It’s an exciting time for Flyte.

Atul: We’ve also seen some surprising results within our hoverboard category. The hoverboard was a big product for us last year, and we were a top supplier, but we thought that 2018 may be the last big year for it. However, the past four months of sales have been incredible, and from the sales we’ve seen to date it looks like 2019 will be just as big as 2018 was, if not bigger. We didn’t expect this - it’s a real plus.

coming through strongly and there could be major growth yet to be seen.

Did anything else impact your business last year?

Have you noticed any knock-on effects on the wheeled and outdoors categories since Toys R Us went under?

Atul: From a retail perspective 2018 was not a vintage year, however it was an event year. Every two years we benefit from a major sporting event. The England football team did very well in the World Cup, and the team’s performance helped boost sales of our licensed merchandise. There is huge excitement for 2020; I think a lot of fans anticipate just as good a performance from the England team, if not better, so I think it will be one of the biggest event years we’ve had for a while. 2019 is a gap year, but our business is very diverse, and we anticipate the early success of this year to continue.

Bryn: Nothing I’ve seen or heard has led me to believe that the Toys R Us business has been picked up by any one retailer. If we say that Toys R Us had 10% of the market share in these categories, I’d say that perhaps only 1-2% has gone elsewhere; the rest has been lost or has moved to different areas.

As e-scooters were already in decline at Toys R Us, the effect of the bankruptcy was minimal. It’ll be interesting to see how things will develop this year; as Atul mentioned, demand for hoverboards is

Bryn: This year we will see the first real introduction into the market of children’s lithium e-scooters at a competitive price point. Previous e-scooters had lead acid batteries with long charge times and shorter ride times than their lithium battery counterparts. Lithium batteries have been around for a long time - they’re in mobile phones and laptops – but over the last 18 months the pricing has

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What can we look forward to from HyPro in the months to come?

become cheaper and the technology better, meaning we can bring an e-scooter with impressive ride times and quick-charge capabilities to the mass market at an attractive price point. Previous market leaders were priced between £99-119, so we know that’s the territory we need to hit. It’ll be interesting to see what will happen with e-scooters this year. It used to be the biggest sector of the outdoor toy category, but it has been in decline. Can it get back to where it was?

We think it can, and we want to be the No. 1 supplier when it does.

Atul: This year we’ve also started working with a company called Exertis. One of the largest distributors in Europe, Exertis is a multi-billionpound Irish operation with a global reach. We’ve appointed it as our European distribution partner on Zinc. Our current model is based on FOB, so we don’t tend to keep stock in the UK. This is something that has hurt us over the years; we don’t tend to get distribution across a wide range of customers.

Through Exertis we now have a route in to new customers, as well as a new route into Europe. Our agreement with Exertis will launch in the second half of 2019, and with the reach it has, we think it will be hugely beneficial for us.

Alongside Zinc and Flyte, our table games range has been great for us; Hy-Pro is probably the largest importer of table games in the UK. Shock Doctor, a distribution brand comprising sporting safety wear, is a good, steady line for us, and we also have the fitness brand Jaxjox. This launched a couple of years ago and has expanded to include connected devices which are performing well.

What can you tell us about the personnel changes that have taken place recently?

Atul: Simon Pickavance left the business in November 2018. During his time as commercial director, Simon was heavily involved in brand development and regularly travelled to the Far East to conduct factory visits for Zinc and Flyte. After 12 years in this role, and with a young family at home, he felt that it was time to do something different and to move on. We could fully understand his reasoning, and it felt like a good step for Hy-Pro as well as Simon. With someone like Bryn coming up from ground level, we have a fresh pair of eyes on product development. Had Simon stayed, he likely would have taken a much more senior role working on the strategic side of things, but deep down his passion was the day-to-day product development and we all knew it.

Bryn is now looking after all new product development alongside the wider design and development team. We also have our managing director of Hy-Pro Asia based in Hong Kong, Kevin Higginson, who controls the Far East FOB operations for Zinc and Flyte, as well as all our international sales. From a strategic point of view, it makes a lot of sense for Bryn to collaborate closely with Kevin, and the transition has been incredibly smooth.

Bryn: Coming from Argos, I already knew the Hy-Pro team and the product range well, which has made things much easier, and listings for this year with Argos - and other

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customers - are strong. It’s still a tough, competitive environment, so to win this business is a big boon for us. In the current retail environment, our consumers aren’t taking any risks on product; they’re coming to us because of our safety record and the knowledge that we will quickly implement measures in the extremely unlikely event that anything should go awry. Our UK team means we can jump on issues immediately. Hoverboards have been around for a long time, and when they first came to market there were issues with them, but Hy-Pro has proven itself to be one of the safest suppliers out there. We’ve also cemented our position as one of the biggest scooter suppliers in the UK over the past 10 years.

Having a fresh pair of eyes on board, what can we expect to see next from Hy-Pro? Bryn: We’ve always been very strong on e-scooters, so a natural progression for Hy-Pro is adult and commuting scooters. The UK currently has very strict rules regarding the use of electric vehicles on public highways, based on a 150-year-old piece of legislation that’s no longer relevant. Germany, Spain and France have all imposed their own new rules recently, and it looks likely that the UK will follow suit. We have spent a lot of time brainstorming together about the commuting market, so now we have a new adult scooter range coming through.

The range will offer both electric and non-electric scooters to cater for a range of budgets. We see adult commuting and e-scooters as a huge growth area for Hy-Pro over the next 12-18 months as laws (hopefully) change, and consumers start looking at getting from A-B on electric scooters.

Atul: Flyte has been outstanding for us over the last four months, so we are also getting on with developing this range. The Flyte characters are really appealing and popular with children, so our new range of bags, lunchboxes and other products will allow kids to take their love of their favourite character into school and playgroup.

There is plenty to look forward to, and we are definitely not taking our foot off the gas.

Wheeled Toys

Chicco 020 8953 6627 | www.chicco.co.uk The new Scuderia Ferrari Balance Bike is ideal for children aged two and over. Larger than Chicco’s award-winning Red Bullet balance bike, the product measures 57cm x 85cm. Its ultra-lightweight metal frame makes it easy for children to manoeuvre, while the adjustable, soft handlebars and seat can be adjusted to grow with the child.

Little Tikes 0845 0533 333 | www.mgae.com Celebrating its 50th birthday this year, Little Tikes is a leader in the wheeled toys category thanks to its extensive range of ride-ons. From its world-famous Cozy Coupe, which launched in 1979, to a variety of functional Trikes, Little Tikes has everything required for active outdoor play.

Available in a range of designs, the Cozy Coupe is an iconic kid-powered vehicle perfect for outdoor adventures. Kids can choose from a range of designs including the Classic 30th anniversary addition, Dino, Police, Fairy and Princess. With a real working horn, an ignition switch and an open-andclose petrol cap, the Cozy Coupe will help to encourage and develop a child’s imagination. The entire range features a high-backed seat, rear storage, a removable floor and a handle on the back for parent-controlled push rides.

The Sport Racer is an ideal ride-on for the track, garden or road. With front wheel pedalling and dual handles to control rear wheel steering, plus oversized, rugged off-road style tyres, the Sport Racer boasts impressive manoeuvrability.

The vehicle grows with children thanks to a seat back which can be adjusted to two different positions or removed entirely as young racers grow.

Providing a fantasy experience for little ones, the Magical Unicorn Carriage has a multi-coloured light-up unicorn horn, galloping ‘clip-clop’ sounds, a rainbow mane and shimmering finish. The carriage grows with children through two stages; the parent push/pull drive develops into kid-drive as children become more independent, simply by removing the floorboard. The Magical Unicorn Carriage also features 360 wheels, a cup holder, rear storage and adult accessory storage on the roof.

MGA Entertainment 0845 0533 333 | www.mgae.com The latest addition to MGA’s wheeled toy portfolio, the new scooter collection Viro Rides includes the Vega Transforming 2-in-1 Electric Scooter and Mini Bike. This electric scooter transforms into a mini bike, making it the ultimate ride-on for more experienced riders. Kids can switch between bike and scooter mode with the simple push of a button, or fold it up for easy transportation. The product has a height-adjustable handlebar, a thumbcontrol throttle, a lever-activated disk brake for optimum braking performance, and can achieve speeds of up to 10 mph. The Vega launches at the end of July.

The Viro Rides 550E provides keen riders with added style no matter the occasion. High visibility LED lights provide an on-trend ‘ground effect’ that will turn heads wherever it goes, and its built-in kickstand ensures it’ll remain upright when not being ridden. The 550E is easy to assemble and can reach speeds of 10mph for up to six miles per full battery charge.

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Yvolve Sports: Irish Power

Born in Dublin, Yvolve Sports, the original creator of the Y Fliker, has expanded across the globe to become a go-to company for wheeled goods suitable from toddler to teen.

A

number of multi award-winning products stand out in Yvolve Sports’ portfolio, all under the umbrella of its three core brands: Yvolution - wheeled toys and strollers for toddlers and pre-teens; Neon - light up wheeled toys and electric scooters for tweens and teens; and new addition My Buddy Wheels - balance bikes complete with a cuddly companion for toddlers. On a mission to create happiness and health through its outdoor wheeled toys, Yvolve Sports is shaking up the market with its innovative products.

It’s an exciting year for Yvolve Sports; 2019 sees the company launch its exciting new brand, My Buddy Wheels, in an exclusive partnership with Halfords UK. This year also marks Yvolve’s return to direct sales in the UK - its range of new and refreshed items includes an electric scooter available for direct import and domestic purchase from the company’s UK depot.

Roll into the land of unicorns & rainbows The newest addition to the Yvolve family is the brand-new My Buddy Wheels. Already a hit at the Spielwarenmesse Toy Fair, it was a runner up for the ToyAward 2019.

Developed by Yvolve’s award-winning design team, My Buddy Wheels introduces a range of lightweight toddler balance bikes cleverly disguised by a soft and cuddly unicorn, dinosaur or horse buddy, all hailing from the land of unicorns & rainbows.

The new product combines the multiple proven benefits of a balance bike with a cuddly friend that promises to make kids’ dreams come true.

For parents, My Buddy Wheels is also a dream - the plush is easily removable and machinewashable.

“Climbing onto a mythical unicorn, a cuddly dinosaur or a friendly horse captures a toddler’s imagination like nothing else and will encourage them to learn the fundamental skills needed to begin cycling,’’ said Yvolve’s USEhead THIS!!!! global of brand & marketing, Orlagh

O’Reilly. “They’ll have so much fun with My Buddy Wheels that they won’t realise they are developing important skills like balance, stability and confidence, which are essential before graduating to a pedal bike.”

The innovative new toy will hit the shelves at Halfords across the UK in July. With the exclusive Halfords partnership, the My Buddy Wheels launch looks likely to be a runaway success this summer.

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New and refreshed looks for original brands However, not all the focus is on My Buddy Wheels. The original creator of the Y Fliker - the three wheeled, Y-shaped scooter that encourages kids to ‘wiggle-wiggle’ wherever they go – Yvolution, Yvolve’s first brand, is pleased to introduce a refreshed direction for this popular brand. Reflected across its products, packaging and new website, the fresh brand image promotes the idea of curious, inquisitive and active children that use play and learning to create memories and skills which will last a lifetime.

“Our new Yvolution brand statement connects with mums and dads on an emotional level by telling our stories,” explains Orlagh. “It communicates how our products are part of boys’ and girls’ daily lives and how they help them grow strong and healthy. These stories are about unplugging kids from devices and encouraging them to explore the world while developing new abilities and enhancing their skills. Most importantly, they reiterate how safe our products are.”

Further key launches this year include refreshed lines of consumer favourites. The popular Y Velo range has welcomed several new colourways that are set to appeal to children and parents alike; the eye-catching teal option is already proving particularly popular amongst consumers. The Y Velo line is also recognised for its innovation; the Y Velo Junior features a unique dual rear wheel design that gives the bike more stability, making it easier for kids to hold. Once children master the rear dual wheel, they can level up by

removing one to create a new challenge.

The redesigned Y Velo Flippa features a clever new trike-to-balance-bike folding mechanism alongside a parent-steering handlebar. With no need for tools, parents can simply ‘twist and flip’ the back wheels to transform this trike into a two- wheeled balance bike in seconds.

The Flippa is one of the most versatile bikes in the market, preparing kids for life on two wheels.

Now falling under the Yvolution brand, the award winning Strolly stroller-trikes offer a modern and stylish look and feel. Comfortable, safe and practical for toddlers, they are also a fashionable accessory for parents. The strollers are currently flying off the shelves in Europe and Australia, and are sure to be a hit in the UK this autumn.The famous original Y Flikers and Y Gliders have also benefitted from a makeover, boasting vibrant new colours that are sure to attract attention.

innovative RGB technology. The controllable lighting can be programmed to either switch between colours at various speeds, or remain on one for as long as the rider wants. A total of 10 colours can be set to three different modes.

Entering the electric market, the brand is also launching the Neon Edge, its first electric scooter. This affordable and lightweight e-scooter is targeted at kids aged 7+ and comes

with a durable li-ion battery, large LED wheels and an integrated rear hub motor, making it the perfect choice for everyday use. The Neon Edge promises to be the first of many in this electric range, with more items to follow in 2020.

For its debut into the stunt scooter segment, Neon is presenting the Neon Tricky later this year. While designed to be a perfect entrylevel stunt scooter for any beginner rider, it is targeted at kids ready to start performing scooter tricks. The Tricky is designed for comfort and classic trick scooter use, with 100mm wheels specially made for short bursts of speed and a 360-spin handlebar, ideal for stunts. The motion-powered LED lights - a staple of the Neon brand - add an extra level of flair.

All these announcements set the tone for Yvolve Sports going forward. Yvolve’s VP & commercial director, Padraig Bracken, says: “Our customers are at the core of our brands, and we make sure that we listen to their feedback in order to continuously improve our products. Our design team does an amazing job translating these wants and needs into high-quality products. With even more developments to come, we are very excited to see what the future holds.”

Lighting up an old favourite Yvolve’s third brand, Neon, continues to turn heads. Home of the famous Neon Street Rollers, the bright lights of this brand are set to shine even further in the market for 2019.

Three new products were the focus during the toy fairs this season, each marking a new direction for different segments and all hoping to create a ripple in the marketplace.

An invigorated brand focus has placed the spotlight on everything from electric features to previously untapped categories.

yvolution.com mybuddywheels.com neonvybe.com Scan to access 2019 catalogues

Looking to add a new spark to a favourite line, the brand is introducing the Neon Ghost to its light-up scooter segment. Capitalising upon kids’ desire to personalise their belongings, the Ghost lets kids customise their rides, much like they can in racing video games, thanks to

To find out more contact Joan: joan.ryan@yvolution.com +353 86 0232210

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Allegedly

The CMA has finally confirmed what had been widely predicted for some time – that it would be blocking the proposed Sainsbury’s Asda merger. Perhaps unsurprisingly, given the unequivocal nature of the CMA’s findings, the grocers have decided to concede defeat. Thus ends the ‘Sasda’ saga, not with a bang but with a whimper.

It will be interesting to see where the two supermarkets go from here. Clearly there will be pressure on Sainsbury’s boss Mike Coupe, with the retailer’s share price down by a third since last summer, while also facing a bill of up to £50m, largely in lieu of fees already spent on bankers and lawyers. Ouch. Asda is arguably in a different position: its recent improved performance eases pressure on Walmart to take any immediate decisions. Indeed, some observers are now suggesting that Walmart may be inclined to cancel its plans to sell the chain, while others have suggested that it could pursue an IPO instead. If nothing else, toy buyers at both operations - along with suppliers - now have clarity and can plan accordingly, which I am sure will be welcomed across the market…

I was intrigued by a LinkedIn post from Tony Brown, Beales CEO, which said: “28 councils give Debenhams a 50% reduction in business rates, 51 landlords give rent reductions of up to 50%. Check out your councils and landlords and ask for the same treatment.” The post raises a very fair point and highlights the danger of creating a precedent: it is almost giving retailers the incentive to enter a CVA, without which they could find themselves at a competitive disadvantage. CVAs are rather like holding a gun to the head of councils and landlords, and it seems to me that the current system penalises retailers who are not prepared to resort to such drastic measures. I especially question whether it is fair that some retailers who enter a CVA arguably aren’t even in genuine financial straits, but just want to reduce their rent and rate bill. I sense that landlords and councils are going to have to draw a line at some point, or they are going to have a very long queue outside their door…

It is encouraging to hear that the London Toy Fair looks like it is going to be a sell-out again next year, having reported a strong re-booking rate which is ahead of this time last year. It’s nice to see toy companies having the confidence to make firm commitments, despite the uncertainty we’re all facing in the political and economic arena. Here at Toy World we’re experiencing much the same thing; the vast majority of companies we deal with are very much keeping calm and carrying on. Although, to be fair, sudden withdrawal from the trade press is rarely a sign of a healthy company…

We ran a story about Distoy online last month, in which organiser David Potter expressed his disappointment at a renegade group of former exhibitors who decided to set up round the corner from Distoy, effectively piggybacking on his established event. To be fair, I can completely understand why David was upset: in small, owner-managed businesses, people do tend to take things personally. The individual behind the breakaway group had previously attempted to set up a rival show at Lake Como in Italy, which unsurprisingly failed to gain any traction. From there, I guess that the person concerned was too proud – and probably too embarrassed – to ask if he could bring his group back into Distoy, so has decided to ‘go rogue’ instead. It’s not as if it is a money-saving exercise; while I decided not to give away the location (as that would only have given them the oxygen of publicity) let’s just say that it wasn’t exactly a Travelodge. However, I did receive at least one email from someone who had assumed that the official Distoy show had run out of room at its usual hotels and had extended to a new venue, so there was clearly some confusion in the international toy

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community as to the rogue event’s status. Of course, in the end, they weren’t doing anything illegal, and most established trade shows will have experienced similar piggybacking issues. You know the sort of thing: people holding meetings in a suite at the OIympia Hilton, or just commandeering a table in a coffee shop at Olympia and holding meetings there all day - some people may as well bring a flag with their logo on and stick it on the table! It is very much a grey area and while not wanting to seem draconian, I know that some show organisers are trying their best to prevent this sort of behaviour. I don’t really blame them: it is a bit naughty to take advantage of all the benefits of a show without contributing to its running costs. If you want to exhibit, that’s great. If not, that’s absolutely fine, but should you really be taking visitors away from people who have paid to be there?

Former Hamleys and Mothercare / ELC buyer Claire Loxley has joined Addo Play as senior product development manager, while Catrina O'Brien has moved from Mattel’s licensing division to become VP of retail at eOne. We wish them both all the best in their new roles…

To the usual woes of soaring business rates and high car parking charges, it appears that we can now add stag and hen parties to the list of challenges faced by independent toy retailers. Asked why he was closing his York branch, East Midland Toy Company owner James Colclough cited all the usual factors, but threw in this curveball: “We found that Saturdays, normally our busiest day, were flat as shoppers were deterred by party-goers including stag and hen parties, which don’t really allow for families to enjoy the York experience comfortably and safely.” I definitely had a very different view of York, all dreaming spires and an air of affluence and gentility; now I find out it’s actually turned into a rival to ‘Skeg-Vegas…’

Character Options has announced that popular Irish agent Phil ‘Panzer’ Richardson will be retiring from his current role at the end of August. Phil has been part of the Character set-up from the very start, and I know how well he is thought of by the whole team. A hard act to follow for sure – he has set the bar high for Colm Banaghan and his team, as they take over Irish representation for Character this month.

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