Ronnie Dungan Managing Editor
Contents REGULARS 4
News
6
Exclusive NPD analysis
Ronnie.Dungan@intentmedia.co.uk
Samantha Loveday Associate Editor Samantha.loveday@intentmedia.co.uk
Katie Roberts Deputy Editor
COMMENT
Katie.Roberts@intentmedia.co.uk
8
Appointments
10
Campaign of the month
12
TV ratings
BOXING CLEVER
Emily Briggs Sales Executive
CONSUMER FACING industries, particularly those that cater for children, are easy prey for ambitious MPs trying to make a name for themselves. So if you’re the new environment secretary for instance, and you’re fairly anonymous, it’s standard practice to play a populist card and promise to remedy one of society’s minor ills. Like, say, wasteful toy packaging for example. Which is exactly what the newly-appointed Tory MP Caroline Spelman has done. There’s little point in arguing against the fact that some toy packaging is a little over the top and it takes advanced power tools to get through some of the more complicated set-ups. It can be unneccesary and wasteful and it is often a lot to do with on-shelf presence rather than more practical reasons. At the very least you can say with certainty that it isn’t a standard bearer for environmentalism.
Emily.Briggs@intentmedia.co.uk
LICENSING 20
Vegas 2010 news special
22
News
FEATURES 14
Social Networking
16
Argos open day reaction
24
Dress-Up
29
Electronic Learning
35
Leapfrog’s giant leap
41
Mega Brands
42
Wow Toys
45
Creative Play
RETAIL 56
Counter Insurgent
56
Price Check
57
Retail Charts
58
New Products
61
Hero Product
Dan Bennett Design Dan.Bennett@intentmedia.co.uk
Jon Salisbury Contributor jon@wotkidzwant.com
Stuart Dinsey Publisher Stuart.Dinsey@intentmedia.co.uk
Editorial: 01992 535646 Advertising: 01992 535647
When the environment secretary gets a bee in her bonnet about it, it’s best to take notice.
Intent Media is a member of the Periodical Publishers Associations
AUDITED CIRCULATION: I suspect that toys is not any worse than other product sectors, but when the environment secretary gets a bee in her bonnet about it, however wooly her thinking might be, it’s best to take notice. I know the BTHA will be writing to her to open a dialogue. Self-regulation is always the best solution in cases like this but the toy industry needs to be honest with itself if it wants to avoid any uncomfortable enforced legislation on it. Time to do the right thing. Ronnie Dungan
Average Net Circulation: 6,011 July 1st 2008 to June 30th 2009. www.toynews-online.biz ■ ToyNews circulation is 17.3% higher than its closest competitor. ■ ToyNews requested or paid for circulation is 21.7% higher than its closest competitor. ■ ToyNews has 100% named circulation and 0% duplication.
GET YOUR KIT ON FOR THE 2010 TOYNEWS FIVES TEAMS FROM ACROSS THE INDUSTRY WILL GATHER FOR A CRACKING DAY OF FIVE-A-SIDE FOOTBALL ACTION
TER LAST CHANCE TO EN JULY! H 9T ON AY PL APPLY NOW TO
TOYNEWS FIVES RAISING MONEY FOR THE TOY TRUST. £100 FROM EVERY ENTRY GOES TO THE TOY TRUST SUPPORTING DISADVANTAGED CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES.
F R I D AY J U LY 9 G O U R M E T B A R B E Q U E T E A M A N D I N D I V I D U A L T R O P H Y P R E S E N T A T I O N S
TO ENTER NOW PLEASE CALL 020 7700 1888 OR VISIT WWW.TOPCORNER.CO.UK/TOYNEWSFIVES