From the publisher

Welcome to the 12th birthday issue of Toy World. 12 years ago, the very first issue of Toy World was landing on desks, and although that seems a world away now, some things haven’t changed since our launch edition. We always knew that there wasn’t room for three titles in the market; indeed, as a disciple of the ‘less is more’ philosophy when it comes to trade magazines, I might even argue that one title would realistically suffice. But what we did know from the start was that there was unquestionably room for a better toy magazine – and that we would build a team that could deliver that.

Fast forward 12 years and we continue to make good on that promise – I am loving life and still loving what I do. I am as passionate and enthusiastic about the toy business as I ever was, and the fact that we now have 90% of the market shows that – contrary to what a director at my previous company said just after I left – I really wasn’t “too old to start my own business” (I was 49 by the way – not exactly ready to hang up my keyboard). Thanks to everyone for their continued support, and for helping us to have all the right information to keep the toy community informed and entertained.

So, what do we have in-store for you this month? With the festive season rapidly approaching, we take a deep dive into the marketing activity which toy companies will be putting behind their key launches to create excitement and demand. Historically, this feature focused predominantly on the TV advertising schedules that had been put in place, but my goodness how the world has changed. While TV is still part of the mix, consumer-facing marketing is now a multifaceted and complex process.…if you thought Optimus AI was a new Transformer, this is the feature for you.

Alongside the main issue, we are once again delighted to bring you our standalone Games & Puzzles supplement, the only one of its kind in the world – 84 pages dedicated to this enduringly popular category. Despite concerns that the sector might struggle to live up to the heady days of 2020 and 2021, the latest Circana figures suggest quite the contrary; Games & Puzzles is now the 4th largest supercategory in the UK toy market, as well as the fastest growing this year (+11% YTD). And that’s before the main selling season kicks in. So, if you are looking for inspiration to freshen up your range for this Christmas, the supplement is a great place to start.

We also have an exclusive interview with the Toy Association’s president and CEO Steve Pasierb, ahead of the inaugural New York Toy Fair to be held in its new timeslot

at the end of September. We put some candid questions to Steve about the rationale behind the move from the event’s traditional February timing and, to his credit, he answered them unflinchingly. I’ll be heading to the show to see how the change of date impacts the event – I’ll report back in due course.

There is also a special feature on the Pocket Money and Collectibles category, plus a host of new products hitting shelves this autumn winter and articles about subjects as varied and eclectic as the Hollywood Actors and Writers’ strike and Amazon’s purge of distributors.

If all of that wasn’t enough, we also have an exclusive article based on a retail tour around London that we took with the Mattel team last month. We spent a packed morning looking at the amazing activations for Barbie across leading stores of every shape and size, from specialist toy retail to high end department store, from fashion to grocery. Every store we visited had adopted a different approach, the only commonality being that each activation worked for that particular retailer. It has to be said that what the Mattel team has achieved is nothing short of remarkable; they have created an incredible presence across every retail channel, without any retailers complaining that their competitors have been given preferential treatment. Literally, everyone’s a winner.

I gather that many retailers have seen a very significant upturn in their Barbie business in recent weeks, both for the core Mattel range and licensees’ products too. To see well-shopped fixtures and retailers struggling to catch up on stock levels is welcome during the height of summer in any given year, but particularly this year.

Because, from what I hear, July was something of a tricky month for the UK toy market: sales were apparently down every week in July, with the last three weeks all experiencing double digit declines. Of course, the inclement weather didn’t help – outdoor sales slowed up dramatically in July. But even allowing for that, it wasn’t the ideal way to start the second half of the year.

However, while the first half of 2023 has had something of a subdued air, I do get the impression that there is a far greater degree of confidence for the back end. Barbie continues to keep the spotlight shining on the toy market, while I gather Turtles sales – which were already decent ahead of the movie release - went to another level once the film hit screens. With plenty more heavy hitters in the wings, there is every reason to be (quietly) optimistic about the festive season – and we will continue to bring you every twist and turn as things begin to hot up.