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Contents · May/June 2022

Featured Content 12

Vol. 17 · No. 2

Licensing International Elizabeth Foster

18

Women in Toys Lindsey Berger

22

All in the Family Mary Couzin

26

The Other Side of the Tunnel Nick Truss

34

New Product Preview

58

Licensing Preview

4

Observations and Opinions

6

What’s Trending

8

Industry News

10

Industry Forum Toy Association Kristin Morency Goldman

14

Industry Forum Design Edge - Matthew Nuccio

16

Industry Forum

20 66

2. Treasure X Minecraft Nether Portal from Moose Toys

ASTRA - Sue Warfield

Industry Forum

aNb Media / TTPM - Jack Placidi

You’re Hired!

On the Cover

On this Page 1. TOMY 2022 Lamaze Re-Launch Collection

Departments

3

Jurassic World Dominion Super Colossal Giganotosaurus from Mattel See page 63 for details

3. Fire in the Hole! by McMiller Games 3 tfe May/June 2022

tfe Observations & Opinions

aNbMedia.com

Back with a Bang

BY BOB GLASER Despite adversity, and without the opportunity to do business as usual, the toy industry has prospered during the recent pandemic.

The last thing that needs to happen to get back to conducting pre-pandemic business is the return of live, in-person events. With our recent TTPM Spring Showcase, live events are finally back. At the event, we had leading toy manufacturers Mattel, Hasbro, Spinmaster, Lego, Nickelodeon, and many others showcasing their new products to the attending media, and their children. The BOB GLASER, PUBLISHER event is a very interactive one, with attendees having the opportunity to pick up and play with many of the products on display. Build-A-Bear Workshop provided the opportunity to stuff and craft a We Wear Cute Teddy bear. Little Kids came with several of their new Fömania products in tow; they were a huge hit, especially with the kids. Nickelodeon exhibited and had, by all accounts, the best booth set up: a replica of the ship from their show Santiago of the Seas. You could climb the steps to the front of the ship and turn the steering wheel. Very cool. Jazwares raffled off one of their Squishmallows from the brand new line of products. Magformers had a station set up for attendees to build with some of their products. EastPoint Sports allowed attendees to play Kan-Jam or Chippo, their new golf chipping game. Gelstorm provided the opportunity to freely shoot water-based pellets in a controlled environment. Kids Preferred showed off some of their newest Disney products that were just so cute. PlayMonster had some of their crafting kits on display. All in all, a great day. One of the comments I consistently heard throughout the day was how happy and excited everyone was to get back to doing business the way they were used to.

Be sure to reserve space now for our Holiday Showcase on September 20th, here in NYC. The Licensing Show will once again be held in late May, live and in-person in Las Vegas. The annual ASTRA convention will take place in Long Beach, CA, live and in-person as well from June 12th to 15th. Hopefully Covid is finally in the rearview mirror.

In case you missed it, the list of TTPM’s Most Wanted List for Spring 2022 can be found at https://ttpm.com/mostwanted/.

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May/June 2022 · Volume 17, No. 2 Publisher Bob Glaser Bob@TTPM.com Vice President, Advertising & Sales Donna Moore Donna@TTPM.com Advertising Manager Anneka Ranpuria Anneka@TTPM.com Controller Eileen Palermo Eileen@TTPM.com Editor in Chief Jim Silver Jim@TTPM.com Creative Director Jack Placidi Jack@TTPM.com Editorial Manager Nick Truss Nick@TTPM.com Web Developer Brendan Sanabria Brendan@TTPM.com Contributors Elizabeth Foster; Matthew Nuccio; Lindsey Berger; Sue Warfield; Kristin Morency Goldman; Mary Couzin; Jack Placidi Interested in a subscription? Contact Bob Glaser at Bob@TTPM.com. aNb Media, Inc. 149, W. 36th St., 10th Floor, New York, NY, 10018 · Phone: (646) 763-8710 · Fax: (646) 763-8727 Toys & Family Entertainment (TFE) is published three times per year by aNb Media. Copyright 2022 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 photography, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without written permission from the publisher.

Printed in the U.S.A., TFE, and TFE Licensing are registered trademarks of aNb Media. Opinions and comments expressed in this publication by edtiors, contributing writers, or solicited or unsolicited documents are not necessarily those of management.

What’s Trending?

These trending lists are based on aNb Media’s consumer website, TTPM.com, and related YouTube channels.

TTPM’s Top Trending Lists are generated by the number of views for that item across toy, baby, and pet categories. Here are the lists of top trenders as of May 3rd, 2022.

Top 10 Trending Toys Bluey Garbage Truck Playset Moose Toys Dr. Pimple Popper Pimple Pete Game Spin Master Monopoly: Longest Game Ever Hasbro

Top 3 Trending Pet

FurReal Ricky the Trick-Lovin' Pup Hasbro LEGO Duplo Bath Time Fun Building Sets LEGO Flushin' Frenzy Mattel Monster High Haunt Couture Dolls Mattel Disney Princess Swimming Adventures Ariel Hasbro Nerf Elite 2.0 Eaglepoint RD-8 Blaster Hasbro Deluxe Beach Bag American Plastic Toys Inc.

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Mattel Reports First Quarter 2022 Financial Results Ynon Kreiz, Chairman and CEO of Mattel, said: “Mattel achieved its highest first quarter results we have on record for net sales, operating income, and EBITDA. Our strong performance continued, with growth across regions, categories, and our three power brands. These results are in line with our strategy to grow Mattel’s IP-driven toy business. Having completed our turnaround in 2021, we are firmly in growth mode and operating as an IP-driven, high-performing toy company.” “Mattel’s supply chain is playing a key role in our success. All of our factories are fully operational, and we are working with our retail partners to ensure product is available on shelves to meet consumer demand. The full-year outlook is strong, we expect to grow market share, and we are reiterating our 2022 guidance and 2023 goals.”

TOMY International Makes Early Play Sweeter with the Re-launch of the Lamaze Brand Introduced in 1993 as the first of its kind early childhood development toys with contrasting patterns, crinkly fabrics, and engaging faces, TOMY reveals a new look and campaign for their Lamaze brand of toys. “Parents today continue to associate the name Lamaze with wholesomeness and science-backed play,” said Julie Gwaltney, Senior Director of Toys for TOMY International. “It was time to refresh our product line and redefine the message for a new generation of parents. The new toys are designed to appeal to parents’ modern tastes, while keeping the core of developmental play that has made Lamaze a trusted brand for nearly 30 years,” said Gwaltney.

Toei Animation’s Dragon Ball Hits Record High in Franchise Licensing Deals Over the last 14 months, Toei Animation and Crunchyroll executed a record high total of 37 licensing agreements – consisting of 18 new licenses and 19 license renewals. The 18 new agreements will result in an exciting variety of merchandise for fans of Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball Z and Dragon Ball Super series as well as, for the first time ever, Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero, the new feature film scheduled for release this summer. New branded goods include apparel from Bioworld, Hypland and NTD, statues and games from Oniri Creations and Mattel, plushies from Youtooz, housewares from Just Funky, stationery from Trends International and Insight Editions, and gifts and novelties from Monogram International and Hallmark.

Greentop Gifts and Signables Named the First Playmakers in NFLPA ‘Driven’ Program

Greentop Gifts and Signables are the first two companies to participate in the NFL Players Association’s (NFLPA) Driven program, which accelerates diverse-led, early-stage consumer product businesses through a robust two-year group licensing and marketing curriculum.

Driven is designed to facilitate opportunity and growth for diverse business entrepreneurs (or “Playmakers,” as the NFLPA recognizes them) by creating access to conversations, education, mentorship, and resources that would level the playing field and position them for long-term success. At the root of the diversity gap in licensing is what the NFLPA defines as “sideline culture” – the systemic and inequitable reality experienced daily by business leaders who are people of color, women and/or individuals from other underrepresented groups.

Launched in October 2021, Driven is committed to breaking down institutional barriers and supporting diverse entrepreneurs through unique access to NFL players for branded products and marketing power.

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JAKKS Pacific Reports First Quarter 2022 Financial Results “Our 2022 is off to an exceptional start,” said Stephen Berman, JAKKS Chairman and CEO. “For several years we have talked about maintaining a disciplined focus on growing evergreen toy categories and brands to deliver consistently improving, yet sustainable, results. In addition, this approach can also benefit from the excitement and enthusiasm new entertainment content can generate. As the year begins, we are starting to see strong results as more consumers discover and embrace films like Sonic the Hedgehog 2 and Disney’s Encanto, and want to deepen their relationships with the characters by engaging with a broad array of our toys, Halloween Costumes, day-to-day role play and many other related products.

National Inventors Hall of Fame Inducts Lonnie Johnson, Creator of the Super Soaker Five innovation pioneers whose inventions range from cataract surgery to the modern automobile will be honored as part of the latest class of National Inventors Hall of Fame (NIHF) Inductees, including the inventor of the Super Soaker, Lonnie Johnson. Engineer and entrepreneur Lonnie Johnson is the inventor of the Super Soaker, which became a best-selling toy generating well over $1 billion in sales over its lifetime. Johnson’s longtime research focuses on energy technology, and his work today includes advances in rechargeable battery technology and thermodynamic technology to convert thermal energy to electrical energy.

Bend-Ems from TCG Toys Are Back in a Big Way Multi-brand toy company TCG Toys is bringing back the hugely successful and bendable 90s heritage action figure line, Bend-Ems, to retail shelves this Fall. For the die-hard collector and new fans, Series 1 will feature top licenses and characters to collect, including Sonic the Hedgehog, Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir, and SpongeBob SquarePants, with more to come!

The authentic new Bend-Ems figures will include classic features such as the 6” inch scale, the signature engraved brand name on the back, and will be packaged in a blister card, a nod to the nostalgia of the 90s packaging. ”The appeal of Bend-Ems is a cultural phenomenon,” said TCG Toys Founder and CEO Michael Albert. “Bend-Ems are collectible, affordable, and ripe for today’s market. We are thrilled to bring the popular 90s toy back to the forefront of creative and imaginative play. Like the original, TCG Toys is positioned to bring Bend-Ems to market quickly.”

Big Franchise Announcements from MGM at Licensing Expo 2022

At Licensing Expo 2022, MGM is set to unveil exciting plans and initiatives, along with special sneak peaks for Pink Panther, Wednesday, the Creed franchise, Vikings: Valhalla and more. MGM will focus on showcasing licensing programs for their deep portfolio of iconic films, including Pink Panther’s 60th anniversary launching late next year and the debut of Netflix’s Wednesday series later this year. MGM is also putting the spotlight on Creed, with the third installment hitting theaters November 2022 and an expansive Vikings: Valhalla licensing program tied to the recently debuted Netflix series. MGM is also set to highlight the expansion of its sci-fi portfolio with Robocop’s 35th anniversary and Stargate SG-1’s 25 th anniversary this year, along with its extensive catalog of classic horror films like the recent box office smash Candyman and Killer Klownz.

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INDUSTRY FORUM TOY ASSOCIATION

Excitement Builds for Toy Industry Events This Fall

by Kristin Morency Goldman As the toy & play community embarks on a new As part of its ongoing efforts to assure open markets year once again filled with both opportunities and between nations and maximize product availability and challenges, The Toy Association remains focused on choice, The Toy Association also submitted comments tackling issues impacting members – from counterfeits to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) and global supply chain challenges to e-commerce and regarding foreign trade barriers impacting the U.S. toy sustainability trends. industry’s ability to export safe toys to international “Protecting our members and helping them advance markets. International alignment and harmonization of their businesses here at home and around the world rerisk-based standards continues to provide a high level mains one of the most vital reasons for The Toy Associ- of confidence that toys in any market can be trusted as ation’s existence,” said Steve Pasierb, President & CEO. safe for use by children – an important point made by A key focus in 2022 will be to assist members seeking the Association for the USTR’s annual National Trade growth and expansion in international markets. The Toy Estimate Repot on Foreign Trade Barriers for 2022.

Association’s recently launched international member“Despite operating within an extremely volatile ship level and International Committee is comprised of business environment due to the ongoing pandemic large, medium, and small companies, and was created to and supply chain disruptions, the U.S. toy industry has ensure the Association’s external affairs team maintains remained committed to ensuring the maintenance and the necessary responsiveness and resources it needs to application of strict product safety standards and reguaddress both legislative / regulatory issues and market lations around the globe,” stated Pasierb in the Associaaccess initiatives in dozens of countries. tion’s comments.

“Our advocacy work in U.S. state capitols and in The external affairs team also provided comments Washington, DC remains robust, with legislative and regarding Brazil Ordinance 302 and made recommenregulatory activity at an all-time high,” noted Pasierb. dations for clarifications on small parts, projectiles, toys “But our team has also been involved in a significant with lasers, cords and elastics, and other sections of the amount of advocacy and market access efforts in over ordinance, and successfully convinced several foreign 40 nations, including India, Vietnam, Brazil, Indonesia markets (including Jamaica and Colombia) to accept the and the EU. The International Committee enables us to ASTM F963 standard for toys, helping to reduce trade continually push back on threats and seize new prosbarriers and testing costs for members wishing to sell in pects on a global level by providing our team with direct these markets. input as we align staff priorities with member needs.”

As The Toy Association continues to forecast and Notably in 2021, The Toy Association led an interna- advocate on global issues impacting the toy & play comtional, multi-stakeholder effort to defeat an ISO (Intermunity, members are invited to join the International national Organization for Standardization) proposal Committee. The group meets at least once a month for a standard on marketing to children which would (and more frequently as needed) and convenes annually have layered redundant requirements on top of effective to agree on the overall strategy and budgeting for the regulatory structures already observed by the indusAssociation’s international advocacy activity. try. Thanks to the Association’s advocacy and global outreach urging others to weigh in against the proposal, To learn more or to join the committee, contact Ed Desmond, ISO did not gain enough votes to support development executive vice president of external affairs (edesmond@toyassoof the standard, saving countless hours and resources of ciation.org). all stakeholders from having to develop an unnecessary guidance when strong and effective standards already exist.

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FEATURED CONTENT

Licensing International: The Licensing Industry is Livening Things Up

by Elizabeth Foster It’s been over two years since the world first came to a standstill in the face of Covid-19. After all those months stuck at home, consumers are ready to leave the couch behind, kick their sweatpants to the curb, and return to beloved location-based experiences like live shows, retail popups, and theme parks.

While consumers are excited to do something—anything—outside of the house, there is still a significant amount of strategy that goes into finding the location-based offering that’s best for your brand. Smaller extensions like pop-ups provide more flexibility, for example, while larger efforts like a live show see consumers spending more time with your property.

There may be endless options as to how IP owners and licensing partners choose to move forward in this post-pandemic resurgence of location-based entertainment, but several trends stand out.

Museums and Galleries Draw in Crowds Museums are a major focus moving forward, for example. This is thanks in part to timed ticketing, which helps museums control the size of crowds or offer flexible pricing models for low-traffic time periods.

Fred Rogers Productions is planning more museum stops this year than it made in either 2020 or 2021. Fred Rogers has an ongoing relationship with the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh, and those types of museum partnerships will drive the organization’s ongoing Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood: Grr-iffic Exhibit as it continues to tour throughout this year.

In addition to family-friendly brands like Fred Rogers Productions partnering with the educational institutions to launch branded experiences, museums are also expanding their own licensing efforts.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art, for one, extended its partnership with global licensing agency Beanstalk in October 2021 to bring the Met’s collections and educational content to the U.K., Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (Beanstalk was appointed as the museum’s licensing agency for the U.S. and Japan in July 2020.) The Met’s recent licensing partners include Olympia Le Tan (handbags), Ann Gish (bedding and home accessories), Abner Henry (case furniture), Lingo (educational games), Pura (home fragrance), Scalamandré (textiles, wallpaper, and trim), and CASETiFY (phone cases).

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Jim Pressman (middle) with his

The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), inked an agreement wife Donnapreviously (right) and daughter Kate (left). with Vans to launch footwear and apparel inspired by artists like Jackson Pollock and Salvador Dalí. Earlier this year, MoMA also partnered with

Nordstrom on a collection of more than 200 home décor products available in 10 U.S. cities.

And the Brooklyn Museum tapped ARTiSTORY as its master licensing agency last fall, charged with inking agreements for its collection of 1.5 million works of art, craft, design, and artifacts. ARTiSTORY also recently added Madrid’s Thyssen-Bornemisza National Museum, along with its 1,600 paintings, to the company’s client list.

IP Owners Go to the Great Outdoors Museums aren’t the only institutions benefitting from this year’s location-based entertainment renaissance, however. Zoos and walking trails around the world are partnering with beloved brands to create licensed experiences for fans of all ages. These efforts are benefitting from operating outdoors, as consumers’ comfort levels vary widely, and many people prefer to return to crowds in an open setting before committing to indoor offerings. This is especially true as new Covid variants continue to emerge, and governments are forced to adjust mandates accordingly.

These outdoor activities also benefit from the fact that masks aren’t a requirement, creating Instagram-worthy photo opportunities. Acamar Films, for example, recently teamed up with ZSL London Zoo to launch activities themed around the preschool series Bing. Themed activities included interactive story time sessions, a self-led activity trail featuring a series of clues for kids to solve, and a photo opportunity alongside Bing and his best friends.

Warner Bros. Entertainment Group, meanwhile, partnered with Thinkwell to bow Harry Potter: A Forbidden Forest Experience in Cheshire, U.K. in October. The experience sees fans of all ages make their way through a one-mile woodland trail featuring 20 experiential moments and six interactive experiences. Visitors have the opportunity to see fan-favorite creatures from the books and films, including centaurs, unicorns, and a hippogriff.

Hotels and Resorts Look into the Long Term Smaller experiences that limit crowd size and outdoor activities with plenty of space are the perfect fit for consumers shifting to a post-pandemic mindset, but big plans are already in place for a future that sees us travelling and gathering at pre-Covid rates. Hotels and resorts around the world are preparing for larger crowds and looking to licensing in an effort to create unique experiences that will draw consumers in.

The all-inclusive Nickelodeon Hotels & Resorts Riviera Maya opened its doors in August 2021. Nickelodeon’s fan-favorite characters and world-famous slime are incorporated into everything from dining experiences to a water park to the rooms themselves, which include tributes to everything from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles to SpongeBob SquarePants.

The Barbie Staycation at the Grand Hyatt, Kuala Lumpur launched late last year with 14 fully themed rooms inspired by the beloved doll brand. In addition to heading to the Barbie Café for afternoon tea or throwing a Barbie-themed birthday party, guests are greeted in the lobby by a Barbie ambassador and escorted to elevators designed to look like the boxes the dolls are packaged in.

“It’s a first-of-its-kind, fully immersive Barbie hotel experience that appeals to fans of all ages. We are committed to expanding our IPs to offer our consumers various unique and authentic touchpoints to our beloved brands,” said Julie Freeland, senior director of global location-based entertainment for Mattel.

“Post-COVID, we know that experiences will be more important than ever to our fans. And consumers will have more choices than ever in the live space. To create exceptional experiences, they must be authentic and genuinely deliver on brand value and purpose. We are focused on building our LBE footprint globally with many firsts planned to launch in the coming year, including our largest project to date, set to open next year—Mattel Adventure Park in Glendale, Arizona.”

Considering how hard-hit the category was by lockdowns and closures these past two years, it’s thrilling to see the location-based experiences business bounce back with so much innovation and creativity.

During the worst of the pandemic, so many companies had to focus simply on surviving. Now, there are opportunities to thrive as IP owners and their partners reconnect with consumers in person and take advantage of the incredible engagement location-based experiences provide while also planning for the future.

With more brands than ever expanding into this area of licensing and extending their storytelling efforts into new and unique formats, it’s hard to imagine anyone complaining about waiting in line any time soon.

Elizabeth Foster is director of content and communications for Licensing International. She leads editorial planning and development for the organization along with media relations and social media strategy. Based in Toronto, she has more than a decade of experience in journalism, starting her career in newspapers before making the move to magazines.

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INDUSTRY FORUM DESIGN EDGE

Matt Nuccio ruminates on how production and distribution options have broadened for inventors over time.

THE DESIGNER’S PERSPECTIVE

To License or Self-Produce Your Toy Invention?

by Matthew Nuccio My-my, how the world has changed since I came of age in the late ’80s, early ‘90s.

Back then, I thought we had it all with 57 channels of cable television, a wireless phone in the kitchen, and my Walkman clipped on my hip. Cutting-edge technology was compact discs, and the Nintendo NES. There were juggernaut toy brands like Cabbage Patch Kids, Transformers, Laser Tag, and Rubik’s. The toy retail landscape was represented by chains like Toys R Us, Kay-Bee Toys, Child World, and Zany Brainy. It took hundreds of thousands of dollars to launch a toy brand, and a large staff of salespeople around the nation to land the distribution channels.

However, much like the cassette tape in my Walkman, it is all antiquated now. The dictated consumerism of the 20th century has given way to the “point-and-click” world we live in today. The sheer manpower and capital it took to launch a product to market can now be done from a home office desk while drinking fresh-brewed Keurig coffee in your underpants.

Back in the 20th century, the brick-and-mortar retail landscape was a structural hierarchy that was seemingly controlled by a few. It appeared that if start-ups wanted to bring a product to market themselves, they needed to somehow gain entry into the preverbal “boys’ club.” This club seemed to be closed to the outside world with one exception: licensing. If you had an idea, you could contact an agent or a company directly, pitch your concept, and hope the inventor relations appointee would run your concept up the corporate ladder for the go-ahead from the top. Companies would see dozens, if not thousands of ideas each year, cherry-picking the “best of the best” for their company portfolio. This process seemed effective, and when and if your invention made it to market, you felt that you had success simply because you got it there. But the reason your product made it there wasn’t always because corporate saw an opportunity to hit a home run. It was generally selected simply to feed the retail beast.

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Corporations, then, as now, have relations with retailers. Like all relationships, some are stronger than others. To maintain those relationships, companies will throw concepts against the wall. Many times they will agree to run exclusive content to only have base hits, often leaving inventors with a pittance of a royalty.

Let’s fast forward to today. The landscape has changed dramatically. Brick-and-mortar, which is still a powerful channel of distribution, is no longer the only player in town. More and more, companies are selling directly to the consumer online. It is that direct sales approach that has allowed inventors to transcend into entrepreneurs.

At Design Edge, we have watched start-ups that would have been unable to open any doors a decade ago, now turn a profit within a few months of launching.

You might think this is the foreseeable death of brick-and-mortar, but probably not. More and more, brick-and-mortar retailers are watching the online trends, and if a product is trending, finding a sales rep or distributor to open the door to brick-and-mortar is achievable. While the investment to achieve success is higher than simply inventing and licensing your concept, the downside is far lower than it once was.

Today, a start-up is no longer rolling the dice and praying. There is now a clear path to the end-consumer that is reachable. Today, the only true barrier to success is whether or not your product is good enough for a consumer to like it and buy it. If you have a great concept and you create a quality product at a good price, your chances for success are multiplied tenfold.

Matt Nuccio is president of Design Edge, a New York-based toy and game development company. For more information, he can be reached at matt@designedge.net.

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INDUSTRY FORUM ASTRA

Back to In-Person Shows!

Sue Warfield, president of the American Specialty Toy Retailing Association, on the unprecidented and exciting ASTRA Toy Boat cruise show scheduled for February 2023.

by Sue Warfield, ASTRA President Over the past 2 years we have all become used to the zoom/google/teams meetings. While we are certainly glad we had these options to be able to meet, we are, most certainly, ready for some in-person interaction! Shows are back and we are very excited to meet with our toy industry colleagues, touch and try new products, learn from one another and just have fun in a live environment.

ASTRA has been working on our upcoming Marketplace & Academy that takes place June 12-15 in Long Beach, CA. We are super excited to get back to a full schedule of Sunday through Wednesday with Sunday being our education day and the trade show Monday, Tuesday and ½ the day on Wednesday. In addition, our social events will include a Meet and Greet on Saturday evening, a welcome party on Sunday evening and our Toy Lip Sync Battle on Monday evening. Check it all out and register at (www.marketplaceandacademy.org.) It’s going to be ASTRAnomical!

We will be in Columbus, Ohio for our June 2023 show. In addition to Marketplace & Academy we are adding an additional experience in February of 2023.

It’s the ASTRA Toy Boat! What???

It’s been a topsy-turvy couple of years – not just in the toy industry, but every industry.

We thought now is a perfect time to shake things up a bit, and we’re trying something really new for ASTRA in 2023 After the cancellation of Toy Fair 2022 and the announcement of the event moving to September of 2023, ASTRA sent out a survey to members, and non-members, through various channels to determine if our toy industry would still like an offering in February of 2023 and if so, what was most important if something was offered.

16 tfe May/June 2022

We heard back from many of you with a resounding “yes!” The top two reasons for wanting to hold such an event was seeing new product in person, and meeting/networking with colleagues in person.

The ASTRA board met in early March to determine next steps. We didn’t want to replace other shows, including our own Marketplace & Academy. We also didn’t want to do anything similar to what is already being done at other shows - both national and regional. We will continue to support other shows such as the gift marts, ToyFest, and Toy Fair.

So… how about this for a doozy? We’ll be launching the ASTRA Toy Boat – a four-day sailing adventure out of Fort Lauderdale from Feb. 20-24, 2023.

Here are the basics to answer questions that have come up on how this will work:

What Cruise Line?

• •

Royal Caribbean Ship – Liberty of the Seas

Timeline for Cruise • • • • •

Leaves Ft. Lauderdale on February 20, 2023 February 21 - Private Island – Cococay, Bahamas February 22 – Day at Sea February 23 – Nassau, Bahamas February 24 – Back at Ft. Lauderdale at 6 a.m.

Costs • •

•

Cost of the cabins (double occupancy so times 2) will vary by size and type of cabin booked. ASTRA has an allocation of a variety of sizes/price ranges.

ASTRA has negotiated a group rate for the block of cabins for our group These rates will be all inclusive of WIFI, Deluxe Drink Package, Taxes, Gratuities, Port Fees – all inclusive. Price ranges for these all inclusive packages range from $921.74 per person, double occupancy to $2,514.74 per person double occupancy (for a 1 bedroom owners suite). Kids that come will be priced based on the cabin chosen.

The only added costs will be for tables for manufacturers, affiliates, reps - if they choose to have them, excursions or upscale/added dining.

Table Options •

•

Manufacturers, Inventors, Affiliates and Reps may all choose to pay for a table to display new products, services, etc. Table costs will vary by size, ranging from $200 - $500 each. There will not be full booths, but rather the tables to focus on new items and allow for sitting with retailers and writing fill-in orders for existing product.

Table displays will be open on the 22nd and 23rd – specific schedule to be determined. The prices noted above cover all the times the display area will be open

Other Ovents • • • •

Game/Kit nights – two of the 3 nights – one night for ASTRA members and one open to the public. We have not booked the full ship! Game tables will be $200 each and cover both nights.

Conference Rooms will be available at a minimal fee of just $50 for ½ day for groups to book (TGTG, Learning Express, Toyfest, Rep Groups, etc) Toy Sync Battle– we will have one night to enjoy a Toy Sync Battle – Family Style - Disney Songs, Kids Songs, etc.

Liberty of the Seas has great programs for kids – all included in the cost.

Safety and Health Issues •

• • •

There are no longer any issues with ports of call because part of the ‘return to service’ include a specific protocol between every ship and every port of call worldwide. Yes, there will be cases on ships and there is protocol for that now as ships have medical facilities for testing; isolation rooms if needed; and specific disembark protocols for anyone who tests positive.

Contact tracing is done for others who may have come in contact with the positive person or persons; those guests are tested ad if negative, free to continue their cruise as usual.

The actual statistic for cases on ships since resumption has been way less than 1%.

Ships have been sailing now since June 2021.

As an aside, non-drowsy Dramamine is the perfect antidote for anyone concerned about sea sickness. Registration will be open in May. Only a deposit will be needed to reserve your cabin. Join us in Long Beach, June 12-15 and then step on board to a fantastic new experience with your ASTRA Family in February 2023!

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INDUSTRY FORUM WOMEN IN TOYS

Supporting Female Employees’ Mental Health: What Can You & Your Company Do?

by Lindsey Berger WiT Member Lindsey Berger is a third-generation toy salesperson and a 12-year toy industry veteran. She is a mental health advocate and has worked with companies such as The Bridge, Ty, License 2 Play Toys, and currently, Melissa & Doug

For as long as I can remember, when anyone asked, “what do you want to do when you grow up?” My answer was always the same – sell toys like my grandpa and dad did. I grew up in the toy industry and have met the most incredible people over the years. The industry has changed and evolved over the past 80 years, and I believe it is more diverse and inclusive than ever before. Companies are now challenged to provide employees with a respectful, collaborative, equitable, and welcoming work environment.

As a third-generation toy salesperson and a 12-year industry veteran, my experience as a salesperson and as a woman has not always been one of inclusivity and acceptance. I have faced age and gender discrimination multiple times over the years from manufacturers and buyers. In an interview to independently rep one of the top manufacturers in the industry, the sales manager asked, “You aren’t going to go get pregnant and stop working your accounts, are you?” I was shocked and appalled by the question. Does getting pregnant mean I can’t work? Coincidentally, shortly after this interview (I did not take the job), I became pregnant with my daughter. I worked through my entire pregnancy, and I continue to work just as hard (or harder) now.

Being a young female in the industry is not easy – the hours are long, and the work can be extremely stressful and overwhelming. After living through a pandemic, it is more important now than ever for female employees to take care of themselves mentally and physically. Working from home or a hybrid model can be very isolating and lonely, so connectivity to others is key. Most of us spend 40+ hours at work every week, but life is about so much more. Joy and happiness come from many different places, including spending time with family and friends, enjoying hobbies, interacting with pets, etc. Being mentally healthy at home and at work is incredibly important to personal and professional development and success. All employees should be embraced, celebrated, and supported on a daily basis at and outside of work.

To provide support for the amazing women in our industry, there are various activities that all companies can implement and/or participate in.

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1. Create Corporate Affinity Groups An affinity group is a group of people that are linked by common purpose, backgrounds, beliefs, or interests. This group comes together to share experiences, educate one another, and develop programs to make a company more inclusive. I currently co-lead the mental health affinity group at Melissa & Doug LLC. Our group meets once per month to do an activity together to promote positive mental health. For example, our affinity group recently played toy trivia to take a break from the workday. Next up, our group plans to participate in a 45-minute art class to promote positive mental health through creativity. Companies need to empower employees to create and lead these groups to encourage an inclusive workplace. The ability to interact with coworkers within a safe space who share similar interests creates a sense of belonging within the organization. Connecting with other employees within a company helps build trust, strengthens teamwork, and helps employees relate to one another on a personal level.

2. Institute a Mentorship Program Corporate mentorship programs provide a great platform to empower and educate female employees. These programs give employees one-on-one time with industry novices to offer advice, insight, and support. Professional development programs help build confidence and encourage career and personal growth. I have participated in a number of mentorship programs, and to this day I still lean on my mentors for professional and personal support. I also now act as a mentor for Women in Toys, Licensing & Entertainment, and have the pleasure and honor of assisting up-and-coming industry women with networking and professional development.

3. Women in Toys, Licensing & Entertainment Networking is one of the most effective tools a person can use to develop a network of professional and personal support within the toy industry. The best networking group for females in the industry is Women in Toys, Licensing & Entertainment. WIT connects women across the industry by hosting virtual forums, programming, workshops, and interactive in-person events. WIT members come from all different backgrounds, but all share the common bond of providing support for one another. Through WIT networking, I have been lucky enough to meet industry mentors and life-long friends.

4. Encourage Dialogue and Interaction Between Female Leadership and Female Associates Female leaders have a responsibility to the women of this industry to lead with integrity and by example. Having open access to female leadership within an organization is critical to the success of other female employees. Open dialogue, forums, and conferences allow female employees to learn from experienced leaders and give them an opportunity to ask for professional advice. An inclusive workplace encourages positive mental health by empowering employees and providing a sense of belonging. The toy industry has come so far over the years, but we still have a very long way to go. Companies need to commit to diversity, inclusion, and equity training for all employees. We need to empower one another, male or female, to be bolder and braver than the day before. Our female workforce needs support, equal access to opportunities, and dedication from leadership to provide a mentally healthy work environment.

One last thought – as an industry that brings joy to children and families all over the world, and in fact, creates toys that teach kids empathy, I would ask that you embrace and practice empathy in the workplace and in your daily life. We are living in challenging times. Focus on listening, be curious and talk to those around you, notice body language, put yourself in someone else’s shoes, and take action and offer help. Let’s live each day with empathy, and strive to elevate one another to be the best version of ourselves.

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INDUSTRY FORUM ANB MEDIA

Marketing Through Modern Media

by Jack Placidi Today’s age of toy advertising has become a wild frontier that’s open to new and exciting possibilities through the world of digital entertainment and online growth. No longer is it limited to the time slots of Saturday morning cartoons, or investing big bucks into television commercials. Some companies have already found their stride through an omnichannel presence, creating their own content via YouTube channels and programming. Others have struck advertising gold bringing on new and creative individuals to expertly create content that goes viral while also highlighting featured products. If you’re wondering how to start a media campaign for a product or service, consider the following ideas that are taking off for many companies today.

Hire the Experts Whether you’re introducing a new product line or expanding on a beloved franchise, fans are always going to see through the effort that was put in to the creation of it. For this, you’re going to want to make sure you hire the right people that already fit the bill to that give your ad campaign. “For the fans, by the fans,” can go a long way when it comes to this. Hasbro made job headlines when it was recruiting a Chief TikTok Officer for it’s NERF brand. Ultimately, they hired Sophie Lightning, a longtime NERF fan with over 2 million followers on their personal TikTok account alone. Since the creation of Hasbro’s NERF channel on TikTok last year, they accumulated a following of 500K subscribers that keeps rapidly growing in both community and sales numbers.

On a much larger scale, Mattel entrusted it’s Masters of the Universe line to Kevin Smith in creating a televised Netflix series, in part to create hype for the new line of action figures. Not only was the show seen favorably between critics and fans alike, but it helped boost sales of the action figure line. It even ended up winning TOTY’s Action Figure of the Year Award this year.

When you entrust the marketing of your brand to people who love it already, you’re already making the optimal first step in making sure it gets the love and attention to detail it deserves.

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Impactful Influencers Another strategy that can really get your product or campaign off the ground in strides is hiring the right influencer whose target audience matches your own. Depending on your budget, you have access to a wide variety from macro to micro influencers. It’s important to do research on the target audience of various influencers. In the way of toys, you’re going to want to find and invest in family-friendly channels and video bloggers. A lot of them are so well experienced in making video and story campaigns for different products that you won’t need to do too much hand holding in the the creative structure. If you’re going for the teen market, WeWearCute has a huge following on TikTok. Looking to hook in parents and families?

Give Trinity Sierra a call. You’ll find a huge sea of content creators looking to promote your product, and in turn, increase your sales (most of whom you can find and hire through TTPM Influencer Talent Management!)

Embrace the Memes & Jokes All it takes sometimes is one person to find something funny or make a joke about a product and then it could develop into a widespread meme online. My thoughts on this? Whether it was your intention or not, embrace the jokes that come with it. If it increases sales so other people try to imitate videos, no publicity is bad publicity. One example is with Goliath’s Chompin’ Charlie, a game where you shove acorns into a squirrel’s mouth, with each nut making him expressively more uncomfortable. This hilarious factor lead to people making videos and comments about the game (some less tasteful than others) with the result being a game that’s selling out on almost every store front. As of the writing of this article, I still see it regularly unavailable until it restocks. Some games were built purposefully on this kind of naughty nature place (ie: Silly Sausage, Gooey Louie, Toilet Trouble), and when buyers make content of themselves interacting and promoting a product, you’re looking at a wave of fun videos with free advertising.

Jack Placidi is the creative director at aNb Media, whose expertise includes years of video content creation and promotion for various toy companies and influencers. For more info, email at Jack@ttpm.com.

TOY FAMILY SERIES

Q&A with the Or Family

by Mary Couzin

Michael Or (left), with his wife Mrs. Or (center) and their son Philip (right).

Wai Or (right), his wife Sunhee (top center), Mrs. Or (left), Michael Or and his grandsons Junhee and Junho

I have very much enjoyed getting to know Wai Or over the years, and while I have not had the pleasure of getting to know his parents, I’m sure the apple did not fall far from the tree! Wai is a friend to many all over the world, and thinks out of the box to bring a product to life with a high attention to detail. He’s a well-known collector, and if you’ve been to his Hong Kong offices, you’ve seen his impressive collection of old games displayed on the walls. Just beautiful! This interview was conducted with Wai’s father, Michael Or.

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PR | INFLUENCE | SOCIAL | DIGITAL The preeminent agency serving family, juvenile and lifestyle brands.

T H E Y ' R E

B R I L L I A N T

B E C A U S E . . .

They consistently bring fresh ideas and new ways of thinking to the table.

-Annie Laurie Zomermaand Co-Managing Director Schleich USA Our sales have more than doubled and our media reached has exploded.

-Jordan Becker VP Sales & Marketing iPlay, iLearn They are true partners in achieving objectives. They understand retail and work to ensure that coverage leads to sellthrough.

-Debra Joester The Joester Loria Group for the World of Eric Carle

I N F O @ B R I L L I A N T P R M . C O M

How did your family first enter the toy industry?

This has to date back to the 1960s. My first job was working in a bank for import services. The Hong Kong manufacturing industry was on the rise, and I was a young adult anticipating new opportunities. I was fortunate enough to be invited by David Pomier, to start up a trading company for him. It was called Worldwide Buying Services; we sold toys and sundries to the United States. I had no experience and I had to learn my way through to find factories, manage QA/QC, and organize shipments.

Who has been involved, and who is involved now?

I have gradually stepped down to allow a bigger platform for the next generation. My two sons, Philip and Wai have joined the family business.

Philip has been managing the internal operations of Longshore since 1994. He studied for his Computer Science degree at Simon Fraser University in Canada. Philip started his career in a software house specialized in Dealing Room software for banks in Hong Kong. After joining the family business, he has been managing the company’s administration, computer system, and network ever since.

Wai is the CEO of Longshore. He is a board game geek and an avid collector of games and mechanical puzzles.

He studied “recreational mathematics” and Combinatorics at Dartmouth College. After graduation, Wai worked at a startup tech company in the Silicon Valley. In 2003, Wai decided to return to Hong Kong and join the family business, where he continues to enjoy developing and making new toys and games every day.

Michael Or and Mrs. Or.

After approximately 10 years of working in Worldwide, I was invited by Shelly Greenburg to start up the Shelcore office in Hong Kong for another 5-6 years, until I was confident enough to start Longshore on my own in 1978, which was during the opening of China. In the beginning, we offered general trading services for small orders. We needed to build up our client base. I thought the best way to find potential clients was to go around the hotel cafes near Toy Fair, and there I saw Barry Schneider, Vice President of Far East Operation at Pressman, whom I met back at Shelcore. Barry was looking for an agent in Hong Kong, so we were grateful to be appointed as the FOB agent at that time. That was when Longshore became Toy-focused.

Soon after, I met Michael Kohner through referral, and we have worked on countless projects in the international market ever since.

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Do you think the next generation will get involved?

I have two grandsons, Junho and Junhee, who are 7 and 3 years old, respectively. I do hope that they can get involved in the family business, but they are very young, and there are so many possibilities for their future. It is all up to them to decide.

How has the business changed over the years?

Longshore’s main business is OEM manufacturing for Games and Toys. Over the years, we developed many new game concepts with inventors and proactively offered these innovative games to our customers. In 2012, we started our subsidiary Broadway to manage sales and marketing of Games and Toys in the Greater China region.

What advice do you have for others thinking of joining the family business?

Let go of the mindset of following your parent’s footsteps.

Instead, continually reflect on your business independently, learn, and grow with the company. Build up your foundation step by step. My advice to the person who is joining their family business: The key to running a business in the long term is dedication, integrity, and passion.

BIG THINKERS. BOLD DOERS.

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FEATURED CONTENT

The Other Side of the Tunnel

by Nick Truss In the early and middle months of the pandemic, industry operations were very touch and go. Last week’s cataclysmic disruption was this week’s new reality. Each supply line jam and cancelled trade show accelerated the evolution of toy business, inexorably, to where we are now. With the worst of the pandemic hopefully behind us, we can now cautiously claim the benefit of hindsight, and learn from the trials and tribulations moving forward. The toy industry has proven to be, if nothing else, adaptable and relisilent. We reached out to a number of toy industry professionals to weigh in on the new business world that we all must navigate, as well as any insights they’ve gleaned from the past two years.

Kathy Hawk, Senior Manager of Marketing and Publicity at Smart Lab said, “Covid has challenged and changed every industry worldwide. With toys, sales rose 16% in 2020, and even higher in 2021, according to NPD Group. Parents began homeschooling their kids and looked for ways to keep their kids engaged with toys.

SmartLab Toys are STEM/STEAM toys, educational and participatory, as much as they are entertaining. We were able to learn a lot about the buyers’ digital shopping journey and fine-tuned our marketing strategy to meet the needs of these families.

VP of Marketing at Red Toolbox Donna Arbietman also remarked on the greater consumer interest in STEAM toys. “At Red-Toolbox, we felt this trend with increased sales of our Stanley Jr. DIY kits which introduce engineering and math concepts, offering a great bonding activity for parents and children. Our Stanley gardening tools also enjoyed tremendous growth during and post the Covid pandemic as a result of people being more home bound and looking for non-screen based activities and toys.”

Many families made the best of a tough situation and grew closer during the quarantine. Jim Seymour, VP and CTO at E-Blox, stated, “The pandemic led to much more time at home together as families, and one thing that was learned is that toys give families the fun play experience to bond and enjoy time home together. As a Play Ambassador for the Genius of Play group within TIA, I have been promoting 26 tfe May/June 2022

the Power of Play, and as we come out of the pandemic I expect families will make the time continue the fun play experiences they enjoyed over the last few years with the great variety of toy products available in the industry.

Lisa Gulli, General Manager at Educational Insights, added, “We have a positive, bright outlook for how toys and games will continue to influence and impact children’s lives and family fun. Families are once again gravitating to experiences, and toys and games can enhance those experiences, making them richer for everyone. Plus, we’re finding that intergenerational play is important to many families. Some of Educational Insights’ most popular games and toys are great connectors that spark togetherness; they make family game night or playtime inclusive and fun across generations.”

Some companies are anticipating a surge in demand for outdoor toys and experiences. Lev Nelson, CEO and Co-Founder of Sky Castle Toys, postulates, “Despite inflation, the toy industry remains recession-proof thanks to the fact that parents need to keep kids happy. If anything, inflation will benefit lower-price point and novelty toys that can satiate kids’ toy appetites without breaking the parental bank. While we can’t predict how future Covid strains will affect retail sales, theater attendance or group gatherings, we anticipate a growth in outdoor and active play categories with group activities becoming more common. There is a growing sentiment that the Covid-paranoia of slumber parties and indoor gatherings is a thing of the past, so let’s hope that continues!”

How Will February Fare Without a Fair?

The Toy Association’s decision to move Toy Fair from February to October was a monumental decision, if not unexpected. With two years of postponed NYC Toy Fairs, something had to give. Ask any number of industry insiders what they think of the move, and you’ll get just as many differing perspectives. Of all the changes that occured in the wake of the pandemic, Toy Fair’s shift from winter to fall generated some of the highest buzz the industry had seen in quite some time.

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FEATURED CONTENT Kevin McGrath, President and Founder of The Original Toy Company, offered his perspective on a possible shift in attendance rates. “I do think that this change will have some minor impact on the Mass Market, but clearly Specialty will be changed forever within the show environment on a yearly schedule. I believe that this change will have overwhelming support and everlasting positive changes for current shows like ASTRA Marketplace and ToyFest West. The different showrooms around the country like Atlanta, Dallas, Las Vegas, Seattle and Minnapolis will see a major upswing in attendance and participation in all of those venues, and rightly so, with the biggest winner being ASTRA Marketplace.”

six months. In this age of technology, progressive companies are making faster decisions, not slower. I understand the factors that are driving this change, but it goes against many of the tenets that have given rise to the most successful modern-day companies. It will cause us to re-think our roll-out strategy for new products, but we’ll continue to push ahead with the buying cycles that make sense for our customers.”

Many welcome the change, seeing it as an opportunity to put more of their weight into advertising for the winter sales season.

Mr. Nelson remarks, “As bad as the pandemic was for business and society, this is certainly a silver lining for our industry. Toy Fair never made sense from a retail perspective in February, and now we will be able to meet with retail partners when they’re actually making decisions for holiday placement the following year. In truth not much will change in our R&D or planning processes, but we will now be able to champion brand extensions and new innovations at Toy Fair when it matters most — Q4.”

The rescheduling of Toy Fair was but one of myriad alterations to business as usual. Companies not only had to adapt to their own new cisrumstances, but the circumstances of the consumer as well. The current state of how toys are bought is just as important to grasp as how they are developed, manufactured, and distributed; both are mutually informed the other.

Ms. Hawk has a measured outlook, observing both pros and cons.

“It’s going to be a challenge, timing wise. Not all toy companies would traditionally be ready to present finished lines in September, we will have to rearrange our thinking and shift our development process forward.

However, having over a year’s notice provides us with some breathing space to advance our schedule. As for seasonal operations, honestly it may make it easier. We tend to roll out new product throughout the year, rather than all at once. This change gives us time to formulate our launch plans. It will be an added benefit for the specialty stores to find some new and exciting products for the holiday season.”

Others view the move more immediately as a complication. Mark Carson, President and Co-Founder of Fat Brain Toys, excplains, “I personally feel it’s a step in the wrong direction for the toy industry. From a buying cycle perspective, it’s effectively elongating the process by a full

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Michelle Seeber, Brand Manager at Faber-Castell USA, takes an optimistic and flexible outlook. “Connecting and collaborating with our customers all throughout the year is a top priority. It’s wonderful to see the industry coming back together in tradeshow and even newer formats.”

Changes, Great and Small

Mr. McGrath reckons that supply chain hang-ups and the digital marketplace have forced companies to rethink their strategies. “The buying & selling channels have slightly changed, but if there is a major change, it is now in the aspect of the manufacturing of toys and the fulfillment of toys. This has changed dramatically, and maybe changed forever with the continued challenges and supply hurdles that will exist for a great deal of time to come. It is all about profit margin for companies, retailers, or internet sellers, whoever is in the business of selling toys. We no longer will have the luxury of general selection of products; we now must fine-tune our selections and offerings on a very short tight rope if we are to be profitable in this ever changing world.”

Mr. Seymour adds, “I believe that the pandemic accelerated some trends we were already seeing pre-pandemic. Retailers were forced to focus on online sales and curbside pick-up options when they were shut down during the pandemic. Now, having developed an online and curbside pick-up presence, they will continue to leverage these sales opportunities moving forward. While I still believe there is a huge value to being able to go to a brick and mortar store, the pandemic pushed people to buying online and through curbside pick-up.”

FEATURED CONTENT “Some of the conveniences they experienced will lead them to purchase this way more often. So seeing more retailers that have a brick & mortar, online and curb side pick-up presence is something I think is here to stay. Our main strategy that we introduced during Covid to support online sales for our customers is our drop ship capability. To help retailers with their online and curb side pick-up sales, we provide our retailers with images & videos to list any/all of our products on their website, and when they get orders we can drop ship the product to their store or the end buyer, whichever is preferred.”

Ms. Arbietman recognizes the importance and newfound ubiquity of social media in toy marketing and advertising that came out of the pandemic. “The pandemic accelerated online adoption in the industry.

Up until 2020, our industry has been somewhat traditional and slow to move online both in terms of e-commerce and social media. The pandemic has changed all of that and online business is becoming a substantial part of businesses across the board in our industry.”

As for how Red Toolbox is capitalizing on the situation, Ms. Arbietman explains, “We are selling online on multiple platforms direct to consumers as well as B2B. We are investing more resources and efforts in our online presence and using our online sales as a launchpad for new items. We find that the online sales channel helps us become more agile as a company and more connected and responsive to our customers. The data we are able to glean from our eComm and social channels is invaluable in helping us finetune our marketing and sales both online and in stores as a result.”

Ms. Gulli seems to share this sentiment. “We meet our customers where they are—whether that’s on TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Pinterest, or their favorite online shopping site. It’s important to us that we stay part of our customers’ daily digital experience. That may be through free digital learning activities via our Spark More Play initiative, or by providing our moms with helpful advice through one of our expert influencer partners, or by using a diverse offering of online livestreams to both entertain our customers and make their shopping a fun, memorable experience.”

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Smart Lab has shifted strategy to focus more heaily on social media and viral marketing by way of customer reviews. Ms. Hawk explains, “Today, customer referrals, reviews and word-of-mouth have become the largest influence in the purchase process. One of our top sellers is Amazon, so we focus on all the marketing tools available to us through Amazon to help get our toys in the hands of kids all over the world.

We run AMS (Amazon Marketing Services), Ads, Promotions and the Vine program which encourages purchases and honest reviews of our products. We also focus heavily on images and videos for all our products for promotional use and to engage our customers.”

Sky Castle has observed the need for creative solutions in reaction to higher air shiopping costs. Mr. Nelson says, “Previously many companies enlarged the size of their retail packages to show more value to customers, but bigger is no longer better when container fees cost $20k+. We have seen and will continue to see a contraction of packaging sizes at retail and particularly for e-comm channels as companies reduce packaging sizes to maximize their container load quantities.”

In regard to Sky Castle’s online sales strategy, he continues, “E-commerce is already a major pillar of our Annual Recurring Revenue, and we’re excited to continue growing our online presence and drop-shipping capabilities. While Amazon is the major player in the space, building a strong D2C store with custom products and exclusive releases is imperative to fully leveraging the channel. We are allocating substantial company resources to the creation and cultivation of social media content and communities to funnel traffic to our D2C store versus other 3rd party online marketplaces.”

Mr. Carson ruminated on big companies’ need, or potential lack therof, for in-person events. In response, Fat Brain threw things at the wall, and they had something stick. He explains, “We dabbled in various virtual “shows” with minimal results and even less excitement.

However, we have recently released a proprietary platform that holds the hand of the retailer or sales rep, and steps them through each new product. In addition to product videos and “live” demonstrations, the interface is also cart-enabled, allowing retailers to favorite items, place orders online, or email their sales rep for follow-up. The feedback so far has been outstanding, and we look to leverage this new tool for all future product rollouts.”

FEATURED CONTENT Ms. Seeber acknowledges that these seemingly indelible changes may yet give way to others in due time. “The business of toys will continue to always change, innovate and grow. It’s hard to say that any change is a permanent one. We do see that the consumers’ ‘path to purchase’ will continue to evolve in a direction where the ability to buy what they want, when they want, in the manner they choose will be here to stay. Our strategy and our ‘Why’ (Enriching Lives through Creativity and Self-Expression) puts the consumer at the center of everything we do. We continue to fulfill our ‘Why’ and find the consumer where he or she is shopping.”

The Light at the End of the Tunnel The one thing that will never change is what makes toy people who they are: passion and excitement over new product! As the world’s grip on Covid continues to firm, there is plenty to be excited about.

Mr. McGrath shares what The Original Toy Company has on deck, saying, “Some of our new and exciting products, such as the First Years series, are currently having very strong sales. We have also had recent success with children’s pretend food products such as our Tea Set.We are continuing to develop new products in the Counter Cash Impulse series, new games like ‘Shopping List,’ and gliders for our outdoor toy selection, just to name a few things we are proud of.”

E-Blox’s Jim Seymour says, “We are introducing 2 new products this year: The Circuit Blox BYO DJ Set, which you build and use to create your own DJ table. You can play 3 original DJ songs by SOLI and insert 15 different DJ sounds like sirens, horns & scratches. Plus, you can play your own music through the Hi Def speaker through Bluetooth and insert DJ sounds to your own music. There’s also the Power Blox Electric Crazy Action Racers 10-in-1. Build a fan car and watch it zoom across the room, build a crazy spinner, or build a car that launches a fan high in the air. This set includes a brick based motor that lets you to build 10 cool cars, racers & spinners that provide hours of fun.”

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Smart Lab’s Ultimate Squishy Human Body is what to look out for, says Ms. Hawk. “We took our best-selling STEAM toy, the Squishy Human Body, and leveled-up the experience with an interactive electronic scanning platform. The SmartScan Technology is like a personal anatomy tutor. When one of the eight removable SmartParts is placed on the SmartScan, you’ll hear information about the part, the system it belongs to, and fun facts, along with sounds based on the organ in question..”

Ms. Gulli says of Educational Insights’ new sustainable toys, “It’s our 60th Anniversary, and the Educational Insights team is celebrating through reimagined versions of our most popular toys, including BrainBolt, Kanoodle, Playfoam, Design & Drill and more! We’re also expanding our selection of Playfoam learning compounds with Playfoam Sand and even Playfoam Naturals, an innovative cork compound that is shaping up to be an environmentally friendly way for kiddos to learn about and respect the world around them.”

Lev Nelson adds, “Sky Castle is very excited about the growth of sensory 2.0 trends outlined by the TA earlier this year and plans on expanding its foothold in that category with extensions of DoodleJamz; squishy, sensory drawing pads that combine fidget with art! It’s like finger-painting, but without the mess and provides for hours of fun, especially on long road trips.”

Mr. Carson said of Fat Brain’s upcoming products, “Our popular Dimpl family is expanding into bath with Dimpl Splash, as well as a the pop & pulling innovation of Tugl. We’re also extremely excited to welcome three new ranges to the Fat Brain family including Lamaze, MOLUK/Bilibo, and Pretendables.”

Ms. Arbietman remarks, “As in every year, we keep growing our range of Stanly Jr. woodworking DIY kits, with exciting new kits such as kaleidoscope kit, periscope, fooseball table and many more. We also launched our brand new Constructor line for Black and Decker. The Constructor is a great STEM toy, fostering understanding of engineering and math concepts. Later this fall, we are so happy to launch a new range of kitchen appliances for Tasty Jr. that are super sleek and modern looking! Additionally, we are launching 5 sets of pretend play boxes that are based on Tasty’s recipe videos. Lastly, during the Dallas Toy Fair, we will officially launch the Char-Broil grill and Oklahoma Joe’s smoker for kids. These mini grill and smoker are bound to become the faves of any BBQ loving family.”

NEW PRODUCT PREVIEWS Basic Fun Your favorite retro toy teams up with Netflix’s Stranger Things for their next big release of Season 4, coming Summer 2022! Now you can create art with light with this high-definition Stranger Things Special Edition Lite-Brite set in retro packaging for fans 14 years old and up to collect and display. This set includes 12 HD Design Templates from both Season 4 and the entire series. The templates feature the iconic holiday lights, the Demogorgon, and more! Plus, it includes 650 micro pegs (3x more pegs than the Lite-Brite Ultimate Classic), a high-definition grid, and 4 light modes to add detail to your creations! This Lite-Brite set makes a great gift and is perfect for every Stranger Things fan! Ages 14+, Available May 2022.

Tonka’s Mighty Monster RC is celebrating 75 years of ‘Tonka Tough’ with the first ever RC Tonka truck made with cold-rolled steel and 4 in 1 monster action – haul, dump, plow, 360 stunts. Load objects into the truck bed, secure them with the foldable tailgate, and then take over job sites with motorized hauling and dumping actions. Remote control from up to 100 feet away with 2.4GHz frequency high torque tank steering, and 4-wheel drive in any direction. Clear obstacles big and small with the kid-powered plow. Then, dominate any jobsite or game room with 360-degree stunts and monster lightweight foam tires that’ll make any parent happy. Simply push the red button for brag-worthy, Shaq-approved 360 action. Shaquille O’Neal is a proud partner of Tonka inspiring kids and grandparents alike to put down their screens and get back to playing together with Tonka. RC includes rechargeable Li-On Battery and USB cable. Ages 5+, Available Fall 2022.

The Care Bears are a group of huggable BFFs living that sweet caring life and what better way for you to join in on the fun than with the new Care Bears I Care Bear 14” Plush. I Care Bear is perfect for unlimited bear hugs and ready for you to take on your adventures of sharing and caring! I Care Bear is here to remind us just how important it is to take care of the Earth. He encourages us to recycle, reduce waste, and walk or ride our bikes when we can. He’s always there to make sure his friends care for the environment. For this nature-loving bear, there is no greater joy than keeping our Earth clean for generations to come. I Care Bear is made of approximately 94% recycled polyester, and his box is made from 100% recycled paper and printed with eco-friendly soybean ink. Ages 4+, Available Spring 2022.

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Big Potato Herd Mentality is the moo-velous, family-friendly game with a simple black and white mission: don’t stand out! It all starts with a random question (i.e. Name a fruit that’s hard to juggle). Secretly write down an answer that you think everyone else will choose (maybe Banana). Determine the most common answer in the group. If you think like the herd and your answer is in the majority, earn a cow token! If you’re the odd one out, you’re stuck with the Pink Cow. If you have the Pink Cow, you can’t win the game, no matter how many cow tokens you have. Hope that another player is the odd one out in a later round to get rid of it! Ages 10+, Available now.

Snakesss is a sssuper simple social deduction trivia game. Score points by correctly answering multiple-choice questions, but watch out for Snakes who’ll charm you into choosing the wrong answer! Are you a Snake who already knows the answer, ready for deception?

Are you a Human who doesn’t know the answer, or who to trust? Or are you the Mongoose of Truth who’s definitely not a Snake but just as unsure as all the Humans? Read the questions out loud, then close your eyes! Summon only the Snakes to peek at the answer, while the Humans and Mongoose of Truth keep their eyes closed and stay in the dark... Once eyes are open, you have 2 minutes to discuss what the answer might be, but beware of Snakes who are trying to fool you! Time’s up and time to guess. Humans and the Mongoose of Truth get a point for every player who guesses right, while Snakes bag the points for wrong answers! Ages 12+, Available now.

Blip Toys Zip Linx are High flying chain reaction fun! Create your own designs, link it, launch it. Links jump up to 30 inches. Fun for all ages 6+, Available Fall 2022.

GIGA BOTS are incredible 13” fully poseable action figures. They transform from energy cores to action figures and back to energy cores. Easy snap together build, great value and super fun! Ages 5+, Available Fall 2022.

Bunny Hopkins Bunny Hopkins’ Regular sized Wobble Board measures 32 inches long, 12 inches wide, 7 inches tall and ¾ inches thick and is durably made to last many years so that children can grow with it. Amazingly, it can support up to 450 lbs., so older kids, the babysitter, and grandparents can join in on the fun and games.

Choose from several crafty variations: Rainbow, Diversity, Honey Maple, Red Oak, the new White Linen, and Unfinished. Also look for the Starter-sized Wobble Board, ideal for toddlers, and measuring 23 inches long, 12 inches wide and 3 inches tall and ¾ inches thick. Ages 18 months+, Available now.

Each six-piece set of Stepping Stones is handcrafted from natural and sustainably sourced premium American Maple wood. Like its fellow award-winning Wobble Boards, these Stepping Stones are purposefully minimal and open-ended in design. As a child’s confidence grows interacting with the circular steps, so does his/her reflexes, muscle growth, core development and hand-eye coordination! Each wooden circle step measures 10” in diameter. Choose from four styles: Unfinished, Honey Maple, Rainbow and Diversity. Ages 18 months+, Available now.

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NEW PRODUCT PREVIEWS Create On

With the Daniel Tiger: So Many Feelings Magna-Tiles children can play and explore their feelings through this magnetic building set, which helps young learners master interactive play and develop a love for learning through play-based, hands-on learning activities. Ages 3+, Available Now. Our favorite friend Daniel Tiger, from the hit PBS Kids Series, Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood has transformed into your favorite Magna-Tiles Structure Set. Our Daniel Tiger’s Goodnight, Daniel interactive set helps teach healthy bedtime rituals. Sequence the tiles in order for bath time, pj’s, brushing their teeth, story time and even song. Our set helps encourage routine in your littles nightly sleep time, which we all know makes for good habits later in life. Ages 3+, Available Now. Daniel Tiger’s Ride Along Trolley interactive set features ways for your kiddo to have fun while driving the trolley to the castle, the museum go round, the beach hut, the tree and of course, meow, meow, to the clock. All Daniel’s friends are ready to go along for a ride. Ages 3+, Available Now.

Creative Kids

The Miracle-Gro Root Viewer allows kids to peek underground and lets them watch as veggies grow beneath the surface. Clear viewing window shows each step of the growing process so kids know when their vegetables are ready to harvest. Ages 6+, Available Spring 2022.

Create and top your pizza just the way you like it with the Play-Doh Pizza Parlor Air Clay set. Make your pizza using 5 included colors and 4 molds to customize your toppings. Cut and serve your creation with the pizza cutter and storage pizza box. Ages 3+, Available Fall 2022.

Customize cool creations with the Play-Doh Scoops and Pops Air Clay set. Build your sweets on the included sticks and cones. Included extruder with 3 tips lets you choose your soft serve style. Ages 3+, Available Fall 2022.

Take a trip with your favorite CoComelon friends with the Cocomelon Wheels on the Bus dough activity set. Use dough to mold your favorite characters under the windows, doors and stop sign of the bus. Create numbers and patterns by taking the wheels off the bus while singing along to your favorite song. Ages 3+, Available Fall 2022.

Dixon Ticonderoga Creativity Street Craft Kits - 16 DIY animal craft kits with pre-cut contents included - all you need is glue and scissors to create your very own playful friend! Choose from (2) Felt Sewing Dog Kits, (4) Felt Sewing Animal Kits, (3) Foam Stick Animal Kits, (4) Pom Pon Animal Kits, (3) Pom Pon Animal Plate Kits...or try them all!

Includes easy, step-by-step instructions on the back panel of each package. Convenient for parents and teachers in both home and classroom use! Ages 4+, Available now.

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NEW PRODUCT PREVIEWS Expand Your Mind What’s the best flippin’ game this year? The new Ultra Power Battle Game from Expand Your Mind! This new game will turn anywhere into a total battle ground competition with its new collectible, trading token-flippin strategic battle game play. The Ultra Power Battle Game comes with two battle bands (wrist wraps) adorned with a power dial, and 12 mystery ultra-power tokens. Each side of the token has a different power or strength that players will risk in each flipping battle round. Additional Ultra Power Battle Token Booster Packs are purchased separately as players build an arsenal from the 100 various tokens.

In addition, players can collect and trade battle bands (sold separately) that come in 72 different color combinations. Ages 5+, Available now.

Globber The Globber 686 Series NL-230 scooter is a foldable big wheel kick scooter, coming with Globber’s patented folding system that transforms the big wheel scooter into self-standing or folded mode for convenience and easy storage. The foldable big wheel scooter for kids is an adjustable scooter with a 3-height, super-wide, curved aluminum T-bar, foldable scooter handlebars with an anti-shaking clamp for added comfort and stability. For teens aged 14+, the NL-230 features 230mm front and 205mm rear wheels, and built-in front suspension for maximum comfort and shock absorption on all pavement surfaces while scooting. The NL-230 scooter offers fun for the whole family as it supports up to 100kg. The metal rear scooter brake delivers brake efficiency, ensuring safe, big wheel scooter rides for your kids. Ages 14+, Available now.

Hasbro Transformers ReAction Wave 5 includes fan favorite Autobots Prowl, Arcee, and Grimlock in dino form, all ready for battle against the Decepticon scout, Reflector! ReAction Figures are 3.75” scale featuring premium paint deco and include five points of articulation. Ages 14+, Available Now. The third wave of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers ReAction figures includes evil Rito Revolto, minions Baboo and Squatt, as well as our intelligent hero, the Mighty Morphin Blue Ranger, and the mighty Dragonzord in Battle Mode! Available this spring! (The Mighty Morphin Yellow Ranger will be coming soon too!)

Ages 14+, Available May 2022.

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NEW PRODUCT PREVIEWS Hey Buddy Hey Pal Kids can show off their skills and be the fastest “baker” in the kitchen with the Cake-N-Bake Challenge, a fast-paced, color-matching, cake-building game from Hey Buddy Hey Pal. Complete with colorful, textured foam cake slices, icing cards with toppings ranging from multi-colorful candies to strawberries to the classic rainbow sprinkles, the pressure is on to stack your cake correctly! Watch out for those Special Action Cards because they can be a recipe for disaster, like the One-Hand Card where you can only use one hand to bake, or the Burnt Cake Card where you miss a turn! Look for the Mystery Cake Card because you can build almost any cake you want and speed to the buzzer. Cake-N-Bake Challenge includes 1 colorful Birthday Layer Cake cut into 36 textured cake slices, 12 double-sided icing cards (4 types of icing), 2 decks of Game Cards for a total of 100 Game Cards (50 each for 6-layer cake and 50 each for 9-layer cake), 32 Candle Cards for scoring, 1 game bell and 1 chef’s hat. Ages 4+, Available June 2022.

Hog Wild Toys Introducing a new line of sensory playthings from Hog Wild Toys, Feel Goo! playthings come in dozens of hand held shapes and sizes – from animals to food to common silhouettes like spheres, ovals, and eggs. Each is made up of multiple chambers of sensory fillings like colored slime, beads, and gel. Full of satisfying textures, bright colors, and different sounds like crackling, sloshing, and squishing. Squeeze it, touch it, prod it, stretch it. Ages 4 +, Available June 2022.

Inspired by the incredibly popular Hog Wild Toys heritage brand of Poppers comes a new line of hyper-stylized, mini and extremely adorable Pee-Wee Poppers. Just like their traditional counterparts, Pee-Wee Poppers shoot soft foam balls up to 20 feet with just a simple squeeze! Six adorable, richly colored, wide-eyed styles include a Dragon, Unicorn, Kitten, Pug, Seal and Otter. Even the soft foam balls that come with each are themed to the specific character, like rainbow balls for the Unicorn and brimstone fire balls for the Dragon Pee-Wee Poppers are perfect for collecting! Packaged in a clear display box, they can be prominently displayed on a shelf, a desk, or anywhere to showcase each style. Ages 4 +, Available June 2022.

Hog Wild Toys is back with their next knockout, introducing Stiky Punx! New Stiky Punx combine the fun of a classic carnival game, with unique quick-load sling-shot action! Load the uniquely designed for safety plastic slingshot and launch soft foam balls as you try to knock-down the Stiky Punx. The Stiky Punx are sticky! So, the foam balls will stick to them when launched. Each of three new carnival themed Stiky Punx is over a foot tall AND they rock back and forth, adding to the target challenge. Hit your Stiky Punx enough times to topple it over and win! Available in three different styles –Tiger, Lizard, Gorilla.

Ages 4 +, Available June 2022.

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Come One, Come All This Fall Achieve your business goals and engage face to face with your target audience!

The Preview & Holiday Market in 3 - 2 – 1 3

DAYS

2

HOLIDAY SEASONS 1 LOCATION

September 20 – 22, 2022

Preview Q4 2023 products and facilitate sales for THIS holiday season.

At the Dallas Market Center, cultivate relationships and host private appointments with current customers and spark new connections with buyers, licensors, and other youth entertainment professionals.

Register to Attend & Apply to Exhibit at ToyAssociation.org/PreviewMarket

NEW PRODUCT PREVIEWS JAKKS Pacific Chip & Potato Jumbo Plush - Cuddle up with Chip and her tiny mouse friend, Potato, from the hit “Chip and Potato” preschool series on Netflix. Soft body perfect for hugs and cuddles. Removable Potato fits in Chip’s pocket.

Measuring in at 14” tall. Also look out for the 8” Plush series, featuring Chip and her mouse friend Potato, Nico the Panda, and her brother, Spud. Ages 2+, Available Fall 2022.

Perfectly Cute Cuddle & Care Baby Doll - Cuddle and care for your adorable baby doll! Press baby’s tummy to hear 26 different sounds! Baby giggles, cries, hiccups, sneezes, toots and more! Doll is 14” tall and comes with removable soft goods pajamas in adorable teddy bear print and matching headband. Includes bottle, pacifier and bear-shaped rattle. Available in three styles: Caucasian, Latino and African American. Ages 2+, Available Spring 2022.

Perfectly Cute Feed & Wet Playset - Feeding and potty time is super fun with the Feed & Wet playset! Feed baby water from their bottle and baby wets their diaper. Or move baby to the potty after feeding for potty time.

Diaper changes color when wet! Potty makes a flushing sound! Set includes 14” doll in floral print shirt and cloth diaper, potty with backrest. Available in three styles: Latina, African American and Caucasian. Ages 2+, Available now.

Perfectly Cute Magic Sink Playset - Play sink with working faucet and running water! Realistic design makes for perfect open-ended pretend play for your little one! Kids can use the real working sink (just add water) and include a pretend dish soap bottle and brush to pretend to wash dishware and cutlery – 2 plates, 2 mugs, 2 forks, 2 spoons, 2 knives. Wire dish rack fits into the sink basin for the perfect drying space. Playset includes 16 pieces.

Batteries not included. Ages 2+, Available Spring 2022.

More JAKKS news in Licensing Preview, Page 58!

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NEW PRODUCT PREVIEWS Jada Toys Transformers Converting Optimus Prime RC - Living among humans, hiding in plain sight, and watching over us are the heroes known as Transformers. You’ll have a hero living among you, complete with lights and sound with Transformers Optimus Prime converting RC Remote Control. It converts from

a

truck to robot and back with the push of a button, Optimus will be waiting and protecting at all times.

Available now.

Universal Monsters 6” Scale Wolfman Figure - Do you believe in werewolves? You might if the moois bright. Inspired by the 1941 classic The Wolfman is an authentically licensed 6” action figure. This collectible features highly detailed sculpt and premium painted details. The Wolfman’s fully articulated form comes with an alternate head and multiple accessories. The Wolfman joins the pack of Jada Toys’ Universal Monsters action figures collection. Also available are Frankenstein, Dracula, Bride of Frankenstein, and the Creature from the Black Lagoon. Available Fall 2022.

Universal Monsters 6” Scale Invisible Man Figure - Even the moon was frightened by him. Inspired by the 1933 classic, the Invisible Man is here... and collectible. Complete with robe, scarf, gloves, and sunglasses, the mysterious chemist makes his debut as part of the Jada Toys Universal Monsters figures collection. This authentically licensed 6” action figure features highly detailed sculpting and premium painted details. His fully articulated form comes with an alternate head (in peeling bandages) and multiple accessories. Also available are Frankenstein, Dracula, Bride of Frankenstein, and the Creature from the Black Lagoon. Available Fall 2022.

Fast and Furious NanoScene Dom’s House Display with two 1.65” Scale Vehicles - From the franchise built on speed, the display comes with two authentic 1.65” Die-Cast vehicles, Dom’s Dodge Charger and Brian’s Toyota Supra. The beautifully sculpted Toretto residence display also comes with the iconic backyard picnic table for the traditional Toretto family dinners. Available Fall 2022.

Jazwares “I bumped my head!” Oh, no! JJ is hurt! With the CoComelon Boo Boo JJ Plush, JJ will show you where he’s hurt, whether it’s on his head, elbow, knee, or foot. These areas will light up so that your child can quickly come to the rescue, Bandage Case in tow! The Bandage Case has three CoComelon-themed bandages. JJ reacts when he’s hurt, and then when he’s healed. When JJ starts to cry, cure the boo boo by gently applying a bandage over the lit up area. Then, JJ will giggle or go “Wee” and say “Yay! My boo boo is gone!” among other fun phrases and sounds. The Boo Boo JJ Plush also plays a clip of ‘The Boo Boo Song’ when you press his belly! Your little one will learn how to care for and cure ‘boo boos’ and ‘ouchies’ with CoComelon’s Boo Boo JJ! Available June 2022.

Get to know JJ’s best friend, Cody, with CoComelon’s My Friend Cody plush doll! Dressed in a green dino shirt, JJ’s best friend loves dinosaurs, and to prove it, he even comes with an adorable dino plush! Press Cody’s tummy to activate musical sounds and phrases, including clips of “Cody’s Special Dinosaur Day,” a CoComelon fan favorite song! Expand your child’s imagination with CoComelon’s My Friend Cody and don’t forget to pair him up with the Snack Time JJ plush doll (sold separately)! Available now.

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NEW PRODUCT PREVIEWS Jazwares Cont.

Pokémon Corduroy Plush - For the first time ever, fan-favorite 8” Pokémon plush like Charmander, Squirtle, Bulbasaur, and Pikachu will be featured in unique corduroy material. This special stylization will only be available for one year! Available Summer 2022.

Just Play

Learn and play with JJ! Get ready for hours of learning fun with the CoComelon Ultimate Adventure Learning Bus toddler toy. Inspired by the CoComelon animated series, this interactive toy bus lets toddlers engage in their own learning adventures with JJ. It features 2 modes of play: Music and Learning. In Music mode, use the buttons, wipers, horn, and door to sing along to “Wheels on the Bus.” Use the dial on the back to play four nursery rhymes: “The Alphabet Song,” “Bingo,” “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star,” and “Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes.” Press the keypad to hear “Ten in the Bed!” Switch to Learning mode to learn numbers and colors. Use the bus tokens to learn letters and phonics. There’s a handle on the roof, so toddlers can push the bus along. Requires 3 x AA batteries (included). Ages 18 months+, Available Fall 2022.

Disney Junior’s Alice’s Wonderland Bakery shares the adventures of Alice and her friends, most of whom are descendants of beloved characters from Disney’s 1951 animated classic, Alice in Wonderland. Alice invites little bakers to build fantastical stackable cakes in her magical oven.

Press the Wonder Whirl button to watch the cakes magically spin, hear sound effects and Alice’s cute phrases. Place the pot on the burner to hear realistic cooking sounds. The oven lights up and makes magical sounds when opened. Curious kids can sing along as the oven plays “The Baking Song.” The 10-inch Alice doll comes complete with rooted hair, removable fabric outfit and headband. The 2 mix-and-match stackable layer cakes, pot, 2 sparkly spice jars, and spatula provide hours of story-filled play. Ages 3+, Available Fall 2022.

Drop a beat with teen hip hop sensation That Girl Lay Lay Singing Doll! This Singing Doll comes with everything little fans need to put more “style” into freestyle. Dressed in an outfit inspired by her wardrobe seen in the hit Nickelodeon show, That Girl Lay Lay, this 11-inch tall doll comes wearing a tiara, sparkly silver shirt, black skirt, socks, shoes, and carries a purple microphone. Press Lay Lay’s necklace charm to hear her sing the show’s theme song. Her hair comes in two curly poofs, but can be restyled in fancy updos or left in long curls. Her outfits – including her mix-and-match kicks – are interchangeable with doll clothing from the That Girl Lay Lay Fresh Fashions Wardrobe (sold separately). Ages 6+, Available Fall 2022.

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NEW PRODUCT PREVIEWS Kess Megaman: The Adventure Game allows 1-4 players to experience exciting power-ups and blistering battles as they face off with Dr. Wily’s creations! Players get a unique deck of multi-purpose action cards that allow them to power their dice attacks or react to unexpected hazards. At the end of each stage, players enter the robot master’s chamber for a battle in which they must discover their foe’s attack pattern! Defeating a robot master gives players access to its unique power chip, giving them awesome effects to use in later stages! If you can use your chips and power-ups effectively, you may be able to beat Dr. Wily himself! Available Spring 2022.

Kess is expanding the licensing program for its growing De.Bored puzzle line as well as its games line through a new partnership with CrunchyRoll. The partnership will see De.Bored creating themed puzzles around popular CrunchyRoll properties including Haikyu!! and Jujutsu Kaisen. The 300 Piece Jujutsu Kaisen Puzzle and 300 Piece Haikyu Puzzle will launch this summer. Available May 2022.

Laser Pegs Build a sea dragon you’ll definitely see coming with the Laser Pegs Leviathan construction set.

This monstrous model uses light-up bricks and includes an action figure to take on an underwater adventure led by your imagination. The ocean just got a whole lot brighter! Ages 8+, Available now.

Light up the depths of the ocean with the Laser Pegs Iron Octopod. Construct this 8-legged deep-sea exploring capsule using light-up bricks and dive deep into your imagination with the included adventure-ready Laser Pegs action figures. There’s no abyss too dark with the Iron Octopod to light the way. Ages 8+, Available now.

Rev your engines and prepare to beam full speed ahead with the Laser Pegs 4-In-1 Red Racer Multi-Model construction set. The full-throttle fun doesn’t stop at just one build; you can build four different racetrack-ready vehicles using the same bricks! This fast and furious set includes five light-up bricks for ready, set, glow fun! Ages 8+, Available now.

Little Kids Inc. Sing along to The Wheels on the Bus built in song with the Cocomelon No-Spill Musical Bubble Machine and enjoy continuous bubble fun. The Cocomelon No-Spill Musical Bubble Machine is 2-in-1 play— plays music and blows continuous streams of bubbles while featuring a unique, no-spill design to prevent accidental bubble spills for less mess and more smiles! Includes 3.38 fluid ounces of premium bubble solution. Requires 3 “AA” batteries, not included. Ages 3+, Available now.

Blow tons of bubbles and sing along with the Baby Shark song! The Baby Shark Bubble & Sing Machine blows continuous streams of bubbles and features a No-Spill® design to prevent accidental bubble spills for less mess and more smiles! Includes 4 fl oz of premium bubble solution. Requires 3 “AAA” batteries, not included. Ages 3+, Available now.

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Little Kids Inc. Cont.

Blow continuous streams of bubbles with the pups from PAW Patrol! Two ways to play: flip the handle down and let the machine rest on your wrist as you fly the PAW Patrol Blast Off Bubble Blowers through the air, trailing bubbles behind you OR fold the handle underneath the character and use the blower as a stationary bubble machine. Each blower includes 4 fl oz of premium bubble solution. Assortment includes Marshall and Skye. Ages 3+, Available now.

Lumistella Merry Guess-mas Card Game - Stack up presents in this easy, fast-paced card game full of giggles and gifts as teams try to guess their way to the win. Extra challenges may have clue givers spinning in circles to fulfill this outrageous gift-gathering quest. But whatever you do, don’t land on the naughty list! The game includes a Christmas present card stand, 20 challenge cards, a Sand timer, 70 present cards and a Rule Sheet. Ages 5+, Available now.

MagiFreez Rainbow Snow Pixie - With magical standing power designed by Mrs. Claus just for Scout Elves! Scout Elves love flights of fancy, especially when they’re glittery and filled with rainbows. In this legendary design from the MagiFreez collection, your Scout Elf will stand tall and sparkle all season long. Standing is a snap with MagiFreez! This set includes MagiFreez Legs and Stand, a Shimmery organza-skirted dress and Felt Wings. Ages 3+, Available now.

MagiFreez Cocoa to Go - With magical standing power designed by Mrs. Claus just for Scout Elves! Theonly thing Scout Elves love more than hot cocoa is donuts. Your Scout Elf can serve up sweet surprises every day with these standing pants and tray full of goodies. Standing is a snap with MagiFreez! This set includes an Apron, Plastic hat, Plastic MagiFreez pants, and a Mug with Tray. Ages 3+, Available now.

Also look out for the Elf Pets Multipack! Make an instant collection of the Elf Pets crew. These articulated play figures make playtime even more adorable. Includes 3 posable Elf Pets play figures. Ages 4+, Available now.

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NEW PRODUCT PREVIEWS Make it Real Juicy Couture Perfectly Pink - This kit has everything you need to craft your very own Juicy Couture jewelry. Create jewelry pieces using a mixture of ribbon and elastic cord. Add Juicy Couture charms or pick from an assortment of beads to make a unique look. They’ll be so pretty; everyone will think they came from a high-end boutique! Ages 8+, Available now.

Sticker Chic: Juicy Couture - It’s temporary tattoos for your shoes. Do and redo. Add flair to your footwear with decorative adhesive stickers. Add a little or add a lot. Transform your shoes again and again. Bling out your shoes to make them exceptionally chic! Includes bead charms, velvet shoelaces and gold metallic wings. (Adhesive peels away- remove any excess with warm water) Not recommended for some shoe fabrications. Ask a parent or guardian’s permission before decorating shoes. Ages 8+, Available now.

Mattel MEGA Pokémon Motion Pikachu - Build the most detailed and elaborate Pikachu to date with this 1092-piece, fully mechanized construction set, which includes a display case and an animated rocky path which becomes “animated” when the toy is activated. Complete the build and turn the crank to activate the Pokémon Motion Pikachu’s moving legs, feet and tail for a truly authentic experience! Ages 12+, Available Spring 2022.

Spirit Lucky’s Foal Nursery Playset is filled with everything she needs to feed and care for rescue foals and baby animal friends. The set includes Lucky doll (approx. 7 inches) and comes with an animal caretaking area that folds out and comes with two rescue foals, a bunny, a duckling, a scrub brush, apple and carrot animal treats and a water bottle. Multiple play areas include a scale to weigh the babies (watch the scale move), a cradle that has a hoof-activated feature that lets Lucky or her foal friend rock animals to sleep (with an overhead mobile that spins), bunny crate and birdhouse. Ages 3+, Available Spring 2022.

The Happy World Huggy Wuggy Bug toy from Fisher-Price is a super snuggly, oh-so-huggable cuddle friend for your baby. With every squeeze of the hand or face, this sweet plush toy lights up with playful music and expressive sounds, like happy, sad and curious, to introduce your little one to different emotions. This comforting plush toy helps give your baby a feeling of security while engaging their senses and introducing cause and effect play. Ages 6 Months+, Available Spring 2022.

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McMiller Games Fire In The Hole is the plundering pirate game which centers around a large biodegradable pop up pirate ship. Gameplay is simple; play yer card, fire yer cannonball, and first to link four cannonballs in the ship be the winner! Fire In The Hole is 100% plastic-free, biodegradable, and carbon neutral, making it one of the most sustainable games on the market. Ages 6+, Available June 2022.

UpRoar is the game of silly sounds, where mooing like a confused cow can win you the game! Gameplay is simple: take two cards, spot the matching pair of words, and first to sound them out wins the cards. See Guitar Solo on both cards? Then give your best “BWEEEOEW NOWNOW BWOW BWOW.” Two Surprised Chickens? Then “BUCKCAUUUUUUUK?!!” your way to victory. The player with the most cards at the end of the game is the winner! UpRoar is for 2+ players, 7+ years, and is 100% plastic-free, biodegradable, compostable and carbon neutral. Age: 7+, Available May 2022.

It’s Bananas is the viral smash-hit party game that will have your friends and family howling from your first squat to your last backwards thrust.

Gameplay is super simple; split into teams, spin the spinner, and the player who completes the challenge first – using only their tail! – wins the

MGA Entertainment NPD’s #1 Doll and #1 Fashion Doll, Rainbow High, has officially met its match. There is a new school in town ready to disrupt the Rainbow and demand a double take. Introducing…Shadow High! This new line of dolls will include Natasha Zima, (Cosmetic Chemistry Focus,) Heather Grayson (Special Effects Makeup Focus,) Ash Silverstone (Audio & Visual Effects Focus,) Nicole Steel (Installation Focus,) Luna Madison (Film Focus,) and Shanelle Onyx, (Couture Fashion Design Focus.) Available now.

Little Tykes Sports - Go big, go team, and have larger-than-life fun playing basketball with the Little Tikes Totally Huge Sports Basketball set. It’s quick and easy to set up and thanks to the adjustable height post it grows with your child. The oversized rim makes slam dunks and scoring easy, and the lightweight ball is perfect for endless, “heavyweight” fun for everyone. Let ‘em Play!

L.O.L. Surprise Earth Love -Introducing all new earth day themed characters with accessories! They’re only available for a limited time, get them before they’re gone! Special edition characters & packaging include Grow Grrrl and Earthy B.B. Available now.

51 tfe May/June 2022

MindWare

NEW PRODUCT PREVIEWS

Paint Your Own Porcelain Tree Light - Take your holidays back to days of Christmas past with this nostalgic tabletop decoration. Great for your own holiday décor or as a unique handmade gift. This vintage Christmas tree kit contains everything you need; paints, paintbrushes, and painting guide, along with 95 lights to personally decorate your tree. Features battery powered light with 6 hours on, 18 hours off timer. MindWare’s full line of paint your own pottery, porcelain, and stepping stones can inspire hours of creative projects and beautiful keepsakes. Ages 8+, Available Summer 2022.

Best Dressed Banana - Go bananas over this silly dress up game.

In this cooperative game, you dress up your banana to be the silliest, most creative, or the most likely to be a circus star using the magnetic pieces, and you will have bunches of fun.

Compare your dressed banana to the other players and determine whose banana best fits each category. Cooperative games from MindWare teach children the value of collaboration, strategic skills, and teamwork. They learn to respect one another’s points of view, gain social skills, and discover how to effectively plan together.

From beginning to end, the path of cooperative games is filled with entertainment and excitement! Ages 4+, Available Summer 2022.

Klondice - The rush is on to collect the most gold in this easy-to-learn game of strategy and luck. Players roll and place dice as they compete for goldscoring claims on the mine cart game board holder. Prospect wisely – or you may set your opponents up to complete a claim and strike it rich before you can. The shifting cart created new claim objectives for every round. A few good rolls and a strategy that pans out will leave you with Klondice fever.

Ages 8+, Available Fall 2022.

Mobo Cruiser The Mobo 20 Inch bike is the perfect bike for taking a cruise around the park, the beach or the neighborhood. It comes with a durable frame that will last your child a long time. Our 20in bike comes with all the tools needed to easily assemble the bike. It comes with a kickstand and chain guard that protects your child each time. It also includes a complimentary basket for carrying small items so your child can take any essential toys or items with them everywhere they go. It’s durability and safety features make it easy to bike and transition to an adult bike. Available in 2022.

The Mobo Explorer X 14inch Balance Bike goes above and beyond to be the helping aid your kid needs to transfer smoothly into riding a bike. With safety features like a frame pad, safe footrests, soft gel handles, alloy air tires, and an adjustable seat that grows with your child. Give your kids the joy of learning to balance a bike with the Mobo 14in Balance Bike! Ages 4-6, Available in 2022.

The Mobo Pop Scooter Pop Scooter combines the fun element of pop-it toys with the fun of riding a scooter, working together to make developing your little one’s motor skills fun and easy. This fun and unique scooter allows your toddler to have fun walking and riding during playtime. It’s the ultimate ride on scooter that grows with your child. It’s perfect toddlers ages 1-3 years old. Our Pop Scooter was designed with your little one’s safety in mind, it’s durable material and safety features make it the perfect gift for any toddler. Ages 1-3. Available in 2022.

The Mobo Spin Drifter three-wheeled cruiser tricycle brings the adventure outdoors for kids 5 and up with its spinning action and cool slick design. Its innovative and patented mechanism combines exciting spins with controlled steering for a fun and safe ride. This trike features reverse riding capability and aids in developing hand-eye coordination and muscle strength. The sturdy adjustable frame grows with your child and lasts for years. Let your child have a blast on the Mobo Spin Drifter today! Ages 5-8. Available in 2022.

52 tfe May/June 2022

Moonlite Distributor Redwood Ventures presents this simple, fun gadget that enchant all children and those that love them. With cute projections, sound effects, read-a-long features and more, Moonlite makes reading bedtime stories an event that both children and parents look forward to. New for 2022 are three exciting Moonlite Illuminated Story Gift Packs – Disney Classics, Disney Modern Classics and Pixar – that project from your smartphone onto a wall or ceiling. From older models like iPhone 5 and Google Nexus 5X to iPhone 13 Pro and Samsung Galaxy S20, Moonlite works with nearly 90% of ALL mobile devices on both Android and iOS platforms. Dim the lights, cuddle in bed and tell a tale with vivid projections, sound effects and background music. Dumbo, Pinocchio and Bambi will mesmerize a new generation as three of the five storybooks included in the new Disney Classics Gift Pack. Available now.

Moose Toys The Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout Plush includes the game’s most popular and recognizable characters in an ultra-premium quality line of collectible plush in unique patterns and costumes everyone will love. Available in three perfect-for-cuddling sizes. The spring 2022 small plush line (8 inches) includes nine characters but in the fall there will be many more to collect! Some include Sprinkles, looking all cute in red and yellow stripes with a sprinkle pattern, Tasty Burger with all the fixings and toppings, or Spooky Doodles, dressed in black with a white bats and skulls print that glows in the dark! The line also includes five more fun characters! For the medium (12 inches) plush line, Red Panda and Yellow Team are the two featured characters. Raptor and Original Pink come in the large plush, standing tall at 18 inches. Also look out for Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout Figures articulated 4-inch figures, Available August 2022.

Mine, discover and craft with the Treasure X Minecraft Nether Portal, a take on the first major update to the Minecraft game in 10 years. Explore on the edge with the new Caves and Cliffs locations. Treasure X Minecraft marks the brand’s first license! Which wonders will your cave or cliff hold? This spring, embark on a hunt for characters, mini mobs and real gold-dipped treasure hidden in the Treasure X Minecraft Nether Portal. Look out for the rare Nether Star, or the real gold “Totem of Undying” across 15 levels of underground adventure. Each portal is home to one of three Character Pairs – will Zombie Piglin with Baby Hoglin, Shivering Strider with Baby Strider or Wither Skeleton with Magma Cube be revealed?

Pebble Gear Play and learn with Elsa, Anna, Olaf and more with the super-cool Frozen Tablet! The Frozen PebbleGear tablet is packed with games, apps, and eBooks that have been handpicked with kids in mind. Each tablet comes with 12 months free access to Pebble Gear’s games and app store: Gamestore Junior. Filled to the brim with exclusive Disney Frozen games, eBooks and themes for non-stop fun. Ages 5+, Available now.

Carry your tablet around in style with Elsa, Anna, Olaf, and more with the super-cool Frozen Carry Bag Bundle! The Frozen Carry Bag Bundle comes with our Frozen-themed kid-safe headphones, ready to plug straight in and enjoy great audio instantly. These headphones are volume-limited, easy to clean, and can even be daisy-chained to share the magic whilst playing, listening, or reading along. The Frozen Carry Bag features your favorite Frozen characters to show off to friends and family whether you’re on the move or using your PebbleGear tablet around the house. Made from easy-to-clean neoprene, the Frozen Carry Bag is safe, soft, and stylish, and helps protect from bumps, scratches, and tablet tumbles. Ages 5+, Available now.

53 tfe May/June 2022

NEW PRODUCT PREVIEWS Playmates Miraculous Ladybug Switch N Go Scooter w/10.5” Ladybug Lucky Charms Fashion Doll - Enter a world of imaginative play with Ladybug’s “Miraculous Heroez” dolls and accessories, where kids can “Be Brave, Be Strong, Be Miraculous!” Now you can have the Lucky Charms powers that Ladybug has! Call out the ‘Lucky Charm’ phrase, press the secret button on the oversized Ladybug yoyo, and watch it transform into her signature red and black Lucky Charm scooter for fast superhero action! The baddies definitely won’t get away! Transform back to secret yoyo, and transform over and over again! Ages 4+, Available Fall 2022.

Playmobil Perform tricks and stunts with the Air Stunt Show Phoenix Biplane. The agile biplane is guided through every obstacle course of the air show by the fearless pilots. Listen to the sounds of the engine as the plane dips high and low and the motorized propellers turn. Switch from a two-blade propeller to a four-blade propeller with the included tools.

The handles on the top of the plane allow for even more exciting stunts. With the three suction cups on the stand, the large pylon can be placed easily on smooth surfaces, marking out an aerial course for the plane. If the aircraft comes too close, the pylon splits in two. Combine with the Air Stunt Show theme (#70831-70836 - sold separately) for even more high-flying fun. Requires 2 x AAA batteries. Set includes two figures, plane, pylons, platform, map, and other accessories. Ages 5-12 yrs, Available August 2022.

Discover the best views of the jungle from the top of the Research Tower with Compass. The multi-level tower includes rotating platform at the top, allowing for a complete 360-degree view, while the functional compass in the roof offers a real-life valuable tool for budding explorers. Adventurers can also experience the jungle wildlife up close and personally, as the tower also serves as a shelter for howler monkeys who have made a home for themselves in the surrounding trees and vines. Set includes two teenaged figures, research tower, functional compass, two howler monkeys, informational animal card to unlock digital content, hummingbirds, rattlesnakes, turtles, rope ladder, tripod with measuring device, information board, bananas, and many more accessories. Dimensions: 13 x 9.4 x 19.7 in (LxWxH). Recommended for ages four to ten years. Ages 4 - 10 yrs, Available September 2022.

Look out for the Skull Pirate Ship as the crew sails the seven seas searching for new land and treasure! Equipped with functioning cannons, this boat is armed and ready to defend against an enemy.

When sailing through calm waters, keep a lookout for future dangers from the crow’s nest, or access the ship’s stores in the cargo area below deck. Remove the main deck platform with wheel to see into the captain’s quarters, where he’s busy charting course for new adventures. re chest, treasure map, navigational tools, swords, telescopes, and many other accessories. Recommended for ages five years and up. Warning. Choking Hazard. Small parts. Not for children under 3 years. Ages 5+, Available April 2022.

54 tfe May/June 2022

Playmobil Cont.

Introducing the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL, a classic sports car icon from the 1950s with legendary gullwing doors. The 300 SL’s recipe for success is its perfect blend of rough-and-tumble racing character mixed with a dash of luxury and extravagance. And now, the dream sports car of the 20th century appears as a Playmobil version with legendary, hinged gullwing doors, chrome-colored bumpers and radiator grille, and 50s accessories. Easily open the gullwing doors to seat the figures. There is more than enough room in the trunk for storage. Set includes a racecar driver, mechanic, toolbox, finish line flag, pit board, and many other accessories for a fun race around the track. The included table plaque lists the sports car’s most important information.

Ages 5+, Available May 2022.

Redo Redo Skateboard Co. features innovative design and manufacturing to offer the most enjoyable riding experience. With extensive engineering and research, Redo Skateboard Co. has carefully crafted boards that offer ease, trick capability and balance. The Redo Stunt Scooter features Pro wheels and a wide deck to push your scooter skills to the next level.

Handlebar shape allows for wider grip and hold stance when creating tricks and jumps. Handlebars and deck spin 360 degrees. Finished off with Redo graphics to give you the best-looking Scooter at the park Specs: Deck – Box deck with powder coating. Handlebar – steel seagull shape with powder coating. Wheels – 100mm PC core and PU tire. Brake – Steel with powder coating. Scooter size: 31.5”H x 18.5” W x 26.4” L. 8+ years, Available Fall 2022.

Sky Castle Toys DoodleJamz BrightBoard — Now you can light up your DoodleJamz with this LED display! Enjoy all your favorite play patterns of DoodleJamz like drawing, blending, and separating colors, now with light bursting through the frame!

BrightBoards are compatible with all DoodleJamz, so you can swap each of them in and out to experience the LED light illuminating the different colors of gel and beads. BrightBoards are powered by 3 x AAA batteries (not included) and feature a kickstand to display your creations horizontally or vertically. BrightBoards even come with exclusive DoodleJamz not available anywhere else. Light up your whole DoodleJamz collection to create even more amazing artistic creations!

Ages 6+, Available Fall 2022.

Spin Master Discover and explore the Wizarding World Magical Minis Diagon Alley Playset. Take Hermione Granger to Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes and discover the light-up Love Potion display then help Fred Weasley with the Pygmy Puffs. Next head over to Eeylop’s Owl Emporium to check out adorable owls and then enjoy a treat at Florean Fortesque’s Ice Cream Parlour. The Magical Minis Diagon Alley Playset includes magical lights and sounds, two exclusive Magical Minis figures, Hermione Granger and Fred Weasley, and 18 additional accessories for extended storytelling play. Ages 6+, Available Fall 2022.

Learn how to do sick fingerboard tricks with the Tech Deck Official Guidebook, which includes an exclusive Tech Deck board and killer ramp! Packed full of tips and info to help you perform awesome stunts and become a Tech Deck master—get ready to shred it! Ages 6+, Available Now. Funko Pop! Animation: Bakugan - Dan Kuso and his friends pick up seemingly normal cards, only to learn that they are now fighting to keep evil-doers from using the cards to gain power over the world. Ages 3+, Available Now.

55 tfe May/June 2022

NEW PRODUCT PREVIEWS Spin Master Cont.

Gabby’s Dress Up Closet Playset- Inspired by the Dollhouse Deliveries from the show, this playset opens and transforms into Gabby’s Dress Up Closet. Dress the included Gabby Girl figure up in different outfits and accessories. Watch Gabby show off her outfit of the day on the spinning catwalk feature or pose in front of the photobooth with swappable backgrounds to match every look. Gabby’s Dress Up Closet connects to the Deluxe Room Playsets and Gabby’s Purrfect Dollhouse (each sold separately) for extended play. Ages 3+, Available Fall 2022.

The ultimate mega sized Monster Jam Monster Garage Playset that lets you display and store up to 20 Monster Jam trucks. Practice your tricks and stunts with attached jumps and stunts and use the five-level kid-powered ratcheting elevator to lift your Monster Jam trucks to new spots. Includes an exclusive 1:64 scale Monster Jam monster truck and lift handle for easy transportation. Ages 3+, Available Fall 2022.

Spokester Spokester is a unique plastic toy designed and tested to fit all children’s bikes. The flexible circular clasp expands to grip all diameters of bicycle forks. Just snap it on by hand – no tools required! The flapper flexes as the bicycle spokes turn past it, making a loud motor-like noise. Spokester is made from rugged plastic that is tested to withstand hundreds of miles of riding. Parents report they make great Easter basket or stocking stuffers.

Birthday party favors are now a “snap”– especially for bicycle-themed parties. Available Now.

Super Impulse Super Impulse’s popular line of World’s Smallest Micro Figures is getting a lot bigger in 2022, featuring highly detailed figures from some of the most famous pop culture icons! Measuring at only 1.25 inches tall, each micro figure has three points of articulation, includes a mini collector case for display and storage, a figure stand, and accessories the figures can hold. Launching in Spring 2022, Super Impulse introduces an exciting lineup of Dungeons & Dragons, Mego Horror Series 2 (The Fly, Egyptian Mummy, The Headless Horseman), Universal Horrors (Chucky, Hellboy, Halloween), Stan Lee, The Big Lebowski, and Rick & Morty! Ages 6+, Available now.

56 tfe May/June 2022

TCG Cont.

Soft and strong, Felt Megamats are durable enough for the most rambunctious play. Super lightweight and portable, they fold up and go with you anywhere. Over 5 square feet of adventure and imagination, they are non-toxic, easy to clean and measure 27.5” wide x 31.5” tall. Kids favorite characters and themes include Blues Clues, Paw Patrol, Peppa Pig, and Tonka. Ages 3+, Available now.

The Jumbo Megamat brings the fun in a BIG way! Over 17.5 square feet of soft, non-slip, hypoallergenic EVA foam creates the ultimate space for your little one to get up and play! It easily wipes clean and stands up to household cleaners with no color fading and is water resistant, so it is always ready for the next adventure. Jumbo Megamats(TM) roll up easily and are lightweight, perfect to bring along anywhere.

1–2-character toys (assorted styles) in kids favorite characters and themes including Barbie DreamHouse Hot Wheels, Marvel, PJ Masks, Peppa Pig, Thomas & Friends, Toy Story 4, and The Wiggles with more to come including Miraculous Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir, CoComelon, My Little Pony, Little Tikes, BluesClues & You, Tonka, and Little People. Measures 47” wide x 61” tall, Ages 3+, Available now.

The Barbie DreamHouse Jumbo Mega Playmat brings hours of fun to life in a huge way! This beautiful jumbo-sized foam mat is the perfect accompaniment to your child’s Barbie DreamHouse, bedroom or play area! Over 17.5 square feet of soft, non-slip, hypoallergenic EVA foam creates the ultimate space for your little one to discover creativity and imagination as they get up and play with their new playmat! Featuring bright and colorful graphics of Barbie’s DreamHouse, little ones can join Barbie in fun adventures and memorable moments! Just add your child’s favorite Barbie dolls, figures or toys for an immersive play experience.

Create a beautiful and safe play area for little ones with the Luxury Gelli Mat Playmat. Super soft, protective and water-resistant, the play mat is specially constructed with durable and high-quality memory foam, nearly a half inch thick, to produce the softest play mat. Made of non-toxic and hypoallergenic EVA foam, and completely free of phthalates and PVC, the Luxury Gelli Mat Playmat will become part of your child’s favorite time of day, play time. Two double-sided Gelli Mat designs available: Alphabet Fun - one side adorned with educational alphabet characters and the other a bright, playful design to help with baby’s overall development. Grey and White - one side calming gray and white graphic design and the other a neutral calm design to help with baby enjoy a calmer play time. Ages 0 - 3, Available now.

WowWee Get drenched with the Twister Splash Game! All-new from WowWee, this spin on the classic game of Twister is tons of outdoor fun for everyone! Connect the game mat to a garden hose, turn on the water, wait one minute, and the soaking begins! Players of the Twister Splash Game follow hand and feet placements directed by the included spinner. But now, the classic game mat’s colored spots all spray water! Last person standing wins! Available Spring 2022.

Based on the hit Roblox game “Twilight Daycare” Twilight Daycare Collectible Babies from WowWee are the cutest new dolls that fans of the game will love collecting these IRL! Unbox to reveal 1 of 18 mystery character babies, along with 1 costume and 1 toy. Bring the fun back online by redeeming a code in the Twilight Daycare game to play with your collectible doll virtually. Also available is the iconic OG Baby Doll, and even Deluxe Packs! Available July 2022.

57 tfe February 2022

NEW Licensing PREVIEWS Disguise - Funko Save Gotham and be on the hunt for the Joker in this Batman Classic Funko Half Mask! This mask features Batman’s signature all black look with a half tone printed window for visibility. An adjustable elastic strap, and foam at the forehead and chin make it easy and comfortable to wear! An attached hang tag inside the mask makes displaying it next to your Funko collection a breeze! Also look out for the Wonder Woman Classic Funko Half Mask from DC Comics, and Jack Skellington and Sally from Nightmare Before Christmas! One Size Fits Most. Available Fall 2022.

Disney - JAKKS Pacific Disney Princess My Singing Princess & Friend Dolls - Celebrate the stories with these new interactive feature dolls that are inclusive of phrases, music and accessories highlighting the core attributes of each character. Each Disney Princess is dressed in her iconic fashion from her film, and her phrases invite and encourage you to join in on the fun! Each Princess also comes with her best character pal from her story, completing the friendship play! Join these beautiful Disney Princess dolls and their friends on adventures, and explore their different worlds. The Disney Princesses line will include Rapunzel & Pascal, Ariel & Flounder, Moana & Pua, Tiana & Prince Naveen, Jasmine & Raja. Also look out for Classic Elsa with Olaf and Elsa the Snow Queen with Bruni from Disney’s Frozen franchise. 3+ years, Available Fall 2022.

58 tfe May/June 2022

Disney - JAKKS Pacific Cont.

Disney Princess Playdate Tiana Doll - Tiana invites you into her world full of adventure, beauty and delicious baking!

Tiana stands at 32 inches tall and is fully articulated at the neck, shoulders, elbows, wrists, hips and knees. The piece count includes a plate, two real recipe cards and two cookie cutters, so you can bake with Tiana all day long! Styled in her signature green dress and tiara, Tiana is ready for any adventure The packaging liner is resuable and adds more story inspired moments! Pose and play with Tiana so many ways for the best playdate ever! Also look out for the Playdate Rapunzel Doll (with a flower headband for Rapunzel, a brush, hair clips and hair combs,) and the Playdate Maximus (with sound, movement and changing facial expressions!) 3+ years, Available Fall 2022.

The Disney Princess Castle Trampoline is the perfect trampoline for kids to have fun and get exercise! The safety enclosure featuring all of your favorite Disney Princesses has a zippered opening for kids to enter. Kids will be entertained for hours with the Princess Castle Trampoline that can be used both indoors and outdoors. With a sturdy metal construction and a bungee system, this safe and fun trampoline is built to last and will be a popular addition to any home. Play time has never been this enchanting. The Trampoline is 4 feet wide, with jumping area at 34 inches. Ages 3-6, Available Spring 2022.

Sleek, unique and oh so fun, the Disney Princess Style Collection combines everyday play with a contemporary Disney Princess flair. This collection of real-life inspired toys is meant for the modern girl with big goals and great style. She’s a go-getter, a globetrotter, a fashionista, and most of all, a girl who sets her own trends! Get ready to take on the world with the Disney Princess Style Collection! The Spring 2022 Collection will include the Sweet Stylin’ Tea Set (includes a beautiful contemporary tea pot, cups, saucers, spoons, macarons, a sugar bowl and a tea bag) and the Play Phone & Stylish Clutch (Includes 1 Play Phone, 1 Clutch Case, 1 Play Lip Gloss with Lid and 2 Play Credit Cards.) Ages 3+, Available Spring 2022.

The Fall Collection will consist of the World Traveler Play Suitcase (includes faux headphones, a “charging” tablet, and other travel accessories from a stylish eye mask and passport to play travel toothbrush and hand sanitizer) and the Disney Princess Style Collection Trendy Traveler Backpack (includes play binoculars, water bottle, protein bar, lip balm and map.) Ages 3+, Available Fall 2022.

Dr. Seuss Dr. Seuss Thing One and Thing Two Where Are You? - A hide-and-seek game of fun with Thing Two and Thing One! Where are the Things hiding? The Hider helps them find a good spot. Then the other players take turns flipping tiles, asking questions and getting clues. When someone flips Go Look!, they search the house up and down! Find the Things to win! Complete with an adorable squishy foam plush of Thing One and Thing Two, this out of your seat hide and seek game is fun for everyone! Available Spring 2022.

Dr. Seuss 15” Astronaut Cat in the Hat - Released in January 2022, Aurora World Inc. and leading global children’s entertainment company, Dr. Seuss Enterprises, collaborated to create the wonderfully charming Astronaut Cat In The Hat. Inspired by the original character designs from Dr. Seuss, this 15” Cat In The Hat adorns a light gray astronaut suit with embroidered detailing and authentic-style headgear. Children of all ages can widen their imaginations to galaxies unknown with this Cat In The Hat Astronaut. This plush features the unique characteristics Cat In The Hat is globally known for and is made from the premium, high quality materials Aurora specializes in, creating a lovable companion to add to any plush and Dr. Seuss collection. Available now.

59 tfe May/June 2022

NEW Licensing PREVIEWS Falcon’s Beyond

Falcon’s Beyond is an expert at creating worlds where imaginations can fly free, giving intellectual property owners the freedom to expand their brands into the realms of immersive destinations, entertainment content and consumer products. Falcon’s will transport guests and fans into imagined worlds using its storytelling prowess and patented technologies, many of which will be showcased at Licensing Expo. At the Falcon’s Beyond Licensing Expo booth (U188), guests will experience immersive and interactive technologies like no other through a tour of Falcon’s Licensing’s X-Lab. By appointment, the X-Lab will offer a 20-minute demonstration of a handful of Falcon’s groundbreaking products. These include SpectraVerse, Falcon’s Vision, ON!X Theater, and other exciting, themed attraction systems leveraging real time gaming technologies and metaverse integrations.

“We have already helped many of the world’s most iconic brands connect with their audience to build fandom at a whole new level,” said Cecil D. Magpuri CEO at Falcon’s Beyond. “We cannot wait to showcase our experiential entertainment innovations and new themed destinations in development that will enable brands to take the connection with their desired audiences to new heights well `beyond’ what they could ever imagine.”

Genius Brands Inspired by NBA legend and superstar Shaquille ONeal’s real life love of cars, Shaq’s Garage is a modern day adventure series where Shaq brings his family of cars, called the “Shaq Paq,” to life and sends them on missions to do good in the neighborhood but hilarity & hijinks always occur along the way. Shaq is an executive producer of the show and also stars in the series as both himself, and the leader of the Shaq Paq, Biggie D. Multiple Super Bowl champion Rob Gronkowski also joins the fun as both an producer and the cast as crazy, fun loving truck, Gronk. Currently in production on 52 x 11’ minute segments, the animated kid’s series will premiere spring next year and will feature themes of respecting differences, kindness, inclusivity, loyalty, teamwork, and giving back to the community. Genius Brands is currently developing a global consumer products campaign across broad categories, starting with the toy category which wifeature an extensive product line, including all sizes of die cast and light-and-sound vehicles as well as ride-ons, games, puzzles, crafts, bikes, collectibles and more. Additional categories include Apparel & Accessories, Party, Footwear, Home, Consumables, Stationary, Publishing, and more. The products are anticipated to start hitting retail shelves in North America in late summer/early fall 2023.

The Stan Lee Celebrity Brand - New content to be created from Stan Lee’s portfolio of approximately 150 unmined ideas and character creations in his post-Marvel career, along with consumer products programs to be developed for these new projects. Under the Stan Lee celebrity brand, which debuts at Licensing Expo this year, Genius Brands is celebrating Stan Lee’s 100th birthday this year by creating a curated product capsule, The Stan Lee Centennial Collection, featuring a range of product categories--Apparel & Accessories, Collectibles, and more--to carry on his legacy and give fans a way to respect and honor him. Apparel and collectibles will be launching this year at retail with licensees including Funko, Hot Toys, Beast Kingdom, Royal Bobbles and more. The additional product categories will follow in early 2023. Over the next two years, Genius Brands will be assessing Stan Lee’s post-Marvel catalogue to identify projects to develop with new content for multi-platform distribution and consumer products programs for the retail marketplace.

60 tfe May/June 2022

Hanna Andersson

A leading premium children’s apparel and lifestyle brand committed to outfitting the adventure of childhood, Hanna Andersson is known for its iconic, globally recognized products with colorful, happy designs, Hanna-me-down quality, and construction details that provide ultimate comfort for kids day and night. Hanna’s products are designed for children ages newborn to 12 years, with a complementary assortment of family apparel including family matching PJs, dresses, and swimwear. Recognized as the original maker of family matching pajamas, the brand has built a cult following and is a favorite amongst celebrities including, Kate Hudson, Kristen Bell, Taylor Swift, and Thomas Rhett.

Hanna Andersson has attracted best-in-class licenses from the likes of powerhouses like Disney, Dr. Seuss, and Warner Brothers, with exciting new launches planned this year and heading into 2023. For Hanna Andersson, it’s important that the brands they collaborate with offer an emotional connection to families based on characters they know and love. A distinguishing factor in working with the Hanna Andersson brand is their commitment to creating sustainable, comfortable, and playful designs that bring these characters to life on the iconic silhouettes the brand is known for. They intentionally seek partners that are open to allowing their team to create collections very different from other designs at market.

Two recent collaborations that Hanna Andersson launched include their Sesame Street Collection and their Miffy Collection. Since 2011, Hanna Andersson has worked with a number of iconic properties including Star Wars, Peanuts, Frozen, Marvel, Dr. Seuss, Where The Wild Things Are, and The Nightmare Before Christmas and they continue to evolve their licensing program to offer even more beloved characters on high-quality clothing that is made for play, soft, durable and sustainable.

Haribo - JAKKS Haribo is the world’s most popular gummy candy and licorice producer. With more than 1,000 different products worldwide, their range has something for the whole family. JAKKS Pacific is excited to develop toys with this storied brand and will offer a variety of collectible items that bring to life the childlike happiness of their candies.

Haribo Jumbo Plush - Kids will love to collect and cuddle with these super soft, jumbo scented plush! Available in two styles: Goldbear character, and Red Goldbear. 3+ years, Available now.

61 tfe May/June 2022

NEW Licensing PREVIEWS Horizon Group USA Bluey Create Your Own Sand Art - Discover a whole new way to get creative and use your paws to create your own Bluey Sand Art! Bluey, Bingo, Coco, Lucky, Chloe — choose between 5 different fun-shaped bottles of your favorite cast of characters to fill with a rainbow of colorful sands! Place the included funnel inside the bottle to layer 7 different sand colors inside, without making a mess, then get creative! Use the design tool to create multicolored effects or tiedye patterns while you explore vibrant color schemes! Whether you’re looking for a screen-free activity for a rainy day or a fun birthday party idea, the Bluey Sand Art set offers a pawsome opportunity for little pups ages 6 & up to learn, grow, and have fun through play! Ages 3+, Available Spring 2022.

Bring a world of creative adventure wherever you go with the Bluey Ultimate Activity Backpack from Horizon Group USA — a reusable backpack that’s full of paw-some activities every pup will love.

Color your favorite Bluey characters to life as you explore fuzzy textures on super soft Velv-Its posters that make it impossible to color outside the lines. Transform sunlight into rainbows as you create your own suncatchers with stickers, then use the included suction cups to put them on display — no paints, no mess! Scratch and reveal a colorful hidden world by using a wooden scratching tool like a stylus — then unroll the fun as you color and customize tons of Bluey creations with crayons and markers! Ages 3+, Available Spring 2022.

Style is your superpower — give yourself a Miraculous Spots On Beauty Makeover! From nail art to hair art and everything in between — this DIY beauty set has everything you need for a seriously awesome glam day, right from home! Transform your nails like your favorite Miraculous characters using shimmery blue, pink, and purple nail polish — then take your nail art to the next level with nail decals for the perfect design every time! Don’t feel like waiting for your nails to dry? Use the stick-on set instead! Then, add a pop of color to your hair — or the included extensions — with super vibrant hair spray colors in blue, red, and yellow! Try creating an ombre effect by layering the colors on top of each other, or keep it simple and bold and add vibrant streaks of color! Add the finishing touch to your superhero look with ladybug clip-on earrings, then go save the day in style! Ages 6+, Available Spring 2022.

Jurassic World - JAKKS Become the ultimate dinosaur handler with the RealFX Baby Blue! Featuring lifelike feel and movements, the RealFX Baby Blue comes alive with easy one handed controls. Control Blue’s blinking eyes as well as the mouth to simulate that ferocious bite! Move the head and neck to protect, battle or lunge! Get close and pet Blue to activate touch sensors on the head and body. Also features over 20 movie sound effects! Create your own dinosaur encounter with the RealFX Baby Blue! 4 AAA batteries (not included.) Ages 3+, Available Fall 2022.

Create your own stop motion adventures with the Jurassic World MovieMates line! Pose the articulated dinosaurs and control all their movements to make your scene come alive! Use the free Aardman Animation app and the phone stand to create all your stop motion movies with ease! Add in backgrounds, movie sound effects and visual effects to make your scenes pop! Collect all 3 unique MovieMates dinosaurs from the films! 8+ years, Available Fall 2022.

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Jurassic World - Mattel Preschool kids can race to capture dinosaurs on the loose in the living room with the Imaginext Jurassic World Break Out Dino Hauler vehicle and dinosaur set from Fisher-Price. This push-along vehicle features a projectile launcher to catch dinosaurs and lots of storage to keep them contained. But watch out…as kids push the vehicle along, the dinosaur will thrash around wildly until she breaks out of her muzzle! Hauler vehicle seats 2 figures, has a projectile launcher, and storage in the cage and under the hood. Ages 3-8, Available Spring 2022.

Jurassic World Sound Slashin’ Therizinosaurus - Get ready for thrills and adventure with this large species feature dinosaur inspired by Jurassic World Dominion. This dinosaur action figure features epic sound effects, a lunging chomp attack action and has huge claws for super side-slashing attacks! This dinosaur is critical to the action and features movie-inspired sculpting, movable joints, authentic color and realistic texture. Scan the hidden DNA tab with any smart device to bring the dinosaur to life with extended digital play. Ages 4+, Available Spring 2022.

Jurassic World Super Colossal Giganotosaurus - Get ready for thrilling action and adventure inspired by the upcoming film, Jurassic World Dominion! At approximately 12-in high and more than 3 ½ feet long, this Super Colossal Giganotosaurus figure features realistic skin texture and color, articulated arms and legs, extra-wide jaws that can open and close, and it can swallow up to 20 mini dinosaurs! Ages 4+, Available Spring 2022.

King Features Based on the hit Netflix series - The Cuphead Show! Welcome to The Inkwell Isles follows two lovable brothers—Cuphead and Mugman—through their unique misadventures! No matter what the trouble is, they’ve always got each other’s backs. Fans of the animated series, or the video game that inspired it, will love this Step into Reading Step 3 leveled reader from Random House Children’s Books that introduces the charming pair, their friends and their foes on the Inkwell Isles.

Includes a bonus pull-out poster! Step 3 readers feature engaging characters in easy-to-follow plots about popular topics for children who are ready to read on their own.

Screen Comix based on the hit Netflix series - The Cuphead Show! Whether it’s angry mermaids, boxing frogs, or carnivals filled with sinister delights, the brothers often find themselves in hot water. But whatever they encounter on their surreal home of Inkwell Isles, they always have each other’s backs. Fans ages 6 to 11 of the animated series and the video game that inspired it will love this 80-page graphic novel–style retelling of the episodes Handle with Care and Bringing Up Baby Bottle that features full-color images and dialogue from the laugh-out-loud series!

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NEW Licensing PREVIEWS Pixar - Mattel Fans will take a high speed trip to adventure with this 20-inch long Blast & Battle XL-15 Spaceship with a Buzz Lightyear pilot figure that brings the huge excitement of Lightyear home! A jetpack with wings pops onto 5-inch Buzz’s back and shoulders, then fits with him in the cockpit. Use the lever under the vehicle to activate a signature movie moment for the heroic Space Ranger! The wings are compatible with other Lightyear Buzz XL pilots of the same scale, each sold separately and subject to availability. It comes with button-activated projectile shooters on both sides, 4 projectiles, a flip-up cockpit cover and pop-down landing gear! Ages 4+, Available Spring 2022 The Robot Companion Sox Feature Plush is a cuddly way to play with the cute and clever cat character from Disney and Pixar’s Lightyear! Press Sox’s front paw and the plush comes to life. When activated, one of the 20+ phrases will play and Sox’s mouth will move as he says them. Ages 3+, Available Spring 2022.

Introducing Jetpack Liftoff Buzz Lightyear in his iconic Space Ranger Alpha Suit with lights, sounds and jetpack exhaust This toy is 11.5” tall, with pop out wings and several other awesome features. Kids can fuel up Buzz’s jetpack with water using the included Fuel Cell squeeze bottle, and when the figure is lifted off the ground it activates a real vapor trail as well as glowing light effects and sounds. When the figure lands back on the ground, all these features are automatically deactivated. Buzz also includes two buttons on his chest armor. One of which has Buzz speak phrases from the film while the other expands his jetpack wings and gets him ready for liftoff. Ages 4+, Available Fall 2022.

Kids can “blast off” into hyperspeed, just like Buzz Lightyear in Disney and Pixar’s film Lightyear, with the Imaginext Lift & Launch Star Command interactive playset from Fisher-Price. Space Rangers-in-training can help Buzz Lightyear reach hyperspeed by “launching” and “flying” the XL-14 spaceship from the Star Command tower. Need more power?

Kids can send Buzz Lightyear up the elevator and across the extendable catwalk where they can attach extra engines and a fuel cell to the ship. Ages 3-7, Available Fall 2022.

Sonic the Hedgehog - JAKKS Figure Assortment – Wave 1 - These movie-styled figures are four-inch scale and have 11 points of articulation for poseability. Each figure comes with an accessory. Assortment includes Dr. Robotnik, Sonic, Tails and Knuckles. Also look out for the Nine-Inch Plush Assortment, which includes Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles. Ages 3+, Available now.

Sonic Speed RC - Fans can recreate the action from the Sonic the Hedgehog 2 movie with this RC. Includes an iconic ring-shaped controller – forward motion, turns and spinning action. The RC lights up when you select Turbo mode for that extra boost. The six-inch scale articulated Sonic figure is removable. Batteries required and are not included. Ages 4+, Available now.

The Tornado Biplane with Sonic & Tails Figures - Kids can recreate their favorite moments from the Sonic the Hedgehog 2 movie with the Tornado biplane. Press down on the plane to make the propeller spin. Tails can sit inside to pilot the Tornado, and Sonic can ride on the wings as seen in the movie. Includes 2.5-inch Sonic figure and an exclusive Tails figure. Ages 3+, Available now.

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Sonic the Hedgehog - JAKKS Cont.

Giant Eggman Robot Playset - Battle to defeat Robotnik’s Giant Eggman Robot with this playset based on the final scene from the Sonic the Hedgehog 2 movie! Includes an exclusive 2.5-inch scale Super Sonic figure. Move the arms for smashing! Use the bridge to launch Super Sonic and defeat the Giant Eggman Robot! Playset includes Giant Eggman Robot, bridge, and figure. Suggested for Ages 3+ (Small parts.) Available now.

TheSoul Publishing TheSoul Publishing is an award-winning digital studio that’s known for producing entertaining, positive and original content for a global audience. In capitalizing on crave worthy consumer trends including cutting-edge 3D technology, stop motion, fun live-action, quirky music videos, inspirational craft projects, and vibrant animation, TheSoul Publishing is soaring on social media. TheSoul’s universally enjoyed portfolio of original channels are distributed across social media and streaming platforms including YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, SnapChat, TikTok, Roku, Amazon Prime, and Chinese platforms including Xigua, Douyin and Bilibili.

This year, TheSoul is offering licensing opportunities for Publishing, Toys / figurines, Preschool Toys, Infant Toys, Kids’ Homegoods, Plush, Home goods, Stationery, Tableware, and Drinkware around the following brands: 5-Minute Crafts, 123 Go!, La La Life, Polar, Baby Zoo, Muffin Socks, and Teen-Z.

ZAG Miraculous Ladybug Switch N Go Scooter w/10.5” Ladybug Lucky Charms Fashion Doll - Enter a world of imaginative play with Ladybug’s “Miraculous Heroez” dolls and accessories, where kids can “Be Brave, Be Strong, Be Miraculous!” Now you can have the Lucky Charms powers that Ladybug has! Call out the ‘Lucky Charm’ phrase, press the secret button on the oversized Ladybug yoyo, and watch it transform into her signature red and black Lucky Charm scooter for fast superhero action! Transform back to secret yoyo, and transform over and over again!

Ages 4+, Available Fall 2022.

Miraculous Fashion Designer Sketchbook from Horizon - Create your own Miraculous looks with the Fashion Designer Sketchbook! From stickers to stencils and markers galore — this DIY coloring set has everything you need to give your favorite superheroes their signature looks! Un-snap the cover of the spiral-bound sketchbook to find all of your favorite ‘Superheroez’ just waiting for your creative touch — from Cat Noir to Rena Rouge, Lady Bug, Carapace, and all their Kwamis! Show your true colors as you mix & match 8 double-sided brush markers, use the stencils as your lucky charm for the perfect design every time, and stick on your superpowers with 4 different sticker sheets! Ages 6+, Available Spring 2022.

Miraculous good2grow PODZ - good2grow PODZ is a flavored water beverage for kids that comes with a 3D collectable character top, so kids get both a beverage and a toy all in one. good2grow PODZ utilizes the most popular characters from movies and TV shows for kids 6 - 11 years old. The debut of Miraculous Ladybug is an exciting way to welcome our fanbase to good2grow products. good2grow PODZ is a 10oz flavored water beverage that comes in two different flavors, Raspberry Lemonade and Orange Mango, has no added sugar, and is a good source of Vitamin D and Calcium. good2grow utilizes fun to inspire kids to eat and drink healthier. Ages 6-11, Available now.

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You’re Hired!

HABA: Cynthia Waruszewski, Head of NA Sales and Marketing

Cynthia Waruszewski is a visionary marketing leader with a proven track record of developing award winning products and leading disruptive marketing campaigns for the companies she has served. She has extensive experience in the juvenile and baby sector driving brand affinity and sales growth having led omni-channel marketing and product development across a diverse range of categories. Reporting directly to CEO and Managing Director Willie Wilkov, Waruszewski will be tasked with accelerating growth of HABA’s core toys and games business.

Bravado: Jesper Poulsen,

General Manager

Bravado, leading merchandise and brand management company for Universal Music Group (UMG’s) , announced that veteran industry executive and Epic Rights co-founder, Jesper Poulsen has been named general manager. Poulsen joins Bravado’s executive management team and will play an integral role in continuing to develop the company’s global merchandise strategy in the ever-changing landscape of the music and fashion industries. He will oversee day-to-day operations of both Bravado and Epic Rights. Poulsen is based in Los Angeles and reports to Bravado’s president, Matt Young.

Dr. Seuss: Shannon Spisak, Chief Brand Officer

Spisak, who previously held the role of Senior Director of Marketing and Communications, will spearhead all marketing-related activities for the company. Spisak will report directly to the CEO & President of Dr. Seuss Enterprises, Susan Brandt, and will be involved as part of the DSE executive management team, helping to move the business forward while continuing to support its strategic vision.

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Paramount: Pam Kaufman,

President, Consumer Products and Experiences

In addition to leading the Consumer Products business representing well over $5.5 billion in worldwide retail revenue, Pam Kaufman will now have oversight across the Paramount global portfolio of Live Experiences including Hotels, Resorts, Theme Parks, Tours, and Broadway, as well as VidCon and Gaming. By placing these consumer experiences within the Paramount global portfolio under Kaufman, the company is continuing to align its leadership with the strategy of further connecting its beloved and iconic franchises with fans.

Mattel: Steve Totzke

President and Chief Commercial Officer Since being named Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer in 2018, Totzke has been responsible for driving Mattel’s growth in markets worldwide and overseeing Mattel’s unified global commercial organization, and a key pillar in the Company’s strategy to transform Mattel into an IP-driven, high-performing toy company. With the effectiveness of its transformation strategy and its turnaround now complete, the Company has evolved its strategy to grow Mattel’s IP-driven toy business and expand its entertainment offering.

PlayMonster: Dianne Lauble, Director, Inventor Relations

Lauble will expand the company’s growing relationships with the inventor community, while working to develop the company’s leadership and innovation with the next wave of inventors, creators, and designers in the toy, activity/craft and games industry. As a seasoned creative with over 35 years of experience in the toy industry, Lauble brings a rich history of toy invention and design, as well as directing global brands. As the new Director of Inventor Relations, Lauble’s collection of experiences bring forward an in-depth understanding and business acumen that exemplifies the creative spirit of the inventor community.

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