TFE, June 2015

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June 2015, Vol. 10, No. 3

tfe toys & family entertainment

contents | 06/15 Volume 10, No. 3

Features

Departments

22 Construction: Building up the Business

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Observations & Opinions

by Jennifer Lynch

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The TICKER

by Nancy Lombardi

14

by Jennifer Lynch

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24 Construction: Product Presentation 26 Games: Strong Growth in Classic Category

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28 Games: Product Presentation

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by Nancy Lombardi

30 Bubbles: Shaking up a Summer Classic

by Nancy Lombardi

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by Jennifer Lynch

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32 Dolls: Toying with the Competition 34 Dolls: Product Presentation

Trending

Industry Forum: Toy Industry Association Industry Forum: ASTRA

Industry Forum: Design Edge

Entertainment Marketplace: Peanuts Merchandise Makers: Blip Toys You’re Hired

Calendar of Events

by Jennifer Lynch

36 ASTRA 2015

by Jennifer Lynch

92 Specialty Emporium: Playmobil

by Nancy Lombardi

On the Cover

Pictured on the cover is the Sing-a-Long Elsa doll from Jakks Pacific. TFE cover designed by Jennifer Lynch.

TFE Licensing cover designed by Rovio

Page 61

LICENSING

62 Trends in Licensing

by Nancy Lombardi

66 Licensing Show 2015

by Nancy Lombardi

On this Page

ThinkFun’s Rush Hour Shift expands the company’s classic game of Rush Hour into a two-player game.

The Peanuts Movie opens on November 6. Shown above is Fubbles Bump ’n Bubbles Robot, from Little Kids. This motorized bubble blower spins and turns while continuously blowing bubbles.

OBSERVATIONS & OPINIONS

SUCCESS with the TRIED-AND-TRUE Categories

wo very important, yet very diverse trade shows are taking place this month. Both shows are covered in this issue. There is the ASTRA Marketplace & Academy in Charlotte, N.C. and Licensing Expo in Las Vegas. These two shows cover different aspects of the toy industry, yet aspects that overlap considerably. ASTRA (The American Specialty Toy Retailing Association) is the BY BOB GLASER organization focused on nurturing and growing the specialty side of the toy business while the Licensing Expo—more commonly known as Licensing Show—focuses on anything with a brand name, not just toys. We all know that licensed toys are a significant part of the industry—even the specialty toy industry. And the hottest license in the industry remains Disney’s Frozen. This year’s Licensing Show promises to be bigger and better than in year’s past due to the improving economy. Meanwhile ASTRA’s Marketplace & Academy continues to grow each year at a steady pace.

One category that mixes the principles of the specialty toy industry with licensing especially well is the games category. The category is one of the top performers in the industry. The reason is there is a lot of innovation happening with both licensed and non-licensed games. This innovation is grabbing the attention of consumers who are looking to step away from their devices to regain some quality family time. Parents, in particular, know there are tremendous benefits to introducing games to their young children.

ASTRA’s Marketplace & Academy devotes one night of its convention specifically to games. Retailers spend an evening playing games and, in turn, educate themselves about new product lines. This is one of the most popular events during the ASTRA Marketplace & Academy. These retailers know that playing a game for a few minutes will help them instantly decide whether to carry it in their store. From there, they can demo it for their employees and shoppers. An in-depth look at the games category can be found on page 26.

In addition to games, this issue also features bubbles, construction toys, and dolls. These are tried-and-true categories that are performing well because they continue to innovate, feature today’s hottest licenses, yet still remain rooted in classic play patterns. These are values that appeal to the specialty industry while offering success for those in attendance at Licensing Show.

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WWW.ANBMEDIA.COM

June 2015 • Volume 10, Number 3 PUBLISHER BOB GLASER BOB@TTPM.COM ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER ANDY KRINNER ANDY@TTPM.COM ADVERTISING DIRECTOR DONNA MOORE DONNA@TTPM.COM CONTROLLER MARY GROGAN MARY@TTPM.COM EDITOR IN CHIEF JIM SILVER JIM@TTPM.COM EDITORIAL DIRECTOR NANCY LOMBARDI NANCY@TTPM.COM CREATIVE/EDITORIAL MANAGER JENNIFER LYNCH JENNIFER@TTPM.COM WEB DEVELOPER BRENDAN SANABRIA BRENDAN@TTPM.COM CONTRIBUTORS KATHLEEN MCHUGH; KRISTIN MORENCY GOLDMAN; MATT NUCCIO PUBLIC RELATIONS REPRESENTATIVE JOSSLYNNE WELCH LITZKY PUBLIC RELATIONS, 320 SINATRA DRIVE, HOBOKEN, N.J. 07030 (201) 222–9118 EXT. 13 • JWELCH@LITZKYPR.COM INTERESTED IN A SUBSCRIPTION? CONTACT SUBSCRIPTIONS@ANBMEDIA.COM ANB MEDIA, INC. 229 WEST 28TH STREET, SUITE 401, NEW YORK, N.Y. 10001 PHONE: (646) 763–8710 • FAX: (646) 763–8727

TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT (TFE) is published four times per year by aNb Media. Copyright 2015 aNb Media. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without written permission from the publisher.

Printed in the U.S.A. TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT, SPECIALTY EMPORIUM, and TFE LICENSING are registered trademarks of aNb Media. Opinions and comments expressed in this publication by editors, contributing writers, or solicited or unsolicited documents are not necessarily those of management.

What’s Trending?

This trending list is taken from aNb Media’s consumer website, TTPM.com. TTPM’s Trending Review is a list of the

most popular items on the site, as determined by consumers. It’s generated by the number of page views for that item in the previous seven days, updated every 24 hours. Here is the list, in trending order, on May 18, 2015.

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SQUISHY BAFF Spin Master

BARBIE DIGITAL MAKEOVER Mattel

THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN MEGA BLASTER WEB SHOOTER Hasbro

MY LITTLE SNUGABUNNY CRADLE ’N SWING Fisher-Price

BARBIE ALL DOLLED UP DELUXE STYLING HEAD Just Play

SEASON 1 SHOPKINS 12-PACK Moose Toys

DISNEY FROZEN OLAF’S IN TROUBLE GAME Hasbro

SOFIA THE FIRST DELUXE STYLING HEAD (1) Just Play MY LITTLE NENUCO TRAVEL WITH ME (3) Famosa

ORBEEZ LUXURY SPA The Maya Group

MINION BIKE HELMET Skyrocket Toys

TEAM UMIZOOMI UMI SHAPE ADVENTURES BOARD Fisher-Price 8 tfe JUNE 2015

ORBEEZ BODY SPA The Maya Group

MY MAGICAL MERMAID WATER WONDERLAND Zuru

STAR WARS INTERACTIVE R2-D2 ASTROMECH DROID Hasbro EVER AFTER HIGH SECRET HEARTS DIARY Mattel DELUXE NEMO Thinkway Toys

FAST AND FURIOUS 7 BRIAN’S NISSAN GT-R (R35) (2) Jada Toys WATER DANCING SPEAKERS Leading Edge Novelty HEDBANDZ FOR ADULTS Spin Master

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OCTOBER 5, 2015 DALLAS FALL TOY PREVIEW Grow your business! Get priceless access to inspiring role models, industry experts, financiers and Walmart buyers, all followed by our Cocktails & Connections networking event.

WomenInToys.com

e th e v te WIT’s 25th Anniversary! a S Da Sunday, February 14th, 2016 | New York City

Wonder Women in Toys, Licensing and Entertainment Awards Gala Honoring WIT founders Anne Pitrone & Susan Matsumoto

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THE TICKER

A Recap of Industry Headlines • For More News, Visit www.aNbMedia.com

• Sign up to Receive FREE Weekly News Alerts

TTPM Spring Showcase One-Day Media Event

Chris Byrne, the Toy Guy, helped present the Summer Play Lists to a packed room of media.

TTPM, the leading consumer website publishing reviews, videos, and live price updates (and part of the aNb Media family), announced its Summer Play Lists during the TTPM SPRING SHOWCASE one-day media event on THURSDAY, APRIL 30 in New York City. The Play Lists, announced during the morning press conference, are the editors’ favorite toy and family entertainment products for summer 2015. This season’s Summer Play Lists fall into three categories: Movies That Pack the Multiplex, Fun in the Sun, and Stand Out Summer Hits. Visit TTPM.com for the lists. Shown here are some of the exhibitors at this year’s event. The TTPM HOLIDAY SHOWCASE is set for TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 29 in NEW YORK CITY at the Metropolitan Pavilion. To be part of the TTPM Holiday Showcase, contact Donna Moore at donna@ttpm.com.

Shown here is a sampling of the exhibitors on the morning of the event.

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Shown here is a sampling of the exhibitors on the morning of the event.

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INDUSTRY FORUM

Help Spread the Message: Genius of Play Initiative Underway BY

KRISTIN MORENCY GOLDMAN, TOY INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION

hether you are a toymaker, retailer, or other industry stakeholder, the Toy Industry Association (TIA) is calling on you to help spread The Genius of Play message to parents and caregivers. Initially launched last fall, The Genius of Play campaign focuses on raising consumer awareness about play’s unequivocal role in healthy child development. The campaign’s second phase will be unveiled this summer with the expansion of TheGeniusOfPlay.org. It is a fun, informative website that will include shareable videos, play-related research, blog posts from play experts, toy and play recommendations for parents, and more.

“The toy industry has a powerful message in that we provide children with the lasting joy and developmental benefits of play,” says Steve Pasierb, TIA president and CEO. “We need to unite our voices across the industry to create an enriching dialogue with families about the magic, discovery, and creativity that toys and play bring to children of all ages.”

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THE PROOF IS IN THE RESEARCH Studies show that toys and games of all kinds help improve children’s cognitive, social, emotional, and motor skills; play also helps prepare them for life’s ups and downs. TIA has been collecting research from renowned academics, psychologists, journalists, and other play-focused professionals, and has uncovered a significant amount of data that confirms the manner in which play transforms children into confident, well-adjusted adults.

Research findings will be published in the form of shareable infographics on the website. Here are some top-line results: • Children need a “balanced diet of play” in order to fully develop into well-rounded adults. This development progresses in children from being dependent on actions and perception in infancy, to understanding more observable aspects of reality in childhood, to capturing underlying abstract rules and principles in adolescence.

• When play happens, significant neurological changes occur—creating new pathways within the brain. These provide kids with an open framework for a host of future life experiences.

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• Play is profound in sometimes unexpected ways. For example, a child who is better at manipulating blocks in preschool is more likely to have better math skills in high school.

• Facilitating free/open/unstructured play is a parent’s duty.

They should provide kids with the time, space, and toys—then get out of the way.

• Toys may evolve over time, but the basics remain the same and transcend culture and geographic boundaries.

• A childhood without play is connected with a child’s inability to properly cope with pain, fear, and anxiety as well as the inability to cooperate well with others and to think abstractly. Without play, children become adolescents who have a harder time showing empathy.

JOIN THE CONVERSATION The industry is encouraged to share research and fun facts about the benefits of play on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram (#GeniusOfPlay). Contact TIA’s Jackie Retzer (jretzer@toyassociation.org) for a list of suggested social media posts and accompanying images. Also, be sure to follow TIA on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest to share information about The Genius of Play.

PROMOTE YOUR SKILL-BUILDING TOYS TIA is seeking examples of skill-building toys and games to be featured on TheGeniusOfPlay.org, social media, and in broadcast media segments. Toy companies are encouraged to contact TIA’s Retzer with recommendations that enhance fine and gross motor development, critical thinking, communication skills, social skills, emotional skills, creativity, and several other skills and developmental milestones. Submissions should include the product name, age grade, price, and image of the toy. The email subject line should include the specific skill that the product helps to develop.

Contact TIA’s Anna Yudina, director of marketing communications, with any questions about The Genius of Play initiative. She can be reached at ayudina@toyassociation.org.

INDUSTRY FORUM

Using Omnichannel Retailing to Strengthen Sales BY

KATHLEEN MCHUGH, ASTRA

ews flash for specialty retailers: the store is still the thing. Shoppers love to shop, which means they like to be out and about. They like to touch things and have the immediate gratification of finding something they love and taking it home with them. Across demographic and age groups, consumers consistently point to the importance of convenience as the driver of their purchasing decisions. And that’s where the physical store has an edge. A big edge, if you can get them inside your four walls during their purchasing process.

A recent report by consulting firm A.T. Kearney on shopping preferences found that in an era when many believe e-commerce is driving the retail sector, brickand-mortar stores are landing 90 percent of retail sales. When you add in online sales by retailers with both an internet and physical option for purchasing products, you find that 95 percent of all sales are going to retailers who have a brick-and-mortar store. In fact, even with today’s ubiquitous smart phones and mobile apps, more online sales are made by retailers that offer both “bricks and clicks” than the total of all online sales by online-only retailers.

How do you keep customers coming to you—especially to the shopping experience in your physical store? The answer may be in the latest buzzword: omnichannel marketing. The term may be new, but many specialty toy retailers such as members of the American Specialty Toy Retailing Association (ASTRA) already support their physical stores with pieces of

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an omnichannel retailing strategy. With their websites, their top-notch customer service that includes taking phone orders, and their presence in the community at events and in the media, they offer shoppers a path through what A.T. Kearney calls the “shopping journey.” This begins with product discovery and proceeds through trial and test, purchase, delivery or pickup, and, in some cases, returns.

It may seem counter-intuitive, but a key way to keep shoppers coming to your brickand-mortar store is to give them ways to take part of the “shopping journey” outside your store. “Consumers don’t distinguish between channels,” says Miya Knights, a senior research analyst from the International Data Corporation. “They are channel-blind; therefore they expect the same service, products, offers, and pricing online as they do in-store and on mobile.”

Here are some tips for creating value around your physical store by maximizing the return on your store’s omnichannel outreach and making it consistent across channels:

WEBSITE

• Make sure your staff is fully aware of how your website works. Note any differences on what you sell through the website vs. what is available in the store.

• Give customers multiple options for how they can pick up their online purchases. You can ship the products directly to the customers or offer in-store pick up.

PHONE

• Train your staff to offer the store’s amazing customer service not just in store

but over the phone. They can offer services such as setting aside a product that a customer is looking for or recommending a similar item that is available in store.

• Provide staff training for selling products over the phone. Once the sale has been made, staff can wrap the purchases and have them ready for the customers to simply stop in and pick up curbside.

OUTSIDE EVENTS

• Attend consumer shows outside your store or promote your store by speaking at community group events such as parenting groups and school functions.

• Bring items to sell and have a mobile payment app to ring up charges on the spot.

• Keep your staff in the know.

Communicate which outside events you will be at, what you are bringing to sell, and any coupons you are distributing.

• Print flyers or cards that include your store information and website address.

Consider including a calendar of upcoming events or including a special coupon.

Shoppers today are looking for an experience, and what better place to give it to them than in your toy store? Just make sure you augment that experience with ways for them to find you, to research your products, and to conduct transactions in whatever way is most comfortable and convenient for them—so it is your store that gets the sale, not your online clicks-only competitor.

Kathleen McHugh is president of The American Specialty Toy Retailing Association (ASTRA). Visit astratoy.org.

INDUSTRY FORUM

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SPECIALTY vs. MASS MARKET Package Design BY

MATT NUCCIO, DESIGN EDGE

o you want to design a successful package?

Here are some important factors you’ll need to consider. What makes a package suitable for the mass market versus the specialty market? How much copy and what type of copy should be on the front of the package as opposed to the back of the package?

How do you determine the size of the package? What are some common mistakes to avoid when designing a package? If you can figure these things out, you’re golden. But the tricky thing is, the answers to these questions are moving targets.

WHAT MAKES A PACKAGE “MASS MARKET” OR “SPECIALTY MARKET”?

The simplest way to determine if something is suitable for the mass market versus the specialty market is to understand the difference between a mass market retailers’ approach to selling an item versus a specialty retailers’ approach to selling the same item. The mass market is, well, massive. Packages sit side by side, row upon row in an ocean of staple products, loss leaders, trending products, and markdowns. The non-promoted products are left to speak for themselves or die a quick retail death. The mass market package needs to stand out.

It needs to tell a quick, clear, and concise message. If it doesn’t tell the story in the snap of a finger, consumers will pass right over it.

So if the mass market is an ocean of products, then think of specialty as your neighborhood pond. The scale alone makes a difference. There’s a massive difference between a 2,500-square-foot store and 100,000-square-foot store. But just because there are seemingly less fish in that specialty pond doesn’t mean that you can let your design guard down. The product’s package is still of utmost importance. What makes specialty such an interesting environment is the way it support its products. Specialty retailers engage potential customers in conversations to help steer them to the right product. They will also demo and display products, support products in newsletters and blogs, and very often champion a product, which drives trends.

So what does this have to do with design? Specialty retailers lean more toward packaging that is simple and sleek. The artwork on the package can be a conversation starter rather than the entire sales campaign. But, while you still need to make the product’s use evident, there should be room for the retailer to tell

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the story in their own words.

PACKAGES ARE LIKE PEOPLE One of the most common packaging questions I receive is, “How much copy should be placed on the back of the package?

How much should be on the front of the package?”

For this, I always offer the same response. I liken packaging to the way people gravitate towards one another. The front of the package is the way a person looks. From afar, it can tell a quick story of just how seemingly smart and sophisticated it is. Or perhaps it gives the impression of being silly, goofy, or even aloof. The attractiveness of the package, as with a person, will draw you in to engage with the product. This should be done in a clean, concise way to project the essence of the product. On the front, images are more important than words. Copy should be clean, easy to read from a distance, and not distracting. The front tells the story in an instant moment of attraction. So dress your package for success. The back of the package has the brains and personality. The back of the package should serve as a conversation starter. This is where you’ll find out just how sophisticated or goofy the product can be. If you can balance the looks with the brains, you’ll have a very successful package.

Now that we have established what to do right, here are three common mistakes to avoid. Stay away from monochromatic layouts.

This camouflages the product on shelf. Avoid poorly spaced type. At Design Edge, we teach our interns to imagine a small ball that needs to travel within the negative space between the letters in a way that is a perfect size for that ball. It is then their job, as designers, to make sure that ball can travel perfectly between the letters without getting stuck or having too much space on either side. Avoid overly attractive layouts that do not tell the story of the product. For the designer, it can be a proud centerpiece for their portfolio. But for the manufacturer, it can be a disaster that results in dead inventory. Keep all of these factors in mind when devising a package and consumers will certainly pick your item up off the shelf.

Design Edge is a New York-based graphic design and research development studio. Matt Nuccio can be reached at (516) 377–0500 or matt@designedge.net.

2015 Licensing Show TFE Ads.pdf

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THE SKY IS THE LIMIT WITH ALIEN SUPERHEROES BEHIND YOU. Eyewitnesses have reported alien encounters at Booth #D121 at Licensing Expo.

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ENTERTAINMENT MARKETPLACE

Peanuts BY

FAST FACTS

NANCY LOMBARDI

ood grief! It looks like 2015 could be the biggest year in the history of the Peanuts brand. A global movie event kicks off this fall, global shortform programming is underway, additional content will be announced in the coming months, licensees are debuting classic and movie products, and promotional partners are falling into place.

How can Charlie Brown still claim that no one likes him?

This year the brand is centered around The Peanuts Movie, which opens in U.S. theaters, as well as many global markets, on November 6, 2015. Created by Blue Sky Studios, Peanuts Worldwide (a partnership between Iconix and the family of Charles M. Schulz), and Twentieth Century Fox Animation, the film portrays the classic Peanuts characters in state-ofthe-art 3-D animation targeting moviegoers of all ages. In the film, “Snoopy embarks upon his greatest mission as he and his team take to the skies to pursue their arch-nemesis, while his best pal Charlie Brown begins his own epic quest back home,” according to the film’s profile on IMDB.com. In addition to the movie, short-form programming has launched in France and Japan. A U.S. partner is expected to be named soon.

Moreover, “we are in development on additional new content, which we will announce soon for 2016 and 2017,” says Leigh Ann Brodsky, managing director of Peanuts Worldwide. “New content will

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continue to be part of our process because it keeps the brand fresh.”

While this brand may be 65 years old, it has always remained fresh and relevant speaking to the current generation of kids wherever they may be. Generations ago it was solely through a comic strip, then it was television, movies, DVDs, and, of course, licensed goods all along the way. Now the Peanuts are being delivered to today’s kids (and adults as well) through social media. Peanuts has a strong following on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Vine, and others. The original comic strip format is perfect “bite-size media,” as Brodsky calls it, for today’s social media generation. The timeless, overall message of the original Peanuts comics and the multi-faceted characters created by Charles M. Schulz have a lot to offer today’s generation.

Everyone can see aspects of themselves in Linus, Lucy, Sally, Snoopy, and Charlie Brown, in particular. He has days that we can all relate to and it’s how he— and the rest of the group—handle the challenges they face that can offer sage advice for any generation.

Peanuts is a comic strip that was written and illustrated by Charles M. Schulz. It ran from October 2, 1950, to February 13, 2000, continuing in reruns afterward. In total, 17,897 strips were published. At its peak, Peanuts ran in more than 2,600 newspapers, with a readership of 355 million in 75 countries, and was translated into 21 languages, according to Wikipedia.

Peanuts had its origin in Li’l Folks, a weekly panel comic that appeared in Schulz’s hometown paper, the St. Paul Pioneer Press, from 1947–1950. In 1950, his work was picked up by United Feature Syndicate and it decided to run the new comic strip Schulz had been working on. This strip was similar in spirit to the panel comic, but it had a set cast of characters, rather than different nameless little folk for each page. The name Li’l Folks was too close to the names of two other comics of the time: Al Capp’s Li’l Abner and a strip titled Little Folks. The syndicate changed the name to Peanuts, after the Peanut Gallery on the Howdy Doody TV show. Peanuts was a title Schulz always disliked, according to Wikipedia.

Licensees for The Peanuts Movie, listed alphabetically, include: American Greetings, Ceaco, Cra-Z-Art, Cupcake Digital, Hallmark, J. Franco, Just Play, Nestle, Random House/Little Golden Books, Running Press, Sakar, Schleich, Simon and Schuster, Sun Products (for All detergent), and Wonder Forge. Movie and classic products are shown on the opposite page from a sampling of licensees.

AMERICAN GREETINGS introduces a line of PARTY GOODS featuring seven-inch square dessert plates and nine-inch square dinner plates, eight count each; 16-count napkins (shown); 16-ounce reusable plastic cups, which are dishwasher safe, and BPA-Free; and an invitation/thank you card combination pack. • HALLMARK GOLD CROWN stores and Hallmark.com will feature Peanuts Movie products including a Keepsake Ornament (Flying Ace design), mugs, SENTIMENT PLAQUES (shown), figurines, and greeting cards. • SCHLEICH is introducing Peanuts Movie figures and sets as well as classic Peanuts scenes such as this A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS SET. • Race through the seasons with the Peanuts gang in WONDER FORGE’S PEANUTS SURPRISE SLIDES GAME. Be aware that shortcut slides zoom players ahead or fling them back. Kids never know when the seasons will mix and flip, filling the game with surprises. It’s a different game board every time you play. It is designed for two to four players, ages 3 and up • JUST PLAY has a line of plush (BASIC SNOOPY PLUSH shown), figures, playsets, and roleplay toys featuring all of the iconic characters launching this fall. Recreate Peanuts moments with Snoopy, Charlie Brown, Linus, Lucy, and friends, and take them on new adventures with Charlie Brown’s School Bus and Snoopy’s Dog House. Plus, there is Laughing Snoopy and Happy Dance Snoopy plush. • RUNNING PRESS introduces a mini kit keepsake for fans of all ages. The artwork and full concept have not yet been finalized but it is shown here, the set includes a collectible figurine of SNOOPY AS THE FLYING ACE and 16-page full-color sticker book featuring artwork from the film. • SAKAR’S assortment of classic Peanuts products includes a Peanuts Radio Karaoke, which is a portable FM radio with microphone, a Peanuts flashlight, and SNOOPY PLUSH HEADPHONES (shown). • CEACO introduces an assortment of MOVIE-THEMED PUZZLES. Shown here is the 100-piece puzzle.

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MERCHANDISE MAKERS

NO BLIP ON THE RADAR

BY JENNIFER LYNCH

rom Squinkies to Disney Princess Palace Pets and more, Blip Toys has proved itself to be anything but a blip on the radar. “At Blip, as much as we are a toy manufacturer and marketer, we also view ourselves as a retail real estate developer,” says Hugh Kennedy, senior vice-president, global marketing, Blip Toys.

And now the company is applying its savvy business philosophy to the introduction of three new products this year—two of which bring Blip into two new categories. First on Blip’s agenda is a new innovation to plush that merges the trend toward jumbo-eyed plush and the tested success of feature plush. The new line, Bright Eyes, uses a patented technology that essentially brings the eyes of the plush animals to life to respond to a child’s touch. “It essentially brings all the emotive connection that is inherent in plush together with a very interactive feature that the child can interact with,” says Kennedy. “We call it an action-reaction, where the child pets the plush to wake it up and its eyes come to life.” Kids can tickle under its chin to wake it up or pet its back to make it fall back to sleep. But perhaps more interesting is the development and attention to detail Blip has paid to bringing the line to market. Having been in the works for almost two years, Blip originally intended to launch the line in fall 2014, but as Kennedy says, “we thought the connectivity and emotive connection through the eyes could be more expressive and we’re glad we waited.” Most major retailers are already leaning in to support the line’s launch this fall.

Perhaps that readiness to lean in still goes back to Blip’s success with Squinkies. “We learned a lot about the collectibles segment from Squinkies,” says Kennedy. “You’ve got to be thoughtful as you continue to dimensionalize a product line and expand on it. A lot of people probably do that a little too much, but we believe you’ve got to keep a sharp focus on that power SKU being the collectible.”

In 2013, Disney Consumer Products (DCP) leaned in on a deal with Blip for the creation of Disney Princess Palace Pets. The deal was a step outside the box for DCP, which typically focuses on exploiting its already existing assets. And while the concept was born at Disney, it was a true partnership in the line’s development.

“Disney had the foresight to see little girls love princesses and little girls love pets, so why not bring them together?” says Kennedy.

“But there was no style guide to go by, so it’s been a nice collabo-

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ration between DCP and Blip, in which over the last two years we’ve created 38 characters that didn’t exist.”

Blip now has its sights set on a new “white space” for opportunity: food activity. This fall, the company is set to launch Yummy Nummies, which capitalizes on the trending YouTube phenomenon of miniature food preparation and the societal trend of food-focused entertainment, even for kids (think: MasterChef Junior). However, what will distinguish Yummy Nummies from other food activity toys is its end goal. “Historically in the toy space in the food activity category, it’s been a fourth quarter business lead by Hasbro with Easy Bake,” says Kennedy. “You buy into a $50-60 toy as your point-ofentry and then buy refills. We want to bring food activity into a yearround business.” Yummy Nummies’ power SKU has an opening price point of $6.99 and includes everything a child needs to create multiple mini meals—sweet or savory—in one kit.

Blip is also reaching into another category this fall with it’s Hovertech drones, which bring together the fun of blasters and popularity of drones. But entering both the growing drone space and the saturated blaster arena, Blip knew there would be a challenge.

“Unless we were able to offer some true innovation at a value price, as we’ve been able to do, we weren’t going to launch anything,” says Kennedy. “But once we were able to work that out with our inventor partner, it’s been pretty exciting.” The line will launch with two models: the Hovertech, which comes with one blaster and drone (MSRP $24.99) and the larger Hovertech Battle Fx, which comes with two blasters and has more capabilities (MSRP $39.99).

Predicting, and furthermore developing, the next “it” toy or upcoming trend, is nothing new. However, it’s the strategy behind these efforts that leads to success. And for Blip, it’s a strategy that’s leading it well into the future.

Building up ast year, everything was awesome for The LEGO Group with the hit film The LEGO Movie—and its accompanying product line—further advancing the company’s brand awareness and taking its overall success to new heights. And, as we move further into 2015, everything continues to be awesome, not only for LEGO but for the construction category as a whole.

LEGO is clearly the leader in the category but companies large and small are creating meaningful play experiences for kids of all ages.

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Business

BY JENNIFER LYNCH

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When Building Comes Alive

Perhaps one of the biggest trends in this space is toys-to-life, which is melding the worlds of digital and physical play into a new, creative-fueled experience for young builders. “There was a time early on in the evolution of digital in the toy industry, where everyone was worried about what it meant,” says Michael McNally, senior director of brand relations, LEGO. “What we’ve found though is that where digital could replace a play experience, in the LEGO world it instead amplifies the need to play physically.” Many of LEGO’s investments and experiences with digital are instead designed to reinforce the desire to build physically. That idea can easily be seen in LEGO Fusion, which sought to create an equal balance between digital and physical through an app game that requires builders to complete builds in order to advance within the game.

Similarly, Spin Master has two new lines this year that tap into this trend. The first, Sick Bricks, brings together a dose of humor, buildable characters, and a free-to-play mobile game. It is also modernizing the traditional building line Meccano with the introduction of Meccanoid, a buildable robot that can then be programmed through basic coding. Spin Master declined to comment on either line but with Meccanoid receiving accolades at CES 2015 and Sick Bricks characters already selling out in stores, both lines are on the industry’s radar.

Meccanoid furthers the toys-to-life teachings with the element of coding, which others are also using as tools to tap into the STEM-focused wants of consumers and tech-savvy kids. This fall, Roominate, which launched last year and was marketed as an open-ended construction line geared for girls, will introduce its new rPower line. The line will allow girls, ages 6 and up, to use Bluetooth technology and an app to enhance their Roominate creations, says Alice Brooks, co-founder of Roominate. “The app will allow girls to program and control their Roominate creations remotely by turning lights and buzzers on and off, adjusting the speed and direction of motors,

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Pictured above: The LEGO Minecraft Crafting Box; Pictured below: K’NEX K-Force

setting lights to blink at varying intervals, and so much more,” she says. “Girls will also be able to engage in guided adventures and upload pictures of their builds to interact with the online Roominator community using the app. By allowing them to tap into a digital side of play, they’ll have endless possibilities to learn, exercise creativity, and use their imaginations like never before.”

But it’s not simply bringing toys to life that can excite today’s builders.

The opposite can also work, says LEGO’s McNally. This year, LEGO expands on this idea with LEGO Minecraft Crafting sets, which lets kids build as they do with Minecraft digitally in a LEGO context, and the anticipated LEGO Dimensions, which fuses the world of LEGO building with the video game styles most recently popularized by Activision’s Skylanders and Disney Infinity through a buildable portal. “A lot of times the temptation is to figure out how to take a physical toy and make it digital and we are doing the reverse,” says McNally. “It’s not just this rush to digital. It’s about understanding where the opportunities at the intersection of physical and digital lie.”

Of course, those interviewed point out that there is still a necessary balance to be struck, especially when it comes to such hands-on play experiences. This is, after all, the construction category. For example, in

2015 Playmobil introduced a new motorized component (sold separately) to enhance elements of its construction lines, such as bringing to life the ferris wheel or flying swings in its amusement park collection. “There’s nothing stopping kids from having a great play experience using the sets manually, but if they incorporate the motor, it brings the sets to life in a way that imitates how kids see these rides in the parks,” says Sarah Blair-Miller, consumer marketing coordinator, Playmobil. “And, in some ways, kids can focus less on operating the set and more on what their figures are doing, what’s going on in their storylines, and that then makes it more fun and valuable to them.”

Licensed to Build

Licensing continues to offer those within the space plenty of opportunities for success, especially when the right license is applied. This year, MEGA is tapping into its parent company Mattel’s library of properties to offer fans new experiences with favorite characters, such as the “ghouls” of Monster High. The new MEGA Bloks Monster High line offers the same level of articulation and detail in its figures as it brings to its collector-geared lines such as Halo. “The builds also feature secret reveals and integrated electronic features to mirror the content in storytelling that we know is essential to this Monster High fan,” says Susie Lecker, senior vice-president, global design and marketing, MEGA Brands. MEGA also takes on the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Minions licenses this year, while LEGO offers sets for Jurassic World and the latest Star Wars film, among others.

Putting the Pieces in Place

It’s no secret that licensing plays a major role in the overall success of the category and the toy space as a whole. However, this year, many construction toymakers are looking less at their

licensed lines and more inward at new ways to innovate their own properietary offerings. “We aren’t worrying about the competition but instead focusing on bringing different products to market that fit a unique niche,” says Neil Friedman, president, Alex Brands. “By adding more play value into the product, it gives us a unique position in the marketplace with a construction toy kids cannot only build but also play with. No one has 100 percent of the market share. There’s room for alternative products in this space.” This year, Alex Brands unveiled a new look to Zoob, adding more play value to the line through the introduction of space and construction themes. These new themes coupled with the poseability and scale of the pieces will further differentiate the line. The company is also working on revamping its classic wood construction lines, including Citi Blocs, which will likely be moved under one umbrella in the future, says Friedman.

K’NEX, meanwhile, is focusing its efforts on bridging construction play with outdoor play in its new line of buildable blasters called K-Force. “Construction is often thought of as an indoor activity, so we wanted to have something that could be used outside as well,” says Michael Araten, president, K’NEX. “We also looked at it strategically as a way to impact some of the seasonality of the toy business, because so much of it is fourth-quarter related.

We can now capture some of that spring business in a bigger way than construction has traditionally been able to do.”

Building Up Girls

Girls’ construction toys are now at the forefront since LEGO Friends hit the marketplace in 2012. This year, the company introduced a new construction line for girls, Elves, which it hopes will help keep older girls engaged beyond LEGO Friends. However, creating offerings that aren’t deemed too stereotypically “girlie” or

don’t tap into what girls want from a construction toy is still proving to be a challenge in the space. Most recently LEGO drew criticism when it added beauty tips to the March-April 2015 edition of LEGO Club Magazine, guiding owners of the new LEGO Friends Heartlake Hair Salon to choose the right hair styles to complement the shape of your face. LEGO immediately pulled the content from the digital publication. “One thing we love about our fans is that they keep us honest about some of the choices that we make,” says McNally. “It’s always about trying to strike the balance between how to do new things that drive relevance but also in a way that meets the expectations that our fans have.”

STEM-focused content is the one expectation many have for girl-geared construction sets. And while LEGO takes a subtle approach that every LEGO building experience is a STEM experience, others in the space are being more direct in their STEM branding and marketing. Roominate did just that when it launched last year, and now K’NEX is also venturing into the STEM-forgirls construction space with its introduction of Mighty Makers this summer. “We wanted to tap into engineering toys that showed real STEM careers. We wanted to show them as fun but also aspirational,” says K’NEX’s Araten. The line was created by K’NEX’s all-female marketing and design team and features story-based instructions that follow the life of the included female figure and an exploration card for additional educational value. Sets introduce girls to STEM careers in marine biology, architecture, engineering, and more.

Constructing the Future

If this year is proving anything in the construction aisle, it’s that it’s full of opportunity.

Players aren’t relying on a hit license to carry the category. Rather, companies are creating meaningful play and learning experiences.

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Construction

bricks, blocks, wires, winches, and more

BY JENNIFER LYNCH

The construction category continues to evolve with new players entering the space with new offerings that tap into something for every kid—from girls to young techies to fans of the hottest properties and classic play. Below is a sampling of what’s on our radar for 2015.

• The Playmobil Flying Swings features colorful, flashing lights for authentic theme park thrills. The set comes with two adult figures and two child figures that can be placed on the ride. Crank the handle or use the Playmobil Electric Motor (sold separately) to send the figures soaring through the air. It is for ages 4 and up. • The Monster High Graveyard Garden Party from MEGA Bloks, is a buildable graveyard party featuring a dance floor with working party lights, a DJ Booth, and tombstones that play real Monster High music. Articulated Cleo de Nile and Lagoona Blue mini figures are included. • With the LEGO Minecraft Crafting Box, build from the 8-in-1 instructions or follow the pictures and scenarios to complete other Minecraft biomes. It comes with 521 pieces and includes a Steve minifigure with an accessory, skeleton, and mooshroom. • The Magformers Magnets in Motion 83-Piece Power Set comes with high-performance Neodymium magnetic shapes and all-new gears and motorized pieces, for building and controlling different mechanisms. The set contains triangles, squares, arches, super arches, super sectors, rectangles, super rectangles, and hexagons. It is for ages 6 and up. • Roominate introduces rPower and the Roominate app this month, which together will allow girls to program and control their Roominate creations from Bluetooth-enabled devices. • The LightUp Edison Kit combines kid-friendly magnetic circuit blocks and the LightUp Learning app (for iPad and iPhone) to build projects and interactively learn important STEM concepts. New project ideas are added to the app every week and its Lightup Lens, an in-app augmented reality feature, helps kids out when things don’t work, and even gives them X-ray vision by letting them see electricity flow.

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• K’NEX Mighty Makers building sets encourage girls ages 7 and up to build big ideas. Each STEM-based set includes colorful rods, connectors, panels, and story-based instructions that follow the life of the included female figure and an exploration card. Pictured is the Mighty Makers Clubhouse Tree Fort. • The Sick Bricks 3-in-1 Power Up Playset from Spin Master comes with five Sick Brick figures, a storage case, 57 Sick Bricks pieces, and a Backdrop. Beam your character into the Sick Bricks game using your smartphone or tablet camera to unlock special powers and abilities.

• With the Maker Studio Winches Set from ThinkFun, kids can build a tow truck, a jeep, a well, and a crane. Complete the Engineering Challenges to learn about friction, torque, and propulsion as you engineer your solutions. It is for ages 7 and up. • The OgoBild with AnimateIt! Essential Kit from OgoSport is an all-in-one kit to create your own stop-motion animation using OgoBild construction pieces paired with a steady-mount webcam and AnimateOy! Express software developed with Aardman Animation Studio (the creators of Wallace & Gromit). • With this 8 in 1 Sports Car kit from Laser Pegs, build a Rally Car, F-1 Racer, Modified Racer, Land Speed Record, and more. Then, light up your creations with the Block Power Base.

• The YOXO Megabuilder set comes with 101 YOXO links and 20 tubes to build towers, forts, helicopters, rockets, and more. This line is made in the U.S. from recyclable materials. Y, O, and X links connect in many ways and can also attach to things around your house. It’s for ages 3 and up. • The Magrific 100-Piece 3D Magnetic Tiles set from Cra-Z-Art comes with 28 magnetic equilateral triangles, 15 magnetic isosceles triangles, 11 magnetic right triangles, 50 magnetic squares, and four rectangles that connect to create anything kids can imagine. It is for ages 5 and up.

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GAMES: Strong Growth in Classic Category

he best-selling game on Amazon.com is Cards Against Humanity. And while the game is designed for ages 17 and up due to its content, the game serves as a microcosm of the trends currently happening in the game category. It was launched through Kickstarter, is simple to understand and play right out of the box, has an element of personalization, and engages players in real world fun. These elements are currently making games one of the most successful categories in the toy industry.

“The games category increased 10 percent year over year from 2013 to 2014, according to The NPD Group,” says David Norman, president of Goliath Games. “A lot of people think that games are going the way of the dinosaur but the sales data doesn’t show that. The sales data shows that the category is much more vibrant.”

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“A lot of people think that games are going the way of the dinosaur but the sales data doesn’t show that. The sales data shows that the category is much more vibrant.”

—David Norman, president of Goliath Games

That vibrancy is stemming from a number of things. For many, there is a tech backlash as players look to put down their devices and interact with one another off screen. There has also been tremendous innovation in the category in both the quality of games created as well as how they are packaged. And, social media is fueling the interest in games as consumers offer up reviews—good and bad—of what they’ve played.

“There is clearly a trend toward social interaction,” says Thomas Kaeppeler, CEO of Ravensburger USA. “And not through an online medium such as Facebook but actually sitting together as a family or with friends and playing an ‘old-fashioned’ board game with tiles or dice and everything that goes along with that, including food and drinks.”

SELLING GAMES ON SHELF AND ONLINE

With so many great games on the market, how does a consumer choose which one to buy? Whether it is in-store or online, consumers are looking to get closer to the products, according to Jonathan Berkowitz, vice-president of global marketing for gaming at Hasbro. On shelf that means more toyetic open-box packaging with try-me features, seeing and touching the game pieces, and understanding game play within seconds.

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BY

NANCY LOMBARDI

But grabbing someone’s attention online is completely different.

Companies must think about their search-engine optimization (SEO) especially when it comes to choosing a name for their game. Goliath’s Norman cited the company’s Doggie Doo and Who Tooted? as examples. “Companies now are looking for names that when they are Googled, the name will come right to the top of the search,” he says.

Norman added that Goliath now spends a lot of energy devising names that garner top search-engine results.

Yet grabbing attention can happen in a number of ways online. It can be with a short video explaining what the game is about in a simple, fun, and engaging way. Couple that with the recent phenomenon of unboxing—the unpacking of new products for an online audience—and players can truly see what they will be purchasing.

Next, online reviews play a large role in driving sales. Hasbro and others interviewed cited the importance of Amazon.com in particular. “We look at Amazon all the time to see the reviews of our products,” says Berkowitz. “We look at all retail reviews but Amazon gives us a unique perspective because we can do it globally. We can look at Amazon Germany, Amazon France, etc. and really understand each market.”

In addition, those interviewed also mentioned the importance of fan sites, YouTube channels, and the chatter on social media. Game players are a loyal group and take the advice of other players very seriously. One such channel on YouTube, Geek & Sundry, has more than one million subscribers and more than 160 million video views across six channels as of press time. There is a weekly schedule of shows to watch, a website, and various social media connections. Actor Wil Wheaton makes regular appearances on Tabletop, which is a board game-based show that he helped create on the Geek & Sundry YouTube channel. Getting products placed on this show is almost more difficult than getting placement on network television, according to Ravensburger’s Kaeppeler. But the exposure generated through the YouTube channel will, most likely, generate more sales than a network television appearance due to the specific interests of the audience. These myriad factors are blending to sell games—and lots of them. But how much time and money are players spending on games?

FAMILY GAMES: $20 FOR 20 MINUTES

A number of years ago, during the depths of the Great Recession, many were reporting that $20 was the maximum amount that consumers were spending on games especially for kids. While true at the time given

the economic realities, things are quite different these days.

“We are finally getting away from the bottom-dollar approach that the category had been focused on for too long,” says Jacobe Chrisman, president and founder of Wonder Forge.

Parents recognize the developmental benefits of games and now that they have a bit more disposable income, they are willing—and eager—to try something new.

“Parents want good play experiences and they want great alternatives to digital play experiences,” says Chrisman. “Games are a play experience that teach kids how to win and lose gracefully. Kids learn it in preschool but outside of that they don’t learn it from a video game or from an app.”

While this may be true, the fact remains that families have many leisure-time options to choose from so game makers have to work that much harder to engage the entire family.

“What is a family going to do in that 45 minutes before a child goes to bed? That is family time and that is where the real competition is,” says Jeff Pinsker, president of Pressman Toy Corporation, a division of Goliath Games. Games are competing with TV, movies, video games, apps, and just about anything else a family will spend time and money on for fun during this time.

This is also where the brand name of the game company plays such an important role. Most people prefer to play a game they are already familiar with and those interviewed reported that consumers are willing to try something new if they have already enjoyed a company’s previous offerings.

Part of the reason is no one wants to be disappointed with their unknown game purchase. The other reason is no one wants to read the directions to an entirely new game concept. If consumers keep with the familiar, those challenges are alleviated. This tactic also pushes the threshold for spending above $20 to perhaps $30, says Cindy Levine, president of Jax Games. Yet the one thing that has remained constant over the years is the amount of time families spend playing a game—20 minutes seems to be the average, says Lisa Wuennemann, marketing director for Patch Products.

BREAKING THE MOLD

Yet there is another subsegment within the games category known as Euro Games/Hobby Games/Designer Games. These break the mold of all preconceived notions of the game category. These games generally target an older, niche audience with intricate game play and a higher price point. These types of games may sell for $40-plus with 45–60 minutes or

more of game play. Games in this genre include MayFair Games’ The Settlers of Catan, Days of Wonder’s Ticket to Ride, Gamewright’s Forbidden Island, and Ravensburger’s La Isla. Also, Hasbro is introducing a Magic: The Gathering board game this fall. These consumers are especially engaged online and offline with other game players.

THE NEXT GENERATION OF GAME PLAYERS

Games are the perfect way to bring a family together. And it is up to today’s parents to introduce games to their kids to keep the category alive for subsequent generations. Unlike toys, games need introduction from an adult, says Pinsker. “When a child reaches age 3 or so, they don’t know that they are now developmentally capable of playing a game,” he says.

“The parent must introduce it.”

Apparently, many parents are doing just that. “The demise of the game category that you hear about isn’t true,” says Goliath’s Norman. “Sales are up, companies are being innovative, and I expect sales to be up in 2015 also.”

Jason Schneider, Gamewright’s director of product development and marketing, agrees. “There has been this wave of games over the past 10 or 15 years that have captured people’s imaginations that were never though possible for a board game,” he says. “It used to be you’d roll the dice and move some pawns around a board. Now the games are about, how do I negotiate? or how do we work together as a team?”

Game companies are creating innovative products and consumers are responding with their purchases. Some of that innovation is coming from Kickstarter. The global crowdfunding platform says its aim is to help bring creative projects to life.

“Gamers are now developing their own games and it’s great to see the support from fellow gamers,” says Louise Ocasion, senior director of games marketing at Spin Master. “It’s encouraging to see these new innovative ideas from the community.”

Kickstarter is the perfect platform to launch a game idea because if it’s a good idea, then a game maker or game publisher can partner with the game’s creator. One such example is ThinkFun’s Robot Turtles. The most backed game in Kickstarter history is a game that subtly teaches programming fundamentals to preschoolers and it’s been a success for ThinkFun. “The game category is evolving and Kickstarter is an expression of the idea that independent inventors are able to do more to advance their game to the market than they could years ago,” says Bill Ritchie, co-founder of ThinkFun. “This raises the profile of the whole game category.”

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Games

Strong Growth in Classic Category

BY

NANCY LOMBARDI

The game category is seeing tremendous sales growth, which is a direct result of innovation in the category both from game play as well as new, eye-catching packaging concepts. Also, as today’s consumers are chained to their devices, they are increasingly interested in this seemingly “old-fashioned” category. It’s the perfect way to unplug from modern life and engage in some face time with friends and family.

In HAYWIRE GROUP’S TACO TAKEOVER players go head-to-head to see who can correctly fill their taco orders first. But players must be careful; if they draw a “la cucaracha” or are served an antacid by an opponent, they are out of the game for a round. Taco Takeover is for two or more players ages 6 and up. • CARDINALS’ SHOPKINS WHO’S THE SUPER SHOPPER? CARD GAME asks which of your favorite Shopkins are tucked away in this Top Trumps deck.

Each one has its own stats and Top Trumps fact. Play against your friends and see who’s the real shopaholic. Top Trumps is a classic game for ages 3 and up. • SPILL AND SPELL ROLL CALL, from ENDLESS GAMES, is an all-play letter dice game in which you call it as you see it. Roll out the 22 letters and seven category dice. Then, call out the first words you can make that fit the given category. For every category you call out, you collect that die. Once all category dice are earned, it is time to roll and call again. The first player to earn 20 points is the winner. It is for ages 8 and up. • In BLUE ORANGE GAMES’ COLOR CLASH, players race to find the correct tile as the colors clash in their mind. Each of the 36 Color Clash tiles has three attributes: a Picture of different color chameleons, a Word that refers to a specific color, and a Color that the Word is written in. Players must quickly recognize the color a word is written in when it spells another color, also known as the “Stroop Effect.” Eight game variations are suggested for one to eight players, ages 7 and up. • In STACK ATTACK, roll your dice and stack matching numbers on the dice tower. Just don’t be the player who knocks it down or you’ll score a zero. But if you get all of your dice on the tower before it falls, everyone else loses. From PATCH PRODUCTS, this is for two to four players, ages 8 and up.

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RUSH HOUR SHIFT is a two-player strategy game in which players have to escape before their opponent. As you draw cards, you’ll need a little luck and a clever strategy to win. Should you use your turn to advance your own Hero Car or block your opponent? The potential moves are endless, and the shifting traffic grid adds a new dimension of play to this follow-up of THINKFUN’S classic Rush Hour. It is for ages 8 and up. • In MATTEL’S APPLES TO APPLES PARTY BOX, players make up their own answers to impress the judge in each round with a fill-in-the-blank response on their personal apple slate. Designed for ages 12 and up, it includes 216 cards, five writing slates, and five dry-erase markers. • DIMENSION, from KOSMOS, is a fast-paced, puzzle game where all players play at the same time with 60 colorful spheres. Everyone tries to position the spheres on their trays to earn as many points as possible. The task cards indicate how the spheres must be placed to earn points. Complete these tasks while racing against the timer. It is for one to four players, ages 8 and up. • In partnership with Buzzfeed, HASBRO asked Monopoly fans around the world to vote for their favorite U.S. cities. The top 22 U.S. cities were chosen and are featured as the latest property spaces up for grabs in the 2015 MONOPOLY HERE AND NOW U.S EDITION game. The winner, Pierre, S.D., along with 28 additional cities, will be featured throughout the game. The first player, ages 8 and up, to fill his passport to the top wins. • In WONDER FORGE’S MILES FROM TOMORROWLAND ASTRO TILT GAME, players must follow the audio cues from mission control to maneuver the spaceship by tilting the tablet. For added fun, challenge friends in pass-and-play action to see who can race around the galaxy the fastest. It is for ages 4 and up. • In RAVENSBURGER’S LA ISLA, players ages 12 and up, explore the mysterious island of La Isla while on a hunt for animals believed to be extinct. As each person encircles as many of the valuable animals as possible, they play their cards to perform special functions, receive resources, and score victory points.

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Bubbles

SHAKING UP A SUMMER CLASSIC

BY

NANCY LOMBARDI

Toymakers continue to innovate on this summer staple. New introductions in the bubble category include bubbles that can be juggled, bubbles that double as craft kits, and battery-operated sets that disburse clusters of bubbles for backyard-summer fun.

With ARTTERO’S DELUXE BUBBLE WAND KIT, bend copper wire into fun shapes and adorn with beads and marbles to construct two bubble wands.

There are tips and examples for inspiration so kids, ages 8 and up, can create two unique wands and four art pieces. The set also comes with two bonus projects in every kit. • Press the button to make ALEX BRANDS’ SLINKY DOG BUNCH-O BUBBLES open its mouth and blow endless bubbles. Designed for ages 5 and up, it includes a bubble blower and four ounces of bubble solution. It requires two AA batteries, which are not included. • JUGGLE BUBBLES is a bubble activity kit featuring a no-pop solution that allows kids to bounce, toss, and juggle bubbles without the bubble bursting, according to the JUGGLE BUBBLE COMPANY. The kit, for ages 5 and up, includes a bubble blower, bubble tray, bubble solution, and a pair of gloves to juggle and pass each bubble. • FUBBLES BUMP ’N BUBBLES ROBOT, from LITTLE KIDS, is a motorized bubble blower that spins and turns while continuously blowing bubbles. As it comes into contact with objects, it spins and redirects while the bubbles continue to flow. It’s for ages 3 and up. • FUNRISE’S GAZILLION BUBBLES BUMP-N-GO BUBBLE CAR drives around blowing bubbles. If it bumps into something, it will change direction and keep moving while a trail of bubbles follows in its path. Designed for ages 3 and up, it includes eight ounces of Gazillion bubble solution.

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SKYROCKET TOYS introduces the motorized FART BUBBLE GUN (shown) to its Prank Star line. It blasts out a stream of cherry-scented bubbles accompanied by farting sounds. Also new in the line are FART BUBBLES, which feature a bubble wand that has a gas mask topper. Both are designed for ages 3 and up. • IMPERIAL is introducing a 16-inch R2-D2 BUBBLE MACHINE. It features lights and sounds, rotates its head 90 degrees, and has three bubble-blowing modes. Designed for ages 3 and up, it includes eight ounces of Super Miracle Bubble solution with a refillable and/or replaceable bottle.

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Dolls:

Toying with the Competition

BY JENNIFER LYNCH

hen Chatty Cathy hit the doll aisle in 1959, the doll, with its ability to communicate through its built-in lo-fi phonograph record, was considered revolutionary. For the first time, girls could interact one-on-one with their first best friend beyond the basic “Mama” talkback. Today’s dolls have come a long way since the days of Chatty Cathy, but the idea behind Cathy hasn’t changed—girls want to interact with their dolls. Creating this interaction is where the challenge lies.

Yet, interaction comes in many forms—and it is not always through electronics. One simple way to add differentiation to the doll aisle is through scale. In general, there is a trend across the aisle with dolls scaling both up and down in size. “There’s a growing opportunity for multiple scales of dolls within a brand lately, but each has its own reason for being,” says Sarah Buzby, vice-president, marketing, Just Play. Larger dolls offer more “best-friend” type of play, while small dolls emphasize the collectibility of characters, she adds. This year, Mattel introduces its vinyl versions and 17-inch tall versions of popular Monster High characters, while Just Play continues to expand its licensed line of large-scale Barbie dolls. On the smaller end of the spectrum, collectible small doll lines such as Moose Toy’s Shopkins continue to grow in popularity with new waves building the momentum and collectibility. “Kids have always been fans of collecting,” says Paul Solomon, co-CEO of Moose Toys. “That trend has accelerated to the next level with the growing popularity of YouTube, which serves as a platform for collectors to share their collections online.”

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Freezing Out the Competition

“At the retail level, getting space for a product is always a challenge,” says Jennifer Vegh, senior director of marketing, The Bridge Direct. “In the toy aisles, it’s even tougher because a lot of space has been taken away from this product category to give more space in the store to things like groceries and household items. But specifically for dolls in the past year we’ve faced competition from the juggernaut that is Frozen. It really took attention away from a lot of other toy and doll lines.”

For Frozen licensees in the doll space, however, its success stood as proof that well-branded dolls can still combat a lot of the typical challenges within the space. Both Jakks Pacific and Mattel found success with the brand in 2014, with some industry analysts even suggesting the Frozen license helped to pull Jakks out of the red.

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“There’s a growing opportunity for multiple scales of dolls.” –SARAH BUZBY VICE-PRESIDENT, MARKETING, JUST PLAY “The success of Frozen proves that strong, relatable characters with a powerful and heartfelt story can keep girls engaged well beyond the theatrical and DVD releases of the movie,” says Ally Wiley, senior vice-president, Jakks Pacific. Last year, Jakks’ Frozen Snow Glow Elsa topped multiple holiday toy lists and remains a best-seller. This year, the company will expand the play with the new Sing-A-Long Elsa, which allows kids to sing a duet of “Let It Go” with Elsa using a real-working microphone.

Mattel also saw a bump in its overall Girls Brands sales in 2014 thanks to Frozen. Hasbro is set to take over the license in 2016 as part of the Disney Princess and Frozen licenses transferring to Hasbro in a deal announced in September 2014.

What’s in a Brand?

For fashion dolls, a name can carry a lot of weight in a purchase decision—look no further than brands such as Mattel’s Monster High and Ever After High or Hasbro’s My Little Pony Equestria Girls—as these dolls are typically supported by a multi-platform presence for girls to engage with the characters well beyond the classic doll play. “Our consumers are growing more technologically savvy, and to continue to deepen our consumers’ engagement with our brands, we’ve enhanced many of our products with engaging digital content and experiences, which can be seen across many of our most recognizable brands,” says Samantha Lomow, senior vicepresident of Hasbro Brands. Hasbro will extend this strategy to the new Disney Descendants line launching this summer, which is based on the upcoming Disney Channel original movie.

One area where the backstory and even the brand name aren’t as essential is in the baby doll segment. “Over the last decade, retail has taken a large position on non-branded or house-branded dolls, specifically baby dolls,” says Jeremy Padawer, co-president, Wicked Cool Toys. The reason is babies are unaware of licenses. They prefer the realistic play of a non-licensed baby doll. If they play with a licensed baby doll, it’s typically based on the prefence of the adult who is shopping for them.

Related to that, both parents and grandparents are sure to love Wicked

Cool’s latest offering, Cabbage Patch Kids, which has nostalgic appeal. And Wicked Cool is also shifting the brand’s focus back to the nurturing play pattern to appeal to toddlers. Over the past decade, the brand’s focused had shifted away from nurturing play to fashion, which while successful, might not be the best fit for a toddler. This year’s Cabbage Patch Kids will come with keys that unlock interactive features on the Kids’ companion Adoptimals pets, tapping into two proven play patterns—nurturing baby doll and pet play.

Companies like Corolle and Madame Alexander are experts in classic baby doll play and often cater to a higher-end consumer. Corolle has its signature vanilla scent and timeless doll styles, which have cross-generational appeal.

“We are always inspired by real children,” says Allison Stocker, manager of sales and marketing, Corolle North America. “We study their faces and their expressions to create realistic and sweet dolls children can identify with.”

Likewise Madame Alexander continues to innovate its baby dolls to be more life-like. This year, the company introduces Newborn Nursery Babblebabbies, which takes the baby talk of Chatty Cathy to a whole new level. In addition to looking and feeling like a real baby, Babblebabies feature more than 80 real baby sound combinations that respond to a child’s voice.

Doll Talk

It’s no secret that the once reigning queen of the doll aisle, Barbie, has had her share of troubles in recent years; sales have been down for three consecutive years. And while the rise of Mattel’s other doll lines—Monster High, Ever After High, and Disney’s Frozen—have likely carved into Barbie’s business, it also seems the doll has been missing its “wow” factor.

This year, Mattel hopes to change that through innovation on a timeless interaction. At

Cabbage Patch Kids now come with special keys to interact with their companion Adoptimals pets.

Toy Fair 2015, Mattel unveiled its partnership with Toy Talk and the new Hello Barbie, which brings the San Francisco start-up’s PullString technology to the toy aisle for the first time.

“The No. 1 request we hear from girls is that they want to be able to have a conversation with Barbie, and now they can,” says Michelle Chidoni, director of communications, Mattel.

“Leveraging Wi-Fi and speech-recognition technology from Toy Talk, Hello Barbie is the first fashion doll that features continuous learning to develop a unique relationship with each girl.”

Hello Barbie, which will launch later this year, uses Toy Talk’s technology along with a Wi-Fi connection to hold real-time conversations with kids by collecting data on their questions and responses to build the character.

There has, however, been criticism as to whether the technology oversteps a child’s right to privacy. Toy Talk explains that not only is the toy’s technology 100 percent COPPA compliant,

but none of the information the software collects will be used to directly market to children. “We are expressly limited and direct with our data search,” says Oren Jacob, CEO of Toy Talk.

“What we do, we do only to make our product better. If Barbie is asked questions we haven’t yet written for, we want to write them. We also want to better recognize children’s speech through technology, which is a difficult thing to do.”

Barbie may be the first fashion doll to use this type of technology but she’s not the first doll to bring this type of innovation to the aisle. UKbased toymaker Genesis’ My Friend Cayla, which launched overseas last summer and is coming stateside later this year, already uses voice recognition to create two-way interactions in the doll aisle. Cayla functions through app-enabled Wi-Fi technology and voice-recognition software to understand what a child says and respond in realtime on countless topics. “My Friend Cayla works differently in that we do not listen to or analyze the conversations children have with their toy,” says Peter Magalhaes, general manager of Genesis Toys. “She is primarily a storytelling, talking doll that has been tested and approved for use in more than 12 countries and is much safer for children than the average home computer.”

No matter the software used, at the heart of all these dolls is the central idea of bringing the interactions with these characters further to life. “It really speaks to a future of providing meaningful, interactive entertainment,” says Toy Talk’s Jacob.

“To put forward, wholesome appropriate interactions in front of kids is a great thing.”

Focus on the Doll Whether tech-focused or classic, the triedand-true play patterns in the doll aisle remain unwavering. Space in the aisle isn’t easy to come by, so whatever strategy a doll maker chooses, keeping the focus on play will be the key to success.

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Dolls, Dolls…

BY JENNIFER LYNCH

The doll category continues to be well saturated with options to meet the needs of all ages. While baby dolls continue to focus on classic, nurturing play, those in the fashion and small doll space must continue to innovate to compete. Below is a sampling of 2015 offerings from today’s doll makers.

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Mattel’s Monster High Vinyl Dolls deliver favorite Monster High characters in a new miniature vinyl form. Molded with modern technology, these immobile figures are recognizable in signature outfits from the characters’ original introductions. They are for ages 6 and up.

The Bridge Direct is celebrating Strawberry Shortcake’s 35th birthday this year with this special reproduction of the Strawberry Shortcake Classic Rag Doll from the 1980s, which includes all the authentic details from her hat to her shoes to her berry sweet scent. The doll is for all ages, available this fall.

Manhattan Toy’s S.C.O.U.T. doll collection includes 16-inch soft dolls with specific personalities and interests. Left to right: Sofia is the explorer and photographer of the group who loves to see new places and journal about her experiences. Finch loves to hang out with friends and skateboard.

And Leaf loves to draw and spend time with her pup, BlueBell.

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Hasbro will introduce a new line based on Disney Channel’s new live-action original movie Disney’s Descendants, a contemporary live-action adventure comedy that introduces the teenage progeny of Disney’s legacy characters—including the evil villains. The line will feature dolls and accessories based on the offspring of villains Maleficent, the Evil Queen, Jafar, and Cruella de Vil; as well as the teenage children of heroes Beauty and the Beast, Sleeping Beauty, Fairy Godmother, and Mulan.

Just Play’s Best Fashion Friend Barbie stands more than two-feet tall and is articulated. The doll features a removable outfit, shoes, rooted eyelashes, and comes with a brush to style her hair. For fall, Barbie features a new wardrobe as well as trendy new fashion packs (sold separately).

Barbie’s friends Nikki and Teresa are also available, each sold separately.

The line is for ages 3 and up.

and More Dolls.

Wicked Cool Toys entered into a licensing agreement with Original Appalachian Artworks, Inc., to become the global master toymaker for Cabbage Patch Kids. Launching this fall is the first ever 1, 2, 3 Dance with Me Cabbage Patch Performers.

Squeeze their hand to hear the dance song “I Feel Good” and watch them dance. They are for ages 2 and up.

Madame Alexander has teamed with Crayola to design and develop the new doll collection Pixie Doodles, which will include five fairy dolls for decorating, coloring, and playing. The dolls are fashioned with colorful hair inspired by Crayola color names and the most popular color fashion trends for girls. Each nine-inch doll set comes with a doll, a fairy dress to be colored and doodled on, detachable glitter-edged decoratable wings, sparkling colored gems stickers, Crayola Markers, plus design inspiration for young decorators. Made for ages 3 and up, Pixie Doodles will launch this holiday.

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Create the perfect duet with Elsa, with the all-new Sing-aLong Elsa doll from Jakks Pacific. Pass the microphone back and forth and sing the full length song “Let it Go” together and watch as Elsa’s necklace and dress light up.

Moose Toys will expand its Shopkins line this year, taking its food-focused mini characters to the streets in a new food fair-themed collection that launches this summer. Pictured above is the Shopkins Food Fair Scoops Ice Cream Truck, which includes two exclusive cooler bag accessories and two exclusive Shopkins characters.

Corolle’s Les Chéries Camille Riviera is vacation-ready. The 13-inch doll is dressed in a bright yellow jumpsuit, pink sandals, pink scarf, and canvas sun hat. The doll features blue sleeping eyes, an all-vinyl body that’s delicately scented with vanilla, and long blonde hair that can be brushed and styled. It is for ages 4 and up.

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ASTRA 2015

COMPILED

BY JENNIFER LYNCH

ASTRA’s Marketplace & Academy takes place in Charlotte, N.C., June 7–10. And with this year’s show expected to draw 390 exhibitors, including 89 first-time exhibitors, and more than 1,000 retailers, there will be plenty of opportunities for attendees to make connections, gain knowledge, and find new ways to reach target consumers in specialty. For more information on the American Specialty Toy Retailing Association (ASTRA), visit astratoy.org, or visit astramarketplace.org to learn more about this annual event.

TOMY

TOMY’s Jumbo Jamboree is a pushalong toy that becomes a one-man band that plays five instruments Lamaze Flip at once. Separate the Flap Dragon instrument pieces that make up Jumbo Jamboree’s body to play each one by itself. The nose is a saxophone and the ears are jingle bells. Pull out the top handle and the first orange section becomes a drum followed by a green harmonica and a yellow xylophone. To put Jumbo Jamboree back together again, match the colors back into the correct sections, and pop the ears and nose back on. Jumbo Jamboree is for ages 1 and up.

The Push Me Pull Me Puppy is a pull-along and push-along toy in one. The dog follows kids no matter which way they push or pull the leash. The toy features music with realistic walking movement.

Press the dog’s nose for barking and panting sound effects. It comes with a bone and dog dish for roleplay. Push Me Pull Puppy is for ages 1 and up.

With a gentle pull from the clip, the Lamaze Flip Flap Dragon’s wings flip and flap up and down with a click-clack sound. Crinkly feet and satin hands are fun to explore, and a surprise squeaker nose is sure to delight. It is for ages birth–2.

The Chuggington Wooden Railway 1-2-3 Track Wilson Rides the Rails Set features three feet of track connected with hinges that flex up and down, and rotate 360 degrees. Since the track is already connected with no loose pieces, young children can make a layout on their own and play independently right out of the box. It includes a Wilson Wood engine. It is for ages 2 and up.

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MICRO KICKBOARD

The Micro Mini 3in1 is a ride-on toy and scooter that grows with kids ages 1–5 in three stages. The Micro Mini 3in1 features soft edges, a stable upright three-wheeled design, and smooth-gliding, non-marking high-quality polyurethane wheels that can be used indoors and outside. It also features a rear step-on break and lightweight, portable design. In stage one, start with the ride-on seat using one of two seat heights. In stage two, remove the seat for a standon scooter, still using the shorter, soft grip O-Bar, which is easily reachable while kids are in-between the seat and the taller T-bar. In stage three, replace the O-Bar with the included T-Bar to convert to the Micro Mini Classic for kids ages 3–5. It is available in multiple colors: blue, aqua, green, pink, purple, and red.

The Micro Mini Kickboard, for ages 3–5, features a leanto-steer design so kids steer by using their body weight to lean right and left, learning to lean into a turn while developing balance and coordination used in many sports. The T-bar is simple to detach so it can be stored flat when not in use. A limited-edition version of the Micro Mini, the Micro Mini Sporty, comes in bright neon colors with distinctive wheels.

Additional Micro products include the Micro Maxi Kickboard Micro Mini for ages 5–12, the Micro Sprite 3in1 for ages 8 and up, and the Micro Black/White for teens and adults with a maximum weight limit of 220 pounds,

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ASTRA 2015

ENDLESS GAMES

In the game Sleepover Party, players take turns spinning the spinner and then attempt to complete one of more than 200 Act It, Work It, or Party Challenges. Challenges range from “Be the Human Mirror,” in which a player must copy everything another player does to a “Funny Sound Competition” to trying to lick your own elbow.

THE YOUNG SCIENTISTS CLUB

The Young Scientists Club has expanded its Clifford the Big Red Dog and The Magic School Bus lines for 2015.

The Clifford Magic Science and Clifford Water Science are dubbed “Science Kits for Little Hands,” and feature Emily Elizabeth and her best friend Clifford, who walk kids through the magic of a floating egg, reverse reflections, and an underwater rainbow. With a focus on all-things-water, kids learn the principals of floating and sinking.

In The Magic School Bus’ newest kit Growing Crazy Crystals, Ms. Frizzle will have kids growing rock candy and uncovering the differences between sugar and salt. Science Explosion is another new board game/activity kit in the line that teaches kids the different fields of sciences as they play and ends in a volcanic explosion.

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Create-a-Maze

LEARNING RESOURCES

With Learning Resources’ Create-a-Maze, kids 5 and up build a maze with curvy, colorful pieces by following the designs pictured on the Activity Cards. Then, map a path through the maze, tilting the board and guiding the ball around the obstacles and into the goal.

Endless combinations of designs provide multiple levels of play. It includes a maze board and base, 17 maze pieces, four balls, and 10 activity cards. It’s for one to four players.

The All Ready for Preschool Readiness Kit introduces kids 3 and up to essential preschool skills such as counting, the alphabet, color identification, and shape recognition. This comprehensive kit includes an assortment of colorful manipulatives and other hands-on tools, a writeand-wipe activity book for children, and a 32-page guide created just for parents. All components store in a sturdy storage box. Learning Resources also makes an All Ready for Kindergarten Readiness Kit and an All Ready for First Grade Readiness Kit, sold separately.

Gears! Gears! Gears! Build & Bloom Building Set includes colorful gears, flowers, butterflies, bees, ladybugs, wiggly stems, and more. The parts are interchangeable, allowing for endless combinations and designs. It’s for ages 4 and up.

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ASTRA 2015

THAMES & KOSMOS

Thames & Kosmos’ (T&K) Kids First science kits are combined with illustrated storybooks to teach simple engineering concepts to preschoolers. In each storybook, readers follow along on the comical journey of two siblings as they build various vehicles, flying machines, and amusement park rides to solve problems and complete tasks. As readers follow the story, they, too, can build models of the same vehicles and contraptions in the story. Large, colorful plastic building pieces make it easy for small hands to put the models together. The kits help develop fine motor skills, science and math skills, visual-spatial skills, and reasoning and concept development skills. The kits also come in durable storage cases for easy clean up and transport. Sets include the Kids First Automobile Engineer, Kids First Aircraft Engineer, and Kids First Amusement Park Engineer.

Remote-Control Machines: Space Explorers is an engineering kit that lets kids build a remote-controlled model of a robotic rover resembling the ones used to explore Mars. The remote can control up to three motors, which move the rover back and forth, turn the wheels to steer the rover, and control the robotic arm to pick things up. The 237-piece construction set includes instructions to build not only the robot rover but also nine additional space-themed models, including a lunar rover, rocket launcher car, space shuttle with opening and closing cargo bay doors, robotic space shuttle payload arm, moon lander, wacky astronaut, satellite, Mars station, and cross-wing flyer. A Remote-Control Machine: Animals set is sold separately.

T&K is also bringing Kosmos’ games line to the U.S. this year with a mix of classic Euro-strategy games Lost Cities: The Original Card Game and Kahuna, puzzle games such as Ubongo, and new introductions such as Dohdles. Dohdles is an artistic guessing game for families and parties of three to six players.

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HEDSTROM

Hedstrom’s Sensory Shape Ball is a mix of two classic toys, a ball and a shape sorter. Kids can roll, bounce, and learn with this ball by fitting the correct shape into the corresponding spaces on the ball. The two-sided pieces have textures that help kids explore their senses while learning letters, numbers, and shapes.

Hedstrom also focuses on sensory play and development in the new Sensory Puzzle Mat. This colorful puzzle has two-sided pieces featuring a zoo theme on one side, with letters (upper and lower case) and numbers on the reverse to offer matching opportunities. It is made of durable foam.

With tactile shapes and designs, the Sensory Play Mat keeps kids exploring. It features a shape-sorting puzzle with textures on one side, and letters and numbers on the other.

Bright colors, bold patterns, and interactive play engage a child’s developing sense of vision and curiosity. The Sensory Bumpeez’ easy-grasp bumps make it easy to toss or roll these toys with ease. They also feature soft glowing lights, rattling beads, and a contagious giggle.

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ASTRA 2015

CREATIVITY FOR KIDS

Creativity for Kids’ Make Your Own Sweet Dreams Catcher lets kids personalize their own dream catcher with beads, feathers, bells, charms, rhinestones, and silver wings. It is for ages 7 and up.

With two new Fun Felt kits, kids can build and decorate three soft but sturdy felt dinosaurs or felt forest animals. Designed for preschoolers, the no-mess craft kits allow children to practice fine motor skills with peel-andpress stickers and wiggly eyes. The Felt Dinosaurs kit includes a stegosaurus, T-Rex, and brontosaurus. The Felt Forest Pals kit includes a reindeer, a fox, and a squirrel.

They are for ages 4 and up.

PAPER PUNK

New for 2015 are two 3-D craft kits, Paper Punk Jewelry Fold Triangle and Paper Punk Jewelry Fold Square. Kids, teens, and adults can make an entire jewelry set—one necklace, two earring sets, and one bracelet—with each Jewelry Fold kit. Available this August, for ages 6 and up, kids can simply punch out shapes, fold them into paper gems, and arrange on the enclosed jewelry bases. Pieces adhere with the provided adhesive dots. Inside every kit are punch-and-fold shapes, glitter stickers, gloss stickers, metallic stickers, adhesive dots, a storage box, and instruction booklet. More than 550 pieces are included.

No scissors or glue is required.

DARICE ORB FACTORY

Kids ages 5 and up can make a PlushCraft Hedgehog Pillow by following a numbered legend and using the stylus to punch fabric pieces into a hedgehog-themed pillow. No sewing is required.

With Orb Factory’s Pixel Pops Pug, for ages 7 and up, use the stylus to pick up and stick small squishy cubes onto a base. Build up your base and layer colored squares to create an 8-bit-inspired pet.

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Darice’s RoomLookz turns drab but necessary storage spaces into trendy surroundings with color, patterns, fashion, and fun in the new LockerLookz 2015 Collection. The line kicks off with themes Pink, Black & White, and Aqua. The line includes Peel & Stick Wallpaper that measures 27.5 square feet and feature a printed grid on the back, measured in one-foot increments for do-it-yourself application. Peel, stick, and reposition. Choose from Pink Quatrefoil, Aqua Dot or Black Swirl. The line will also feature Magnetic Dry Erase Wallboards in pink, aqua, or white; Flower Magnets in pink, blue, or white; Gem Magnets in pink, blue, or clear; Magnetic Storage Bins, available in Pink Dot, Pink Lace, Aqua Swirl, Aqua Poppy, Black/White Dot, and Black/White Swirl; and more.

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ASTRA 2015 BLUE ORANGE GAMES

Blue Orange Games will feature many of its new games for 2015 at ASTRA, including Ring It! In this game for ages 5 and up, players continuously flip their cards until a combo is found.

Be the first to find the combo, clap your hands, and then ring the bell. Hesitation may cost you first place, but if you act too quickly you may make a mistake and face a penalty.

Blue Orange will also highlight its new collection of educational matching games called Super Genius. Depending on the version you choose, players look for a match between an image to a word, or a mathematic equation to its product or sum. But the formula used in these games means that there will always be one and only one match between any two cards. Super Genius comes with five game rules and can be used in the classroom or at home. Games in the line include: First Words (for ages 5 and up), Reading 1 (ages 6 and up), Reading 2 (ages 6 and up), Addition (7 and up), and Multiplication 1 (8 and up).

Gobblet Gobblers, for ages 5 and up, features fresh packaging for 2015 but the gameplay remains the same. Each player’s objective is to line up three pieces in a row. It’s a game of strategy that plays like tic-tac toe with a twist: you can gobble up your opponent’s piece if it is smaller than yours to win.

Race to scoop the loops in Thumbs Up! Made for ages 6 and up, the goal of this game is to be the first to stack different colored rings on your thumb, based on the order shown on a challenge card. Challenge cards require each player to focus on the order of numbers and match their colors.

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RAVENSBURGER

Ravensburger’s Bugs in the Kitchen is now available nationwide for the first time. Players attempt to lure the battery-operated Hexbug Nano (from Innovation First) across the 3-D game board and into their traps without letting them escape. One wrong move can release the bug, sending it back onto the board and making the players start over from scratch.

It is for ages 6 and up.

Ravensburger’s new Disney Princess puzzles, including puzzles featuring Doc McStuffins and Sofia the First, will also be featured at ASTRA. New classic Disney Princess puzzles include the Princesses in Garden and Castle puzzle set, two 12-piece puzzles featuring Ariel, Belle, and Cinderella dressed in their distinctive ball gowns (ages 3 and up); Disney Princesses, a 72-piece puzzle showcasing eight Disney Princess characters in their royal attire (ages 5 and up); Princess Portraits, a 100-piece XXL puzzle featuring eight Disney Princess characters in their ball gowns (ages 6 and up); Everyone Loves Ariel, a 150-piece XXL puzzle starring Ariel in an underwater scene (ages 7 and up); and four LargeShaped Puzzles (10-, 12-, 14- and 16-piece varieties) of four different Disney Princess characters: Ariel, Cinderella, Jasmine, and Rapunzel (ages 3 and up).

Doc McStuffins will be featured in a trio of puzzles.

Puzzles include a two-puzzle set of Doc McStuffins 24-piece puzzles featuring Doc caring for her stuffed patients (for ages 4 and up); All Better Now, a 24-piece floor puzzle (ages 3 and up); and Helping Hands, which includes four puzzles of Doc and three of her charges in 10-, 12- 14- and 16-piece varieties.

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WWW.MAGFORMERS.COM info@magformers.com 734-667-1673 @magformersllc MAGFORMERS速 LLC 2014. All rights reserved. MAGFORMERS速 and the MAGFORMERS速 logo are registered trademarks of MAGFORMERS速 LLC

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ASTRA 2015

World Village China Playset

SMART LAB TOYS

With Smart Lab Toys’ Drop Zone Cargo Release Glider, load the glider’s cargo bay, set the timer to release the payload, and let it fly. When the time is up, the cargo bay door opens and the payload drops. Use the target flags to practice hitting the mark while learning how to master timing, calculate angles, measure wind speed, and more. This easy-to-assemble EPO foam glider with a 28-inch wingspan comes with decal stickers to customize the body, a 24-page book, and three Stanley the Pig stuntman payloads. It will be available this August.

With Demolition Lab Wrecking Ball + Abandoned Schoolhouse, build an abandoned schoolhouse or mix-and-match pieces to create your own one-of-a-kind structures, then knock them down with the wrecking ball using the science of energy, momentum, and gravity.

Young engineers learn how to build, develop strategies, conduct tests, solve problems, and improve their experimentation skills.

Combine this set with all the Demolition Lab kits this July.

Also available in July is the Girl’s Only! Secret Message Lab. This science lab comes with two cases—one for each girl—and contains everything girls need to create codes and write secret messages. Girls will discover 25 ways to share secrets, including making invisible ink, revealing mysterious messages using UV light waves, learning how to write custom secret codes, crafting sneaky methods for passing notes, and more. The 24-page book includes activity instructions, science information, as well as facts about how codes have been used throughout history.

All-Natural Spa Soaps, now available, is a spa-themed science kit that includes all the materials needed to make 25-plus melt-andpour soaps, while teaching girls about molecules, emulsifiers, and botanicals. In addition to chemistry lessons, the 16-page booklet is filled with recipes using common all-natural ingredients from the kitchen and the garden.

Get Growing! Greenhouse is a self-watering greenhouse. Kids can plant three types of seeds and use the Seed Growth Chart to take notes on their observations and have questions answered, such as how plants defend themselves. All kits are for ages 8 and up.

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WHOLE WIDE WORLD TOYS

Whole Wide World Toys’ World Village China Playset brings to life day-to-day life in China. Each playset teaches kids about Chinese history, culture, and day-to-day modern life through the eyes of two visiting American children. The playset features an heirloom-quality design; a high-quality, soft fabric playmat featuring illustrations; 13 painted, chunky wood puzzle pieces; and My China Travel Journal, a 32-page color story and activity book featuring informative illustrations narrated by Emma and Joe, a brother and sister traveling through China. Fourteen additional story cards include phrases and prompts designed to encourage reading comprehension, while puzzle pieces feature a Chinese-English translation of each item. The Deluxe Companion Pack includes a Boat, Canal House, and Kite & Candy Shop. Large stand-up pieces are designed to extend imaginative play.

PLAYROOM ENTERTAINMENT

Playroom Entertainment’s Geek Out! is a fun game that finds out once and for all which player is the most knowledgeable about a variety of subjects.

The Geek Out! Family Edition features topics in categories including science, music, art, literature, history, pop culture, and more.

The game comes with 205 list cards, 20 penalty chips, a custom six-sided die, and instructions.

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ASTRA 2015

THINKFUN

Rush Hour Shift turns ThinkFun’s sliding block logic game into a two-player strategy game.

Players draw cards and either advance their own Hero Car or block their opponent’s vehicles. The shifting Traffic Grid adds a whole new dimension to the play. The game is for ages 8 and up.

The object of Science Logic Maze for Juniors is to get the laser beam to the rockets so they can safely return to Earth. Players use science and logic as they position tokens on the board to create a path. Carefully place the satellite mirrors to guide the beam and watch out for space rocks that might get in the way. The game is for ages 6 and up.

The Houdini brainteaser game includes 40 disentanglement puzzles. Just secure Houdini using the ropes, lock, and rings, and work to set him free without undoing the clasps. The game is for ages 8 and up.

A line of Maker Studio building sets let kids turn things from the recycle bin into cars, planes, and more. The Maker Studio Gears Set lets kids build a racecar, a cable car, a three-wheeler, and a motorcycle. The Maker Studio Propellers Set lets kids build a chopper, a biplane, a windmill, and a plane. The Maker Studio Winches Set lets kids build a tow truck, a jeep, a well, and a crane. Each kit includes step-by-step instructions and a set of 10 challenges to encourage problem solving. The kits are for ages 7 and up.

ThinkFun’s All Queens Chess is a Chess-inspired two-player strategy game using all Queens. Players plan their moves carefully to get four Queens in a row. Just like in a game of chess, the Queen can move any number of squares vertically, horizontally, or diagonally. The only difference is that pieces can’t be captured. The game is for ages 8 and up.

PATCH PRODUCTS

Patch is bringing a top-selling game from France, Chrono Bomb, stateside. In this active game, kids get to act like secret spies and heroes who save the day. In Yeti in My Spaghetti, noodles are laid across the bowl with the yeti sitting on top. Take turns removing the noodles one by one, and keep the yeti from falling into the bowl. The game is for two or more players ages 4 and up.

The new Smart Starts game line for preschoolers includes Sparky, which features an electronic lightning bug that will say the names of shapes and light up different colors. Children use Sparky to play several Bingo-like games with the included cards and shapes. It’s for ages 2 and up. Additional games in the line include the spelling game Cheese Dip for ages 3 and up and the counting game Puppy Up for ages 3 and up.

Patch’s Mirari line expands with Flip Flop ABC Blocks. Each block represents a letter with a letter sticker on the back, and inside each clear two-inch block is a suspended letter or character that begins with that letter. Hidden magnets allow them to jiggle and wiggle, and kids can wave the wand over the blocks for more movement. All 26 blocks come in a storage bag with zipper. The set is for ages 12 months and up.

Patch enters the children’s room décor category with Onaroo. The product line includes the OK to Wake! clock featuring a nightlight and wake-up indicator; the Teach Me Time! clock that adds a teaching game with the OK to Wake! features; a plush OK to Wake! Owl nightlight with music; a portable nightlight owl with OK to Wake! functions; and portable nightlights. The OK to Wake! green light is a simple, visual indicator that informs toddlers when it’s time to get up.

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ASTRA 2015

HOG WILD

Adding to its Poppers line, Hog Wild introduces new Unicorn and Sea Life Poppers. The three new ocean-inspired Poppers include Orca, Octopus, and Sea Horse. Place the ball into their mouth, squeeze their belly, and out shoots a soft foam ball up to 20 feet. Each character includes six soft foam balls.

Hog Wild’s new AquaPod also AquaPod launches this spring. The AquaPod bottle launcher comes 100-percent assembled, all you need is a two-liter soda bottle, an ordinary bike pump, and water. Fill the soda bottle half way with clean water and affix over the launch tube. Take the bike pump and pressurize to 50 PSI. AquaPod includes a built-in-check value that eliminates over pressurization, ensures safety, and maximum height.

Unwind the 15-foot long launch string and start the count down. Pull the string to launch a water-fueled 100-foot blast off.

In addition, Hog Wild also adds a new nightlight buddy line of products for toddlers called Brobo.

ADORA

With Adora’s Mixxie Mopsie, kids can create their own colorful combinations. The simple button closures help kids practice their fine motor skills while also encouraging the mixing of patterns and colors on the doll’s sleeves and leggings. Its soft colorful hair can also be styled in countless ways with the included hair accessories. Mixxie Mopsie is for ages 4 and up.

For younger kids ages 1 and up, My First Adora dolls (shown) have ultra-soft, squeezable bodies for hugging, toting, and more.

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ROOMINATE

Roominate rPower set

Roominate is expanding its product range to include two school-themed sets sold exclusively at specialty retailers.

Roominate is a stackable and customizable line of wired building systems that inspire open-ended and hands-on play in the STEM subjects. Using circuits, modular pieces, and universal joints, girls can build spinning windmills, carousels, lamps, and more to create working structures.

Roominate will combine physical and digital play by introducing rPower and the Roominate app this month, which together will allow girls to program and control their Roominate creations from Bluetooth-enabled devices.

GRIDDLY GAMES

Griddly Games’ latest product, Just Add Milk, is an experiment kit for ages 5 and up that comes with everything you need, except the milk, to explore safe chemical reactions.

Reactions include oneof-a-kind color displays, color burst demonstrations, and more. Griddly Games hints that the initial Just Add Milk product will be a cornerstone to a line of Just Add (insert ingredient) products, and other kits that establish the company’s STEM category of products.

Mon Premier Bébé Bath Fresh Riviera

DIGGIN

COROLLE

Specially designed for bathtime play, Corolle’s Mon Premier Bébé Bath Fresh Riviera floats in water and dries quickly for post-bath play. This 12-inch soft baby doll features sleeping eyes and vinyl skin that’s delicately scented with vanilla—a Corolle signature.

The doll is dressed in Corolle’s newest vibrant print. It is for ages 18 months and up.

Les Chéries Camille Riviera is another vacation-ready doll. The doll is dressed in a bright yellow jumpsuit, pink sandals, pink scarf, and canvas sunhat. This 13-inch fashion doll features blue sleeping eyes, an all-vinyl body that’s delicately scented with vanilla, and long blonde hair that can be brushed and styled. It is for ages 4 and up.

Slimeball, the new active roleplay line from Diggin, is launching this summer. The Slimeball line brings tons of active slime fun without the mess. Slimeballs stick to Diggin’s materials but won’t stick to anything else or leave any marks, says the company. The new product line, which features slime gear, slingers, and slimeballs, is for ages 6 and up.

Slimeball Dodgetag is an ultimate game of dodgeball. It comes with two adjustable vests and six slimeballs. Each player wears a vest and picks three slimeballs. Players throw the balls and try to stick them to their opponent’s vests. If the ball sticks, it’s a hit.

Kids can perfect their aim with the Slimeball Target Practice. The target features a special interlocking technology so multiple targets can link together to create larger targets for practice.

The Slimeball Slinger shoots slimeballs up to 30 feet, according to Diggin. Pull back the Slinger and let the slimeball fly. The Slinger has a gel grip and a unique easy-to-use aiming system. Slimeball Slinger comes with one slinger and two slimeballs.

The Slimeball Battle Pack includes six no-mess slimeballs for the ultimate fight. The soft and safe slimeballs are fun for dodging and throwing.

Slimeball Slinger

PLAYVISIONS

PlayVisions embraced the maker movement with its launch of Weavy Loops, an all-in-one craft set that lets kids create colorful keychains, bracelets, headbands, and more. Each kit includes its own loom, which doubles as a storage unit for supplies, and comes with colored cording, keychain loops, headband forms, bracelet clips, charms, and more to create handcrafted items that kids can collect, trade, or gift to friends.

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ASTRA 2015 PACIFIC PLAY TENTS

Pacific Play Tents’ Tick Tock Clock Parachute is a 12-foot parachute perfect for cooperative group play and learning. It features shapes, numbers, and time to help kids develop perceptual, cognitive, motor, and academic skills as they play.

The Princess Castle Pavilion is a Tick Tock play tent that offers the ultimate princess Clock Parachute experience. Big enough for the whole neighborhood, kids can play with all of their toys and stuffed animals, put on a show, play dress-up, and still have room left to dance.

Its unique hexagonal design and extra-large play area is easy to assemble and easy to clean.

Soar into space with the Galaxy Combo Junction play tent with Glow N’ the Dark Stars. It features a tent plus four connecting tunnels made for indoor or outdoor play.

Or hop away in Pacific Play Tents Cotton Canvas Jumping Sacks. Available as sets of two, these sacks provide cognitive challenges and physical activity benefits.

Each sack features a giant colored pocket with a smaller plastic sleeve so kids can label it however they like. The pocket also may be used for storage and provides more options for games. The bag has a flat bottom and a reinforced stitch for short and long races. It has long handles that are durable to aid kids of all heights. Sacks are also available in a four-pack set.

With the Fairy Blossom Gigantic Dome Tent, let your little one grab a wand and join in on the fairy fun. The tent features pastel colors and little fairies depicted throughout the tent. The six-sided tent has printed mesh panels for ventilation and comes with three color-coordinated G-3 shockcorded poles. These poles are to be combined with matching colored pole sleeves for an easy set-up.

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Karma Mini Rounds

SET ENTERPRISES

Set Enterprises is releasing Mini Rounds of SET, Quiddler, Five Crowns, and Karma. These pocket-size games come in a playful “click-clack” tin for play on the go. The games are shorter, faster versions of the originals—SET, Quiddler, Five Crowns, and Karma—that can be played in just 10-15 minutes without losing the unique flavor of the original game. SET Mini Round games can be played solo or by as many people as can fit around your table for a quick diversion. With no turns and no luck, the SET Mini Round is fast-paced fun. Have fun with words anywhere you go with Quiddler Mini Round. Five Crowns Mini Round is a five-suited, rummy-style game to entertain at any age. Karma Mini Round offers unpredictable fun with a subtle strategy to amp up the competition. These games are for ages 6 and up.

GREEN TOYS

Mini Construction Vehicles

With Green Toys’ Mini Construction Vehicles, kids can scoop it, mix it, and dump it. Chunky, sturdy, and durable, the fleet features a front loader with a moveable scooper, cement mixer with a revolving drum, and a dump truck with a classic open-box bed.

Each six-inch long vehicle comes with its own bulldog construction worker, and the figures are interchangeable among all three vehicles. Each vehicle is made from 100 percent recycled plastic milk jugs. They contain no BPA, phthalates, or PVC, and are dishwasher safe. They are packaged with recyclable materials and printed with soy ink. These vehicles are for ages 2 and up.

AMBI TOYS

PARTY ANIMALS

Following the success of TeenyMates licensed sports figures comes the TeenyMates Big Sip. Fans can show off their favorite team with 3-D character designs available in all NFL teams. The officially licensed sport sipper is even car-friendly with its reusable straw and stop-cap to prevent spills. Each Big Sip is BPA-free and made with safe, food-grade materials. The top removes easily, so you can pour your favorite drink inside. The TeenyMates Big Sip is for ages 4 and up.

Peter Penguin

Ambi Toys by Galt’s Peter Penguin is a bobbing bathtime friend with floating arms. It has a moveable head and neck that extends in the water. It is for ages 1 and up.

The Duck Family is another water toy that comes with three ducklings hiding inside Mother Duck. The family swims together to delight children at bathtime or anytime. It is for ages 1 and up. Colors in both toys may vary.

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ASTRA 2015

PLASMART

PlaSmart’s Kick Flipper is like a skateboard without wheels to help kids learn the balance, footwork, and coordination basics that are essential for skateboarding, snowboarding, and surfboarding. Kick Flipper can be used on carpet, grass, sand, or snow. Kids ages 3–12 can perfect beginner and advanced tricks learned from Kick Flipper’s Boarding Basics step-by-step instructional video, which will be mobile-friendly and available online. The Kick Flipper also helps increase levels of balance and skill, build muscle tone Kick Flipper and cardio strength, and develop creativity as kids create and practice their own tricks.

Manufactured in the U.S., Kick Flippers are lightweight enough to slip into a backpack and rugged enough to support up to 200 pounds, says PlaSmart.

Also launched this spring was PlaSmart’s line of 2-in-1 3D Puzzles. Use all the pieces to create a traditional, flat jigsaw puzzle or use select 2-D puzzle pieces to build a 3-D toy vehicle. There are currently three puzzles to choose from: Airplane (71 pieces), Fire Truck (65 pieces), and Digger (65 pieces). Puzzles are for ages 4 and up.

WINNING MOVES GAMES

New 2015 games from Winning Moves Games include a new version of Candy Land that features graphics and components from the game’s early days, including the gingerbread men. The game comes with a game board with original artwork, four plastic gingerbread men movers, a deck of 64 cards, and instructions that include “The Story of Candy Land.” It’s for two to four players ages 4 and up.

Connect 4 Twist & Turn plays like the classic game of Connect 4, but each layer of the tower twists to create exciting gameplay strategies. The game comes with a game unit, 18 red plastic discs, 18 yellow plastic discs, and illustrated instructions. It is for two players ages 6 and up.

The object of Fish, Fish, Squish is to be the last player with an unsquished fish. Players mold their school of five dough fish, and then take turns flipping cards until a player completes three in a row. That player gets to squish any of his opponent’s fish. The game comes with a deck of 54 cards, four resealable bags of modeling dough (blue, yellow, orange, and purple), four plastic fish molds, four player mats, and instructions. It is for two to four players ages 5 and up.

To play Guess Who, ask “yes” or “no” questions to figure out your opponent’s mystery person. The game includes two game units, 48 face cards, a deck of 24 mystery face cards, and illustrated instructions in English and Spanish. It’s for two players ages 6 and up.

With Hi-Ho! Cherry-O, players practice math skills, such as counting, addition, and subtraction, by picking fruit from their trees to fill their buckets. The game includes a plastic game board with four trees and buckets, 44 plastic cherries, a fully assembled spinner, and illustrated instructions. The game is for two to four players ages 3 and up.

Customize a Rubik’s Cube with the Rubik’s Speed Cube Pro-Pack. It allows players to adjust the spring tensions holding the core of the puzzle together. Change out the springs and washers to fine-tune the Cube, and use the vegetable oil-based lube to make it twist and turn faster. It’s for ages 8 and up.

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Super Moon In My Room

AURORA

L.E. Phants assortment

Aurora’s Miyoni line features realistic-looking animals from popular domestic, woodland, farm, and jungle categories made with exceptional attention to detail.

The collection boasts more than 180 styles with new styles being released throughout the year.

Aurora L.E. Phants is a new collection that brings elephants to life in plush form.

The brand is designed with diversity in mind to appeal to a broad audience, in a variety price points and fabrications. Each style is an original Aurora design.

Aurora’s Sea Sparkles line features mermaid dolls that are classic and trend-forward with flowing yarn hair and sparkling fabrics. Now available is a new collection of six mermaids called Sea Shimmers, which adds long-flowing doll hair infused with shimmering mylar, sparkling crowns, and new outfits.

The Aurora My Little Pony collection will also get a new design in 2015. The new ponies feature styled hair with mylar highlights that make them sparkle. The 12 new additions will be available in 6.5-inch and 13-inch sizes.

UNCLE MILTON

Uncle Milton will highlight its Super Moon In My Room at ASTRA. Super Moon automatically syncs with the look of the real moon outside. Super Moon is 30 percent larger than the original, has a solar eclipse effect, and includes nighttime and moon landing sound effects. It also features 12 different lunar phases and includes a remote control, just like the original.

ZING

Step up a game indoors or out with Zing’s Helix, a new flyer-and-paddle playset that challenges players to the longest rallies. The Helix’s unique, aerodynamically designed flyers help deliver a stable flight, accuracy, and control. Each Helix playset comes with two paddles and one Helix Pro Flyer, which can fly up to 45 feet, and one Helix Fun Flyer, which can fly up to 30 feet.

The Zyclone Zing-Ring Blaster shoots foam-flying rings for outdoor play. Load the Flyer on the hand-held launcher, pull back, twist, and watch the Flyer travel up to 100 feet.

Flyers are made of soft, durable foam for a safe spin and accurate catches. Each Zyclone Zing-Ring Blaster comes with one Zing Ring Blaster and one Zing Ring Flyer. Both items are for ages 6 and up.

Sammie Premium Bear

BEARS FOR HUMANITY

Helix

Sammie Premium Bear is part of Bears for Humanity’s line of organic teddy bears. The teddy bears are made with 100 percent certified organic cotton/hemp fibers. Sammie’s beige fabric is anti-bacterial with articulating limbs. For every Bears for Humanity Bear sold, one is donated to an orphan or foster child in need. They are for ages birth and up.

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ASTRA 2015

INROAD TOYS

InRoad Toys’ PlayTape lets kids creatively build roads and rails for play with toy cars and trains. It sticks to any flat surface, is easy-to-tear, repositionable, and easily peels off without residue. It can be stored and transported or disposed and recycled. PlayTape is for ages 3 and up. New for 2015 is the Thomas and Friends Track PlayTape, which lets little engineers instantly create their own Thomas-themed railroad play area. It is being distributed by Bachmann Trains.

New PlayTape Curves augment PlayTape worlds with curved pieces that peel off and adjoin with straight PlayTape roads and tracks. InRoad Toys will also introduce play off-road with new Mud Madness PlayTape.

KLUTZ

ELENCO

Elenco expands its Snap Circuit line with the new Snap Circuit Arcade set for fall. Snap Circuit Arcade includes more than 200 projects that utilize 30 components including an internal microcontroller pre-programmed with interactive games, a programmable word fan, tri-color light orb, and a dual LED display.

Snap Circuits uses building pieces with snaps to assemble different electronic circuits on a simple rowand-columns base grid that functions like the printed circuit board found in most electronics. Components are identifiable by color and functional purpose. This new set is for ages 8 and up.

Design your own bracelet with itty-bitty glittery charms using Klutz’ new Make Glitter Clay Charms book. As a follow-up to Klutz’s bestseller Make Clay Charms, this book comes with 35 new charm designs, new clay colors, and two packets of accent glitter.

The Many Moods of Me Journal lets kids explore their emotions with this kids’ activity journal. Slip on the magical mood ring to figure out if you’re feeling happy, sad, afraid, icky, or angry.

Then flip to the corresponding journal section and fill out an entry with the included six-color mood pen. The journal features hand-drawn art and quirky, conversational text throughout.

Finger Knitting puts cozy knit accessories right at your fingertips. Make scarves, hats, jewelry, cat ear headbands, boot toppers, and more following the instructions for 15 projects. The book comes with 200 yards of metallic-sparkle yarn.

Kids can also design and paint their own high-quality gold metal charms with Charm Bracelet Studio. The activity book includes more than 100 designs to choose from, gold bangles, and tons of metal charms.

Or kids can use Personalized Friendship Bracelets to make custom name friendship bracelets and more. Choose from more than 150 designs and five floss colors. Step-by-step instructions and a built-in bracelet-making board make it a snap to craft on the go.

Taking decoupage and collage to the next level, Pop Collage modernizes a classic, known craft with techniques such as hole-punch confetti and glitter blending. Decorate your own keychain, bookmark, picture frame, and more.

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TACTIC GAMES

Tactic Games will showcase the new expansion to its iKnow trivia game as well as new versions of its Alias family of games. iKnow expansion sets include iKnow in America, iKnow Amazing Earth, iKnow Innovations, and iKnow Lifestyles sets of questions and cards. The Alias games now offer Junior Alias, Family Alias, Party Alias, and Dice Alias versions.

Other products on display include Tactic’s Flags of the World and States of the USA family games; children’s games, Choco, Colorful Caterpillars, and Hungry Monsters, among others; and the company’s Mindwarrior category of Euro-style strategy games that includes Kaleva, Realm of Wonder, Kings of Mithril, and Terra Evolution–Tree of Life games.

Style Me Up Charmazing

WOOKY ENTERTAINMENT

FOLKMANIS

Folkmanis’ Frilled Lizard puppet features multiple variations of movement in his mouth and forelegs. Make his collar frill forward and back with a gentle squeeze of your fingers.

Out of hibernation comes the newest Polar Bear Cub puppet. This puppet features an heirloom design with soft plush fur, padded paws, and a moveable mouth.

Fierce and bold, the Winged Dragon puppet is a flying green reptile. Create your own fairytales by animating the mouth and wings of this beast.

Winged Dragon puppet

Wooky Entertainment’s main focus at ASTRA will be on its Charmazing DIY charm bracelets, part of its Style Me Up line. With the Charmazing Tree of Life storage station, you can display your charm bracelets and store your craft materials for easy access. The standing Tree of Life also includes two unique charms and energy cards—Pearlescent and Lilac—to add to your Charmazing Gemstone collection.

Or kids can design six bracelets with the Charmazing Deluxe Kit Karma. It includes 12 unique assorted charms and energy cards from the Crystal, Enchanted, and Power collections. Personalize the charm bracelets using the Charmastation bracelet working station, which also features storage compartments to stow your thread, beads, chains, and charms. The Charmazing’s All Wrapped Up craft kit features six charms and energy cards from the Lucky collection. It includes thread, chain, and beads to design three unique bracelets. Charmazing’s All Wrapped Up craft kit features six charms and energy cards from the Color Me Up Heart collection. Use the variety of beads included to personalize three bracelets.

Also highlighted in the Style Me Up line is the Light Up Nail Dryer & Top Spot Nail Art kit. Use the five colorful polishes and nail supplies to personalize your manicure. Dry your nails with the portable nail dryer. With Style Me Up Chalk It Out hair chalk stackers, choose from six hair chalk colors, three stencils, and hair accessories for a new look.

To accessorize your look, use the Style Me Up Rainbow knitting craft kit’s two knitting looms, color yarn, and other supplies to make an infinity scarf and beanie hat.

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ASTRA 2015

FASHION ANGELS

Style.Lab Rainbow Dog Backpack

Fashion Angels’ new line of activity kits called Upcycling take two areas of importance to tweens—saving the planet and DIY projects—to the next level with a fashionable approach to turning trash into the next trend. Each kit is themed by the material it reclaims to create the projects: T-shirts, plastic bags, plastic bottles, and toys and games. Each Upcycling kit comes with a design guide that provides step-by-step instructions for up to 10 projects, plus ideas to create variations on those projects. There are also basic craft materials included with each kit, such as earring hooks, chains and beads, bracelet wire, and more. Fashion Angels Upcycling kits are scheduled to hit stores this fall.

Fashion Angels will also add to the It’s My Biz line of girl entrepreneur kits as well as its crafting kits, including a line called Maker Market, which offers more sophisticated crafts for the older girl (and adults, too). The company is also adding new items to its tween lifestyle line, Style.Lab. This line includes accessories, room décor, tween-focused natural beauty care, back to school, and more. Fashion Angels will expand product offerings of its licensed brands that include Monster High, Ever After High, Barbie, My Little Pony, Equestria Girls, Littlest Pet Shop, Hello Kitty, and Project Runway. Fashion Angels also adds American Girl for fall.

HAYWIRE GROUP

MANHATTAN TOY

Manhattan Toy’s Whoozit Wimmer-Ferguson Car Seat Space Blanket Gallery features graphics ranging from black and white to colorful to entertain baby in the backseat. The car seat gallery features eight double-sided cards with graphics that are research-proven to foster visual development, according to Manhattan Toy. The cards fit in a sturdy nylon holder that installs for both front- and rear-facing infants. It is for ages birth and up.

The Fuzzy Loves Puppet Collection is a line of hand puppets that includes five animal characters featuring a variety of soft and fluffy fabrics. These mini hand puppets are designed for little hands and double as soft toy companion. They are for ages 3 and up.

Whoozit gets intergalatic with the new Whoozit Space Blankie, an activity toy that features bright colors, orbs that rattle as they spin, and stretchy material to grasp and pull.

Made for ages birth and up, this toy helps foster the development of fine motors skills and teaches cause and effect.

The Haywire Group is the exclusive North American distributor of the plush collectibles Worry Eaters, which “eat” childhood fears in their zippered mouths.

Like a security blanket or favorite doll, Worry Eaters are plush friends that can offer a lot of reassurance to a child. Each Worry Eater character has a hang tag that explains to kids 3 and up that if they write their concern on paper, or draw it, and toss it into the plush’s zippered mouth, the child can sleep soundly as the Worry Eater consumes their fear. Worry Eaters are soft and lightweight. They are available in sizes small and large with eight distinct characters. Choose Schnulli, Saggo, Enno, or Polli, available in either small or large sizes, or select Flint, Bill, Betti and Flamm, sold in only the large size.

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Worry Eater Flint

IMAGABILITY

ImagAbility will debut its newest attraction, Wedgnetix, magnetic Wedgits, at ASTRA. With Wedgnetix, kids can create original 2-D designs that include a square, a rectangle, and a hexagon.

Each Wedgnetix bar has an embedded magnet on one end and a metal cap on the opposite end that allow two Wedgnetix bars to fully rotate around each other 360 degrees. Wedgnetix do not require instructions but instead feature open-ended designs to allow kids to create freely. ImagAbility does however provide design ideas for kids to progress from 2-D into 3-D constructions.

ImagAbility Wedgnetix

EDUCATIONAL INSIGHTS

Pete the Cat Puppet-ona-Stick

Educational Insights’(EI) new Magic Moves RainbowJam expands the original Magic Moves with new features.

Touch a color to hear its musical note, touch multiple colors to compose your own music, or sing along to nine songs about colors. It features different musical styles, two modes of play (instrumental or song), and a 16-page musical activity book. RainbowJam also recognizes colors from any flat surface. Additional free downloadable song sheets and coloring sheet are available on the Educational Insights website. It is for ages 3 and up.

With the Design & Drill BrightWorks, kids can light up creativity with the flip of a switch. Follow one of 12 included patterns or create custom glowing creations. Insert one of the translucent bolts, use the working, kid-friendly power drill to drill it in, and watch the creation shine. It is for ages 3 and up.

EI also brings the 20 Pete the Cat storybooks to life with the Pete the Cat Puppet-on-a-Stick. Open and close Pete’s mouth by using the lever, or pull down on the ball at the bottom of the stick. It is for ages 3 and up.

With the Nancy B’s Science Club Stir-It-Up Chemistry Lab & Kitchen Experiments Journal, budding scientists can perform chemistry experiments in their kitchen with 11 reusable chemistry tools. Suited for STEM learning at home, junior chemists can safely explore simple scientific principles including extinguishing a flame with invisible gas; making their own bubbling “lava” in a bottle; causing chemicals to change color; and more. It includes a 22page activity journal filled with experiments using common household ingredients. It is for ages 8 and up.

NA2URE

Ani-gram-it Card Game

In the game of Ani-gram-it, players “build” animals using two-sided cards (or tiles) that feature photos of animal parts such as eyes, wings, and limbs. The 100 pictures on the flip side are divided into 23 types of parts with words, and divided into five color-coded groups: how animals move, see/feel/hear, eat, types of skin, and spine or spineless. Players can create as many animals as they can using four pieces at a time. The more pieces a player uses, the more points they earn. Each turn prompts players to add to existing animals or create new ones. Ani-gram-it from Na2ure is available as a card game as well as a deluxe board game.

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ASTRA 2015

Zonkey Bedtime Book

DOUGLAS COMPANY

Zonkey, Lamb, Fox, Bunny, Monkey, and Giraffe are part of Douglas Company’s new coordinated gift ensembles for baby. Each set includes a variety of baby accessories to create a gift ensemble. The Zonkey gift set includes a nine-inch Zonkey Plumpie, a six-inch square Zonkey Bedtime Book, a 13-inch square Zonkey Lil’ Snuggler, and a 19-inch long Zonkey Sshlumpie. Douglas’ new fabric Bedtime Books are filled with squeaks, rattles, mirrors, and original characters. They are designed to entertain and educate.

Plumpies are under-stuffed for just the right amount of huggable fun. Each is 16 inches at full length and 10 inches sitting.

Sshlumpies are Douglas’ well-known deluxe blankie friends with details and embroidered eyes. They take on the shape of their animal and are 19-inches long. Designed for comfort and play, each one is under-stuffed to be more blanket-like.

Lil’ Snugglers are animals incorporated into a 15-inch square of soft fabric with an animal or plush doll head at the top. The blanket portion also features a soft satin edging.

GALT TOYS

Galt Toys’ Travel Foil Art notepad features eight foil art pictures with 12 assorted foil sheets. Peel off a section from the picture, place the foil over the sticky area, and rub with a finger. Lift up to unveil a sparkly masterpiece. This mess-free activity is for ages 6 and up.

The Dr. Miriam Activity Centre is a colorful activity center with 11 different activities to encourage manual dexterity, hand-eye coordination, and the learning of cause and effect.

The centre includes a mirror that helps baby learn about the concept of self, I, me, and mine. It is for ages 6 months and up.

Dr. Miriam Activity Centre

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PEACEABLE KINGDOM

Super Silly Games to Go

Brand new for summer 2015, Peaceable Kingdom’s Games to Go are 17-page, wipe-and-write activity books that include puzzles, mazes, games, story fill-ins, and more. Themes include Spy Games to Go, Enchanted Games to Go, Super Silly Games to Go, Getting Going Games to Go, and Preschool Games to Go. Also expanding its line of cooperative games is Dinosaur Escape for ages 4 and up. In the game, three dinosaurs are lost in the ferns and a volcano is threatening to blow. Work together to move the dinosaurs around the board. Uncover the matching dinosaurs under the fern tokens to rescue all three dinosaurs. Get the dinosaurs safely to the island before the volcano erupts and everyone wins.

In Cauldron Quest, another cooperative game, two to four players work together to break the evil wizard’s spell. Create the potion that breaks the spell and find the hidden ingredients before the wizard blocks all of the paths. The game is for ages 6 and up.

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For licensing opportunities, contact: Naz.cuevas@rovio.com, EVP Global Consumer Products | Randi.spieker@rovio.com, VP Consumer Products North America

Visit us at our Booth: C121 | www.rovio.com | #angrybirds | Untitled-2 1

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LICENSING

TRENDS BY

IN

NANCY LOMBARDI

LICENSING

s the industry descends upon Las Vegas for this year’s Licensing Show, TFE Licensing spoke with a cross section of industry executives to garner feedback on the state of the licensing industry. Those interviewed reported that consumers are shopping once again. However, shopper habits have changed drastically in this post-recession world as consumers now shop with a purpose for specific items. And, consumers are increasingly shopping online using a handheld device or tablet and they are using social media to connect more deeply with brands. All reported that they expect this year’s Licensing Show to be a success as each introduces new brands, new licensees, and new ways of doing business.

Those interviewed provided the following snapshot of what is happening in licensing. Their views are listed here alphabetically.

A

ALL-AMERICAN LICENSING & MANAGEMENT GROUP

Michael Gottsegen, co-founding partner

TFE LICENSING: What has been the impact of social media on All-American Licensing & Management Group’s (AALMG) brands? How has it changed the way brands interact with consumers? What has been the impact of the growth of e-commerce?

Social media has provided our agency with an instant portal to connect with new clients and manufacturers. It’s a game changer. And, it becomes an even more effective tool to showcase and increase the awareness of our brands and it provides another way to sell products in a meaningful and engaging way. One of our clients, TV

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personality and interior designer, Jennifer Adams, is using multiple social media platforms to completely engage with consumers on providing tips and DIY information to her Love Coming Home message. Her YouTube channel viewership has been increasing month over month, and has developed a uniquely approachable presence in the marketplace. This has lead to the Jennifer Adams Home brand being placed in over 700 Costco roadshows last year and a cover story on Costco Connection magazine, Sky Mall magazine, and on SkyMall.com.

In addition, AALMG has strengthened its position in the hospitality space with major MGM clients, The Bellagio Hotel, Mandalay Bay, and MGM Grand. Ecommerce has become a boom for our industry. It’s no longer considered a niche, but a viable revenue stream as well as an opportunity to showcase the uniqueness of a brand. Our ecommerce strategy for the hotel properties is to sell the experience. For example, with the Mandalay Bay ecommerce site, we’ll offer VIP experiences that connect directly with the consumers that will increase the size of the shopping cart.

BEANSTALK

Allison Ames, president

TFE LICENSING: What do you see as the changing habits of shoppers?

Today’s shoppers expect more choices, and are accustomed to finding not only a single product that will serve their needs, but entire families of related and complimentary offerings. For them, associating one brand with a single type of product has become an obsolete way of thinking. But, at the same time, they are

also overwhelmed by choice.

The internet, smartphones, apps, and social media have led to a barrage of information, choice, suggestions, and opinions that can create exhaustion for consumers who value this access, but, who ultimately just want to make simple purchasing decisions. As a consequence, locating brand families has become an increasingly important habit and brand extension licensing helps fulfill this need.

Consumers increasingly get input from their social media channels, and many brands have been quick to adapt. Brands that manage to gain favor with consumers over social media and stay connected ultimately win in the marketplace. Last Halloween, Nestlé’s Tombstone frozen pizza line ran a successful Bites of Fright Vine campaign.

L’Oréal, which competes in an incredibly crowded space, is investing heavily in programmatic trials. These trials will allow the company to monitor consumer reaction to different marketing creative and gain a new, data-driven understanding into what drives purchasing decisions.

In addition, we see changing habits across many industries. In food retail, consumer demand is driving the creation of healthier meal options, even at QSRs known best for burgers and fries. The shift is opening up entirely new menu sections for chain restaurants—a trend that we expect will continue to grow. As healthier options permeate the restaurant market, so, too, will accompanying licensed products flourish in grocery stores with their simplified ingredient lists and clean labeling, dotting the supermarket shelves and freezer sections.

Speaking of grocery retail, look no further than Heinz and Kraft for examples of brands listening and responding to changing con-

sumer habits. These two companies, which are in the process of merging, have both made inroads in creating products with simple ingredients. Heinz has new offerings including Simply Heinz Ketchup and Ore-Ida Simply.

And Kraft has announced new recipes that remove all artificial ingredients from its Kraft American processed cheese singles and replaced the high-fructose corn syrup in Capri Sun juice drinks with sugar.

BRAND CENTRAL

Jodi Bogdanoff, vice-president of licensing

TFE LICENSING: What do you expect to happen at retail in 2015 and into 2016?

Retailers will continue to innovate with more in-store experiences (versus online) in order to drive consumers back to their stores. Additionally, retailers will create more location-based online experiences so consumers can easily transition from online to in-store shopping. As we all know, many consumers begin their shopping experience through online research, but the majority still purchase items in stores. Also, retailers are developing multi-channel customer engagement plans to drive their consumers back to local stores.

BRANDGENUITY

Andy Topkins, partner

TFE LICENSING: Where are consumers shopping?

Retail is exceptionally competitive and online retail continues to take shares from brick and mortar. We just learned while attending MAGIC that a lot of apparel companies are building their own direct-to-retail sites.

Consumer product sales are healthy but there is

a continued evolution online and to alternative channels. Walmart is still king but there are a lot of other places where people are shopping.

Also, there is a lot of multi-channel shopping.

When people want something nice they go to a higher-end retailer but when they want everyday goods they have no problem going to Target, Walmart, and even the dollar/value channels.

BROAD STREET LICENSING GROUP

Bill Cross, senior vice-president of business development

TFE LICENSING: How have shopper habits changed in the food and beverage category?

There continues to be a shift towards “clean label” products in the food and beverage (F&B) category, with pressure to have shout-outs for organic, non-GMO, and “natural” products (a meaningless term that has no regulatory authority behind it). Private label remains strong, especially in the non-F&B areas, though Kroger has led the pack in growing its store brand sales to more than $1 billion. Millennials are embracing store brands in food more than their parents. Online shopping is reshaping the food marketplace, too, as shoppers still place a premium on convenience over value. Drug store food sales have not lived up to their potential, as shoppers have not abandoned traditional grocery stores, club stores, and the like for them. We also believe the drug stores botched their opportunity by offering inferior products and turning off consumers.

ENTERTAINMENT ONE (EONE)

Joan Grasso, vice-president of licensing, North America

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LICENSING

TRENDS

IN

TFE LICENSING: How has the kids’ marketplace changed for preschool properties? What are some of the challenges and opportunities in reaching today’s families?

Securing shelf space for preschool properties is challenging, so we, like many IP owners, continue to look to alternate channels to showcase products to consumers. From the specialty market to the internet, property owners like us must continue developing inventive ways to take product to market and drive success stories that move the property forward. Since families today consume content in many different ways, it can be challenging to know how to reach them in the most effective and meaningful ways. Utilizing different mediums to promote one’s brands is optimal and this approach has helped us reach more consumers than ever, with Peppa Pig for example. Our strategy is to engage families everywhere they are, from traditional broadcast to digital platforms and social media to live, grassroots events. To be successful, companies need to tap into every outlet possible and speak to their core consumers on a regular basis.

THE JOESTER LORIA GROUP

Debra Joester, president and CEO

TFE LICENSING: Where is retail growth coming from?

In meetings with licensees to discuss strategies to grow our business, the vast majority are noting that growth is coming primarily from Amazon.com, Marmaxx (TJ Maxx, Marshalls), and other off-price accounts, as well as flash sales. Zulily, in particular, has delivered exceptional sales of licensed children’s products and continues to grow exponentially. As few as four

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LICENSING to five well organized and promoted flash sales per year will deliver seven figures in sales.

Related to that, brands are increasingly turning to social media to drive consumer engagement. Retailers are aware of the power of social media to drive sales, and have come to view social media as a marketing priority.

Increasingly, retailers want to understand the social media strategy and the engagement metrics for the brands they buy.

THE LICENSING COMPANY

Gail Stern, executive vice-president for the Americas

TFE LICENSING: How is retail consolidation changing the licensing business?

There is a positivity and optimism in the retail landscape to try new things. There was more of a sense of risk aversion a year ago and I think that is lifting across all of our brands.

There are so many interesting things to do at retail. Yet the landscape has shrunk. There are less players out there. But customer demand is still there from so many different people for so many different products. Retail is starting to recognize that there are different segments in the marketplace and that brands serve a very strong purpose in reaching those segments, and that is where licensing comes in. Licensing and brands help simplify the purchase for a consumer because they help a consumer understand what that particular product represents.

Licensing is in a good position to, once again, become a more forceful player at retail than it has been in years. There is a need for differentiation in the marketplace. If you homogenize and lessen the amount of retailers at some point

the retailers still need to differentiate and it can be done successfully through branding.

THE LICENSING SHOP

Steve Fowler, co-founder

TFE LICENSING: How are consumers using the internet to connect to brands?

The Licensing Shop represents Moose Toys’ Shopkins for the U.S. and Canada. There are television commercials and webisodes, but it is the user-generated fan content that is giving us hundreds of millions of views and it is important for the brand. It adds an authenticity because it’s not coming from a marketer, retailer, or licensing agent. These videos are fun and engaging and they are seeding the market. In a way, it almost makes television content and television advertising secondary or tertiary to the user-generated content.

THE WILDFLOWER GROUP Michael Carlisle, principal

TFE LICENSING: What trends are you seeing in the marketplace?

The food trend continues and the trend in food is flavors. It is about unique flavors in products you would not have imagined. A new flavor profile brings a complete level of newness to a product. Consumers are very specific with their shopping and I think that’s why food and flavors work, because there is emotion wrapped up in it. For example, we represent Girl Scouts and when people see the cookie they just smile. There is so much joy wrapped up in that brand. There is a feel-good aspect and a credibility that transfers to licensed products.

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LICENSING

Licensing Show 2015 COMPILED BY

NANCY LOMBARDI

This year’s Licensing Show is expected to be more successful than those in the past few years. The economy has rebounded and those in the industry are bullish about online retail, upcoming entertainment slates—from movies and TV to new shows on Netflix and YouTube—as well as the food and beverage and home categories. The companies listed here represent a sampling of what will be on display this year in Las Vegas.

DREAMWORKS ANIMATION

DreamWorks Animation arrives at Licensing Show with a broad portfolio of new and classic properties for film, television, and online across multiple categories. Highlighted properties include the upcoming Trolls and DinoTrux, as well as DreamWorks Dragons, Kung Fu Panda, and Voltron. DreamWorks Classics will continue to engage fans with initiatives around Felix, Noddy, Lassie, and Waldo. Franchise favorites Shrek and Madagascar, along with the recent Home, will also be highlighted at Licensing Show. 2015 will see the debut of AwesomenessTV as a stand-alone presence on the show floor.

HASBRO

Hasbro will leverage its classic brands at this year’s Licensing Show including Transformers, My Little Pony, Monopoly, Littlest Pet Shop, Nerf, Play-Doh, Magic: The Gathering, and Jem and the Holograms. At Licensing Show 2015, Hasbro will continue to tell brand stories across multiple media including entertainment, digital, publishing, and branded experiences. Hasbro’s brands will also showcase a broad range of consumer products including fashion, home goods, sporting goods, toys and games, and party goods.

CBS CONSUMER PRODUCTS

CBS Consumer Products manages worldwide licensing and merchandising for a diverse slate of television brands and series from CBS, CBS Television Studios, and CBS Television Distribution, as well as from the company’s extensive library of titles, Showtime, and CBS Films. 2015 will set the stage for the launch of new product lines for such classic and popular series as Penny Dreadful and MacGyver as well as newcomers Scorpion and CSI: Cyber. The biggest news coming from CBS Consumer Products will be tied to the upcoming 50th anniversary of the Star Trek franchise in 2016. Plans are already underway for a large-scale cross-platform celebration kicking off with the highly anticipated theatrical release of the newest Star Trek film next summer.

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Licensing Show 2015

UNIVERSAL PARTNERSHIPS & LICENSING

Universal Partnerships & Licensing (UP&L) oversees NBCUniversal’s consumer product and digital licensing for Universal Pictures, NBC Television, Focus Features, and Sprout Channel. This dedicated division is also responsible for film, home entertainment, and television promotions.

At this year’s Licensing Show, UP&L will continue to focus on its blockbuster film franchises, Minions and Jurassic World. The company will also introduce several new properties from Universal Pictures and Illumination Entertainment including The Secret Life of Pets, a comedy about the lives pets lead after their owners leave for work or school each day, which will release in February 2016; and Despicable Me 3, which will continue the adventures of Gru, Lucy, their girls, and the Minions.

On the television side, UP&L will continue expanding The Biggest Loser franchise while introducing new opportunities from kids’ network Sprout; the NBC and Esquire Network’s American Ninja Warrior; the miniseries Heroes Reborn, based on the 2006 series Heroes; and fan favorites including The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Battlestar Galactica, and The Office.

ICONIX BRAND GROUP FOR STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE

Iconix Brand Group recently acquired Strawberry Shortcake, which is now celebrating 35 years. The brand continues to reach kids through myriad content options. The fourth season of Strawberry Shortcake’s Berry Bitty Adventures will premiere on Discovery Family this month. New apps are expected from Cupcake Digital and Budge. Iconix will further develop the property and sign new licensees in the coming months. Details will follow as deals unfold.

WWE

WWE is a diverse multi-platform sports entertainment brand. WWE currently has three weekly television shows including Monday Night Raw, Thursday Night SmackDown, and Total Divas. These three television programs combine for more than 13 million weekly viewers. WWE programming reaches more than 650 million homes worldwide in 35 languages. The WWE Network is the first-ever 24/7 premium network that includes all 12 live pay-per-views events, scheduled programming, and a video-on-demand library. It is currently available in more than 170 countries. WWE has a wide range of consumer products that are manufactured by more than 150 licensees worldwide. In 2014, WWE was the No. 3 action figure brand in the U.S, driven by the partnership with Mattel since 2010. WWE Publishing has placed 24 titles on The New York Times bestsellers list since 1999, including DK’s WWE 50 and WWE Encyclopedia. WWE video games have sold more than 60 million units since 1999, generating more than $2 billion in revenue. WWE’s global distribution in the biggest retailers in North America, TV programming, live events, and wide-ranging home video collection has helped propel the brand to more than $1 billion in consumer products sales.

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LICENSING

Licensing Show 2015 OUTFIT7 LIMITED

For the third year in a row, Outfit7 Limited, the company behind the Talking Tom and Friends franchise, will showcase its entertainment brand at Licensing Show.

The company heads to the Licensing Show armed with Talking Tom and Friends—a new animated series featuring an all-star voice cast led by Golden Globe and Emmy-nominee Colin Hanks (Fargo) and Tom Kenny (SpongeBob SquarePants). The 3-D animated series debuted this spring on the brand’s dedicated YouTube channel and on the YouTube Kids app, with plans to roll out on various platforms by the end of the year, including TV, VOD, and home entertainment. The franchise also boasts 2.5 billion downloads across its 15 family-friendly apps, a production deal for a full-length feature film, and a supporting global licensing and merchandise program.

During Licensing Show, Outfit7 will seek new local and global partners across various categories to support and further develop the brand’s licensing program to gain greater retail presence around the world. Currently, Outfit7’s licensing program has more than 40 global licensees.

BRAND CENTRAL

Brand Central will showcase its portfolio of brands during Licensing Show. The company will feature clients that include corporate and lifestyle brands, food and beverage favorites, and popular entertainment franchises. The agency will also focus on new pop culture brands.

Brand Central will highlight one of its newest food and beverage brands, Tapatío Hot Sauce, which the company says is the No. 1 hot sauce in the West and No. 3 in the U.S. The agency also represents Dr Pepper Snapple Group, Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, and pastry chef Dominique Ansel who created the Cronut.

In entertainment, Brand Central represents Fox’s MasterChef and MasterChef Junior, produced by Endemol Shine North America. Wicked Cool Toys is introducing a line of MasterChef Junior toys in Walmart. Brand Central is building a food program around the popular food blog Spoon Fork Bacon, which has become a go-to destination for millennial foodies.

Brand Central represents yoga and wellness lifestyle brand Gaiam and personal health and wellness expert Dr. Andrew Weil.

The company also signed Super Sprowtz, a leading children’s entertainment brand dedicated to nutrition education. Brand Central hosts popular lifestyle brands in its portfolio, including Cupcakes and Cashmere. Brand Central works with seasonal living lifestyle brand Beekman 1802 and the fast-growing brand Drybar, which delivers the perfect blowout for women. The agency recently signed Moleskine, the iconic purveyor of the nameless black notebook and other timeless stationery products.

Brand Central has more than a decade of success with clients including United Artist Media Group with the TV game show Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader? Brand Central worked on the series return of Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader? to Fox on May 26, 2015, for 12 new episodes. Additionally, Brand Central signed Reading Rainbow, the iconic TV series hosted by LeVar Burton, which is now available as a digital children’s service of books and videos (curated by Burton) for a soon-to-be educational and retro licensing program.

In the baby space, Brand Central represents BabyFirst, the nation’s educational TV network made for babies, toddlers, and their parents, now reaching 50 million homes in the U.S., according to the company.

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Celebrating over 130 Years of licks, tail wags and unconditional love from Purebreds to Mixed Breeds

Over 5,000 retail doors carrying AKC Licensed Merchandise

Come join the Club!

For AKC Licensing opportunities please contact: ALYSSA TUCKER alyssa@tuckerbrand.com ROXSANNA MOBLEY roxsanna@tuckerbrand.com Untitled-1 1

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LICENSING

Licensing Show 2015

BRANDBERRY

Anthony (Blue Wiggle), Emma (Yellow Wiggle), Lachy (Purple Wiggle), and Simon (Red Wiggle) have engaged a new generation of fans and continue to develop new shows, tour, release new music, videos, and more for The Wiggles. In addition, season two of Ready, Steady, Wiggle recently premiered in Australia to strong ratings.

Yellow Wiggle Emma has quickly become the most loved Wiggle, recruiting an army of yellow bow-wearing girls. Due to this response, The Wiggles have developed a new series around Emma, full of singing, dancing, and all things “bowtiful.”

With more than 150 sold-out shows in Australia in 2015, The Wiggles will bring its Rock & Roll preschool tour to the U.S. and Canada this fall. The Rock & Roll Preschool CD and DVD will be released in North America at the end of 2015.

BRANDGENUITY

Emma, The Yellow Wiggle

Brandgenuity is celebrating its 12th anniversary by announcing two new clients and many new licensing partnerships for the agency’s portfolio of brands.

At this year’s Licensing Show, Brandgenuity will represent a number of American food brands, including snack food giant Goldfish and the candy brands of the Ferrara Candy Company, which include Brach’s, Trolli, Now and Later, Lemon Heads, and Red Hots, among others.

For its client, Church & Dwight, the agency brokered a new agreement with Hopkins to extend the odor control of Arm & Hammer into a line of automotive air fresheners, while licensee Hefty introduced Hefty Ultimate with Arm & Hammer odor-neutralizing premium waste bag.

Brandgenuity is heading to the beach with a robust licensing program for Hawaiian Tropic. Six licensing agreements were brokered since Licensing Show 2014, in categories including fragrance and cosmetics, swimwear, footwear, eyewear, and beach accessories. Sister brand, Banana Boat jumped on board with four licensees in pool accessories, beach mats and totes, and footwear for the whole family. And, Playtex, the third of the Energizer Personal Products brands represented by the agency, will launch a line of baby grooming, first aid, and toddler feeding products this year.

A full line of Pella-branded garage doors launched nationwide at Lowe’s and at garage door dealers across the country. The Boppy Company partnered with leading licensee Rashti & Rashti for a line of infant apparel, plush, and bedding, while licensee Global Design Concepts created diaper bags in Boppy-inspired patterns available at Babies “R” Us and Buy Buy Baby. Winnebago Industries licensed 540 Brands to launch a line of apparel and headwear and will launch RV covers and a line of park model RVs. MGM Studios is having licensing success with its hit television series, Vikings, which now boasts nearly 10 licensees across 12 categories.

MGM will celebrate the 40th anniversary of the film Rocky in 2016 and is adding key licensees and new collaborations to celebrate this iconic character. Gas Monkey Garage, featured on Discovery’s Fast N’ Loud, also experienced licensing success with more than 10 licensees covering apparel and accessories, tool kits, die-cast, knives, lottery, social games, and more.

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Licensing Show 2015

AALMG

All American Licensing & Management Group (AALMG) signed Dman Productions, the team behind an integrated entertainment brand launch under the banner Mulligan, which will be anchored by the release of a four-quadrant animated feature film of the same title. AALMG plans a multi-platform strategy for this family-friendly release, which will celebrate the values inherent to the game of golf. A Chinese co-production partnership with Mandoo Studios assures domestic release and distribution in China, the fastest growing market for both film and golf, according to AALMG. The brand’s flagship animated feature is an odd-ball comedic adventure written and helmed by Todd Edwards and Timothy Hooten of Hardy Howl Films (Hoodwinked, The Marvel Experience) and produced by Katie Hooten of the same company.

STRIKER ENTERTAINMENT

DR. SEUSS ENTERPRISES

In 2016, Dr. Seuss Enterprises (DSE) will launch a yearlong campaign celebrating Dr. Seuss’ extensive library of children’s books as well as his career as a fine artist. This campaign will feature Dr. Seuss characters like they have never been seen before and will emphasize the importance of the arts in education. In addition to this campaign, DSE will continue to strengthen and build upon the success of its key marketing platforms that celebrate reading, self-confidence, and the possibilities of a child’s imagination.

Striker Entertainment, the licensing agency specializing in the representation of some of the biggest global entertainment franchises, will feature several new properties at this year’s Licensing Show including The B.F.G., the upcoming Steven Spielberg-directed live-action feature-film adaptation of Roald Dahl’s classic children’s novel, which is slated for release on July 1, 2016.

Striker’s television roster includes AMC’s The Walking Dead, which returns this fall for its sixth season and is currently supported by a roster of more than 60 licensees worldwide. There’s also Orphan Black from Temple Street Productions; Power from Sony Television; House of Cards, the Netflix series from MRC; and several other upcoming shows to be announced during Licensing Show.

Additional theatrical properties that Striker is handling include Ted 2, the Seth MacFarlane-helmed sequel distributed by Universal Pictures; Terminator Genisys from SkyDance and Paramount Pictures; and Chappie from Neill Blomkamp distributed by Sony.

Striker continues to represent mobile/tablet games Candy Crush Saga from King with a growing roster of U.S. licensees and Mino Monsters from EDEO, among others.

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US Preschool Sensation!

Hit Show on Nick Jr. launching November 2015

US and Canada licensing enquiries contact:

JGrasso@entonegroup.com Peppa Pig Š Astley Baker Davies Ltd / Entertainment One UK Ltd 2003. All Rights Reserved.

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LICENSING

Licensing Show 2015

THE LICENSING GROUP/SPD BRANDS

Heart Girl, the whimsical character based on the simple premise that little girls love hearts, expands its retail presence and stars in its own animated stories on YouTube. Based on the universal heart shape, Heart Girl represents all the attributes of little girls who use Heart hearts to symbolize affection, Girl friendship, kindness, and love.

Heart Girl has the potential to generate appeal with girls ages 3–8. Heart Girl was first introduced in a series of stories. The Adventures of Heart Girl is set in the sunny world of Heartland and recounts Heart Girl’s adventures with her animal friends including Daisy the Dog, Mittens the Kitten, and Honey Bunny. New licensed products featuring Heart Girl and friends include play tents, houses, and tunnels from Pacific Play Tents, and magnetic storyboards from International Playthings. Both products were introduced at Toy Fair in February. Heart Girl interactive books continue to be available on the Auryn website and on iTunes.

Also from the creators of Heart Girl are the properties Flight Patterns and Malibu Life. These brands are targeted to contemporary consumers. Flight Patterns is a collection of original, travel-inspired designs based on the three-letter airport designation codes unique to each airport worldwide.

Ideally suited to travel products, Flight Patterns captures the freedom and excitement of travel.

Embracing the Southern California beach lifestyle, Malibu Life embodies the casual luxury and affluent lifestyle of this glamorous beachfront community. Known the worldover as the playground of the stars, Malibu Life designs capture the lure of surf, sand, and sun.

Created by design firm SPD Brands, Heart Girl, Flight Patterns, and Malibu Life, are represented by The Licensing Group Ltd. 76 tfe JUNE 2015

SEGA

After more than 20 years as one of the world’s biggest entertainment characters with more than 140 million video games sold or downloaded worldwide, the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise continues its momentum in 2015. SEGA fueled the franchise by introducing a new look and feel with the Sonic Boom branch of the franchise. Led by TOMY as the global master toy partner and anchored by a top-rated series that successfully debuted on Cartoon Network in the U.S., and on Canal J and Gulli in France in November 2014, the Sonic Boom TV series will move onto screens across EMEA starting this summer.

SEGA of America’s merchandising program set a foundation with Bioworld, Fifth Sun, and Isaac Morris; and is bolstered by recent signings of Accessory Innovations, Rubie’s Costume Co., Franco, Bulls I Toys, World Tech Toys, Bakery Crafts, Advanced Graphics, and teNeues to create a brand new line of Sonic Boom toys, comics, apparel, and novelty.

SEGA of Europe continues to also acquire new partners for the Sonic Boom franchise including recent signings with Hachette for publishing in France, Winning Moves for Top Trumps, and Monopoly for EMEA, and TVM Fashion Lab for the UK market to launch a range of adults and children’s apparel.

As the brand approaches the 25th anniversary of the franchise in 2016, SEGA will also showcase its classic Sonic franchise celebrating the heritage and iconic status of the brand.

This year, SEGA will look to further extend the brand’s licensing partners at Licensing Show.

BEANSTALK

Beanstalk comes to this year’s Licensing Show with a diverse array of brands, among them Honda, Old Bay, McCormick Grill Mates, interior designer Genevieve Gorder, event planner Mindy Weiss, Airheads, Mentos, HGTV Home, got milk, Black + Decker, the U.S. Army, Hue, Stanley, Wolfgang Puck, The Limited, Limited Too, TGI Fridays, Coby, and Energizer. The plans for a select few are outlined here.

Honda’s current licensing program includes apparel, accessories, toys, games, high-end collectibles, social expression, interactive games, and mobile apps. Over the past year, Beanstalk has worked to significantly expand Honda’s apparel and headwear program. At Licensing Show, Beanstalk will be prospecting the following categories: apparel, automotive accessories, eyewear, die-cast and toys, home décor, interactive games and mobile apps, garage storage and organizations, and non-powered tools.

Honda Powersports’ current licensing program includes casual and technical apparel and accessories, motorcycle and ATV accessories, toys and collectibles, social expressions, interactive games, and mobile apps. In 2014, the vintage-inspired program expanded with apparel, home décor, and gift and novelty. At Licensing Show, prospecting efforts will be underway for the following categories: casual apparel, children’s apparel, home décor, interactive games and mobile apps, ride-ons, and garage storage and organization.

Acura is the luxury auto brand under the Honda umbrella. This year, Acura will release the highly anticipated Acura NSX and Beanstalk is currently prospecting for licensing partners in the following categories: consumer electronics, mobile accessories, eyewear, jewelry and watches, wearable technology, luxury apparel, die-cast and toys, and home décor.

Interior designer Genevieve Gorder launched an exclusive line of dhurries—thick, woven rugs—in 2011 and has since expanded the line to include tufted, outdoor, and braided rugs sold at rug and furniture specialty stores, high-end department stores, and online. Two additional rug lines launched this spring with partner, Capel Rugs.

Although the licensees have not been formally announced yet, deals are being finalized for bedding and bath, decorative pillows

and throws, decorative fabric, lighting, and furniture for adult and juvenile. Beanstalk is also looking to expand Gorder into home décor categories including home fragrance, decorative accessories, window coverings, window hardware, tabletop and gifts, wall décor and wall coverings, home décor crafts and stationery, as well as tile.

HGTV’s consumer products brand, HGTV Home, experienced significant growth in volume year-over-year, achieving $217 million in retail sales in 2014. The program includes HGTV Home by SherwinWilliams paint and wallpaper; HGTV Home Flooring by Shaw; HGTV Home Furniture Collection; HGTV Home Design Studio only at Bassett; HGTV Home Baby Furniture at Buy Buy Baby stores with Bassett; HGTV Home Plant Collection; HGTV Home Solar Lighting at Costco; HGTV Home Outdoor Living in partnership with HSN; and HGTV Home Decorative Fabric and Trim at JoAnn Fabric Stores. 2014 brought cumulative brand placement to 8,000 doors and the HGTV Home line is on target to reach more than 9,100 doors by the end of 2015. The HGTV Home program is undergoing continued expansion in 2015 and beyond with plans to grow product assortments and increase distribution.

Representing the California Milk Processor Board’s iconic got milk? brand since 2013, Beanstalk has continued to leverage the brand’s 90-plus percent awareness, having secured food and beveragebased brand extensions with three licensees. Got Snacks? introduced granola and granola bars to Sam’s Club Puerto Rico in late 2014, and recently secured retail placement for its cookie products at Shop Rite stores. Got Snacks? will introduce a broader range of branded packaged snacks, including biscuits, ready-to-eat cereals, and cereal bars at additional retailers throughout 2015. The program’s confectionery partner, Melville Candy Company, introduced its hot cocoa spoons at Walmart in fall 2014, and Diversified Flavor, the got milk? milk modifier licensee, will be launching got milk?-branded drinking straws, powders, and milk infusers this year. Beanstalk is additionally looking to expand the licensing program into categories such as small domestic appliances, apparel, gift and novelty, publishing, and glassware.

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LICENSING

Licensing Show 2015

MORNING GLORY LICENSING

The Thomas Kinkade Company publishes the work of Thomas Kinkade and Thomas Kinkade Studios and distributes the art and related collectibles through a global network of independently owned galleries, an extensive network of branded and licensed dealers, and strategic marketing relationships. Kinkade, known as the Painter of Light, produced images that depict gardens, cottages, estates, cityscapes, holiday scenery, commemorative landmarks, and more.

The Thomas Kinkade Company plans to expand its portfolio of licensed products in the home décor categories of bedding, dishware, furniture, and garden. Thomas Kinkade licensed products can be found in a variety of more than 16,000 retail locations such as mass, grocery, drug, book, toy, specialty, craft, gift, and stationery stores in the U.S. Through licensing partnerships, it will continue to develop a wide assortment of products embellished with the art of Thomas Kinkade and Thomas Kinkade Studios.

ENTERTAINMENT ONE LICENSING

Thomas Kinkade’s Hollyhock House

Peppa Pig, the global preschool property from Entertainment One (eOne) Licensing that airs daily Peppa Pig on Nick Jr., is dramatically expanding its footprint in the U.S. with seven new partners. Based on the brand’s success, a host of new licensed merchandise will roll out in the home décor category from Baby Boom, a division of The Betesh Group; Idea Nuova; Spin Master; and The Bridge Direct, as well as in the apparel category from Handcraft and Esquire Footwear. From bedding to underwear, furniture to footwear, and more, the new Peppa Pig products will launch at mass market retailers this fall.

In addition, eOne has newly appointed Oasis Productions as its costume character partner.

The new licensees will introduce the following products. Baby Boom (The Betesh Group) has toddler bedding, blankets, pillows, nap mats, toddler travel and toddler-hooded towels, washcloths, and soft bath accessories. Idea Nuova will introduce furniture, lighting, soft storage chests, rugs, hampers, wall hangings and hooks, inflatable beds, and bed tents. Spin Master is introducing foam furniture, including the Just My Size chair through its Marshmallow division. The Bridge Direct is launching Inkoos Color ’n Create draw, wash, and redo activity plush that can be decorated with washable markers. These Peppa Pig licensees join existing licensee Character World, in partnership with Franco Manufacturing Co., the brand’s master bedding, bath, and beach partner.

Additionally, Handcraft is introducing children’s packaged and hanging underwear in sets and separates. Esquire Footwear is offering children’s boots, athletic shoes, sandals, and slippers as well as shoelaces and accessories. Handcraft and Esquire Footwear expand Peppa’s collection of fashion licensees, which also includes Happy Threads (fashion apparel) and Komar (sleepwear). Happy Threads is currently expanding its line with new collections and sets as well as a range of licensed Peppa T-shirts, while Komar is adding dressy nightgowns to its Peppa assortment and extending the brand to its Cuddl Duds label.

The new Peppa Pig product ranges are part of a major mass market rollout of Peppa-licensed merchandise in the U.S., which in addition to Toys “R” Us, includes Walmart and Target. Peppa Pig is now on track to exceed $1 billion in worldwide retail sales in 2015, according to eOne. Peppa Pig has an active and growing licensing program in 50-plus countries with more than 700 licensees worldwide. The TV show airs in more than 180 territories and has been translated in more than 40 languages.

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THE LICENSING SHOP

Moose Toys’ Shopkins are the miniature grocery- and fashion- themed collectibles sold with shopping bags and baskets. With more than 400-plus million views of Shopkins YouTube webisodes and fan videos, Shopkins is shaping up to be Moose’s biggest brand ever.

The brand launched in June 2014 and now U.S. licensees include Scholastic (publishing), Pressman Toy (games, puzzles), Global Design Concepts (bags), Jay Franco (bedding/towels), Boston America (confectionery), Intimo (sleepwear), Mighty Fine (specialty T-shirts/fashion), Bentex Group (mass T-shirts/fashion), Creative Kids (BTS stationery), Bulls I Toys (novelty), Disguise (costumes), Trends International (posters), Mrs. Grossman (stickers), Ashtel Studios/Brush Buddies (oral care), Imports Dragon (plush), with many others to be announced soon.

In the U.S. and Canada the brand is represented by The Licensing Shop. In the UK it is represented by Bulldog Licensing, and in Australia and New Zealand it is Merchantwise while Nelvana covers additional international markets.

Shopkins

DHX BRANDS

DHX Brands, the dedicated brand management and consumer products arm of DHX Media, heads to Licensing Show with a diverse slate of properties this year headlined by new additions Make It Pop and Slugterra, alongside preschool properties Teletubbies and Twirlywoos.

The original Teletubbies was one of the most successful children’s brands of all time and the new version is set to air in late 2015 on CBeebies in the UK. It will feature the characters with a refreshed, contemporary look and will be supported by national public relations and advertising campaigns. Licensing activity is continuing on the property with a Teletubbies UK deal recently announced with VTech. This follows earlier core deals with Character Options as master toy partner and Egmont for master publishing. With 20-plus licensees already signed for the UK, DHX will now begin appointing agents in key territories.

The next property on the slate is Twirlywoos, which is innovative entertainment with slapstick humor. The goal is to encourage young audiences to gain confidence in their perceptions of the world through laughter. The series was devised by producer Anne Wood with input from early-years expert professor Cathy Nutbrown. Currently airing on CBeebies, Golden Bear has been named as master toy partner for the brand. Additional UK licensees include Cooneen & Misrli (nightwear), Gemma International (greetings cards and partyware), Ravensburger (puzzles and games), GB Eye (posters), Fashion UK (outerwear), Rainbow Productions (character costumes) DreamTex (bedding), DC Thompson (magazine), Spearmark (melamine), and Trademark (bags).

Make It Pop recently debuted on Nickelodeon U.S. and is fast becoming a tween sensation. It’s a comedic, music-infused show about three unique girls who come together to start their own pop-inspired band. Randomly selected to room together at boarding school, three freshman girls—bookish Corki, fashion-forward Jodi, and social media maven Sun Hi—meet and bond over music.

The series, which will feature original songs and performances in every episode, is co-created by Thomas W. Lynch and Nick Cannon and produced by DHX Media. Licensing for the property is managed by DHX Brands.

Lastly, with the acquisition by DHX Media of Vancouver’s Nerd Corps, the boys’ action property Slugterra has joined the DHX Brands lineup.

Twirlywoos

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Licensing Show 2015

KNOCKOUT LICENSING/A COPCORP PARTNERSHIP

Visitors to the Knockout Licensing/CopCorp Licensing booth at Licensing Show will find properties such as best-selling book series turned popular television drama Outlander (Sony Pictures Television); acclaimed British television drama Downton Abbey (NBCUniversal International Television Production); publishing sensation Fifty Shades of Grey; social media canine celebrity Boo, The World’s Cutest Dog; and classic family franchise Little House on the Prairie; among many other top properties in the agency’s portfolio. Formed in 2012, Knockout Licensing is a joint-venture headed by CopCorp Licensing’s Carole Postal and TK Brand Group’s Tamra Knepfer.

ALEX MEISEL & COMPANY

The American brand The Fuller Brush Co. marries nostalgia and innovation, and brings its “Live Fuller” campaign to Licensing Show for the first time. In 1906, Alfred Fuller began The Fuller Brush Co. that became a household name in cleaning and personal care products, and set the industry standard for a direct-to-consumer door-to-door sales model, according to the company. The last several years has seen new growth with a company reinvention. In a short time, the company has developed unique lines for strategic retail relationships across mass market chains, online retailers, infomercials, and TV sales—all while growing the dedicated direct-to-consumer sales consultant force to 15,000.

Alex Meisel & Company, LLC represents the brand for licensing. Opportunities include auto accessories, tools, garden, outdoor living, apparel and work clothes, pet products, home and organizational storage, gift and novelty, kitchen textiles, publishing, and more.

MHS LICENSING

MHS Licensing will introduce artists Lynn Sanchelli and Carolyn Blaylock at this year’s Licensing Show.

With years of hard work and no formal training, Sanchelli poured her heart and soul into her greatest passion: creating artwork that “makes a difference.” With a style that is loose and colorful yet bold and impactful, her playful paintings are brimming with inspiration and tenderness. Her portfolio of artwork is an ideal fit for paper products, wall décor, totes, accessories, bedding and bath as well as home and garden décor.

Carolyn Blaylock’s newest line of mixed media, Kindred Lane, reflects her love for relationships, whether it be two friends, a couple, or a family. Also adept at oil in her animal paintings, Blaylock contrasts transparent drippy passages with thickly textured layers, creating a rhythm to her work. Her wide range of designs are ideal for stationery and giftables as well as wall coverings and home décor.

At Licensing Show, MHS Licensing will also introduce new images from its current roster of artists.

Collectively these art properties generate more than $121 million in annual sales through licensing, says MHS. 80 tfe JUNE 2015

the artwork of Lynn Sanchelli

MASHA AND THE BEAR

Russian brand, Masha and the Bear will be at Licensing Show for the third year in a row. The series currently airs in Latin America on Cartoon Network and Boomerang and Animaccord Corp. is seeking new licensees.

Already a hit across Europe and Asia, the brand will now focus on the North American market.

DISCOVERY

At this year’s Licensing Show, Discovery Consumer Products (DCP), the global licensing arm of Discovery Communications, will focus on licensing programs from Discovery Networks’ entire portfolio. A one-stop shop for potential licensees and retailers worldwide, Discovery Consumer Products’ brands includes Discovery Channel, Discovery Expedition, Animal Planet, Discovery Kids, and TLC. Discovery Channel is the flagship brand for Discovery Communications and the consumer products program translates its series into merchandise worldwide. The lifestyle brand Discovery Expedition (DX) continues to expand with success in Asia driving growth across the continent and worldwide. In Asia alone, DX opened more than 180 retail locations featuring apparel for the outdoor enthusiast. Last fall, DX by BG, a new line within DX endorsed by survivalist Bear Grylls, was introduced in China. In 2015, DCP will introduce DX into new markets while simultaneously growing the brand in Asia.

Discovery Adventures, a family-oriented travel brand featuring equipment for outdoor fun and exploration, continues to complement the DX brand with camping equipment, luggage, and travel accessories. The brand is set for growth in Europe. Discovery is also seeking new licensing partners in North America, Asia, and the Middle East in hard goods categories.

The Shark Week consumer products program continues to grow with key retailers including Target, Toys “R” Us, and Walmart in the U.S. Shark Week also continues to grow worldwide with programming airing last year in Europe, Latin America, Canada, and more.

In addition, Discovery Channel’s on-air programming continues to drive new licensing initiatives for hit shows including Moonshiners, Gold Rush, and MythBusters.

Debuting at this year’s Licensing Show, Discovery Kids’ new

point of view seeks to create a more cohesive licensing program for kids. The licensing program will target kids ages 6–12 as the brand continues to grow across toys, interactive games, youth electronics, outdoor activity, apparel, and publishing categories.

The Animal Planet lines continue to see success globally. A 15-year and recently renewed partnership with Toys “R” Us in North America drives a robust Animal Planet toy line. Last year, the partnership expanded to Australia and continues to grow worldwide. Initially launched in Asia in 2013, a partnership with Mojo for Animal Planet figurines has proven successful and expanded to Europe this year. New for 2015, Animal Planet and Mojo will introduce a line of miniature collectible figurines as well as new SKUs representing the mystical genres such as dragons and dinosaurs.

The Animal Planet pet program has greatly expanded in Europe this year with a partnership with Chrisco for Animal Planet pet snacks and the launch of additional pet items including pet costumes on Amazon.com. The European offering follows a successful pet program in the U.S. including everything from pet beds and blankets to toys, travel carriers, cleaning products, costumes, and more. The Animal Planet pet program also continues to grow in Latin America with pet furniture and accessories at Liverpool Department stores in Mexico.

DCP continues to develop innovative offerings and seeks new opportunities to create fully immersive experiences around the world for its location-based entertainment. Discovery at Sea, a partnership with Princess Cruises, launched this year. It features themed tours, science activities, hands-on programs, and games based on Discovery’s breadth of brands and programming. Discovery Channel Store in Ocean Park in China opened its doors in 2014. The store offers visitors souvenirs and product across favorite Discovery programs.

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Licensing Show 2015

BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA

The Boy Scouts of America signed three new licensees. Kidz Toyz, Inc., will create a line of toys. OS4 USA/The Monster Factory USA will create a line of plush, tents, and sleeping bags. Provo Craft & Novelty, Inc., will create a line of personal electronic cutting cartridges for use with Cricut cutting machines and digital cutting files for use with Cricut cutting machines.

Provo Craft & Novelty

THE FRED ROGERS COMPANY

FERMATA PARTNERS

Fermata Partners announced the signing of five additional European football (soccer) clubs to its growing roster. Fulham Football Club, Newcastle United Football Club, Norwich City Football Club, Queens Park Rangers Football Club, and Swansea City Association Football Club have each appointed Fermata to serve as its trademark licensing representative for North America.

Fermata continues to further its efforts to bring an aggregated collection of global football properties to the North American marketplace. Fermata’s business plan for its football practice is rooted in the belief that the North American consumer is seeking an expanded offering of licensed merchandise from premier global football properties. Fermata begins representation of all five clubs effective immediately. Together with Liverpool FC and Tottenham Hotspur, Fermata is actively working to align with key manufacturers to present consumer products for all seven clubs to leading retail partners.

Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, from The Fred Rogers Company, airing daily on PBS Kids, is adding five new licensing partners. Through these latest partnerships, the brand’s licensing program will further expand to include new products from Bakery Craft (cake decoration and kits), Bendon, Inc., (coloring and activity books and sets), Buy Seasons (party supplies), Colorforms (2-D and 3-D activity sets), and Komar Kids (sleepwear). The new licensed merchandise will be available at retailers nationwide beginning this fall.

Bakery Craft will introduce round and sheet cakes as well as edible and non-edible cake decorations, featuring scenes and individual characters (Daniel Tiger, Katerina, O the Owl, Miss Elaina, and Prince Wednesday). The offerings will also include a cake kit featuring a plastic figure of Daniel Tiger with Trolley as well as Katerina and O the Owl. Bendon introduces coloring and activity books and box sets including some with Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood crayons, paints, stickers, and markers; activity sets and kits; and oversized coloring floor pads. Buy Seasons introduces a wide array of party and celebration goods such as paper dinner and dessert plates, napkins, paper cups, invitations, thank-you notes, Mylar balloons, centerpieces, table covers, personalized banners, piñatas, giant wall decals, cone hats, and masks, favor boxes, and assorted party favors. Colorforms is creating two restickable activity sets that showcase the series’ main characters. The Take-Along set provides resealable storage and six Colorforms sheets. The Create-a-Story set features a box that transforms into a pop-up easel with storage and includes eight Colorforms sheets. Komar Kids features a range of children’s sleepwear, including two-piece pajama sets in both long- and short-sleeved tops and long and short bottoms along with nightgowns. Additional new licensees that will offer consumers even more ways to enjoy Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood will be announced soon.

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ROVIO ENTERTAINMENT

Rovio Entertainment returns to Licensing Show with the Angry Birds movie. Set to hit the big screen in May 2016, Angry Birds is being produced by Rovio Entertainment in association with Sony Pictures Entertainment, which is managing all film distribution and marketing.

The first full-length movie from the Angry Birds franchise marks a significant step forward in Rovio’s attempt at being an all-encompassing entertainment company with games at its core. An assortment of licensing partners have already been signed to the Angry Birds movie licensing program for the UK across all key categories including Aykroyds/TDP, Fashion UK, VMC Accessories, Spearmark, Character World, Roy Lowe & Sons, and Grosvenor, with additional partners to be announced soon. With more than 2.8 billion downloads, Angry Birds continues to celebrate its position as the most downloaded game of all time, according to Rovio. Just five years old, the brand says it has 90 percent global brand awareness. Through its commitment to continually engaging with Angry Birds its fans through physical, digital, toys-to-life products, and partnerships, Rovio also boasts one of the entertainment industry’s most engaged audiences with 170 million active monthly users across all key platforms. The content pipeline is strong with the recent release of new game genres including Puzzle Match 3: Jolly Jam and Stella Pop. Rovio has also partnered with leading global companies including NASA, Nat Geo, and Unicef as well as Apple, Google, and Sony.

JEWEL BRANDING & LICENSING

Jewel Branding & Licensing launched new licensing partnerships for its existing brands and added new designers and design-based brands to its portfolio. Here is a sampling of some of what the company is currently working on.

The licensing program for New York Botanical Garden (NYBG), the U.S.’s largest botanical garden, is blossoming with bedding at Bed, Bath & Beyond, interior and exterior paint through Amazon.com, and the introduction of outdoor décor and home fragrance. New collaborations are in development for NYBG’s 125th anniversary that will be introduced in 2016.

Fashion illustrator, Izak Zenou, continues to expand with the newest introductions including apparel, fashion accessories, food and beverage containers by Tupperware, and technologically enhanced fashionable luggage. Zenou continues to have success globally with partnerships throughout the U.S., Europe, Asia, and South America.

Jewel Branding worked with Blissliving Home to transition its home textiles business to licensee Ellery Homestyles and signed new partners for bath and interior paint. In addition, the company works with Rachel Hale, a global leader in animal imagery; watercolor painter Shell Rummel; and chalk art designer Valerie McKeehan.

Jewel Branding announced the addition of several new designers and brands. Celebrity interior designer Nikki Chu is known from Miami to L.A. for her sleek designs and eclectic taste. Over the past decade, Chu has accomplished a vast range of interior projects as well as fashion collaborations with some of the most accredited names in the industry. She has been considered the lifestyle and design expert for several TV networks such as HGTV, Fine Living, Food Network, Lifetime, Oxygen, and E! In addition, Jewel is working with Ronnie Gold, a textile designer and top-level industry veteran; Catalina Estrada whose style focuses on the colors and power of Latin-American folklore mixed with a subtle touch of European sophistication; and illustrator and designer Kendra Dandy.

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Licensing Show 2015

RAINBOW

Royal Academy Rainbow, the kids’ content creator, will showcase three new animated series with licensing potential at this year’s Licensing Show: Winx (season seven), Mia and Me (season two), and Royal Academy (working title). Winx (season seven) continues the theme of recent Winx releases by carrying a strong environmental message. In this adventure, the fairies discover the real importance of the rare Fairy Animals, which they must save from Kalshara, an evil shape-shifter and her clumsy brother, Brafilius.

Mia and Me is the co-production with Lucky Punch GmbH/M4e that chronicles the adventures of 12-year-old Mia in the magical land of Centopia and mixes live-action with CGI animation. The second season features brand new characters, in both the real world and Centopia, and sees Mia facing fresh challenges during her adventures.

Royal Academy (working title) is a new take on some of the best-loved fairy tales and focuses on the adventures of Rose Cinderella, a girl who suddenly finds herself in the world of Fairy Tales where she discovers that Cinderella is her grandmother. Rose is enrolled at the fabled Royal Academy where her fellow students include Hawk Snow White, Travis Beast, Astoria Rapunzel, and Hope LeFrog.

C3 ENTERTAINMENT

C3 Entertainment owns The Three Stooges brand and will showcase it at Licensing Show as well as other brands that it represents. Major new licenses for The Three Stooges brand include Zynga bringing The Three Stooges to the social game Hit It Rich on Facebook. The Connecticut Lottery launched its third Three Stooges Scratch Game in 2014 and used the brand in statewide multimedia campaigns and is planning a fourth game. Photorealism came to market with high-end art in January and the initial pieces from artist Doug Bloodworth recently were showcased in Times Square. Coastal Amusement: The Three Stooges Arcade Games is coming to market worldwide for placement at family entertainment centers and other locations. Figures Toy Company brought The Three Stooges action figures to market in January. New productions in development include the next all-new The Three Stooges Movie, The Three Stooges animated series, The Three Little Stooges Movie, and a 100 Years of Stooges TV special.

C3 is representing celebrity chef Jason Santos. He is the eccentric chef with the electric blue hair from Gordon Ramsay’s television series Hell’s Kitchen. He frequently appears on CBS’ The Talk and The Early Show as well as The Today Show on NBC and does guest appearances on New England television stations. Major corporate brands including Cadillac, Hood, Famous Idaho Potatoes, and Heluva Good have featured Santos in promotional campaigns, in commercials, and in videos. Cadillac used him in its Culinary Challenge series. Santos has cooked at the prestigious James Beard House on multiple occasions, has a Culinary Arts Degree, and serves as the restaurant chair for the Taste of the Nation program to eradicate hunger. CARD.com introduced a set of Chef Jason Santos Prepaid MasterCard Cards in January 2015.

In addition, C3 represents The Magic of Michael Grandinetti, the famous magician and illusionist; The Big Bopper, the famous disc jockey, songwriter, and singer; and Motor Marc Lacourciere, the artist who showcases exotic machines from Discovery Channel’s American Chopper; among many other brands.

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GENIUS BRANDS INTERNATIONAL

Genius Brands International (GBI) returns to Licensing Show with an extensive slate of properties, including Baby Genius, Thomas Edison’s Secret Lab, Llama Llama, and a soon-to-be-announced new tween girls’ property, as well as several new properties managed under the company’s subsidiary, A Squared Entertainment, including From Frank and Psycho Bunny.

Baby Genius GBI is relaunching the Baby Genius brand this year. The company already announced new partners across key categories including Manhattan Toy, developing soft toys; PBS Distribution, delivering Baby Genius content across a multitude of platforms (DVD, CD, digital); Zak Designs, creating a line of mealtime products; LeapFrog Enterprises, launching the first Baby Genius content available on LeapPad; Winfat, creating early educational electronic toys; DGL, developing non-electronic musical instruments, headphones, dance mats, and karaoke machines; and Cupcake Digital and Black Lantern, developing new apps. Baby Genius is an on-demand property on Comcast’s Baby Boost Channel, and due to its success, Comcast will be launching GBI’s new Kid Genius channel in September with Baby Genius headlining the program lineup.

The new GBI original children’s animated adventure series Thomas Edison’s Secret Lab premieres on Netflix in July, followed

by September debuts on PBS stations and on GBI’s new Kid Genius channel on Comcast. Home Entertainment partner, NCircle, will widely distribute Thomas Edison’s Secret Lab digitally (VOD, SVOD, EST, DTO), and on DVD. The company is currently developing a broad consumer products program including toys from master toy partner Wicked Cool Toys to debut in fall 2016.

GBI recently announced the partnership with Penguin Young Readers and author and illustrator Anna Dewdney to lead the worldwide expansion of Dewdney’s New York Times best-selling and multiple award-winning children’s book franchise, Llama Llama, including new animated entertainment, a new library of music, and a range of new consumer products. GBI will be at Licensing Show

with an expanded Llama Llama opportunity to potential partners.

The company is developing a global licensing and merchandising program for Llama Llama across a multitude of categories, including toys, games, apparel, accessories, electronics, music, bedding, and healthy snacks and meals. The products are anticipated to launch at retail in the U.S. in 2016.

From Frank began as a line of witty greeting cards a few years ago and has become a humor character brand with a range of new products to be introduced in 2015. With the launch of From Frank’s first book Don’t Fart When You Snuggle (Chronicle) in August 2015, nearly 100 gift and stationery items from partners, including master gift partner Enesco; sticky notes, boxed cards and notepads from Galison; emoticons and a photo bomb app from Bare Tree Media; journals and boxed note cards and desk notes from Quartto; and wall calendars and jigsaw puzzles from Calendar Club, at every major retailer in North America. Additionally multiple state lotteries have launched From Frank instant win scratch tickets from GTech. GBI will build off of this success and turn its attention to new categories such as apparel, accessories, home textiles, board games, party games, and other novelty categories.

Luxury apparel and lifestyle brand, Psycho Bunny is celebrating its 10th anniversary. The brand is poised for growth in 2015 and 2016 in the U.S. with expansion into Europe, Asia, South America, and Australia. This year will see the debut of Psycho Bunnylicensed footwear from S3, headwear from JRM Accessories, and hosiery from Leg Resource, Inc., following an introduction from Apparel Partnership Group of loungewear, sleepwear, and men’s basics in 2014.

The focus for the brand at Licensing Show will be to expand the popularity of the brand internationally and to enhance its core sportswear collection including: outerwear, denim, bottoms, wovens, performance wear, women, and kids. GBI will also be exploring opportunities in fragrance, grooming, bags, luggage, and accessories while looking at international expansion.

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Licensing Show 2015

LAWLESS ENTERTAINMENT

Lawless Entertainment comes to this year’s Licensing Show with myriad properties, one of which is YooHoo & Friends. Created by Aurora World, the property is based on a line of collectible toys and other licensed goods, including social expressions, stationery, apparel, bedding, books, and more, that feature rare or endangered animals from around the world. The brand’s message is about global conservation. Characterized by their big eyes and bushy tails, there are five key characters: YooHoo the brave Bush Baby, Pammee the courageous Fennec Fox, Chewoo the trouble-making Red Squirrel, Lemmee the grumpy Lemur, and Roodee the clever Capuchin Monkey, along with more than 100 additional characters.

Lawless says there are more than 4,000 SKUs worldwide including licensed products. YooHoo & Friends was the featured toy in McDonald’s Happy Meals throughout Europe in 2013 and again in 2015. In addition, The YooHoo & Friends animated series consists of two seasons of 52, 11-minute episodes each airing in 40 countries worldwide. Lawless is actively seeking licensees for toys, games, arts and crafts, apparel, costumes, housewares, stationery, novelty items, and more for YooHoo & Friends.

WARNER BROS. CONSUMER PRODUCTS

Warner Bros. Consumer Products (WBCP) is heading into 2015 with a lineup of global licensees to support the vault of classic properties as well as new content across the studio. The DC Comics universe leads the charge with support for Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice, from Warner Bros. Pictures, set for release on March 25, 2016. Allnew animated content entitled Batman Unlimited, inspired by master toy partner Mattel’s new Batman toy line, will see support from Mattel, Rubie’s Costume Co., and more. Preschool partner Fisher-Price will expand its Imaginext DC Super Friends toy line as new animated content is announced in support of the brand. WBCP will continue to grow its DC Super Hero Girls DC Comics TV portfolio, including series The Flash, Arrow, and Gotham, with all-new licensee support.

DC Super Hero Girls, the new girl-targeted superhero universe from WBCP, Warner Bros. Animation, and DCE, and in partnership with Mattel, is set to launch this fall. Starring the female superheroes and super villains of DC Comics, this initiative will include digital content and TV specials, while made-for-videos, publishing, toys, apparel, and other products will begin to roll out in 2016.

Currently in production as part of an expanded creative partnership between Warner Bros. Entertainment and J.K. Rowling, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is the first in a new film series from Rowling’s world of witches and wizards, inspired by Harry Potter’s Hogwarts textbook Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, and the adventures of the book’s fictitious author, Newt Scamander.

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them will mark J.K. Rowling’s screenwriting debut and will be fully supported by WBCP, with global partners offering fans an exciting licensing and merchandising program.

Scooby-Doo is building excitement at retail with all-new licensing support from The LEGO Group, featuring Scooby-Doo and the gang in five all-new sets and in never-before-seen animated content in LEGO form. Looney Tunes will continue to drive new trends with hot new partnerships such as Hare Jordan for Nike and haute couture apparel and accessories with fashion label Moschino. Also in the spotlight are three shows from Warner Bros. Animation that will bring life to WBCP’s classic animation slate: Wabbit—A Looney Tunes Production, Be Cool Scooby-Doo!, and The Tom and Jerry Show, all of which will partner with licensees.

WBCP will also continue to highlight its current and classic television properties such as Warner Bros. Television’s The Big Bang Theory, Supernatural, Friends, and more with continued cross-category support at retail. Additionally, franchises such as Harry Potter, which continues to expand in the themed entertainment space, will round out the Studio’s portfolio.

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THE JOESTER LORIA GROUP

The Joester Loria Group (TJLG) comes to Licensing Show with a host of properties across many categories. In food and beverage, the focus is on the Constellation Beer Portfolio, including the Corona Extra, Corona Light, Modelo Especial, Negra Modelo, Pacifico, and Victoria beer brands. Corona is a lifestyle brand with extensions in apparel, accessories, swimwear, beach gear, coolers, barware, glassware, housewares, recreational games, and gift sets.

Kellogg’s kicked off 2015 with new products. The Kellogg’s Kitchen Collection includes ceramic and glass tabletop by R Squared Sales & Logistics and kitchen textiles by Dophes Ltd. Also new this year is an expanded range of on-the-go food storage from Evriholder. New partners for small kitchen appliances, bakeware, kitchen tools, and accessories will be announced later this year. Licensees in apparel and accessories include Junk Food, Fifth Sun, MSA Apparel, Flophouse, and Odd Sox. Entenmann’s continues to extend its flavor profiles through licensing. Entenmann’s flavored coffees will expand its single cup (K-Cup) offering to include new seasonal flavors. Entenmann’s Bakeware Collection is expanding its line of branded products to include new cupcake baking sets and decorating tools. The new bakeware kits join the line of traditional baking pans, on-the-go covered pans, and kids’ bakeware products. This year saw the launch of a new partnership with The Jay Companies for a line of scented candles. An expanded offering, including new indulgent fragrances and assorted candle sizes, will launch this fall.

The latest fashion collaborations for Pepsi will focus on a global streetwear brand with details to be announced soon. Pepsi will announce a partnership with a celebrity designer for a line of home décor and entertaining pieces for a 2016 launch.

In the children’s space, TJLG represents The World of Eric Carle featuring The Very Hungry Caterpillar. With more than 135 licensees and promotional partners, the brand extends into all major categories including toys, games, apparel, accessories, home décor, social expressions, stationery, gift, feeding, classroom supplies, and

mobile apps. The 2015 promotional partnerships include the ongoing Gymboree direct to retail, Whole Foods promotion across nine SKUs of its 365 Everyday Value cereal, and six flavors of juices through 2017. There’s an Amazon marketing campaign supporting a new dedicated home page, new apps, and more.

Multi-platform marketing supports the consumer products program worldwide.

On the fashion and celebrity brand front, TJLG represents Amy Coe, who has been a designer for more than 20 years. Coe boasts a successful retail track record with direct-to-retail programs at Target and Babies “R” Us exceeding $200 million in sales for children’s apparel, bedding, and housewares.

TJLG will announce a new partnership between Coe and a children’s apparel company in time for Licensing Show. TJLG will expand the brand into infant and toddler accessories, bedding, and décor as well as adult bedding and home goods. Product is expected at retail in 2016.

Aimee Song is recognized as a pioneer in the fashion and design blogosphere. Her personal style, vibrant photography, and global adventures have established Song of Style as one of the leading fashion blogs in the world. Her collaborations and marketing partnerships have included Tiffany & Co., Valentino, Saks Fifth Avenue, Macy’s, Gap, Seven for All Mankind, Cover Girl, and Diet Coke.

TJLG will announce her first fashion licensing program.

Fabio Viviani is a chef/restaurateur, TV personality, and New York Times best-selling author. He has a collection of housewares, specialty foods, and wines. He is the owner of four restaurants and is expanding with two more later this year. His partnership with the Compass Group launched three Mercato by Fabio Viviani fast casual restaurant concepts at Fortune 500 companies’ headquarters this year with 20-plus locations planned throughout the nation. Viviani rose to fame on season five of Bravo’s reality series Top Chef in 2008, earning the Fan Favorite title. He has since made numerous television appearances. His third cookbook launched in October with a fourth book greenlit for 2016.

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Licensing Show 2015

LISA MARKS ASSOCIATES

Lisa Marks Associates, Inc., (LMA) announces a number of new licensing partnerships within its current portfolio of brands as well as the signing of new properties, which will be developed for licensing.

Global candy brand Mentos is launching its first-ever licensing program. LMA has been selected to represent Mentos in the North American market and will develop a lifestyle program across multiple targeted categories including apparel, accessories, electronics, personal care, stationery and publishing, gifts, games, home products, and sports. Known as “The Freshmaker” for the past 25 years, Mentos has a presence in more than 130 countries and international brand awareness, averaging more than 90 percent in the U.S., Europe, and Japan. Mentos is owned by Perfetti van Melle Group.

A first-time licensing program for Bosco is planned with LMA signing on to represent the 86-year-old American brand. Food extensions, kitchen accessories, gifts, and apparel are planned categories for the initial launch. Bosco, the vitamin-enriched chocolate syrup that originated in 1928, was developed by a physician as a means to encourage children to drink more milk. Bosco continues to be produced in the U.S. in a variety of flavors. A Bosco chocolate bar is also available.

LMA has negotiated new licensing partnerships for RetroBrands U.S.A. LLC. RetroBrands owns a stable of popular nostalgic brands including pet food brands Ken-L Ration, Tender Vittles, and Puss ’n Boots as well as ice cream novelty Chipwich. For the pet brands, the long-term planned retail availability will include food and drug stores, mass merchandisers, dollar stores, discounters, pet specialty stores, warehouse clubs, and online retailers.

LMA has signed on Langley/Empire Candle Company as a partner for the Chipwich brand. Langley will create scented candles, fragrance melts, warmers, diffusers, and candle accessories. The program will launch in 2015 and will be available at mass, grocery, drug, gift and specialty retailers in both the U.S. and Canada.

Additional brands in the LMA portfolio include Peeps, Warheads, and Moonpie, among many others.

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ROBIN ZINGONE

Robin Zingone and Joy Tashjian Marketing Group have joined with Custom Personalization Solutions and retailer PersonalizedPlanet.com to manufacture and sell exclusive personalized products for Zingone’s art. The initial product line includes fashion accessories, home décor, garden, and children’s products along with home goods including blankets, towels, pillows, picture frames, framed prints, door mats, garden accessories, and tote bags, distributed in the U.S. and Canada in mass market, mid-tier, specialty stores, and online at Zulily.com, Amazon.com, Walmart.com, and other online retailers.

ENDEMOL SHINE FOR MASTER CHEF JUNIOR

Wicked Cool Toys has announced a new licensing agreement with Endemol Shine North America, the producers behind Fox’s MasterChef Junior, to create a line of kid-friendly products inspired by the show. Wicked Cool Toys will launch the MasterChef Junior kid-safe cooking line in November exclusively at participating Walmart stores.

Season four of MasterChef Junior will air during the 2015–2016 season on Fox. Brand Central (on page 70) represents MasterChef Junior for licensing.

KING FEATURES SYNDICATE

At this year’s Licensing Show, King Features Syndicate will focus on licensing programs for iconic characters Popeye and Betty Boop, along with a relaunch for Archie. Popeye apparel programs continue to grow with product lines at Uniqlo, Urban Outfitters, and Chuck Originals launching in recent months. There are several new streetwear collaborations set to debut in 2015 including a line of trendy socks from Odd Socks. This year, Betty Boop got an online refresh with a newly redesigned BettyBoop.com, the official website featuring all things Betty, which includes an e-commerce platform driven by Amazon.com. King Features is also bringing back Archie this year with a new licensing program to kick off the brand’s relaunch.

Popeye and Olive Oyl apparel featured at Uniqlo under the store’s UT label.

ONE ENTERTAINMENT

One Entertainment, an agency specializing in soccer brand extension, has been appointed by WeMatch to develop the licensing program in the U.S. and Canada for the 2016 Copa America tournament. Copa America, a prestigious soccer tournament in the Americas, will celebrate its 100th birthday in the form of the first Pan-American cup from June 3–June 26, 2016, in the U.S. It will include 16 national teams from North, South, and Central America, and the Caribbean competing for the title in 32 games. There will be 24 major metropolitan areas bidding to host this historic event and the final host cities will be decided over the coming months. Under the terms of the agreement, One Entertainment will execute a comprehensive program to leverage the tournament in all key product categories, including apparel, accessories, toys, and gifts.

Additionally, One Entertainment represents the following: Manchester United, FC Barcelona, Cruz Azul, CBF/Brazil, The FA/England, FFF/France, KNVB/Netherlands, and Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre.

SYNCHRONICITY

Synchronicity has an extensive portfolio of brands coming to Licensing Show and here are a few highlights.

The company announced that artist Sean Danconia is launching his newest property, SūpāPop at Licensing Show. The SūpāPop universe is the latest from Danconia’s imagination—a time capsule toy city, created and sealed in 1960s San Francisco and set to pop open in 2016. SūpāPop has an irreverent character set and visuals inspired by 1960s animation, design, pop art, and music. SūpāPop is set to launch its character world into a range of categories starting with apparel, accessories, home furnishings, toys/collectibles, gaming, and apps.

Danconia’s previous brand collections and characters have been developed for Disneyland’s Vault 28, Saks 5th Avenue, Fred Segal, Hot Topic, and PacSun. There are many new developments for Wham-O Toy Brands (Frisbee, Hacky Sack, Slip ’N Slide, Hula Hoop, and SuperBall). Now on shelf exclusively at Toys “R” Us are Wish Factory’s Wham-O Extreme line and Wham-O water toy line. Nowstalgic’s line of Wham-O impulse toys is also now at retail. Precious Tails will begin shipping its WhamO Pets line shortly. Kiloo’s Frisbee Forever 1 and 2 apps continue to be successful worldwide. Innovative Concepts In Entertainment (ICE) will introduce a SuperDuperBall coin-operated redemption amusement machine this year.

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LICENSING

Licensing Show 2015 SABAN BRANDS

Saban Brands and Cirque du Soleil Média announced Luna Saban Brands continues its global growth by maintaining a diverse portfolio of properties. Saban Brands recently announced Petunia as the title for their upcoming original preschool property, inspired by the fantastical worlds of the Cirque du the formation of two new units within the company, Soleil brand. It will first come to life as a new series Saban Brands Lifestyle Group (SBLG) and Saban in 2016, followed by a full consumer products line Brands Entertainment Group (SBEG). SBLG was and interactive and digital content. established to drive major expansion within the Saban Brands, in partnership with Jakks Pacific, company’s fashion and lifestyle properties. SBLG will soon launch a multi-platform property called currently includes Paul Frank, Macbeth, Mambo, Emojiville. Jakks Pacific will support the property and Piping Hot. Alongside SBLG is Saban Brands with a full consumer products and toy line along Entertainment Group (SBEG), which was formed to with mobile and online digital extensions of the oversee the company’s growing entertainment portbrand, while Saban Brands leads content, distribufolio of brands including Power Rangers, Popples, tion, marketing, promotion, and other licensing for Cirque du Soleil’s Luna Petunia, Julius Jr., the property. In addition, the new IP will be supportEmojiville, and others in development. ed by digital apps and games.

Under the SBEG umbrella, there’s Power Rangers.

Properties under the SBLG umbrella are summaIn February 2015, the newest season, Power Rangers Popples rized here. Paul Frank is celebrating its 20th anniverDino Charge, premiered on Nickelodeon in the U.S. Over the course of 2015, the show will roll out globally. Global mas- sary throughout 2015. There are more than 200 licensees worldwide ter toy licensee Bandai America launched a new product line, in addi- across dozens of categories as well as retail locations.

Macbeth joined the Saban Brands portfolio in June 2014. tion to new themed merchandise from hundreds of other Power Established in 2002 with rock music as its muse, Macbeth originatRangers licensing partners.

In addition to the television series, Saban Brands, in partnership ed as a footwear line and has since expanded to also include apparwith Lionsgate, announced a live-action feature film for the franchise, el, accessories, and lifestyle products. Saban plans to grow it globwhich will re-envision the classic Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. It ally. Currently, The Mercer House is the global footwear partner and has exclusive rights to apparel and accessories in North is slated to launch in July 2016.

Saban Brands has reimagined the Popples characters from the America. North Hill is the exclusive Australia and New Zealand popular 1980s toy line and television series for a new generation of apparel licensee.

In January, Saban Brands announced the acquisition of Mambo, the kids and unveiled the show as a Netflix Original Series for kids. It will be available exclusively on Netflix worldwide. Popples will Australian clothing label and fashion brand. Mambo products are curalso be accompanied by a full consumer products program, with rently sold in multiple global territories.

Further expanding its operations in Australia, Saban Brands Spin Master leading as global master toy licensee. The full range of toys, including small dolls, collectible figures, playsets, and plush, announced the acquisition of Piping Hot, one of Australia’s leading surwill hit the U.S. market first in December 2015, followed by a glob- fwear brands in March. Piping Hot is currently sold exclusively at Target Australia stores, but Saban Brands plans to expand the brand globally. al rollout across multiple channels throughout 2016.

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THE WILDFLOWER GROUP

The Wildflower Group was named the U.S. licensing agent for several of Campari America’s brands including Wild Turkey Bourbon, Wild Turkey American Honey, Cabo Wabo Tequila, and SKYY Vodka. The agency is developing wide-ranging licensing and branding programs for these top-shelf spirits.

The Wildflower Group will build licensing programs for Campari America’s brands that incorporate each one’s unique characteristics so the new merchandise best resonates with the label’s key consumer demographic. Initially, the new licensing programs will largely focus on food and beverage products; apparel and accessories; housewares items; and promotions and co-branding opportunities.

SKYY Vodka was born in San Francisco and is the No. 1 premium domestic vodka in the U.S., according to The Wildflower Group.

Wild Turkey, a real Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey, has a 100-plus year heritage of quality as premium bourbon. American Honey, which blends Wild Turkey’s heralded bourbon with the smooth sweetness of honey was the first of its kind in 2006. Cabo Wabo Tequila was created by The Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Sammy Hagar in 1996.

SONY PICTURES CONSUMER PRODUCTS

Sony Pictures Consumer Products (SPCP) comes to Licensing Show with a slate of film and television properties. The focus at this year’s show will be on Pixels, which releases on July 24; Hotel Transylvania 2, launching September 25; Goosebumps launching October 16; and Ghostbusters launching July 22, 2016. The Smurfs theatrical release is now slated for 2017.

Pixels stars Adam Sandler, Peter Dinklage, Josh Gad, Michelle Monaghan, and Kevin James. In the film, our world gets invaded by iconic 1980s video game characters that wreak havoc by turning everything they touch into pixels. The government recruits a group of former expert arcade gamers to fend off the attacks. Licensees currently include Rasta Imposta, Bioworld, and Freeze.

In Hotel Transylvania 2, everyone’s favorite monsters are back. When Drac’s dad, the vampire Vlad (voiced by Mel Brooks) arrives at Hotel Transylvania for an impromptu family get-together, the extended family is in for some chaos. The voice stars of the film include Adam Sandler, Kevin James, and Steve Buscemi. Licensees for the film include Kellytoy, Rubie’s Costume Co., and Simon & Schuster.

Goosebumps will focus on the franchise written by R.L. Stine. The film centers around Zach, a 14-year-old who is overwhelmed by a new town, new school, and new neighbor Hannah, whom he thinks is in danger. In an attempt to “rescue” her, Zach accidently unleashes the monsters created by her father, the writer R.L. Stine. Now the group of them must contain the monsters. SPCP is working with Scholastic, publisher of the Goosebumps series, on a consumer products program. Some of the licensees currently include Rasta Imposta, Jay Franco, and SGI Apparel Group, among others.

Ghostbusters, one of the biggest franchises for Sony, is expected to make its long-awaited return to the big screen on July 22, 2016. Sony says this film will be a complete reimagining of how the Ghostbusters team was formed. There’s a new all-female team, new mission, new ghosts, and a new villain. The films stars Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Leslie Jones, and Kate McKinnon. Mattel is the master toy licensee. Additional licensees include LEGO, Atari, Rubie’s, Ubisoft, Funko, Underground Toys, Freeze, and Bioworld. Meanwhile the classic Ghostbusters property continues with Mattel as master toy licensee as well as LEGO, Funko, and Marshmallow Fun, among others creating products.

On the television front, SPCP has licensing programs in the works for Better Call Saul, Breaking Bad, Blacklist, and The Goldbergs as well as classics Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy.

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BY

NANCY LOMBARDI

NEW CONTENT FOR PLAYMOBIL

any toy brands have a loyal fan base, but how many of those fans can turn their love of a product into a global series?

That’s what happened with Playmobil and its new global series Super 4.

The Playmobil-inspired CGI-series was created by Method Animation and Morgen Studios. It follows four main characters—Alex the Knight, Ruby the Pirate, Agent Gene, and Twinkle the Fairy—as they explore the distinct island communities of their planet, fight the bad guys, and have fun along the way.

Already a hit globally, Super 4 launched in 2014 on CiTV in the UK and Cartoon Network in Italy and Latin America. Netflix began airing the 52, 11-minute episodes in the U.S. in April.

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• Playmobil was created by German inventor Hans Beck (1929–2009), who is often called “The Father of Playmobil.”

Beck trained as a cabinetmaker but was an avid hobbyist of model airplanes, a product he pitched to the company geobra Brandstätter. Company owner Horst Brandstätter asked Beck to develop toy figures for children instead.

• A Playmobil movie is in development with a projected release date of 2017

• The Secret of Pirate Island: A 3-D animated interactive DVD based on the Pirates theme was released in 2009.

Sources: Playmobil and Wikipedia.com

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While the overall series was created by Morgen Studios and Method Animation, Playmobil’s insights on the concepts, designs, and script have always been considered throughout the development process, according to Playmobil. Meanwhile, Playmobil says that contract details are confidential and the company was not able to share what, if any, payment it receives for the Super 4 content.

Playmobil, however, has the license to create toys for the series and it will debut a number of playsets inspired by the series this fall at both mass and specialty retailers globally.

Attendees of this month’s ASTRA Marketplace & Academy in Charlotte, N.C., will be able to see the Super 4 line of products.

“Playmobil has always been a specialty brand and we have always valued our specialty retailers,” says Mary Lombardo, marketing manager for Playmobil. “There will be a lot of P.O.P. available to help specialty stores call out these exciting new products from Playmobil.

This is an important endeavor for Playmobil and we hope it will bring new consumers through the doors of specialty retailers.”

Additional merchandising deals across multiple categories based on Super 4 content will be announced in the coming months.

Super 4 “is a great expansion for the brand and for our fan base,” says Lombardo. “The sky is the limit for the brand and this is just the

a scene from Super 4

starting point of where we can go.”

Indeed, further content will be developed for Playmobil. A Playmobil movie has been confirmed for 2017 but no other details have been revealed just yet. “It is still very much in the early stages of development,” says Sarah BlairMiller, consumer marketing coordinator for Playmobil. “The content is in the works.”

What started as an idea by German inventor and hobbyist Hans Beck in the early 1970s has delighted generations of children with its intricate realism and open-ended play pattern. Now a new generation will be able to extend its love of Playmobil in new forms assuring that the brand remains relevant to today’s kids while, at the same time, balancing its non-tech roots.

It is a strategy that has worked for many other beloved toy brands: Barbie and LEGO are two that quickly come to mind. There are toys and content across many platforms yet the basic play pattern of the simple open-ended toy remains untouched. Now, Playmobil will show its fans that anything is possible when you’re on retail shelves, on Netflix, on TV, in theaters, and so much more.

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YOU’RE HIRED

DISNEY CONSUMER PRODUCTS LESLIE FERRARO, PRESIDENT

Disney Consumer Products has named Leslie Ferraro as president. A 16-year Disney veteran, Ferraro most recently served as Walt Disney Parks and Resorts’ executive vice-president, global marketing, sales, and travel operations, where she was responsible for leading the marketing and sales teams in developing numerous consumer campaigns worldwide.

As president of Disney Consumer Products, Ferraro will oversee a global operation that delivers products from toys and apparel to books and fine art, through its Licensing, Publishing, and Disney Store businesses. She assumes the role formerly held by Bob Chapek, who became chairman, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts in February. She will report directly to both Robert Iger, chairman and CEO, and Thomas Staggs, COO, The Walt Disney Company.

She joined Disney in 1999 as director of marketing for Theme Parks and Resorts and then held a variety of marketing leadership positions. She has also served on the Hong Kong Disneyland board of directors. Prior to joining Disney, she held various senior-level marketing positions at McCannErickson, Johnson & Johnson, and SmithKline Beecham.

ASTRA

KATHLEEN MCHUGH, PRESIDENT

Kathleen McHugh will leave her role as president of the American Specialty Toy Retailing Association (ASTRA) effective October 6, 2015, the ASTRA board of directors announced.

In the coming weeks, ASTRA’s board will provide information to the membership and the trade on its search for the next president of ASTRA.

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SESAME WORKSHOP REORGANIZES MANAGEMENT TEAM

Sesame Workshop announced four new appointments to its executive team as part of a broad reorganization in April. Steve Youngwood joins the Workshop as COO; Sherrie Westin takes on the new role of executive vice-president of global impact and philanthropy; Brown Johnson joins the Workshop as executive vice-president and creative director; and Joseph Salvo joins as executive vice-president and general counsel.

To further increase the Workshop’s contribution and impact, Jeffery Dunn, CEO of Sesame Workshop, identified the three core elements of the Workshop’s strategy going forward: • Create content for the informal and formal education markets • Research the behavior of kids and parents for wide dissemination and use by the general public • Instigate the work of others who share the Workshop’s goals and values The Workshop says that Dunn’s new organization removes the current functional silos and creates a leadership structure organized around business units and geography. Youngwood will run the Media and Education unit, which includes all of the Workshop’s global commercial endeavors. Westin will oversee Social Impact and Philanthropy, which includes domestic and international community engagement and global philanthropic development.

Reporting to them will be country managers responsible for managing the business across defined geographic regions.

Most recently, Youngwood was executive vice-president and general manager of digital media and entertainment products at Nickelodeon. He is also currently on the board of directors of LeapFrog Enterprises. Until this appointment, Westin served as executive vice-president and CMO of Sesame Workshop. Westin came to the Workshop from ABC. She previously served in the first Bush White House. Johnson served as president of animation and preschool entertainment at Nickelodeon. Johnson pioneered the interactive format of the preschool programs Dora the Explorer and Blue’s Clues. Salvo is the current general counsel of HIT Entertainment, now a division of Mattel. In addition to his HIT GC responsibilities, he is responsible for legal work supporting Mattel’s content creation, content distribution, consumer products licensing, publishing, and live events and attractions businesses. He is also an adjunct professor of law at St. John’s University School of Law.

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2015 EVENTS This one-day event gives exhibitors the opportunity to showcase products in front of key media, encompassing print, broadcast, and online news outlets as well as the most influential parenting and toy bloggers.

TTPM will also unveil its coveted Most Wanted List and the hottest trends and properties for the season.

HOLIDAY SHOWCASE September 29 10 a.m.–3 p.m.

The Metropolitan Pavilion 125 West 18th Street, New York, NY TO RESERVE YOUR SPACE TODAY, CONTACT Bob Glaser 646.763.8720 bob@ttpm.com

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Donna Moore 646.763.8718 donna@ttpm.com

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YOU’RE HIRED

KAHN LUCAS/MADAME ALEXANDER

JAMIE CYGIELMAN, GENERAL MANAGER, MADAME ALEXANDER DOLL AND DOLLIE & ME

Madame Alexander Doll Company and Kahn Lucas announced the appointment of Jamie Cygielman as general manager, Madame Alexander Doll and Dollie & Me. Cygielman is a toy and apparel industry veteran with more than 25 years of proven success building apparel, toy, beauty, and entertainment brands. She held the roles of senior product manager, marketing director, and vice-president of marketing at Revlon from 1992–1999. She served as vice-president, worldwide marketing for Barbie, at Mattel from 1999–2003. She held the role of senior vice-president of marketing/general manager for HIT Entertainment from 2003–2008. She spent time as the senior vice-president at Madison Square Garden Entertainment, Radio City Rockettes, from 2009–2010. Since 2010 she has been the senior vice-president of marketing for Jones New York, Anne Klein, and One Jeanswear at The Jones Group.

ENTERTAINMENT ONE

NINA LEONG, SENIOR VICE-PRESIDENT OF LIFESTYLE

Entertainment One (eOne) Licensing announced the appointment of Nina Leong as senior vice-president, lifestyle. She has served as a consultant for eOne’s Lifestyle division since October 2014 and in her new role will manage the Lifestyle team based in eOne’s Calabasas, Calif., office.

Leong’s previous posts include Saban, The Cherokee Group, Ocean Pacific, and licensing for Britney Spears.

Leong replaces Cindy Bailey, founder of Art Impressions, which was acquired by eOne in 2013. eOne says Bailey has transitioned out of the business to pursue new projects.

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HIRING AND PROMOTIONS AT THE JIM HENSON COMPANY

The Jim Henson Company announced the hiring of Amy Takahara as director, global distribution, sales. She joins the company from FremantleMedia Kids and Family Entertainment.

Casie Friedman has been promoted to senior director, global distribution, sales. She started at the company’s Los Angeles office in October 2012. Prior to joining Henson, she worked in Paramount Pictures’ Home Media Distribution Group.

Katie Mullins, who joined The Jim Henson Company in February 2014 as an assistant, global distribution, has been promoted to coordinator, global distribution.

Henson says the recent promotions and new addition are the result of a restructuring that started with the previous promotion of Karen Lee Arbeeny to vice-president, business operations, global distribution. Prior to Henson, Arbeeny held various posts with NBCUniversal and Comcast International Media Group, and produced and directed independent and documentary films.

BEANSTALK

NICHOLAS BLOOM, VICE-PRESIDENT OF BRAND MANAGEMENT

Beanstalk announced that Nicholas Bloom has rejoined the agency as vice-president of brand management in its New York office. In this role, Bloom will spearhead the development and implementation of brand extension programs for several of Beanstalk’s global clients, and will work on larger agency initiatives.

Bloom first joined Beanstalk in 2002 as a manager of brand management. In 2005, he relocated to South Africa to work for Saatchi & Saatchi. In 2008, he returned to Beanstalk as an associate vice-president of brand management. Bloom left the agency in 2012 to pursue a master’s degree in Global Affairs at New York University. In 2014, Bloom consulted with Beanstalk and now officially rejoins the agency.

EVENTS OF

CALENDAR

Industry-Related Trade Shows

JUNE

JUNE 16–18

JULY 9–12

Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3)

e3expo.com

Los Angeles Convention Center

Los Angeles

Comic-Con International

comic-con.org

San Diego Convention Center

San Diego

nynow.com

Jacob Javits Convention Center

New York City

ANBMEDIA.COM/SHOWCASES

METROPOLITAN PAVILION

NEW YORK CITY

AUGUST 15–19

New York NOW

SEPTEMBER 29

TTPM HOLIDAY SHOWCASE

OCTOBER 3–4

5–8

6–8

8–11

MIPJunior

MIPCOM

Fall Toy Preview

New York Comic Con

NOVEMBER 19–20

21–22

Toy & Games Conference

Chicago Toy & Game Fair

DECEMBER 6–9

8–10

Grand Strand Gift Show

International Halloween Show

JANUARY 6–9

6–9

11–14

22–25

24–26

27–2/1

30–2/3

International CES

Kids@Play

Hong Kong Toys and Games Fair Halloween & Party Expo

The Toy Fair

Spielwarenmesse Int’l Toy Fair

NY Now

FEBRUARY 8–11

13–16

TBA

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Kidscreen Summit

American International Toy Fair

Digital Kids Conference

mipworld.com

mipworld.com

toyassociation.org

newyorkcomiccon.com tandgcon.com

chitagfair.com grandstrandgiftshow.com

Palais des Festivals

Palais des Festivals

Dallas Market Center

Jacob Javits Convention Center Navy Pier

Navy Pier

Myrtle Beach Convention Center

Cannes

Cannes

Dallas

New York City Chicago

Chicago

Myrtle Beach

hiaonline.org

Halloween Tower

New York City

cesweb.org

Las Vegas Convention Center

Las Vegas

kidsatplaysummit.com

Las Vegas Convention Center

Las Vegas

toyfair.co.uk

Olympia London

London

hktoyfair.com

halloweenpartyexpo.com

toyfair.de

Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Center

New Orleans Morial Convention Center

Nuremberg Exhibition Center

Hong Kong

New Orleans

Nuremberg

nynow.com

Jacob Javits Convention Center

New York City

summit.kidscreen.com

InterContinental Miami

Miami

toyassociation.org

toyassociation.org

Jacob Javits Convention Center

Jacob Javits Convention Center

New York City

New York City

Have extra inventory?

Donate it to K.I.D.S.

Your excess product can put smiles on faces!

Poverty is a disaster that happens every day, but K.I.D.S. brings hope to 4.5 million children and their families every year. Donating your excess apparel, shoes, toys, books and juvenile products can provide your company with a generous tax deduction and replace despair with dignity. Fill out the donation form online at www.KIDSdonations.org or call 1-800-266-3314.

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