FEATURED CONTENT Meanwhile, Moose Toys has leaned on partnerships with influencers to create buzz for its launches. When COVID-19 halted television commercial production, the company turned to social media influencers to promote its Jelli Rez line. “We collaborated with top social media influencers to shoot high energy footage showcasing thier Jelli Rez creations,” Frankowski said. “Videos were compiled for the Jelli Rez TV commercial and posted on each creator’s account for a comprehensive social media-inspired campaign.” And for the launch of its licensed Collins Key game, Moose partnered with YouTube content creator duo Collins and Devan Key, who hosted a celebration event with fans via Instagram Live. “While in-person or in-retail launch events weren’t possible, we created fun virtual events,” Frankowski said. Virtual fan experiences Toy and game-focused live gatherings geared toward consumers can help establish a loyal fanbase and sense of community around products, companies, and brands. With festivals and conventions canceled, manufacturers sought to fill the gap virtually this year — and in doing so, discovered new ways to engage with fans. Hasbro launched its first-ever PulseCon event on September 25 and 26, a virtual fan convention streamed live on the Hasbro Pulse YouTube channel. The event featured panels, celebrity guests, musical performances, and product reveals — all of which fans could access from their computers, at home. “Given that many of the fan conventions were canceled this year, we wanted to bring some of the excitement and thrill that we normally see at these cons to our fans in a safe, meaningful way,” Eric Nyman, Chief Consumer Officer at Hasbro said. Virtual events also create the possibility of reaching a broader scope of fans globally. Each year, Breyer Horses hosts BreyerFest, an annual convention for horse fans and model horse hobbyists, which drew 34,500 attendees to Lexington, Kentucky in 2019. BreyerFest continued in 2020, this time virtually. “For 2020, BreyerFest went virtual and saw record attendance, drawing from all 50 states and over 100 countries overseas,” EVP of Brand and New Buisness Development Rick Rekedal said. Social media helped bolster the event as “influencers joined in with virtual BreyerFest offshoots of their own, creating a huge level of engagement, from our most veteran collectors to brand new fans.” Over the summer, Spin Master participated in tabletop gaming convention GenCon, which also went remote this year. VP of Omni Channel Marketing and Partnerships, Tor Sirset, explained that the company leveraged the opportunity “by creating an interactive, multi-day Titanic
Experience to introduce our new strategy game.” “We had over 20,000 people attend and experience our Virtual Showroom site,” Sirset continued. “We have created a unique experience for our buyers that provides brand theater and deeper engagement with products and properties.” Trade shows, reimagined This month, The Toy Association confirmed plans to postpone New York Toy Fair — which typically takes place each February — to May 1-4, 2021, at the Jacob K. Javits Center. This news came after The Toy Association announced that Toy Fair Dallas 2020, scheduled for this month, would not be taking place (the Association said it remains committed to hosting Toy Fair Dallas at the Dallas Market Center next October). Other major toy, licensing, and entertainment trade shows scheduled for this year — including Licensing Expo, ASTRA Marketplace & Academy, ABC Kids Expo, and more —were canceled, with some events slated for 2021 already being postponed. In a few cases, trade associations and show organizers have arranged virtual trade shows in lieu of live events — such as Toy Fair Everywhere, the ABC Virtual Trade Show, Festival of Licensing, and ASTRA Camp. Adapting to the virtual trade show experience comes with its challenges —but also some silver linings. In addition to exhibiting at virtual trade shows and expos, several manufacturers have launched their own digital showrooms or utilized video conferencing platforms like Zoom to host product previews, showcases, and other similar events that enable them to demonstrate product to buyers remotely. “Handling events digitally means we can quickly pivot and change things on the spot,” Goliath Games Director of Marketing Mary Higbe pointed out. This month, Goliath hosts Game Changers, a fully virtual, Goliath-centric preview of what’s to come in 2021. “Attendees will be treated to a world-class digital experience, and we’re working diligently to ensure that no detail is overlooked,” Higbe said. “We’re also able to provide a highly customized experience for each attendee.” PlayMonster CEO Bob Wann said that “it has been easier than we anticipated to show and demonstrate new product in a virtual format” at the trade shows PlayMonster has attended so far. “Additionally, it has been easier to get extra face time with key retailer partners because they’re all working from home with more accessibility within their busy schedules.” Though the Hong Kong Toys & Games Fair is still moving forward for January 2021, several companies are opting not to attend or remain on the fence about exhibiting. Abacus Brands CEO Steve Rad said his company will “most likely not October 2020 tfe 31
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