KAREN CLARKE, BRAND DIRECTOR, SMART TOYS AND GAMES “This will be our sixth year exhibiting at London Toy Fair and each year it becomes an even more important fixture in our strategic planning, providing the perfect kickstart to the year. We look forward to showcasing our new lines to the industry and engaging with all of the long-standing retailers that we work with, as well as meeting potential new ones. “Whether you want to magnetise the mind, or keep brains engaged – Smart Toys and Games have something on show for everyone in 2020.”
DENNIS BLACKMORE, MD AND FOUNDER, LEARNING RESOURCES “Learning Resources has exhibited at London Toy Fair for over 20 years. It’s a fantastic way to kick off the New Year. It brings together everything we love about the toy industry: the buzz, the innovation, and the chance to showcase our new toys and games to retailers, buyers and of course the media. “This year our team will present over 100 innovative products in the Early Years, Creative Play, Science, Maths, Reading, Home Learning, Coding and STEM categories.”
RENEE LEE, GLOBAL MARKETING DIRECOR, ZURU “We’re really excited to bring our newest category redefining product to market, especially following on from the phenomenal success of Boppi. What sets So Soft by Pets Alive apart from anything else on the market is the-new technology which allows for new levels of interactivity and emotional connection between the child and their robotic pet. “Robotic toys have historically lacked the true cuddle factor due to their hard, mechanical insides – we’re shaking up the sector with a truly ‘So-Soft’ pet. “I am also really excited about our partnership with One Tree Planted, as this gives us and our customers the opportunity to support sloths in a more meaningful way. The Amazon is under threat and is home to over 6 species of sloths – some of which are critically endangered – so through this new initiative we can make a difference while also informing kids and families about the need to support the Amazon rainforest.”
KATE GIBSON, MD, GIBSONS “We have attended Toy Fair almost every year since it began in 1954 and our Chairman has many fond memories of travelling down to Brighton to attend the show. Toy Fair is always the first chance for us to showcase our newest products and this year we will have brand new additions our Little Gibsons children’s range and our new game Pass the Bomb The Big One. “Having been a British company for 101 years, we feel a sense of pride when exhibiting in our capital, especially as we were once based in the West End’s Barrett Street, just a stone’s throw away from London Olympia. “Our main objective is to catch up with our customers as Toy Fair is the first opportunity for them to see our brand new puzzles, games and gifts. It is also important for us to network and we hope to meet new contacts and continue to build strong relationships for the future. We urge all to swing by our stand E40 to say hello!”
BEN HOGG, MARKETING MANAGER, ASMODEE UK “Toy Fair 2019 came at almost the exact same moment as did confirmation that Dobble had become the UK's biggestselling game, so we've grown even more fond of the show than we were already. This year, we're excited to treat it as a showcase of how we've built on that success and how we'll continue to build on it in 2020. “It's an opportunity for us to introduce the BrainBox range of educational games as a new part of our portfolio following the acquisition of Green Board Games. This makes Asmodee an even more complete one-stop shop for everything board games and sees us expand into two stands (E109 and E15) for the first time.”
BILLY LANGSWORTHY, COFOUNDER, MOJO NATION “Mojo Nation is looking forward to Toy Fair this year, where we will be meeting with designers, inventors, R&D execs, and inventor relations folks to talk about getting them involved with our array of events; be it conferences, pitching days, or networking nights. All in all, we want to ensure the best ideas don’t just stay ideas.” Jan/Feb 2020 | toy news | 139
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