Toys n Playthings April 2019

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Helping everyone sell more

2019 April No. 7 8 Vol. 3

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CONTENTS

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Regular 5 Leader – with Mark Naish 6 News – the latest toy industry headlines

019 April 2 No. 7 8 Vol. 3

Chairman

13 People news – all the movers and shakers 14 Media news – the multimedia rundown 17 Movie news – what’s happening on the big screen 18 Licensing news – the latest on licensed products

Malcolm Naish malcolm@lemapublishing.co.uk

20 Retail news – the latest from the retail landscape

Managing Director

30 What’s new – new products that you need to get your hands on

Mark Naish mark@lemapublishing.co.uk

Editor Mairead Wilmot mairead@lemapublishing.co.uk

Editor Georgie Dobie georgie@lemapublishing.co.uk

Media Solutions Manager Simon Davis simon@lemapublishing.co.uk

Writer Naomi MacKay naomi@lemapublishing.co.uk

Writer Sarah Welsh

Digital Publisher Mirella Anstey mirella@ltw.media

Digital Editor Rhys Thomas rhys@ltw.media

Production Director Paul Naish paul@lemapublishing.co.uk

Design and Production Marian McNamara marian@lemapublishing.co.uk

Circulation Manager Robert Thomas robert@lemapublishing.co.uk

Lema Publishing Ltd

PUBLISHING

1 Churchgates, The Wilderness, Berkhamsted, Herts, HP4 2UB Telephone: 01442 289930

At the heart of retail A member of the Audit Bureau of Circulation

Independently audited ABC circulation of 5,112

24 Talking retail – retailers talk about in-store activity

74 Step back in time – a slice of toy history from the industry’s longest-running magazine 75 Don’t miss – unmissable products for all buyers and retailers

Features 32 Pre-school – this category is vast and competitive, but brings huge rewards 57 Arts and crafts TnP Ambassador special – our tiny testers get crafty

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62 Action figures – there is no shortage of inspiration for the action figures category this year; in this issue we shine the spotlight on this enduring category 66 Sand, water and bubbles – this growing sector is full of sensory fun

Special Report 22 Retail interview – three of the toy category managers at Shop Direct tell us about the company’s plans for the future 28 Cover story – Character Options talks about bringing to market the biggest and best Peppa Pig range to date 69 Retail interview AIS special – Toys-UK chats to TnP about business, membership to the plaY-room toy buying group and the upcoming Independent Toy & Gift Show

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70 AIS Independent Toy & Gift Show preview – we take a look at this great show that attracts exhibitors and retailers of all sizes

Columnists 15 Media analysis - Generation Media considers whether TV advertising over the Easter period has changed in recent times 16 Gaining insight – Kids Insights explores the links between children’s favourite books and toys 25 Retail opinion – John Ryan reflects on how retailers can show off to stand out in the current retail climate

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26 The Independent/Secret Supplier – our dynamic duo explain why they will always champion the board game category

1 July 2017 to 30 June 2018

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Helping everyone sell more

The Independent

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LEADER Mark Naish

S Independently audited ABC circulation of 5,112 1 July 2017 to 30 June 2018

PUBLISHING

At the heart of retail Also by Lema Publishing

magazine

TableWare INTERNATIONAL

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While Avatar was hardly a licensing smash hit, it's still the highest-grossing movie of all time. The most obvious opportunities are X-Men and the Fantastic Four joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe with both due another reboot. This will undoubtedly create more licensing opportunities as the licensing agreements relating to both properties from the movies were hampered because Fox was not able to license out the movie versions – this is likely to change.

One major reason for the Fox purchase concerns the soon-to-be launched Disney streaming service, imaginatively called Disney+. To take on the likes of Netflix, Disney needed more than its (admittedly vast and mostly high-quality) content. With Fox's entire movie and TV content at its disposal it has instantly addressed this now.

Peppa Pig turns 15 this year and to mark the occasion Character Options – master toy partner for Peppa since 2005 – has brought to market its biggest Peppa range to date. Don’t miss Character Options' cover story on page 28, where we learn its plans for the Peppa Pig range this year.

In this issue, we look at the pre-school sector – an arena in which suppliers continue to grow their ranges and introduce new ones. This has created a market that is competitive and vast – and full of innovation.

We have also sought out some of the best action figure toys available to consumers this year. The exciting category of sand, water and bubbles gets a thorough inspection just in time for summer. And our little testers get crafty with Aquabeads from Epoch Making Toys and a new line from Wilton Bradley that will launch later this year.

And of course, there’s plenty more to keep you entertained on your coffee break, as we speak to Shop Direct and Toys-UK about how their businesses are evolving.

We also look ahead to the upcoming AIS Independent Toy & Gift Show.

The Entertainer stores achieved 17.3 per cent growth, showing that bricksand-mortar retailing is far from dead

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A member of the Audit Bureau of Circulation

pring is in the air, the clocks have sprung forward, evenings are longer and the world is still completely bonkers. By the time you read this we may be out of the EU with no deal, in it with a deal no one likes or somewhere in between!

Whichever side of the fence you sit on regarding Brexit – or indeed anything political – I think we can all agree that our politicians have acted poorly with little thought of the realities their behaviour and decision-making (or lack thereof) creates.

Not wanting to make light of the challenges Brexit presents, but it doesn't appear to have affected The Entertainer, with the recent announcement of its 2018 figures (though it could be argued they would have been more stellar without it). Total sales increased by 21.7 per cent to £197m, with profits increasing 31 per cent to £15m.

Given the parlous state of retail these are very impressive numbers; in fact these would be great numbers at any time.

What is really interesting is that The Entertainer stores achieved 17.3 per cent growth, showing that bricks-andmortar retailing is far from dead.

Sales via toyshop.co.uk grew by 38 per cent across the year.

We publish titles across seven retail channels – these are the strongest results by any retailer in any of those areas. This year is still to play for and nothing is guaranteed, but I expect The Entertainer will continue to punch just as hard.

Prior to the publication of its impressive 2018 results, The Entertainer bought Early Learning Centre for £13.5m. We are reminded that Mothercare purchased the pre-school specialist retailer in 2007 for £85m, so it could be argued that Entertainer boss Gary Grant got a bargain.

Particularly when you consider that we reported in June 2007 that Mothercare also took on £36m of debt in the process. The deal will allow Mothercare to pay off some of the debt that is causing the retailer problems. So all round, this looks like a great win and ELC is in great hands!

Talking of takeovers, now Disney has completed its acquisition of 20th Century Fox, it has taken the entertainment giant to an unprecedented size. What effect this will have on licensing remains to be seen, however given that Avatar will now be owned by Disney and with four films in development – the first of which is scheduled for release in December 2021. Star Wars was originally going to release at the same time, though this had already been paused. So it will be interesting to see what Disney does – two tent pole movies clashing and the inevitable effect it will have on the sales of licensed toys (Solo toys arguably suffered last year with such a close release date to Avengers Infinity War).

NEWS

The Entertainer snaps up ELC The Entertainer has acquired The Early Learning Centre (ELC) from Mothercare.

ELC operates within 80 Mothercare stores in the UK, 400 stores internationally through franchise partners and online at www.elc.co.uk.

The acquisition also extends to ELC’s portfolio of well-known British toy brands, including Happyland, although Mothercare will retain around £6 million worth of current inventory to sell in the next few months.

In a statement, the nursery and pre-school retailer says it no longer has “the necessary capital, resources or scale in this category to continue to invest and develop the own-brand ELC toys needed to maximise returns from this specialist brand”.

Mothercare hopes the agreement will expand and strengthen “an improved toy retailing proposition” in its own stores through The Entertainer, as well as improved

supply to ELC franchisees and partners overseas.

“We are delighted to add ELC to The Entertainer family,” says Gary Grant, Founder and Executive Chairman of The Entertainer. “It comes with a rich history as a much-loved British brand, supporting parents and grandparents with their children’s early years’ learning, development and play.

“We will look to bring new life to the product offering while maintaining the high level of quality ELC is renowned for. By combining our experience with that of ELC’s passionate and capable partners around the world we look forward to re-invigorating the brand for generations to come.”

The ELC purchase follows an exciting year of growth for The Entertainer, which saw 16 new stores open in the UK, 5 more internationally and the acquisition of Spanish toy retailer Poly, adding a further 57 stores to its portfolio.

Green Board Games heads to Autism Expo The Green Board Game Company (GBG) exhibited at the AKO Autism Awareness Expo, at Brunel University last month.

The event is a forum created for those needing more insightful information about autism, providing a platform where people can consult with experts and get educational and legal advice.

GBG displayed a host of inclusive cross-age/ ability play product for parents, teachers, carers and children to try out. Games included Story Cards and examples from the BrainBox range, such as the My First BrainBox games.

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Disney seals Fox deal

Disney has completed its $71.3 billion takeover of 21st Century Fox. The move sees the entertainment giant expand its properties and media brands, as it gets set to take on the might of Netflix with the launch of Disney+ later this year.

Some of the properties that now come under the Disney umbrella include Fox’s film and TV studio, National Geographic, and Endemol Shine Group.

It also means that Disney now owns big names such as The Simpsons and Avatar, the highest-ever grossing movie. X-Men also gets reunited with the rest of the Marvel characters.

Disney employees and their new colleagues from Fox now await news of staff changes and layoffs as higher-ups look to remove conflicting roles and cut back on positions now made redundant.

Job losses are expected to reach into the thousands, potentially as high as 4,000.

After a bidding war with Comcast that drove the price up $19bn from Disney’s original $52.4bn offer, the deal with Rupert Murdoch’s media empire has been sitting in limbo at the hands of global competition authorities since December 2017. After securing the greenlight from US, European and Chinese watchdogs – in most cases with provisos to shed certain strands in the interest of consumer choice – the last domino to fall was Mexico, which backed the deal earlier this month.

With Disney busy folding Fox into its corporate structure, Fox lives on as Fox Corporation, a new standalone company that will run the parts of Fox that Disney left on the table: Fox Sports, Fox Broadcasting and Fox News. The slimmed-down company is headed up by Chairman and CEO Lachlan Murdoch.

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Boxy Girls hit the catwalk Character Options has released footage of its real-life Boxy Girls catwalk show featuring four influencer winners at a New York loft-style studio in Manchester.

The event, which took place during half term, was the culmination of months of online seeding marking the UK launch of the fashion-forward girls doll brand. The winners entered the competition via Instagram, depicting their very own Boxy Girls style.

Boxy Girls are a new collection of dolls that bring together fashion and unboxing. Each Boxy Girl character doll has her own style and comes complete with four branded cartons with cool fashion surprises inside with which to style them.

The brand launched in late December in the UK. TV advertising and online microsites accompanied the launch together with the ‘My Boxy Girls Style’ Catwalk initiative.

Hamleys CEO resigns The Generation game Four members of the team from media planning and buying communication agency Generation Media got their running shoes on for charity last month.

Jonathan Chambers, Josh Quirke, Imogen Llewellyn and Jacob Gardner took part in The Vitality Big Half. They were joined at the Tower Bridge start line by illustrious names such as Sir Mo Farah, David Weir CBE and Charlotte Purdue.

Fundraising to date (which began in November 2018 with Generation Media’s KidCon18) has exceeded £2,000 and will continue through to the Toy Trust Big Challenge 2019 where the aim is to have at least 10 participants in events ranging from the 5km Walk to the Triathlon.

The Toy Trust Big Challenge 2019 will take place on Saturday 8 June at Oxford Wet n Wild in Wallingford, Oxfordshire.

Toy Trust is a Children’s Charity raising money for young disadvantaged and disabled children across London and the UK. You can donate at www.justgiving.com - search for Generation Media.

Board Game Club turns five Board Game Club marked the organisation’s fifth birthday with a grown-up games night at London’s Century Club in Soho.

On the menu were Board Game Club favourites from the past five years as well as some newer titles.

Guests also took part in a Ztringz challenge – tackling the colourful cat’s cradle craze from Jazwares.

Board Game Club was founded by Playtime PR’s Lesley Singleton and Toyologist Peter Jenkinson back in 2014.

APRIL 2019

Another Hamleys boss has left the iconic toy retailer as it searches for a new owner.

Chief Executive Ralph Cunningham has resigned, and been replaced by former House of Fraser finance chief Yong Shen.

Shen replaced the then head of finance Alexander Jablonowski, who left the company five months ago.

The latest developments have raised questions about the link

between Hamleys owner C.banner and the former owner of House of Fraser, Sanpower. The chair of Sanpower is the brother-in-law of C.banner chairman Chen Yixi.

Hamleys recorded a pre-tax loss of £12 million in the year to December 31 2017, compared with a £2.6 million profit in the same period of 2016.

The retailer blamed the loss on tough trading conditions, and its failure to make a transformation plan.

Funko writes its own future Collectables brand Funko is getting into the business of creating original stories in a new series of books heading to retail this summer.

The book series will be based on designs and characters from Wetmore Forest, Funko’s own IP. The brand was created to depict an enchanting forest and encourage exploration and discovery among Funko fans. Wetmore Forest is a relatively recent introduction, a fictional universe filled with colourful, wacky monsters such as big-eared Bugsy Wingnut and Tumblebee, a loveable oaf with gold and black stripes.

Meanwhile, in the US, Funko has hit a home run with its latest marketing stunt, renaming the home of local Minor League Baseball Team the Everett AquaSox Funko Field.

For the next six years, Funko will be the naming rights partner for the home team, with signage on the field and around the stadium, as well as branding on ballpark staff uniforms. Additionally, all Friday home games will be designated ‘Funko Fridays’, complete with promotions and giveaways for AquaSox ticket holders.

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NEWS Barbie’s sweet 60

Supporting kids in crisis Spin Master has extended its partnership with Save the Children to deliver toys and ‘safe spaces’ to vulnerable children in Kenya as part of its to charity initiative, the Toy Movement.

“Our goal for the Toy Movement is to help kids be kids, no matter where they live,” said Ronnen Harary, Co-Chief Executive Officer, Spin Master. “Children faced with conflict or war are being deprived of the basic benefits and joy of play, negatively impacting their lives and generations to come.”

Bill Chambers, President and CEO of Save the Children added: “Together, we are advancing the fundamental right to play for children in areas of political conflict and unrest, aiding in their learning and development and ultimately giving kids the chance to just be kids.”

Iconic fashion doll Barbie celebrated her 60th birthday last month with a host of events around the world.

The Barbie You Can Be Anything celebration popped up at 10 Smyths toy store locations, inviting fans to imagine themselves in different careers and enjoy fun birthday-themed experiences.

In London, Argos Old Street invited fans to an exhibition showing archive dolls throughout the decades, while Hamleys in Regent St had a Barbie celebratory takeover with in-store parties with an amazing interactive display that invited kids to dream big and take a photo with the Barbie window that asks, ‘What Will You Be?’.

In New York City, Barbie’s birthday event was a pop-up experience with an interactive exhibit celebrating the brand’s past, present and future of breaking plastic ceilings.

Across the world landmarks such as New York’s Empire State Building, Tokyo’s Skytree and Sydney’s Bondi Beach were all lit up in Barbie’s signature pink.

Barbie also launched a new vlog called ‘Finding Your Voice’; the Barbie Vlogger joined YouTube Kids as an editor with a curated playlist of inspiring videos.

Barbie Vlogger was given this honour because she has become a top girl influencer on YouTube with over 108 million views and Barbie partnered with Makers UK to highlight female models. Barbie & Makers invited girls to participate in Role Models workshops with inspiring videos to go live on International Women’s Day. The brand also unveiled a 60th anniversary doll, a 60th anniversary Career Doll collection and a special edition Proudly Pink doll.

FUN FACTS • Barbie’s full name is Barbara Millicent Roberts.

• Barbie’s official birthday is March 9, 1959 – the date she was unveiled to the toy industry during New York Toy Fair.

• Barbie first appeared in the now-famous black-and-white striped swimsuit.

• Barbie was joined by boyfriend Ken in 1961.

• The first Barbie doll was sold for $3.

Ken Clarke to speak at BTHA event

Clementoni signs up Harry Clementoni has completed a new deal to produce and distribute puzzles featuring the Harry Potter licence across the UK and Europe.

The range will cover adult and kids’ prducts including including Impossible 1000-piece, Panorama 1000-piece, and a Special Edition 1000-piece in a Harry Potter-style briefcase presentation box.

The collection will carry striking imagery from the franchise and is set to launch in May 2019.

Shahbaz Khan, UK Country Manager of Clementoni UK, says: “We can’t wait to be part of the Harry Potter family for 2019.”

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Veteran MP Ken Clarke will present the keynote speech at the British Toy & Hobby Association Toy Industry Day in July.

The event will take place on Wednesday 3 July at Great Fosters Hotel in Surrey.

Ken, the longestserving member of Parliament, has held various top ministerial posts including Chancellor of the Exchequer and Home Secretary and remains a lively commentator and speaker.

Tickets for the day, which includes the BTHA AGM and an opportunity to network with industry peers, are £50 plus VAT. Apply online at www.btha.co.uk.

Recycla’L.O.L.s MGA is tackling waste packaging by partnering with Terracycle – a company that specialises in environmentally friendly repurposing of non-recyclable plastics or materials that are hard to recycle.

Families will soon be able to box up their L.O.L. bags, boxes and plastic orbs, request a shipping label online and send the lot off to Terracycle for disposal.

“We all must do our part to save this beautiful planet for the next generation,” said MGA CEO Isaac Larian.

L.O.L. fans in the US will be the first to take advantage of the scheme. It will be rolled out later in 2019 to international markets.

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NEWS Big changes at LEGO Jump for Joie The HTI Group has signed a new three-year global deal with the UK nursery brand Joie to produce a range of replica prams and pushchairs for children’s dolls.

Alison Downie, Global Licensing and Brand Director, HTI Group, says: “We are thrilled to be partnering with a leading nursery brand such as Joie - this is a brand we have watched grow rapidly over the past couple of years so it’s an honour to be able to bring a range of replica dolls prams and pushchairs to the toy market.”

David Welsh, Managing Director at Joie, says: “It’s great to see our award-winning products recreated in a small, friendly format for children across the world to play with.”

The LEGO group is looking at two big changes at the top.

Former president and CEO Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen, the thirdgeneration owner of LEGO, is stepping down from the board.

Kjeld, the grandson of LEGO founder Ole Kirk Kristiansen, will stay on as Chairman of the board at Kirkbi, the family holding company behind the Danish toy company, and the LEGO Foundation.

Stepping down represents the “next step” in handing down the business to the next generation, Kjeld says. He will hand over the reins to his son Thomas, the Deputy Chairman.

LEGO has also appointed JJ Van Oosten as Chief Digital Officer.

He will join the company’s Executive Leadership Team and report directly to the CEO, Niels B. Christiansen. JJ has more than 25 years’ experience in digital leadership roles. He was notably Chief Digital Officer of German retailer REWE, where he oversaw all aspects of the digital agenda, including e-commerce operations, technology infrastructure and digital marketing.

Got what it takes?

The Outdoor Playtime Awards 2019 are now open to entrants!

Organised by industry experts at Toyology, the Outdoor Toy Awards have announced a partnership with DC Thomson Media. Through their 110% gaming and Sweet magazines, the Outdoor Toy Awards will reach an even wider audience.

Kirsty Matthews, Head of Magazine Marketing at DC Thompson, says: “Getting kids outdoors and active and having loads of fun is totally

Host a teepee party Parents can host their own sleepovers featuring quality wooden toys from Hape, using hireable party packages from PlayChest.

My Teepee Adventure Sleepover Party is an immersive indoor sleepover experience that boasts three of Hape’s premium Teepees, complete with extra-thick sleeping mats and LED lighting, perfect for sleeping up to six. Complete an immersive outdoor adventure in the comfort of your own home with the projector to create a stunning night sky on your own living room ceiling. Meanwhile, the outdoor sound effect CD creates an enchanted forest atmosphere.

There’s plenty to keep everyone entertained, with a selection of premium Hape games and traditional camping games that are perfect for all ages.

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aligned with the messages from our magazines” The categories are: climbing and adventure, sport and splash fun, outdoor games, flying toys, ride on, trampolines, pre-school, outdoor play, battle and blaster toys, houses, tents and How to enter hideaways, science To get your brand involved, visit the website: and nature.

www.theoutdoortoyawards.co.uk

A winner in Walmart’s eyes VTech, acclaimed for its age-appropriate and developmental electronic learning products for children, has announced that it received the Walmart Supplier of the Year Award in the Toy category.

“We are honoured to be recognisßed by Walmart and receive such a meaningful acknowledgement from a valued partner,” said Andy Keimach, President, VTech Electronics North America. “We are proud of the work we’ve been able to accomplish together and look forward to continued success with our ongoing partnership.”

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Star-studded slime Celebrities, influencers and press were out in full force for the UK launch of Poopsie Sparkly Critters and Cutie Tooties – the newest collectables from best-selling brand Poopsie Slime Surprise

by MGA Entertainment.

The VIP event attracted celebrity fans and their families, including Ryan Thomas, Becky Vardy and Lisa Snowdon, as well as popular YouTubers including Creative Celeste.

Activity saw the venue transformed into a Unicorn Universe, with an imaginative fun photo moment sat on a giant sparkly branded toilet, Poopsie slime play and more.

Celebs and influencers took to Instagram to share pictures of their little ones enjoying the brand launch and getting caught short on the Poopsie Slime Surprise toilet, achieving a total reach of over 30 million throughout the event.

“Following a hugely successful Christmas sales period, we knew we wanted to launch the Sparkly Critters and Cutie Tooties collectables with a bang,” says Emma Walker, Senior Brand Manager at MGA. “The event was a huge success, achieving cut-through across celebrity, influencer and press social channels and generating exciting buzz for the brand.

With new product launches on the horizon for autumn we are looking forward to seeing the brand continue to go from strength to strength.”

Sparkly Critters and Cutie Tooties are the newest product ranges to launch from Poopsie Slime Surprise – combining the ongoing trend for slime with collectable magical characters in imaginative blind packaging.

Experiential PR, digital and social support will continue to reinforce the 5$9B7Q3B+DOI3DJHB$SULO B),1$/ SGI launch campaign throughout the season.

Boppi shakes its way to the top Boppi the Booty Shakin Llama danced off with the top prize at the Australian Ty of the Year Awards.

Boppi, which is distributed by Tobar in the UK, also scooped the title of Electronic Toy of the Year.

Other awards included: Australian Development Award: Hair Dooz Cutie Case Action Toy of the Year: Treasure X: Aliens Single Pack Collectable Range of the Year: LEGO Minifigures (71023) Construction Range of the Year: Vex Robotics Offroad Truck

by Hexbug Craft & Activity Toy of the Year: TYBO - Design Studio Construction Range of the Year: Vex Robotics Offroad Truck

by Hexbug Doll of the Year: SNAPSTAR - Big Wheel Toys Educational Product of the Year: Lalaboom Interconnected Beads and Accessories 36pc tub Games Toy of the Year: Tiny Pong Hobby Product of the Year: Jigpix Smart Jigsaw Puzzle Infant/Pre-School Toy of the Year: Imaginext DC Super Friends Transforming Batmobile RC Outdoor Toy of the Year: Rollplay Nighthawk Plush Toy of the Year: BiGiggles 8 Inch Talking Plush Teddy Specialty Toy of the Year Award: Project Thunder The Licensed Property Award winners were: Boys Licence: Marvel Avengers Infinity Wars Girls Licence: L.O.L Surprise Best Promotional Campaign: Jojo Siwa Pre-School Licence: PJ Masks Boutique Licence: Entertainment & Character: Hey Duggee

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APRIL 2019

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NEWS Fuelling a passion for STEM Red Rabbits Schleich UK is running its latest retail initiative as Red Rabbits come to play in shop displays across the UK and Ireland.

Schleich’s Easter campaign, which began on 18 March, will run for four weeks with all retailers receiving a red rabbit figure to hide amongst its Schleich displays in store. The aim is for customers to find and photograph the bright red rabbit figurine as a part of a social media picture competition.

Prizes worth a total of £1,000 are up for grabs for 20.

Customers will also be able to hunt down huge red bunnies that stand at over a metre tall, as 10 major store partners will also be displaying a giant version as part of their Easter Schleich displays.

Paul Dearlove, Trade Marketing Manager, commented: “This is just the first of many initiatives we have across retail this year that will echo the major uplift in marketing support we are giving our customers in 2019.”

Little Tikes goes big for anniversary The Little Tikes headquarters was transformed into a huge play zone at the start of celebrations for the company’s 50th anniversary.

The headquarters became a Play Big space, and everyone at MGA Entertainment, the brand’s parent company, was invited to join in the party.

The team enjoyed sliding down the huge Little Tikes slide into a ball pool filled with more than 67,000 thousand balls, and adult-sized versions of its iconic Cozy Coupes were used to travel around the office for the day.

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Spin Master has once again attended The Big Bang UK Young Scientists & Engineers Fair at Birmingham’s NEC. This is the largest celebration of science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) for young people in the UK. Speaking about Spin Master’s continued support of the popular Fair, Becca Hanlon, Senior Brand Manager for Meccano, said: “We are delighted to once again bring Meccano to this fantastic event and provide our popular activity for young visitors to enjoy. It’s always a rewarding experience to get Meccano into the hands of keen and enquiring minds and help ignite and further fuel their passion for science and engineering as

potential study subjects.”

Spin Master’s Meccano stand combined fun with learning, giving the opportunity to follow step-by-step instructions to build a wide variety of cars, bikes, planes, and more. Alternatively, visitors could design and construct their own creations.

In 2013, Spin Master purchased the Meccano brand, which is over 100 years old.

Did you kNOW? Following nine years of consecutive growth, Ravensburger is upbeat about being seven per cent up in games and puzzles for January 2019. Its success in the first part of the year comes after 2018 NPD data showed Ravensburger as the fastest-growing games supplier in the top 10.

For Ravensburger, the focus continues to be on delivering great individual products that consumers love, and the company is excited by its new games and puzzle launches this year.

Building on the success of Disney Villainous, Labyrinth, Bugs in the Kitchen and Harry Potter Pictopia comes Google kNOW!, the always-current quiz game, and world’s first board game developed in collaboration with Google.

Other highlights include Monster Splat, Bugacula, Jaws and Ramses and, for younger children, fun, simple-to-play games based on Toy Story 4, Frozen 2 and Peppa Pig.

Held in high regard Reputation Institute has released the annual RepTrak100 survey. For the ninth year in a row, the LEGO Group is ranked in the Top 10 and it has maintained its rank from last year as the second-most highly regarded company in the world when it comes to corporate reputation.

CEO of the LEGO Group, Niels B. Christiansen, says: “We are very happy and humbled to maintain such high regard by the public. It reflects the dedication our employees show every day to bring LEGO play to children all over the world.”

The RepTrak100 study developed by Reputation Institute measures the corporate reputation of 100 companies by asking the public in 15 countries questions about the emotional appeal of each company.

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PEOPLE

NEWS

Rob Trup runs for Toy Trust

Mattel names new chairman Mattel has a new Chair for its board of directors in the shape of Ynon Kreiz.

Kreizx has been on the board for nearly two years and succeeds Christpher Sinclair, who has retired.

Kreiz was formerly Chief Executive and Chairman at Maker Studios, which was bought by Walt Disney five years ago.

Kreiz also led independent TV company Endemol Group, and is a Director at Warner Music Group.

Mattel has been grappling with challenging retail trends including the bankruptcy of Toys R Us, and recently rebuffed approaches from rival toymaker Hasbro.

Nigel Kay

Gareth Mitchell

Bandai posts are go Bandai UK has appointed Nigel Kay as Sales Director.

He will lead the UK sales team across all Bandai UK brands, including Robozuna, Thunderbirds Are Go, Bananas, Pomsies and Rescue Runts.

Nigel comes equipped with more than 16 years’ experience in the toy industry, having held roles with big brands such as Hasbro – where he spent more than seven years managing the Toy Specialist channel and, more recently, the Growth Channel – and Mattel, where he was responsible for formulating a new business/business development strategy.

Gareth Mitchell has been hired as Operations Manager. Gareth has spent 14 years in home entertainment retail, with roles at Virgin Retail (Virgin Megastores) as Stock Control Manager and with Entertainment UK as Blu Ray/DVD Merchandise Planning Manager.

APRIL 2019

Fiesta Craft’s Rob Trup took on a half marathon last month to raise funds towards the Toy Trust’s 2019 charity target.

The self-confessed “first-timer” triumphed both in and out of his running trainers, setting a new PB of two hours six minutes over the 13-mile course and raising more than three times his £500 fundraising target.

“I found it tough, but loved the carnival atmosphere of the Big Half and managed to smile all the way, despite the wind and rain,” Rob tells TnP. Rob’s charity pot currently sits at £1,700, but further donations are welcome.

Rob was joined by fellow toy industry “not a runner” Jacqueline Taylor-Foo, MD of Melissa and Doug, who is also raising money for the Toy Trust and Fence Club, fuelled by “sheer determination”.

You can donate on their pages at https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com.

Siso signs up regional sales agency Siso Toys UK, the new UK subsidiary of the Simba Dickie Group, has appointed Outsourced Sales Solutions (OSS) to grow its business with Toymaster and independent retailers.

The new team includes: David Larter - North of England; Rob Daykin - Lincolnshire, Leicestershire & Nottinghamshire; James McRandle Ireland & IOM; Paul Hayward - Derbyshire, Staffordshire, Manchester, Lancashire & North Wales; Jean-Claude Bergot London & South East England; Mark Sharp - West Midlands, Cheltenham, Gloucester, Oxfordshire, South Wales & South West; Graham Burnett - Scotland, Shetland and Orkney Islands; and Raymond Nedas - Norfolk, Suffolk, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Herts, Essex, Northamptonshire, Cambridgeshire.

“The appointment of OSS is an

important step in shaping our business to deliver upon the strategic growth vision we set out to deliver. Toymaster and Independent toy retailers are an important retail channel for Siso Toys UK and with OSS, we are confident we can grow our footprint within the channel and our overall business,’’ adds Martin Whitaker, Managing Director, Siso Toys UK. Outsourced Sales Solutions’ team of reps will start presenting Siso’s 2019 line-up to their retail customers effective immediately.

Greg Bass is Magic Magic Box UK has appointed Greg Bass as UK & Ireland National Account Manager.

Greg will be responsible for managing the National and Key accounts in the Toy Channel.

Greg has spent six years in the toy industry, both at Schleich and Epoch, where he was Operations Manager.

Magic Box is home to popular collectables ranges SuperZings and MojiPops.

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MEDIA

NEWS

Funko gets h-app-y Funko has given its fans an app that will help them keep track of their collections. Available for iOS and Android devices, the app is a relaunched and refreshed version of forerunner Stashpedia, a free collecting tracker app the Pop!-maker acquired.

It gives collectors an all-in-one tool to catalogue their Pop! Vinyls and other collectables. It also allows them to plan for new acquisitions with a wish list feature, and browse a catalogue of more than 17,000 items. Fans can find what they want by filtering by product brand, characteristic, exclusives, licences, release year and retailer and by scanning bar codes.

“We’re thrilled that Funko fans now have one place to track their collection,” says Funko’s Chief Marketing Officer Molly Hartney.

“Throughout development, the team took customer and fan feedback to create an app experience with real-time information that Funko fans can access 24-7.”

The app is already a hit with fans, Current including Jason Grohoske, who says: product prices “Being able to house all of your items in come from Pop one place is awesome. Instead of going Price Guide. back and forth between multiple sites, it’s one touch for it all.”

Fact!

Powerpuff girls turn 20

House of mouse 2019 will see the launch of the Disney+ streaming channel. Its landing page currently features a series of logos – Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars and the National Geographic – suggesting a broad content offering.

Bob Ignor, CEO, Walt Disney Co, said the service will launch later this year and will combine ‘library product’, movies, and television, with a lot of original product. Soon after launch, it will house the entire Disney motion picture library, so movies traditionally kept in a ‘vault’ and brought out every few years will be on the service.

Following Disney’s acquisition of Fox, Disney+ will be even more viable if it adds other desirable TV shows and films from Fox’s library.

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Cartoon Network is celebrating the birthday of The Powerpuff Girls in Asia with #Empowerpuff, a movement that embraces empowerment and puts the spotlight on driven girls, young ladies and women who are Asia’s game changers.

It’s 20 years since the supercute/super-fierce trio first used their awesome powers to save the world before bedtime.

Over the next few months, Cartoon Network will premiere a series of short-form content on its social and digital platforms featuring trailblazers making a name for themselves.

Fisher-Price extends podcast deal Fisher-Price is continuing its sponsorship of parenting podcast Happy Mum Happy Baby.

The first series of the podcast, by Giovanna Fletcher, author and wife of McFly star Tom Fletcher, was the number one kids and family podcast, boasting more than 700,000 downloads.

The latest series will see Giovanna interview celebrities, TV presenters and influencers about parenting experiences.

There will also be an exclusive Fisher-Price episode, creating an opportunity for the brand to talk to parents about the importance of child development and early learning, using the brand message of Lets Kids Be Kids, encouraging children to explore, discover and develop at their own pace and in their own way.

Google’s Stadia to take kids’ gaming to next level Market intelligence resource The Insights People has identified Google’s cloud gaming platform Stadia as the next big thing in kids’ gaming.

The Insights People team has been talking about the opportunity for an organisation to establish itself as the ‘YouTube for gaming’ for the past two years.

The Insights People have also noted over the same period how gaming is now the most popular sector within the entertainment industry, being largely driven by the rise of mobile gaming. However, while the gaming sector as a whole continues to increase, console ownership is now decreasing.

Nick Richardson, CEO of The Insights People, said: “Google’s timing is perfect to launch Stadia. Much of the success of Stadia will depend on uptake though – online gamers regularly complain about the lag between performing an action on their controller and the action Stadia was known as being performed in-game, Project Stream when in so uptake of Stadia really development, and is due will depend on how well the for release in late 2019.

Stadia controller performs.”

Fact!

tnp.media

MEDIA

ANALYSIS

Eggstra, Eggstra!

E

aster is just around the corner – so get ready for that Easter egg hunt, gorging on chocolate eggs and the long bank holiday weekend. With this time of the year comes an influx of toys and games commercials battling it out to reach their target audience. At Easter, the idea is to reach parents who are looking to invest not only in the traditional abundance of chocolate, but also the latest toys to keep children entertained over the holiday period.

If we cast our mind back 10 Companies years, the toys and games ad must ensure market was not quite as vast as it is today. Across the 2009 Easter that TV school holidays, there were 104 campaigns are toys and games commercials working harder, on TV. Every year after (up until and extend 2017) the volume of campaigns increased by a further 10-11 per campaigns with cent. This meant that by the time supplementary we reached the Easter period media coverage in 2016, a whopping 199 toys and games commercials were being transmitted. Children were therefore seeing 51 more campaigns versus 2013, equating to an additional 3,040 Children’s 4-15 TVRs in the market.

Fast-forward to Easter 2018 and despite the increased variation, we saw an impressive 183 campaigns deployed – a remarkable 75 per cent increase on 2009!

If we look back through the years, we see the top campaigns largely focused on products of a lower price point, with numerous collectable campaigns featuring at the top of the rankings.

One advertiser in particular has been noted to dominate the space

“

in recent years – Panini. Panini World Cup and Euro Sticker Collections have taken the number one position over Easter for five of the 10 years across 2009-2018. To take 2016 as an example (the year of the last World Cup), we saw that over only a 16-day window, Panini had delivered more than 6,400 spots equating to more than 610 Children’s 4-15 TVRs (converting to more than 960 Boys 4-9 TVRs). To provide context, this campaign was three times the size of the second most advertised toys and games campaign across this time frame!

So, with Easter fast approaching, will we see an increase in advertisers versus last year?

Well, if we look at the first two months of the year, we can see that January-February saw only five fewer campaigns on air versus the same period in 2018, indicating that the volume of advertisers investing remains fairly consistent YoY. The dominance of campaigns for collectables has continued this year. The largest campaigns deployed include Flair’s Moshi Monsters, Character Options’ Mighty Beans and Pokémon Trading Cards. In fact, seven of the top 10 campaigns are for products of a collectable nature (see table).

With the sheer volume of campaigns potentially on the horizon, it is more important than ever that campaigns cut through in a busy marketplace.

Companies must ensure that TV campaigns are working harder, and extend campaigns with supplementary media coverage to reach the target audience. For Spin Master assistance in this area, please feel free to get in touch.

Alex TaylorSmith of Generation Media considers whether TV advertising over the Easter period has changed in recent times

“

Character Options

Flair

Did you know?

Seven of the top 10 toys and games campaigns run between January and February 2019 are for products of a collectable nature.

Ranking

Campaign (Jan – Feb 19)

EQ CH TVRs

1

Flair Moshi Monsters Egg Hunt

289

2

Character Options Mighty Beanz

286

3

Pokemon Trading Cards

285

4

Spin Master Off The Hook

274

5

Spin Master Train Your Dragon Figure

262

6

Character Options Boxy Girls

259

7

Spin Master Hatchimals Colleggtible

257

8

K'Nex Cutetitos Collectables

253

9

Lego Movie 2 Playsets

244

10

Spin Master Paw Patrol Rescue

231

Source: DDS, 2019. Ranked by CH Eq TVRs.

Generation Media is the UK and Ireland’s largest independent media buyer of toys and games advertising. Visit generationmedia.co.uk or call 0207 307 7900 to learn more.

APRIL 2019

1

CONSUMER

INSIGHT

A toy-book connection Having recently presented at both the Quantum conference and the London Book Fair, this month The Insights People explore the links between children’s favourite books and toys

O

ur data continues to highlight that this generation of parents and kids are super-informed, constantly connected, with quite distinct attitudes, behaviour and values from their predecessors. Their expectations of content are subsequently quite different, which in turn leads to them consuming their chosen content differently; they are increasingly looking to interact with and shape the content they consume.

Children have more entertainment options than ever before, across gaming, social media, TV, informal streaming such as YouTube and formal streaming, such as Netflix. But in spite of the extensive on-screen content options, our latest Trends Report found that most children still ‘read for fun’ regularly, with 85 per cent of four- to 18-year olds reading in some form for leisure every week – a number that remained stable throughout 2018.

With so much content to watch, books to read, toys to play with, and characters to explore, there is an inference that children become immersed in content and entertainment around a small number of things. As children become highly focused on specific interests, an increasing number of different and distinct groups of children emerge with unique characteristics, meaning that alongside increased media and content fragmentation, brands, publishers and content producers have increasingly fragmented audiences.

As the landscape continues to evolve, the need for intelligent insights increases.

Our entirely bespoke, award-winning data portal allows subscribers to view and analyse our data for themselves. The knowledge that can be gained and the opportunities that can be explored offer clients a dynamic advantage.

Let’s take the example of

Children’s favourite books, ages 4-12, Oct-Dec 2018

children who read for fun regularly – it would seem these children interact with toys differently. Our data shows a correlation between a child’s reading habits and the amount of time they spend playing with toys. We find when a child is less likely to read, they are also less likely to spend much time playing with toys.

Children aged four to six who don’t read anything for fun are 43 per cent more likely to play with toys for less than one hour per week, compared with children who do read, and present an opportunity for character-based toys.

We can also explore differences between favourite books and toy habits.

Looking at data over the past 12 months, the favourite book title of all girls aged four to nine was Harry Potter, followed by The Gruffalo, Peppa Pig, Horrid Henry and Peter Rabbit. However, by cross-tabulating the data, we can focus on children whose favourite toy is for example L.O.L. and find they have an entirely different favourite book – Matilda – one of several Roald Dahl stories set to get a new lease of life via Netflix. The Netflix shows will give already popular characters more room to expand their reach by delivering new content for this generation of fans, paving the way for associated toys and other merchandise.

We also found the favourite book of all four- to 10-year-olds is Harry Potter. These fans are 40 per cent more likely than average to purchase trading cards and 20 per cent more likely to buy slime.

These examples demonstrate how our data could offer brands the opportunity to engage with fans and tap into the specific interests of each cohort of followers.

Our annual Future Forecast report reflects on data gathered across the year; we use this to make predictions for the year ahead. This year we believe interactive content will provide

Fact!

The Insights People found that the favourite book for all fourto 10-year-olds is Harry Potter. conventional media with a new lease of life, especially in the publishing sector.

Our latest data on books shows that digital interactive books – books that utilise augmented reality (AR) and other technology to bring stories to life – have increased in popularity recently. In Q4 2018, 11 per cent of four- to nine-yearolds were reading digital interactive books – up from five per cent in Q3 2018. This new format could open new opportunities for the toy sector.

Digitalisation has historically been more of a hindrance for traditional media. TV, radio, magazines and books all have to fight to sustain their market positioning.

However, the fragmentation and volume of content means children can have niche interests but find lots of content around those interests, whether that be VOD, merchandise, books or games.

Using our insights, brands can identify areas of most interest to the increasingly diverse segments of fans, helping to target fans more effectively, providing the breadth of content required to prolong interest in specific areas for as long as possible.

Children’s favourite toy categories, ages 4-9, Oct-Dec 2018

Kids Insights specialises in research and insights on kids and their ecosystems. We survey 400 kids, tweens and teens every single week and our real-time portal is continually updated to allow our clients to spot the latest trends before their competitors. Our insight-led reports are produced by some of the top kids’ researchers in the UK and have seen us short-listed for a number of start-up and innovation awards.

tnp.co.uk

MOVIE

NEWS

182

The number of minutes for which Avengers: Endgame will run.

Avenge the fallen A month ahead of the release of Avengers: Endgame, Marvel has released 32 character posters of superheroes from the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) – all of which are overlaid with the phrase Avenge the Fallen. The featured heroes appear in either black and white or colour, indicating which heroes have fallen and who remains to avenge them.

Those who survived the events of Avengers: Infinity War include: Captain America, Iron Man, Black Widow, War Machine, Thor, Bruce Banner, Hawkeye/Ronin, Rocket, Ant-Man, Nebula, Okoye, Wong, Valkyrie, Captain Marvel, Pepper Potts, and Happy Hogan.

The characters who fell victim to Thanos include: Vision, Nick Fury, Falcon, Bucky, Scarlett Witch, Black Panther, Doctor Strange, SpiderMan, Shuri, Gamora, Groot, Drax, Star-Lord, Mantis, the Wasp, and Loki.

Dumbo takes flight Tim Burton’s reimagining of Disney’s 1941 animated classic Dumbo is in cinemas now.

Director Burton kicked off the Disney run of live-action remakes with his version of Alice in Wonderland back in 2010, which grossed more than $1bn at the global box office.

Disney will be hoping to repeat that success with the new liveaction/CGI Dumbo film, which has a stellar cast that includes Danny DeVito, Colin Farrell, Michael Keaton and Eva Green.

Critics have been somewhat divided; the movie currently holds a 48 per cent approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. But this cute little elephant still brought in $116 million globally on its opening weekend and it easily won the weekend ahead of horror film Us.

Record performance Captain Marvel, the studio’s first female-led superhero flick, celebrated the highest-grossing opening of 2019 in March, taking £12.75m over its three-day weekend in the UK and Ireland, and $455m worldwide.

Internationally, Captain Marvel had the sixth-biggest opening weekend of all time.

“We are thrilled that Marvel Studios’ first lead female superhero movie has not only become the UK and Ireland’s number one film but has had the biggest opening ever for a Marvel Studios’ character debut,” says Lee Jury, Head of Walt Disney Studios UK & Ireland.

The five-star reviews and box office performance bodes well for toy licensees, with the likes of LEGO, Funko and Hasbro all flying the flag for superheroic girl power.

Coming to a cinema near you from 21 June

Box office record year

Toy Story teaser

A new report from the MPAA highlights Asia’s domination of the global box office. Since 2014, revenues in the Asia Pacific region have increased by In 2018, the UK was 35 per cent. the third biggest In 2018, the movie industry made a record $41.1bn international box dollars. The North American market brought in office market outside $11.9bn – up seven per cent on 2017. Bringing in of North America. $1.7bn, the UK was the third biggest international market outside of North America.

The MPAA report also found home entertainment revenues were up 16 per cent compared with 2017, having made $55.7bn – 75 per cent of which was spent on streaming and other digital services.

Both cinema ticket and home entertainment earnings combined brings the full global tally to a record-breaking $96.8bn – nine per cent higher than the previous year.

Three months away from hitting cinemas, Disney-Pixar has released the first full-length trailer for Toy Story 4 ahead of the June release.

Woody, Buzz and the rest of Andy’s toys all feature alongside new faces Forky, Ducky and Benny in the latest instalment – a road trip that throws the toys into the big wide world.

The official Toy Story 4 synopsis reads: “Woody has always been confident about his place in the world and that his priority is taking care of his kid, whether that’s Andy or Bonnie. But when Bonnie adds a reluctant new toy called Forky to her room, a road trip adventure alongside old and new friends will show Woody how big the world can be for a toy.”

Fact!

APRIL 2019

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Brought to you by

LICENSING

NEWS

Did you know?

Harper Collins and Red Back Card have already picked up Goose for licensed products.

Moonlite shines on World Book Day Moonlite was a shining star on last month’s World Book Day. Spin Master introduced new stories to its storybook projector for mobile phones, including the heart-warming and hugely popular Goose by debut author-illustrator Laura Wall.

Bringing a modern twist to traditional reading, Moonlite creates a magical and immersive storytelling event.

Fans can meet Sophie and her new friend Goose in this adorable picture book. The pair play together, but when it’s time for Goose to fly away, Sophie tries to

find a way to make him stay.

Goose is a rising star in the licensing arena and has already been snapped up by the likes of Harper Collins (storybooks, activity books and board books), Red Back Card (greeting cards and party invitations) and other top licensees.

Goose joins a library of other classic stories on Moonlite, including The Princess and the Pea, The Little Prince, Goldilocks and the Three Bears, The Three Little Pigs, Mr Men & Little Miss, Eric Carle’s The Very Hungry Caterpillar, and many more.

LEGO bags new Disney figures LEGO has returned to the world of Disney with its latest wave of blind bag collectables.

There are 18 new characters from every era of Disney Animations, from a black-and-white Steamboat Willie Mickey and Minnie Mouse – a timely companion to the recently Disney Series announced LEGO Ideas Steamboat 2 LEGO Willie set – to early-90s classic Minifigures Aladdin, right up to the modern will launch day with Frozen’s Anna and Elsa.

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later this year.

Time for tea

I need a hero from Trollhunters Siso Toys’ Trollhunters action figures will be available from May and will be supported with TV, YouTube Pre-Roll and cinema activations.

The figures are based on Netflix animated series Trollhunters: Tales of Arcadia.

The deluxe action figures have multiple articulation, light-up features and sound phrases. Jim, the hero character, is decked out in his hero armour and sword, with light-up chest piece amulet, as well as sound phrases from the show. Bulaar and Draal are the deluxe trolls, standing 8in tall with light-up eyes and featuring sound phrases.

Backing up Siso’s range of action figures for fans of CBBC animated series The Deep, is the Easter launch of the third series of the show. The range will be supported with a media campaign comprising TV, YouTube pre-roll and social media.

Fact!

Happy birthday Peppa!

Everyone’s favourite pig celebrates her 15th birthday this year.

Pre-school favourite Peppa Pig has become a global business since the first episode Muddy Puddles debuted in 2004, and to mark the milestone, eOne has lined up a year-long calendar of celebratory activity.

Anniversary celebrations kicked off with a pop-up area in Oxford Street’s Selfridges in February, and this month sees her bigscreen release Peppa Pig: Festival of Fun. The hour-long release includes 10 new episodes and a two-part festival special.

In May, fans can jump in muddy puddles with Peppa Pig’s Muddy Puddle Walk for Save the Children.

Casdon’s latest Tetley Tea Set will make teatime special for kids.

The set’s famous ‘tea folk’ will appeal to kids, while adults will like its durability and nostalgic charm. There’s plenty of role play fun to be had with this traditional styled set that contains a tin teapot, tray, cups, saucers and plates, all housed within its own carry-case for easy portability.

To make afternoon tea even more special, the Mr Kipling Cake Stand & Tea Set allows little ones to treat friends and family to afternoon tea without the added calories! This brightly-coloured shape-sorting cake stand includes a host of cakes plus plates and cutlery to help with serving.

tnp.media

RETAIL

NEWS

Three steps to zero tolerance Online retail giant Amazon has introduced a threepronged system to keep counterfeit goods off its virtual shelves.

Amazon Project Zero uses automated software scanning, self-service removal, and product serialisation. Here’s how each step works:

1

Brands can provide logos, trademarks and other identifying data points to Amazon, which will then use software to scan more than 5 billion product listings each day.

Any found in breach will be flagged and subsequently removed.

2

Brands will also be able to employ their own manpower to track down and remove counterfeit goods from sale. Previously they have been able to flag offenders and wait for Amazon’s ruling; now they have the power to identify and take down illegitimate listings themselves.

3

Serialisation will see brands and Amazon work in tandem. Codes for each product are generated

by Amazon, and these can then be implemented on the items during the manufacturing process.

Amazon will then scan the code when processing an order to verify its authenticity.

FAO Schwartz flies into Chicago

Debenhams and Mike Ashley go head-to-head On 29 March, Debenhams announced that it had secured a £200m funding lifeline from existing lenders, which “would provide liquidity headroom” but warned its shareholders that they still faced being wiped out unless Sports Direct, which has a near 30 per cent stake in Debenhams, gave its support.

In the week leading up to the announcement of its refinancing, Mike Ashley, CEO of Sports Direct said it was considering a £61.4m offer that would see him appointed as Debenhams CEO. Debenhams has given Sports Direct and any other shareholder with a stake of more than 25 per cent until 8 April to either make a firm takeover offer, which includes arrangements to refinance the group’s debt, or commit to either providing funding for the business or underwriting the issue of new shares.

If nothing is agreed by the deadline, Debenhams would effectively have to hand over control to its lenders, effectively wiping out all shareholders – including Sports Direct’s near-30 per cent stake.

20

FAO Schwartz has flown into Chicago, where a new outpost at the city’s Midway International Airport marks the continued expansion of the famous toy store.

The signature piano mat – made famous in the 1988 movie Big – makes an appearance in the 1,000sq ft store, alongside a host of other travel toys and gifts from top toy brands.

It’s the second airport location in partnership with Hudson Group.

Last year a new FAO store opened as part of the revamp at LaGuardia Airport’s Terminal B, and a third store is under construction at Indianapolis International Airport.

ThreeSixty Group is looking to aggressively expand in major cities around the world with the imminent rollout of its first European flagship at Selfridges in London and a colossal 27,000 sq ft location at China World Mall in Beijing two of the highlights for 2019.

Image Neil Stern Photography / courtesy of Chicago Department of Aviation

Express Gifts shareholders reject takeover bid Express Gifts owner Findel has rejected a 140 million takeover bid by Sports Direct. The bid came after the retail company bought another six million shares in the company, which trades online as studio.co.uk.

The latest move made Sports Direct the major shareholder in Findel, which meant it had to make a cash offer to buy the rest of Findel’s shares.

In a statement, Findel said: “The board believes that the mandatory offer significantly undervalues the group and its future prospects and is unanimous in its rejection of the offer.”

Sports Direct stated that should the offer go through, it expected there would be no changes for Findel’s employees and management.

tnp.media

The Entertainer scoops award The Entertainer is on a roll, scooping a major retail award and announcing soaring profits last month.

The family-run retailer The Entertainer was awarded The Valitor Best Retailer Under £250m in the 2019 Retail Week awards.

The following week, it was announced that profits had surged by nearly a third in the 12

months to 28 January, up 31 per cent on total year-on-year sales growth of 21.7 per cent.

The independent toy retailer’s online offering saw the most significant upswing, with sales climbing an enormous 38 per cent over the year, while like-for-like in-store sales still saw double-digit growth of 12.3 per cent.

Golden tour for Little Tikes Little Tikes is heading off on a UK tour to mark its 50th anniversary.

Marking its milestone year in the industry, Little Tikes is kicking off proceedings with the tour, as it brings Play Big to parents and children throughout the UK. Encouraging more families to play, be active and create new memories together, Play Big is focused on getting consumers hands-on with Little Tikes products in a 12m x 12m creative play space.

The events will pop up at shopping centres across the UK, complete with giant Little Tikes products for adults to indulge their inner child, including a Rocking Horse, My First Slide and Cozy Coupe. Iconic products will also be at the forefront of the tour, ready for kids to release their creative and playful side.

Launching on Saturday 6 April at intu Lakeside, the Play Big Tour runs until 20 April.

The tour will visit five shopping centres, including Westfield, intu Merry Hill, intu Metrocentre and Centre:MK.

Little Tikes tour dates 6-20 April 2019

Poundworld goes One Below

Three in a row for Morrisons

The founders of Poundworld have launched a new discount chain, called One Below, which could see 1,000 jobs created over the next year.

The first One Below store opened last month in Rothwell, West Yorkshire, with a second opening in the former Poundworld store in Manchester’s Cheetham Hill retail park. One Below stores have also opened in Leeds and Doncaster.

Along with a plan to open 50 stores by the end of 2019, the venture has taken over a distribution centre in Barnsley, creating jobs for 50 head office and warehouse staff. The retailer plans to open 50 stores nationally by the end of the year, creating 1000 jobs.

The new retailer will offer more than 5,000 products, ranging in price from 29p to £1.

Supermarket Morrisons has recorded its third year of profit and sales growth in a row.

The preliminary results for the 52-week period ending 3 February, show pre-tax profits of £406m – an 8.6 per cent YOY increase.

Operating profit before exceptionals was listed at £465m, up 4.5 per cent year-on-year.

Group like-for-like sales rose by 4.8 per cent, and total revenue was also on an upward trajectory, up 2.7 per cent to £17.7 billion.

However, it wasn’t all up for the grocer, with operating profit down 14 per cent to £394 million and pre-tax profits dropping 15.8 per cent to £320 million after £86 million of exceptional costs.

APRIL 2019

Founder and CEO Gary Grant credits the success to his

“enthusiastic staff”, who will share in a £3m profitrelated bonus pot. The retailer also donated £2.7m to charity in the period through its Payroll Giving scheme that encourages employees to donate a portion of their monthly earnings, and Pennies, a scheme that rounds shoppers’ final cost up to the nearest pound and donates the extra.

Smyths targets baby market online Smyths has launched its baby catalogue online for the first time. It can be downloaded to share with friends. Customers can search for items and browse each page as live prices are shown, add items to their basket and check out straight from the catalogue.

The new catalogue launched with a campaign offering £10 off every £50 spent on baby products in the first week. The catalogue features car seats, strollers, entertainers, high chairs, bathing and bedtime essentials and toys and gifts.

Smyths also has a Facebook group called Smyths - The Baby Room, where new parents can read and share advice, leave reviews and read testimonials on baby products.

Whites’ silver milestone Whites of Omagh is celebrating 25 years of membership to the Toymaster buying group.

Owner Ivor White was presented with a commemorative plaque to mark the milestone by Toymaster Chairman Ciaran Fitzpatrick.

The store is located on Bridge Street in Omagh, County Tyrone in Northern Ireland.

Whites offers a full selection of toys alongside other specialist categories including gifts and homewares, and is a beloved fixture of the high street for locals.

Customers have gone to Facebook to praise the store, saying: “They do go out of their way to help you, would recommend this store 100 per cent to all my friends.” Others praise it for being “a very thoughtful, family-run business”.

21

RETAIL INTERVIEW SHOP DIRECT

Driving digital Shop Direct is the UK’s largest integrated digital retailer and financial services provider. TnP caught up with three of its toy category managers

We spoke to: Nicole Sweeney, Category Manager for boys toys, construction and musical instruments Nicole started at Shop Direct in 2012 and has since held various merchandising roles, most recently that of toys merchandiser, before becoming a Category Manager. She says: “Toys is an exciting industry to be part of and a strategic focus for Shop Direct. I’m excited to be more involved in our product selections as part of my new role.”

Emma Carden, Category Manager for pre-school and outdoor toys Emma has worked at Shop Direct for 11 years, starting out as an Assistant Buyer for gifting categories. She progressed to Gifts Buyer and then Toys Buyer, before becoming a Category Manager. She says: “I’m looking forward to broadening my skill set through the new challenges that being a Category Manager brings.”

Andrea Gornall, Category Manager for girls, arts & crafts and roleplay toys Andrea has worked at Shop Direct for 27 years and was Senior Buyer for toys and nursery before becoming a Category Manager. Andrea says: “I’m looking forward to working within our new structure as it will help us to grow and become a bigger player within the overall toy market.”

22

S

hop Direct, which includes the Very.co.uk and Littlewoods. com brands, can trace its history back to the founding of Kay & Co in the late 19th century and Littlewoods catalogue in the 1930s.

The award-winning online retailer recently created a new category management structure within its retail teams, including toys. The move brings traditional buying, merchandising, trading, digital analytics and onsite experience roles together to enable faster decision-making in a bid to better meet its customer needs.

The expansion of Shop Direct’s toys offer is a strategic focus for the business.

During its Christmas trading period sales of toys were up 20.4 per cent at group level and 33 per cent at Very.

Shop Direct will be rebranding as The Very Group later this year.

How have your toy sales been?

Nicole: “We saw doubledigit growth in toy sales during AW18. This year, we’ve landed newness earlier and managed our trade-out stocks well, coming into the season cleaner than in previous years.”

Which categories are performing well?

Andrea: “The standout category recently has been girls toys, predominantly driven

by L.O.L. Surprise! toys. We also saw strong sales growth for Lego in AW18,

driven by the significant availability gains we’ve made year-on-year.”

“

Outdoor toy sales are off to a good start this year

”

Which big-ticket items are going well?

Emma: “This is an area we really overperform in, given our great credit proposition. Outdoor toy sales are off to a good start this year, with performance driven by higher price point ranges such as trampolines, where we have forwardphased stock to ensure we cover any early peaks in weather. There is also strong demand for playhouses by TP and Smoby, and the LEGO Technic range.”

What are your top-three selling toys?

Nicole: “L.O.L. Surprise! toys continue to dominate as our bestsellers. Other standout performers are the Lego Technic Bugatti and Feber’s My Lovely Unicorn.”

What licences are performing well?

Emma: “Aside from L.O.L. Surprise! toys we’re seeing big success with Barbie in line with the brand’s 60th anniversary in 2019. Peppa Pig and Harry Potter are also performing well, while Paw Patrol continues to be the number one licence in the pre-school category.”

What do you think will be this year’s ‘big thing’?

Andrea: “I think 2019 will be a big year for toys related to movies. We’re excited about the Toy Story 4 range as well as the Frozen 2 range towards the end of this year. Both look fantastic.

The success of Fortnite toys will no

tnp.media

l doubt continue in AW19, when a wider range of action figures and playsets launches. I think collectables will continue to be prominent.

“However, let’s not forget core toy brands that have been around for a long time but still show growth, such as LEGO, Barbie and Peppa Pig. All of these play a key role in our overall toys product mix.”

Have there been some toys that have been more popular than anticipated?

Emma: “Given the recent bad weather, we’ve been surprised at the success of outdoor playhouses so early on in the season. The LeapFrog Scoop & Learn Ice Cream Cart and Dyson Cordless Vacuum from Casdon have also been winners this season. How to Train Your Dragon toys have also performed more strongly than originally anticipated.”

Has the approach to selling toys changed at all over the past few years or will it do so in the near future?

Emma: “The shift from offline to digital means the market is faster and more competitive than it’s ever been. Toys R Us was iconic, so its closure was a real shock and a seminal moment for the toy industry.

Digital gives us tons more customer insight and enables us to react much faster on range, price and promotions. As a team, we have developed those skills and the move to our new category management structure accelerates that and sets us up well. Continuing to be one of the best digital retailers with an integrated credit proposition gives us differentiation and positions us well for future growth.”

You launched a multimedia campaign for toys for Very before last Christmas. How did that work?

Emma: “Our first-ever standalone toys campaign was designed to drive market awareness of Very’s toy offer. It proved hugely successful, with the results reflected in a great October performance,

“

We believe there’s an opportunity for us to become even more of a destination for toys

APRIL 2019

”

a record-breaking Black Friday and continued growth in both sales and market share in December.”

time. We also use mobile banners to highlight key categories and promotions, which generate more than 80% of our toy sales. Our in-house UX lab provides great insight into the customer journey and reveals the changes we can make to improve the user journey on an ongoing basis.”

Do you attend any toy fairs and do you find them useful?

Andrea: “We attend toy fairs in LA, London and Hong Kong. All of them play an important role in our planning process, but in particular The Toy Fair in London, which brings our whole team and suppliers together to engage with the exciting toys ahead of Christmas each year.”

Is it important to have a variety of price points on offer?

Nicole: “We have a great offer across all price points, and we know what works for us. We over-perform in higher price point lines, with significant market share gain above the £30 price point. Our credit proposition also means that we are able to offer customers higher price point toys that may not otherwise be accessible to them, especially around summer and Christmas.”

Does your extensive games offering help you pull in more consumers?

Nicole: “Games is one of our most fun and innovative categories and we always stock the most-wanted games of the year. As a family-oriented category, it’s a perfect fit with our target customer base. We see strong sales of games around half-term, other school holidays and Christmas.”

How do you make your user journey appealing to toy buyers?

Emma: “We align online trading activity such as emails and updates to the toys page of our website with what is relevant in the market at that

“

The shift from offline to digital means the market is faster and more competitive than it’s ever been

”

Some retailers seem to be moving away from girls'/boys' toys. Is this still something your customers search for?

Emma: “Customers can filter their toy search in numerous ways, one of which is by girls or boys, to view toys that have traditionally been targeted at those genders. It’s also possible to search without that filter.

“We listen to what customers want and we’ll evolve with them. We’re currently working with our onsite optimisation team to review and enhance the navigation of toys online. This includes exploring how our customers shop.”

Do the people who buy toys come to the site just for toys or do they come via other categories such as clothes?

Andrea: “Some customers come to our website specifically to buy toys and some come via other categories. That said, we believe there’s an opportunity for us to become even more of a destination for toys as our range is a perfect fit for our target customer. We will continue to drive awareness of our toys offer through exposure at key customer touch points on the website and marketing campaigns.’’

Finally, what’s your favourite toy on the virtual shelf?

Emma: “I’m a big fan of Feber’s My Lovely Unicorn.”

Nicole: “The Harry Potter LEGO range is great.''

Andrea: “I just love Barbie.

The brand continues to develop and grow.''

23

RETAIL

OPINION Dan Lovett

Got something to say or something to share? If you would like to be featured in Toy Talk email naomi@ lemapublishing.co.uk

Toy Box, Beccles, Suffolk

"We often get people coming in saying the party started five minutes ago! They know they can pop in here and leave with a giftwrapped present’’

Lisa Clay Owner, Armadillo Toys, Chapel Allerton, Leeds

‘’For the past six or seven years we have run our six-week summer holiday LEGO competition. Every year we have a different theme – last year was build a face.

The competition is open to everyone of all ages, so last year our youngest competitor was four, and the oldest was a grandad of 64. ‘’All entries go in the shop windows for six weeks for everyone to see, then they get judged and they all get prizes. ‘’This Easter holidays we're hoping to build a giant Scalextric set around the shop floor to do a speed trial. Every May bank holiday weekend there is the Beccles Food and Drink Festival. For that we usually get an outfit, sometimes from TY (Mr Fox was very funny!). ‘’We’ve also run Nerf Days over at the Halesworth Toy Shop where we transformed one of the rooms upstairs into a target room.’’

Talking retail

Armadillo is a saviour for those mums and dads chasing down a last-minute present for a birthday party. ‘’We often get people coming in saying the party started five minutes ago!

They know they can pop in here and leave with a gift-wrapped present,’’ says Lisa.

Although the service is free, if people want to pay, they can make a donation, which goes to the local children’s hospice.

To encourage people into store, Lisa uses Facebook posts quite regularly to let customers know about new products and special offers. She also uses the social media platform to give away toys that she can no longer sell. ‘’We give away items that have come in from customer returns or that are exdisplay items on a first-come, first-served basis.’’ ‘’We really try to be a part of the community,’’ says Lisa. ‘’I painted a load of rocks and hid them around the area.

Children had to go hunting for them and if they found one, they could bring it in for a free gift. The children were all running round the local area trying to find them – they all loved taking part.’’ Lisa plans to run the promotion again – this time getting children to paint the rocks as well to make it even more interactive.

Other initiatives run by Lisa include a Schleich collectors club, a loyalty scheme where customers received a free figure for every 10 figures bought, and a January sale that ran throughout the whole month. ‘’We cleared out a lot of stuff from the stockroom and everything was half price or less.’’

“Most of our in-store activity is driven through suppliers with colouring competitions, treasure hunts, guess the bricks and so on.”

Brian Simpson Head of buying, Toytown

24

TnP loves to hear your views. This month we chat to retailers about the special events and promotions they hold in-store

Vicky Brown Just Williams Toys, East Dulwich and Beckenham Easter is an ideal time to hold special events in-store. ‘’We hold an Easter egg hunt around the shop – the children have to find pictures of Easter Eggs, on the back of each egg is a letter and they have to find all the eggs to make up the word. All entries go into a prize draw and all participants get a little packet of Mini Eggs. The Easter egg hunt has become a yearly event, as it has been so well received,’’ says Vicky. ‘’We have done similar events where children have to find various dinosaurs; great for the dinosaur lovers."

Craft sets also lend themselves to practical demonstrations. ‘’We

" Th e E a s te hunt has r egg b e co m e a yearly event, as it has be well rece en so ived"

have had various craft events when anyone can have a go on a demo table – it really helps to sell products and keeps children entertained while parents shop. This has ranged from make your own mask, painting using Aquarrellum, and Hama Beads, to Loom Bands, Plasticine and so on. ‘’We also have prize draws where customers have to answer multiple choice questions on a product, brand or supplier and the correct answers go into a prize draw. We find these work well to help educate our customers on the product or brand’s key selling points, which they find interesting, help to sell the products and add another dimension to their shopping experience. ‘’We also have regular colouring competitions sponsored by Sylvanian Families and Schleich, where a lot of the children like to sit and colour while their parents shop. ‘’We have also held football trading card swap days in the past.’’

25 tnp.media

RETAIL

OPINION

Thinking outside the box G

o on, put on a show! After all, isn’t that what toyshops are supposed to be about? These are places where, Snapcode on a plinth in the middle of the shop and enter a potentially at least, disbelief is suspended and the child virtual shop where they could have access to the new range or child-like shopper allows themselves to enter into a fantasy of LEGO Wear. The latter is street fashion for those who like land where novelty and the unexpected are the norm. Easy to say, their LEGO, and by coupling a distinctly physical toy with a rather more difficult to realise, but some retailers outside of the social media phenomenon it was offering the best of digital world of toys do manage to do things that generate interest and combined with bricks and mortar. probably inspire loyalty.

It’s worth pointing out at this point that other than the Take Ikea. The flat-pack behemoth has a way of doing things plinth-mounted code there was nothing in this shop and away from its stores that will encourages people into them. For as such it was an appeal to the digitally savvy. Also worth example, in early March it set up a series of free hot tubs (bookable noting is the fact that this was a campaign that was waged via Facebook) next to the Pont Neuf in Paris. globally, so while the plinth code could only be In fairness, Ikea is not perhaps best known for scanned in the store while the ‘shop’ existed, it communal bathing in water heated at 38C, although was still possible to shop for the LEGO Wear There are this kind of thing is reindeer meat and two veg in range using augmented reality purely by certain parts of Sweden and next door in Finland. scanning the code as it appeared elsewhere (in probably more However, what was on offer was a little bit of the ways of making a magazines and online). cultural backdrop that most of us associate with ‘the Wear may not actually be a toy, but splash today than thisLEGO Nordics’, and for Ikea the payback was being noticed. is a toy brand that realises that if you there have ever The reason for the stunt was simple. In May this want to make an impact, just putting stuff in year, the retailer opens a two-floor, city centre store in been and when it the window may not cut it. The other feature Paris, aimed at those who wouldn’t normally make it of this particular promotion is that it is about comes to lining out to the urban periphery, where the majority of Ikea using the web, rather than viewing it as some things up stores are located. And to reinforce the point of this kind of antithetical beast intent upon ruining a PR spectacular, after enjoying your hour-long wallow digitally as well physical merchant’s business. in the tub, lucky Parisians were then treated in the There are probably more ways of making a as in the store, changing cubicle to a copy of the latest catalogue splash today than there have even been and the internet is a from Ikea: job done. when it comes to lining things up digitally as real leveller It’s not the first time that Ikea has followed a well as in the store, the internet is a real leveller. non-conventional path in the French capital. Back This is a medium where the great can follow in 2013 it mounted a bathroom set on a pole in front of the Gare the same path as the seemingly insubstantial, to exactly the St Lazare, populating it with a cast of models who went through same effect. their ablutions in public view. Again, it garnered plenty of attention, Small reason then to moan either about the although it has to be said that it’s quite hard to remember what competition or the predations of the world of the actual purpose of the event was (possibly, selling bathroom e-commerce. If you’re up and running and your fit-outs?). business is turning a penny, then now is the The point about all of this is that this is a retailer that knows moment to consider promotion and how you how a little exhibitionism can garner a lot of admiring gazes. go about it. We live today in an inexpensive While 99.99 per cent of its energies are focused on the day-toworld, as far as the media is concerned, day business of designing, manufacturing and selling inexpensive with the cost of entry to a big audience furniture and homewares, it understands that something more is being at a historic low. And being creative needed. is down to you, but it is also somewhat The question has to be what can a toy retailer do to command more straightforward than in the past similar attention? when using an agency seemed to be the One possible avenue might be to team up with a digital only route. enterprise to get to Gen Z (those born from the mid 90s to early Showing off is what being a retailer is all 2000s) to use their cameras for rather more than checking out about and being a toy retailer involves more what the latest ‘influencers’ are up to. And LEGO is a case in point. showing off than most other areas of Last month it teamed up with Snapchat to open a temporary store the sector. Make sure that you do it to in London’s Fitzrovia in which the faithful would walk in, scan a good effect!

“

Showing off is something that retailers need to do if they want to be recognised.

And all businesses, big and small, can learn from some of the biggest names in retail

”

John Ryan is Stores Editor at Retail Week. He has worked for the magazine for more than a decade covering store design, visual merchandising and what makes things sell in-store. In a previous life he was a buyer.

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THE INDEPENDENT

OPINION

It’s a family Business may be good, but sales of games are down – yet this category will always have the Independent’s backing

C

Bestsellers

“

Playing with games was worth so much more than we ever spent on a game

“

and admitting to it is a big step.

So, I may celebrate by having another whisky tonight!

My chosen topic for this particular piece of writing is simple. This issue is one that has astounded me – and I don’t use that word a lot – for many years.

I was reviewing my rate of sales across our various product groups (ours is split up in the usual format of dolls, craft, action figures, games, etc.) and I noticed that our sales of games are suffering when compared with the VOLUME: same period last year.

1) LEGO Movie 2 Minifigures – LEGO I have always 2) L.O.L. Trading Cards – Click Distribution struggled with the 3) L.O.L. Bling Dolls – MGA number of games VALUE: we sell in the first 11 1) L.O.L. Hair Dolls – MGA months of the year 2) L.O.L. Bling Dolls – MGA compared with the 3) L.O.L. Pets - MGA number we sell in December alone. I know onsidering I am making quite the tradition of simply ranting a lot, you will be very glad to know that I am in good form at the moment.

I can’t quite put my finger on it – business is okay, family is good, and although I continue to be pretty terrible at my hobby, I am enjoying it nonetheless.

I am still drinking too much whisky, but we all have our vices

that we reflect a lot of what the trade sees, which means that customers don’t spend money on games for the vast majority of the year.

Now, I am becoming quite the old man, but I do recall with great accuracy that I spent a huge amount of time playing games with my kids when they were young – we did so almost every night when I got home from work.

I used to think that games were more popular in the final run-up to Christmas because this was when people

THE SECRET SUPPLIER

The gift of play All retailers should follow the Independent’s example and make sure they are always fully-stocked with the bestselling games, as they help the industry deliver precious family memories, says the Secret Supplier

26

“

Solitary play can’t be shared in quite the same way as a family game

“

A

s the Independent reflects on family life, he is in good humour.

What transforms this curmudgeon into a new person is the fact that his business is doing well – in spite of the tremendous Brexit chaos.

And, at this time of the year, he has the opportunity to reflect on the different rate of sales of major product groups. The whisky also mellows this

professional retailer!

As a supplier, I think the Independent is bang on when he feels that proportionately games sell better at Christmas time compared with other product groups.

I think it was Hasbro that highlighted that 80 per cent of games are sold in the last six weeks of the year.

The reason for this is because families yearn for the collective family spirit that only Christmas, good food and drink can bring. Parents have the time to play with well-known games that deliver real play value for the whole family.

The Independent fondly remembers the game Crocodile Dentist – in particular he remembers his daughter bending the rules by using her Dad’s

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y affair

APRIL 2019

“

I can well understand that Toy Fair is expensive and at times frustrating, but the event is a celebration of all that is good in our industry

“

hand at the critical time.

This kind of memory is really precious; it highlights the fact that the products we sell in our industry are valuable to both children and parents. The BTHA Toy Trust appropriately has a slogan that reflects well on the industry: The Gift of Play. Indeed, Orchard Toys has the added benefit of being both fun and educational as the Independent highlights.

There are two key factors that make games different from toys. First, games require a number of players.

Over the festive period, parents have more time to spend with their families, and typically, families will have more opportunities to play games together at this time of year.

in such a deep way, that they simply wouldn’t be able to live without them.

I always wanted the best for my kids, and having dedicated family time, as often as possible, was one of the core values we tried – and I believe succeeded – to instil in them. Playing with games was worth so much more than we ever spent on a game, but all I see now in the run-up to Christmas is slashed prices on almost every key game you can imagine, making it a joke and devaluing the product itself.

When I think back to the laughs, tears, constant banter and fun we had as a family, it brings nothing but joy to my heart. We particularly loved playing Orchard Toys’ games with the kids when they were growing up. For them to be learning while playing was such an amazing feeling, and to see how quickly they would pick up the game play of a new game (while I sat with the instructions to remind myself) was unbelievable.

I want the same thing for every parent and child from now

“

When I think back to the laughs, tears, constant banter and fun we had as a family, it brings nothing but joy to my heart

“

were going to have time to sit together and be a family, and therefore a game or two went down very well. But this can’t be the case as the sales would still trend with smaller “blips” of higher volumes in the run up to any holiday period, but they don’t.

I also understand that once you purchase a game, you have it, and therefore you can play it at your own leisure throughout the year. But again, this can be said of so many types of toys! It still doesn’t compute that in my own business I sell more in 31 days than I do in the other 334 days of the year.

This is something that I have always tried to combat in my own stores, making sure that my staff advise mums and children that a great Father’s Day gift would be a game for the family to play, and so forth. But it still doesn’t make any real difference.

I have harped on and on about traditional play being of the upmost importance, and without going into yet another rant, to this day, I still find it difficult to see teenagers and kids younger than this, glued to their phones

Toys, on the other hand, are typically played with by a child on his or her own. This form of solitary play can’t be shared in quite the same way as a family game. While the top toys for Christmas tend to change every year, the bestselling games usually have well-known and much-admired names that have stood the test of time and been enjoyed by many generations.

Who hasn’t heard of Monopoly?

Crocodile Dentist is one of a handful of games whose names are synonymous with having a fun time with the family at Christmas. As a supplier, I am both envious and full of admiration for companies such as Hasbro, Mattel, Orchard Toys, and others who own and sell

until the end of time, so I make sure I am always fullystocked with the best-selling games that either teach you something or are simply fun to play.

My favourite memory is how long it took my daughter to play Crocodile Dentist properly (not using my hand for her turns), as she was so frightened of the crocodile chomping her fingers off. She must have been well over five years old by the time she became comfortable with it!

My not-so-fond memories are that I always ended up losing – no matter what kind of cheating I tried – I always ended up coming last! But I suppose, as a daddy, that is part of my job.

Happy (board) gaming!

some amazing games.

We all work very hard in this industry, so we can feel proud that we are delivering those precious family memories.

All retailers should follow in the Independent’s footsteps and make sure they are always fully-stocked with the bestselling games. After all, there is no inventory risk when stocking games like Crocodile Dentist.

COVER FEATURE

CHARACTER OPTIONS

Peppa takes the stage Character Options is well-loved for many reasons – not least its fantastic Peppa Pig range. TnP speaks with Laura Gunton, Senior Brand Manager at Character Options, about bringing to market the biggest and best Peppa Pig range to date What can we expect from this familyfavourite licence in 2019?

Why is Peppa a must-have licence?

Peppa Pig’s popularity has soared to new levels for Character Options in recent years.

We have been the master toy partner for Peppa Pig since 2005 and it’s now our biggest property. We continually strive to produce products that are developed in-line with new episode content. We deliver new product concepts and innovation annually to keep the line fresh – 2019 will see our biggest and best Peppa Pig range to date.

“

2019 will see our biggest and best Peppa Pig range to date

”

Which of your Peppa products has enjoyed most success?

Our best-selling lines reflect the iconic parts of the show, such as the Family Home, Air Peppa Jet, and collectable figures such as the Family Pack of Figures. For 2019, we have refreshed the packaging style, featuring themed backdrops relative to the product on display.

We also have some exciting launches in the core range, including Peppa’s Big Red Car, a huge Wooden Playhouse, and an impressive Stage Playset.

As winner of a Toy Fair Best Toy Award, Peppa’s Stage Playset brings a whole new play pattern to the range. The curtained stage comes with three reversible backdrop cards. The pull-out stage floor has sound effects, such as music, applause and laughter, plus separate theatre seating is ready to be filled with an audience. Figures, themed accessories and cut-out scenes are included to inspire fans.

We also have our largest and most luxurious Peppa dwelling ever in Peppa’s Wooden Playhouse. This three-storey wooden house stands at 2.5ft tall and has a different coloured backdrop and flooring in every room, including the attic. There are loads of accessories and furniture included, as well as light and sound features.

There’s more to discover in the collection: Peppa’s Big Red Car, a Mud Kitchen Playset, and the all-new figure and accessory sets.

In the pocket money arena, there’s much to celebrate with the launch of Peppa’s Secret Surprise. These peel-and-reveal toys come in a brightly-coloured box holding six blind bagged surprises.

Will we see any new plush Peppa products for 2019?

Yes, Sleepover Peppa is bound to become an ever-present part of the bedtime routine, whether that be as the essential take-along toy for a night with the grandparents or the perfect nighttime friend for home. This plush Peppa toy gently glows as a night light when you press her tummy and it also plays a soft lullaby. She comes with her very own sleeping bag carry case, making sure she too is tucked up when it’s time for sleep.

A heavyweight advertiser TV advertising is at the core of Character Options’ marketing strategy; it ran eight adverts in 2018, with more planned for 2019.

28

Peppa Pig has such wide appeal. How does Character cater for all of her fans?

In terms of product development, the values have always been the same for pre-school toys – inspire, stimulate and excite! We do this wherever possible by using colour and building in as much play value as possible, but it’s also key to leave a certain amount of room for a child’s imagination to run free.

Today it is as important as ever to produce toys that look good, have great play value and allow children to play freely.

Do you have any marketing initiatives planned for the Peppa range?

This is a special year, as we celebrate Peppa Pig’s 15-year anniversary. We are working with eOne to create a variety of tent-pole initiatives with our retailers that complement the activity surrounding the licence. TV adverts are at the core of our marketing strategy; we ran eight adverts in 2018, with more planned for 2019. Each year we add more digital activity with parents, and work with influencers to create reviews and unboxing activity to use across our own and eOne’s social media channels. Last year we also launched our first two Peppa Pig stop-motion animated shorts using Peppa toys, which were played across the Peppa Pig YouTube channel. These were hugely successful, so expect to see more of this activity in 2019.

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WHAT’S N Brand spanking new launches from top toy companies to help you sell more!

Brio Brilliance RAVENSBURGER 01869 363 800 www.ravensburger.com The success and popularity of this high-quality heritage brand continues to grow, with sales doubling since 2015. Play value is the linchpin of every Brio product, driving constant innovation and delivering frustration-free play.

There are six super new items for Spring 2019 in the Brio Toddler range. The superb radio-controlled Racing car offers twoyear olds the chance to remotely control their very own racing car. Another highlight combines the success of My First Railway with the farm theme. Children will have endless fun playing with all the funny farm animals that have both sound and actions.

Brio World recreates real-life scenarios and open-ended play, encouraging creativity and imagination. Key themes include travel, lift and load, countryside, rescue and explore. Purchase patterns show consumers start with a Starter Set with extra, rolling stock, destinations and figures becoming must-have gifts for many years to come. There are nine additions to the Brio World for SS19, with a clever innovation enabling the packaging of a product to become a permanent part of the playset. Three new trains come ready packaged in a see-through tunnel that looks great on shelf, saves on packaging waste and delivers classic Brio play value.

The Brio range is supported with some great point of sale material. Full-size play tables and engaging TV displays drive incremental sales. We can even arrange in-store events.

30

Crystal craft CRAFT BUDDY 0203 417 6565 www.craftbuddyltd.co.uk Craft Buddy has expanded its entertaining and creative Crystal Art brand this year, after a successful 2018. The crystal art concept, also known as diamond painting, is a popular crafting activity for all ages above eight.

Craft Buddy’s Crystal Art products come in a variety of formats, including greeting cards, wall art, stickers, clocks and LED wall canvases.

Using the pick-up pen, simply lift the flat-backed crystals and place them onto the adhesive template for instant stick. Perfect for gifting and expressing creativity, Crystal Art has proven therapeutic benefits, with its ability to lower stress levels, increase attention span and develop cognitive skills.

Baff time ZIMPLI KIDS 01254 460006 www.zimplikids.com Zimpli Kids’ new emoji-licensed slime and Baff Bombz range took centre stage on the company’s stand at London Toy Fair in January.

The emoji Poop-shaped Baff Bombz, which turn bath water brown, were especially popular.

Zimpli believes it is the display and play aspect of the emoji range that sets them apart. Not only does the product look great on shelves, but the unique play pods packaging also adds play value, it floats and it can be used time and time again.

The range also includes emoji Gelli Play Pods and emoji Gelli Baff Pods, plus emoji Slime Play foil bags retailing at pocket-money prices.

tnp.media

NEW Creature creations WILTON BRADLEY 01626 835400 www.wiltonbradley.com Made It is a new sub-brand from Toyrific that features a collection of craft Yarn Animals that encourage kids to express their imaginative and creative side. A great gift idea, this brandnew range comes complete with a variety of fun yarn animal templates including a dinosaur, giraffe, unicorn and the animal craze of the year, a llama.

Children can use any colour combination they wish to create the wildest design possible. From a giraffe with a brightlycoloured neck to a llama with a crazy afro, each pack includes a whole host of colourful crafty bits.

Encourage their creative side and watch them develop into little craft experts with Made It!

Gaming gold

Party, party!

BANDAI

WILD CARD GAMES

0208 324 6160 www.bandai.co.uk

07916 349942 www.wildcardgames.com

Partnering with games company, Zanzoon, Bandai brings a range of engaging family games combining fun and learning with strong mainstream appeal.

Bandai’s family games portfolio launches for AW19 with the iconic Magic Jinn – an interactive game featuring a mind-reading cat that uses voice recognition to guess which animal the player is thinking of. Magic Jinn responds to ‘yes’, ‘no’ and ‘it depends’, and is guaranteed to reveal players’ answers within 12 questions.

The company will also be launching new games Fan Zone and Froggy Party. Fan Zone features more than 500 football-related questions and can be set to one of two modes depending on the ease/difficulty of play required. The virtual games master can test players on five football topics to discover the ultimate football fan.

Froggy Party stimulates imagination, concentration and agility, and boasts 50 different challenges to encourage children as young as four to get active while having fun. The interactive frog instructs kids to sing, dance or imitate before having them run to the nearest lily pad.

Wildcard Games has sold £6m worth of products in the UK and have two great new family games to add for 2019.

1st to Worst! is the party game of preference. A great fun party game for families, friends, and new acquaintances.

Based on classic conversations about preferences, the aim is to correctly guess another player ’s order of preference from three choices. Choose from a wide range of topics to suit all ages and interests, including food, drink, activities, brands, TV shows, films, favourite actors, sports people, singers and more. The first-choice party game that gets everyone talking and thinking – Which would you choose?

Guessed List is a fun, fast party game for all, but if your name’s not down you’re not going to win. Players must choose a List Title and then shout out as many answers as they can in 30 seconds to try to guess a specific name on the List and win the card.

List Titles cover all popular trivia topics from TV Chefs to Chocolate bars. Can you get your name on the Guessed List and enter the Winners Club?

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Playing on the Pre-school toys are the perfect way to instil a love of learning in very young children, but as experts will tell you, imaginative design and innovative features can teach us all a great deal. Sarah Welsh found out more…

F

“

or anyone wondering how important it is to engage babies and toddlers with carefully chosen pre-school toys and games, and how many vital skills are learned before children even enter the classroom, the above statement surely sets things straight. Especially because it comes from someone who has built a successful career on getting children of all ages and backgrounds to embrace education through play.

Nigel Scarfe is the founder and owner of Barnsley-based Imagination Gaming, a company that he set up 12 years ago to inspire a love of learning in children of all ages through tableCharlotte Yates, Spin top games.

Master “We’re a service provider – we go into schools and help support education through the aid of traditional games,” Nigel explains. “We apply what’s on the national curriculum in a really fun way, and we also work within the community and in specialist schools.

“The children learn a whole host of skills from the table-top games we use – card Alpha Animation games, board games and dice games.

Innovation plays a key role along with the authenticity of pre-school toys when it comes to the features and play patterns, and parents are drawn to toys that have clear educational and developmental benefits

There’s listening skills, numeracy skills, turn-taking skills and problem-solving skills – to name just a few – and we find that even children who have previously struggled to really engage with classes gain a lot from our sessions.

1

Spin Master

“One of the reasons I started Imagination Gaming was that, being a very quiet and polite child, I personally fell through the gaps in school, and it was only a couple of amazing English teachers that turned things around for me.”

Nigel says that the difference toys and games can make to instilling a love of learning in very young children can be ‘profound’.

“Pre-school games and toys can spark number recognition, shape recognition, animal recognition, letter recognition, turn-taking skills, listening skills, concentration and focus. They reinforce so many important things,” he says.

“I was working with a foundation class today – that’s three-and-fouryear olds, and it’s a pivotal stage of development. It’s absolutely vital that children start playing games early as it encourages those important core skills they will carry with them throughout their schooling.

“If they play them on a regular

basis it can help with concentration in class and staying on task, as well as imaginative play.”

Nigel says that Green Board Games has a fantastic range of games for pre-school children, as does German company HABA. “You only have to look at a child’s face when you sit down to play a game with them to realise how much it means. Some of the kids we work with later on have never even thrown a dice, and parents underestimate the importance of that tactile game experience.

“Pre-school games and toys are a great way of nurturing your child, helping them to learn through turn-taking, and teaching them important skills. Just spending that time with them is important – it’s encouraging conversation and attention span skills. But please make sure you don’t just let them win!”

Pre-school toys is certainly a hugely broad and continually successful category within the toy industry – and this is driven by a combination of parent consumer power, educational and developmental benefits of the products themselves, as well as design innovation.

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COFFEE BREAK

e future “In terms of licensed pre-school product, there is a wealth of great content available to children today,” says Kerry Tarrant, Marketing Manager at Alpha Animation & Toys UK. “The already strong broadcast content for pre-schoolers is now bolstered by digital and social content, and these brands now resonate more than ever with children as well as their parents.

“Licensed toys need to be compelling with great play value, but strong educational values are also a key factor for parents when choosing pre-school toys.

Most parents and carers understand the educational value of play in early years, so they want to see clear developmental benefits in the toys they buy.

“At Alpha we’ve seen huge success with the Super Wings Transforming Vehicles and the line has recently been boosted with new character introductions. Plus, the smaller Transform a Bots have also been very popular.

“Series three of Super Wings is launching this month on Cartoonito, and series four is currently in production, while series 5 has been greenlit. Build It Buddies is new for spring and based on series three, while another key launch for us this season is High Flying Jett.”

“Children are expected to learn so many skills before they start school that sometimes as parents it can be difficult to know where to start!” says Lindsay Hardy, Marketing Director at Trends UK. “Parents are interested in toys with associated

learning benefits that help children build these skills.

“ELA toys based on the child’s favourite characters can help to engage children with learning, without making it feel like a chore.

There’s a lot of fun, as they develop early learning skills including understanding colours, phonetics and numeracy.

“We introduced the new Count With Peppa last year, and it’s been very successful. We’ve also seen consistently strong sales for the other Peppa, Thomas & Friends and Mr Tumble ELA ranges.

Plus, our Little Brian Paint Stick range has also been incredibly popular as it offers all the benefits and creativity of painting, but without the mess.

“We’re also introducing a Paint Sticks Classic Art Station this year.”

Rebecca Lazarus, Senior Brand Manager for Vtech says the company’s research and development team works hard to create innovative pre-school toys that make learning fun for children. The

Posh Paws

Karen Nunn, Marketing at Green Board Games talks to TnP about GBG’s growing pre-school offering The pre-school arena is broad and rapidly expanding. Can you sum up the category’s importance for GBG? We want to offer fun, educational product for all ages – this is and has always been of core importance to the brand. The customer demand for us to further increase product for younger years has increased YOY, culminating with an award in the pre-school arena at the end of 2018.

Will there be any further additions to this portfolio later this year?

We do have plans to broaden our pre-school offering, which will include development of our My First BrainBox range as well as our Fat Brain offering – watch this space!

GBG offers pre-school toys across a number of ranges. Can you tell us more about each of these collections?

Our offering comprises early learning, tactile Fat Brain pieces – such as Squigz, Dimpl, and Whirly Squigz – the internationally-acclaimed My First BrainBoxes, as well as our recentlylaunched Footsteps and Leaps and Bounds ranges, with products including Match a Rhyme, Story Scenes and Stacking Cubes to name a few.

Each product offers specific learning benefits, whether it be to fine-tune motor skills, enhance sensory development, stimulate memory skills or support the early underpinning of IQ – and in this digital age, develop little ones’ EQ (emotional intelligence) – we try our best to facilitate all.

GBG is renowned for products that promote fun learning. How important is the educational element of pre-school toys for parents?

As a parent of three children, I can’t emphasise enough how important the educational development of the 0-7 year age group is. As per the famous quote of St Francis Xavier: “Give me a child until he is seven and I will give you the man”. It was in fact the GBG fun approach, with sincere educational consideration that first allured me. GBG has been my passion project for the past 10 years and I never tire of it.

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brand has more than 80 new products launching this year.

“Toys for pre-schoolers should be both entertaining and easily manageable for small hands,” Rebecca says. “Our new Toot-Toot Drivers Train Station will allow children’s imagination to spark as they combine track pieces into lots of different combinations.

“Following its success in 2018, the KidiCom Max is having an upgrade in 2019, while the KidiCom Advance launches in July, with a sleek new design that closely mimics the adult smartphone.

“Other upcoming launches include the interactive Learn and Dance Dino. It sings, stomps and spins around, encouraging little ones to move and dance, and also comes with nine action plates that will customise Dino’s voice, emotions and dancing styles.”

Lauren Shipman, Group Brand and Marketing Director for Posh Paws, says the plush pre-school market remains hugely successful for two reasons. The first being gift giving, the second that when children reach the ages of four and five, there will always be TV shows, films and brands that they have an avid interest in and will crave related products.

“We continue to see demand for licensed products and collectables in the pre-school category,” Lauren says. “Our Winnie the Pooh business has continued to go from strength to strength, boosted by the Christopher Robin film release last summer. In terms of classic Disney, Marie, Thumper and Dumbo are our leadperforming character ranges – and of course we’re seeing a further increase on Dumbo sales with our newest collection as we near the live-action movie release.

“We also have some fantastic new product releases coming up, including Toy Story 4, Lion King and Aladdin. We’re also very excited about the launch of Pirata and Capitano, with our plush being the lead line for the hit Milkshake TV show, and look forward to launching our Moshi Twilight Sleepies Range.”

“Pre-schoolers want to engage with their favourite characters through storytelling,” reports Charlotte Yates, Marketing Manager for Spin Master Toys UK. “Spin Master has become a leader in creating beloved characters and bringing them to life through entertainment and toys – which we’ve seen with the success of PAW Patrol.

“Innovation plays a key

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role along with the authenticity of the toys when it comes to the features and play patterns, and parents are drawn to toys that have clear educational and developmental benefits.

“Over the past year we’ve continued to see strong demand for our character and core vehicles within the PAW Patrol brand, and retailers can look forward to new introductions to the toy line alongside the exciting new theatrical release in May.” But what do retailers have to say about how well pre-school product performs for them? Samantha Edwards, owner of Fancy That gift and toy shop in Tring, Hertfordshire, says: “Jellycat has always been good for us, most of their range is suitable from birth and they regularly bring out exciting new product.

“Rainbow Designs’ Peter Rabbit range – especially the peg puzzle, wooden dominoes and Jack in the box – are also a favourite with customers, and Fiesta Crafts does some nice things. We’ve sold its ‘My Calendar’ since opening the shop 24 years ago, and the finger puppet range is great.

“We also love wooden toys, especially Orange Tree Toys. We’ve sold a lot of ‘Pushalongs’ which are great with giving toddlers the confidence to walk, and the wooden racing cars, fire engines, shape sorters and alphabet puzzles are great.”

Karen Dorn, Owner of online toy store The Forgotten Toy Shop (www. theforgottentoyshop.co.uk), worked across various different industries, before going travelling around Australia and then returning in 2009 when she set up a market stall in Melton Mowbray, selling traditional toys. Her passion for the products then led to the establishment of her online store.

“I wanted to sell beautifully-made toys that had a nostalgia about them and

Trends

Trends

“

Skills children learn from pre-school toys range from fine motor skills to numeracy and linguistic skills and imaginative and social play Karen Dorn, The Forgotten Toy Shop

encouraged good old-fashioned play values,” Karen reveals. “The pieces I sell actually allow parents and grandparents to recapture the magic of their childhoods, and some of the wooden toys we sell are fantastic.

“Pre-school toys are really important for my business, and the push-along wooden toys sell particularly well. As do items such as the Jack in the box and kaleidoscope we sell – well-made pieces that have a whimsical feel. I think parents really have a familiarity with these kinds of toys and are also drawn to the retro/ vintage packaging.

“Pre-school toys encourage intergenerational play and fond memories – plus there is a lifestyle element in particular to wooden toys of this type as they look great in the home.

I have a range of price points, from £3.99 dancing farm animals, to a £34.99 farm with accessories. The personalised name train we sell is also very popular, as are the dress-up sets.

“I think the skills children learn from pre-school toys range from fine motor skills to numeracy and linguistic skills and imaginative and social play. Plus, the children don’t realise it but they are learning all the time.

“In terms of suppliers, Melissa and Doug is great – and the brand’s whole ethos about taking back childhood. I also do very well with German company Legler and its wooden vehicles, and a local company to Nottingham, Pretend to Bee, that makes dress-up costumes. That’s a new supplier – I found them at Spring Fair this year.

“Pre-school toys also encourage parents to enjoy family time and forget their hectic lifestyle for a bit. They encourage children to be children and that’s very important.”

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High-flyer ALPHA ANIMATION AND TOYS 01293 804599 SalesSupport@alpha-animation.com

With the success of the pre-school animation, Super Wings, still growing, Alpha Animation and Toys is adding new lines to its popular pre-school toy range this year. The new lines are supported by the launch of series 3, which begins on Cartoonito this month.

High Flying Jett is one of the hero toys in the new range. The launcher enables children to send Jett flying over 20 feet into the air. Kids simply load Jett onto the launcher, pull the cord and watch him soar.

The Build-It Buddies Playset is also a new addition to the range. If you need a crew with a talent for building and creating things, Donnie’s team is the best there is. This new Build-It Buddies Playset comes from season 3 of the Super Wings TV show. Remi, the heavy-duty construction expert, has a 3-in-1 transformation, including a cement mixer, a crane, and a dump truck. With space for other members in Donnie’s team and the big construction claw, you can re-enact your favourite missions from the show with Donnie and his Build-It Buddies!

Rooting for Janod JANOD/JURATOYS 0208 878 2133 www.janod.com Because every child is different, Janod creates smart toys that respond to all children’s needs and desires, helping them develop their talents. Pre-school is an important category for Janod and a key focus when it is designing and creating new products. The company produces more than 200 new products every single year.

Within the Janod collection we have a wonderful range called ‘Manipulate and Handle’, which focuses on hand and eye coordination, learning shapes and colours as well as playing fun educational games. Without question our best-selling product last year was the balancing flamingo game, which is so much fun for all the family. The wooden game is just one of many exciting products including a stacking ostrich, a caterpillar ball track and a multi activity looping cube providing hours of fun. Also within this collection we have a new concept of learning called ‘I am learning how to use a screw’. We consider this to be an essential part of a child’s development before

they start early years school and nursery.

A ride-on is a must for any pre-schooler and this year we are launching two new products to add to this collection. Our adorable Hippopotamus is as cute as they come. With a leather-effect seat and a handy storage compartment at the front, this ride-on is like no other. To add to this, we also have the ride-on Llama. Brightly coloured with a Mexican theme, this llama will stop people in their tracks.

Did you know?

Janod produces more than 200 new products every year.

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Hama time DKL MARKETING 01604 678780 www.dkl.co.uk

Keep calm – it’s Moshi!

POSH PAWS

01268 567317 www.poshpawsinternational.co.uk

Fact!

The Christopher

There’s a big year ahead for Posh Paws with a Robin movie range is raft of new properties including plenty to be back after selling out. loved by pre-schoolers.

Posh Paws International is thrilled to be the official global plush partner for the enchanting world of Moshi Twilight. Created by Mind Candy in December 2017, the Moshi Twilight app was developed in partnership with leading wellbeing and mindfulness app Calm.

The Posh Paws collection will focus on the four ‘Sleepies’ from the world of Moshi Twilight, each of which will be available in two size variations. Plush characters include Yawnsy the Sleepwalking Otter, Nodkins the Bedtime Bunny, Professor Feathersnooze the Owl of Nod and Sleepy Paws the Snoozy Koala.

The range has been designed and produced to be a child’s favourite cuddly toy, perfect to snuggle up to while they drift off listening to their character’s sleepy adventures in the world of Moshi Twilight.

2019 will also see the team bring a plethora of popular Disney properties to life in plush form. Aladdin, Dumbo, The Lion King and Toy Story 4 are all among new collections. With all four properties set for 2019 movie releases the Posh Paws collections are perfectly timed for even the youngest of fans to collect their favourite Disney friends.

As official plush partner for Dumbo, and with the recent release of the new Dumbo Live Action movie, Posh Paws has a new collection of Dumbo classic plush, which includes the floppy-eared elephant in four different sizes. Made from super-soft fabric, this collection is suitable from birth.

Posh Paws is also the official plush partner for Pirata and Capitano, the animated preschool TV series currently successfully airing on Channel 5’s Milkshake, which follows Pirata and her best friend Capitano as they embark on exciting adventures sailing The Great Sea along with their faithful crew. The Posh Paws product line will be available in Autumn 2019, and will include beautifully-designed character plush in a range of sizes.

Finally, when it comes to pre-school plush many look to the most famous bear in the world for Inspiration.

The Posh Paws Winnie the Pooh offering is extensive and has something for fans of all ages. The Christopher Robin official movie plush range includes Pooh, Eeyore, Piglet and Tigger in a range of sizes, each styled as per the characters on the big screen. Do not miss out on this previously sold out range! Another must-have is the My Teddy Bear Pooh collection which includes Pooh in his classic red jumper, along with Eeyore, Piglet and Tigger.

Available in 7in, 10in and L sizes. Posh Paws really brings home the honey for Winnie the Pooh lovers.

Plus-Plus Big, for ages 12 months and up, offer a great range of construction products.

New for 2019 are two boxed sets, available in a standard-coloured and a pastel-coloured mix, each containing 50 Plus-Plus pieces.

These building bricks are simple shapes with endless possibilities.

Hama beads offer a fantastic range of Maxi beads suitable for children aged three plus. New for 2019 are the two tub sets, which are packed with more than 400 beads, two pegboards, a colour design sheet, instructions and ironing paper.

The Escabbo infant bath toy range comprises a collection of colourful bath toys, including the soft cubes – colourful numbered cubes made from soft material for small hands.

DKL supports all of its ranges with a full marketing campaign, including bespoke planograms and extensive social media and PR activity.

Get set for school MARBEL

0845 6000 286 www.marbel.co.uk Marbel offers a fantastic selection of pre-school toys, preparing children for those early school days.

With the Happy School range from EurekaKids why should learning be left to the four walls of a classroom?

Instead, initiate basic schooling with this fantastic selection of learning tools for ages three-plus, such as Magnetic Maths, where the brightly-coloured figures showcase the concept of addition, subtraction and multiplication. Or the Rewards Calendar, an ideal tool for children to be motivated by particular activities and new routines that should be reinforced, learned and rewarded.

Hape has introduced a number of new products to its existing Kitchen & Food range, to capture a child’s love of food and cooking, satisfying the desire to imitate. Higher-ticket items include The Pop-Up Shop, which comes complete with all the components of a real-life working shop. A calculator to total up shopping, a handheld scanner to read each item and a chalk board for displaying those daily specials.

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02/04/2019 09:54:10

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Pups become big-screen stars SPIN MASTER

Did you know?

01628 535000 www.spinmaster.com

Paw Patrol is watched in more than 160 countries.

Spin Master’s No.1 Pre-school Property in the UK, Paw Patrol is set for another exciting year with the launch of brand-new content and innovation.

The brand kicked off the year with a coveted UK Toy Award, winning Pre-school Range of the Year at the Toy Industry Awards, while the latest product in the new core spring-summer line, the PAW Patrol Ultimate Construction Truck, was named one of UK Toy Fair’s Hero Toys.

Watched in more than 160 countries worldwide, this year will see an exciting new theme and storyline brought to the silver screen with the first theatrical release for Paw Patrol from Nick Jr. and Paramount Pictures rolling into cinemas in May. Guaranteed to delight Paw Patrol fans across the country, a meteor showers the pups and Harold with a mysterious green energy, they all get Superpowers and become Mighty Pups!

The film will be supported by exciting toy launches in April to bring the content to life for pre-schoolers, offering hours of imaginative play off the screen. Paw Patrol fans can collect their favourite pups with the all-new Mighty Pups design. The Action Pack Pups include superhero

Home helpers CASDON

01253 608248 www.casdon.co.uk With decades of experience, Casdon combines pre-school play with household names to bring role-play toys and accessories to youngsters. Conveniently sectioned into Little Helper and Little Cook, there truly is something for everyone.

The Little Helper collection is home of the Dyson replica vacuums. Launched in September 2018 is the Dyson Cordfree Vac. This cordless vacuum is a direct replica of the lifesize Dyson and has been specifically designed to be true to life, right down to the last detail. The model features working suction, spinning beads, realistic sounds and twist-and-turn action, just like the real thing. The spinning beads will mesmerise children, and will be an instantly recognisable favourite at home. Designed with the same bright colours as the real-life vacuum, kids will be able to feel all grown-up by pretending to clean house just like mummy and daddy.

Another classic in the range of role-play toys is the Hetty and Henry Household Cleaning Sets. Henry’s set in striking red and Hetty’s in pale pink feature a dustpan and brush, mop, sweeping brush and more.

masks and action pack with unique transformation that reveals their tools to help them on their adventures. New Flip N Fly vehicles also take on the Mighty Pups theme with even more themed details and transformations. Fans can take their Mighty Pups wherever they go with the new Jumbo Plush.

The award-winning Ultimate Construction Truck is the hero item in the exciting Ultimate Construction theme spring range. This fully-equipped dump truck has all the action-packed features kids need to create their own Paw Patrol Ultimate Rescue missions with Rubble.

The range also includes the new PAW Patrol Mini Figure Blind Box Collectible to assemble your own PAW Patrol team at home. Fans can collect the PAW Patrol Ultimate Rescue Construction Figures wearing their uniform, safety hat, and flip-open backpack with handy construction tools.

Spring also sees the introduction of the new-style plush in Ultimate Construction Rescue design.

The PAW Patrol Ride ‘n’ Rescue Vehicles let little ones race to adventure in Chase or Marshall’s Ride ‘n’ Rescue. These PAW Patrol vehicles open up, transforming into an action-packed playset.

Wheel appeal H. GROSSMAN 0141 613 2525 www.ozbozz.co.uk 2019 started off on a high as HGL won the Hero Toy Award in the Infant and Pre-school category from the BTHA for its brand-new pre-school trike. The My First Trike is designed for young children; with light-up wheels and a sturdy seat, the trike can be guided by a parent using the removable handle at the back.

My First Scooter continues to win awards for its unique design. Starting off on a sturdy four wheels, young children can get to grips with the speed and feel of a scooter.

Parents can reduce the scooter to three wheels and then progress to two wheels.

Golden year LITTLE TIKES 0845 0533 333 www.littletikes.co.uk Little Tikes is celebrating its 50th anniversary milestone throughout 2019.

Iconic products, such as the Turtle Sandbox, Cozy Coupe and Rocking Horse remain at the forefront, alongside new launches such as the L.O.L. Surprise! Cottage Playhouse and Wonder Lab Centre.

The Wonder Lab Centre ignites curiosity in even the littlest scientists, introducing the concepts of Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths.

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Hungry for more

As easy as you 1.2.3 Did know?

PLAYMOBIL

www.playmobil.co.uk 01268 548111

Playmobil is introducing 10 new 1.2.3 playsets this spring.

Playmobil’s 1.2.3 range is designed to introduce children to the world of Playmobil from an early age. The bright colours, rounded shapes and loving details, help children to develop and learn through play.

There are 10 new playsets being introduced to the range this spring, including the Zoo, which has an enclosure with a swing for the two cheeky monkeys, as well as a penguin enclosure with a slide. Extend the zoo with the Lion Enclosure, which features a cave and a tree where they can cool down. Also available is the Zookeeper with Giraffe and Zookeeper with Elephant. After an exciting day with the animals, the Playmobil figures can visit the Children’s Carousel, which spins in both directions.

Another new addition to the 1.2.3 range is Take Along Police Station with lockable prison cells for the baddies, an office, helipad and police bike. Help the police solve more crimes and race to the scene with the Police Copter and Police Car. Joining the range is the limited-edition Castle with Stackable Towers, which can be put together in different combinations. The king can ride through the grand entrance on his horse to visit the queen who is surrounded by her precious animals. Expand this playset with the Horse-Drawn Carriage and removable canopy, which is accompanied by a Playmobil figure who can ride horseback or via carriage.

RAINBOW DESIGNS www.rainbowdesigns.co.uk 01329 227300 There’s plenty of fun in store for pre-schoolers this year thanks to a host of classic character toy developments from Rainbow Designs.

The home of classic characters is offering retailers new products, and a brand new range, all starring some of pre-school licensing’s most loved characters.

2019 marks the 50th anniversary of Eric Carle’s classic storybook character The Very Hungry Caterpillar and Rainbow’s extensive collection includes bright and colourful soft toys, such as the Developmental Caterpillar, Large Activity Caterpillar, Jiggle Caterpillar and the large plush Very Hungry Caterpillar. Timeless wooden toys from the Very Hungry Caterpillar collection, perfect for pre-schoolers, include the Wooden Blocks featuring the alphabet and numbers, Wooden Pull Along and Wooden Peg Puzzle.

Paddington Bear is a playroom perennial and Rainbow’s Classic Paddington collection is enjoying huge success following its launch last year, with the Classic Bean Toy Paddington, Cuddly Classic Paddington and Key Chain Paddington being particular pre-school favourites. This year looks set to be just as exciting with the launch of a new pre-school series, which premiers with a Christmas special, and the series, which starts on Nick Jr in spring 2020.

Rainbow’s Peter Rabbit TV range continues to grow in popularity alongside the award-winning TV animation series. Key products in the collection loved by pre-schoolers include the award-winning feature plush Talking and Hopping Peter Rabbit, Talking Lily Bobtail and the Peter Rabbit 18cm Soft Toy.

Rabbit, rabbit, rabbit, rabbit CLEMENTONI 020 3206 1101 www.clementoni.com New for 2019 is the Baby Clementoni Llama – an adorable plush pal for babies from six months. This lovable creature will entertain little ones with lots of sound and light effects and helps development by teaching babies letters, numbers and colours.

Joining the Llama in the range and perfect for Easter is the Baby Clementoni Interactive Rabbit – a super-cute soft bunny, which doubles as an activity centre, helping babies from 10 months to learn letters, numbers and more. The rabbit will react if the child brings the carrot near and pretends to eat with cute sound effects.

The new Interactive Hippo is a brilliant activity toy for babies aged nine months plus.

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Guess what…

Launching Autumn/Winter 2019 for ages two to five.

Thrilling grilling LEAPFROG 01895 202 840 www.leapfrog.co.uk

LeapFrog has announced a new addition to the popular role-play range, the Smart Sizzling BBQ Grill. This joins the extensive range of toys to be released in 2019 that actively teach important early learning skills, such as counting, shapes, colours and the alphabet, while introducing the problem-solving, creativity and social skills children will need to thrive in the 21st century.

2019 will see a ‘grill-iant’ new addition to the LeapFrog role play range, with the introduction of the Smart Sizzling BBQ Grill. With nine food pieces for pretend grilling, and a further seven accessories for serving, children can place a food piece on the skewer to learn its name and colour, or turn the skewer to grill the food and learn numbers.

Open and close the lid to hear greetings and sing-along songs, then press on the grill area to hear fun cooking sounds or to jam along to the music. Turn the number dial to set different cooking temperatures, while learning numbers, hot and cold, and fire safety. There is also a question button which, when pressed, will ask questions about the food pieces that help to teach colours and numbers. Children will be able to play and learn through three modes of play including Learn, Music, and Explore.

Creative play TRENDS UK

JUMBO GAMES

01295 768078 www.trendsuk.co.uk Peppa Pig celebrates her 15-year anniversary in 2019 with lots of marketing activity. In the Trends ELAs range, the multi award-winning Count with Peppa includes 10 colourful play coins for children to play with and learn about numbers and colours.

The Mr Tumble Learning Pad and Learn with Thomas Alphaphonics are also popular learning toys with fans of the shows.

This summer, the awardwinning no-mess Paint Sticks range is being expanded with the new Paint Sticks Classic Art Station.

The fold-up, double-sided easel has a whiteboard and chalkboard side and The new Face comes with six classic paint sticks, chalk sticks, paper and Paint Sticks a duster. A new Paint Sticks Bucket containing 20 assorted from Little Brian Paint Sticks will also be available. are mess-free, This spring, new Face Paint Sticks from Little Brian will be long-lasting, introduced – mess-free, long-lasting, safe and easy, these safe, and wash Paint Sticks don’t smudge, and wash off easily with soap off easily with and water. A six-pack and a 12-pack are available. soap and water.

Velcro Brand Blocks play system for pre-schoolers features lightweight, soft foam blocks that attach together in any direction. Launch products include a Velcro Brand Blocks T-Rex – a 31-piece set creating a great-looking dinosaur with movable arms and legs – and a Velco Brand Blocks Robot to build a cool industrial-style robot with hands that grip.

Fact!

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Moon & Me shines out 01707 289289 www.jumbo.eu With the new hit pre-school property Moon & Me already topping the viewing charts, and consumer demand for product building steadily, Jumbo Games will be releasing four puzzles aimed at preschoolers this autumn/winter – Including the 4 Shaped Puzzles, 4in1 Puzzle Pack, Giant Shaped Floor and a Story Puzzle.

If you are looking for a classic pre-school property that has stood the test of time in an extremely crowded market for children’s licences, then Jumbo’s range of the classic Beatrix Potter-inspired Peter Rabbit puzzles are the perfect choice.

The 4 Shaped Puzzle Box Set and Giant Floor Puzzle have become a favourite among parents as support for the property remains strong YOY. In Jumbo’s Disney Junior puzzle range for pre-school, you’ll find favourites such as Vampirina, Puppy Dog Pals and the brand new Muppet Babies puzzles; there are 4 Shaped and 4in1 Puzzle Packs available for all – both these popular puzzle formats are suitable for ages 3+.

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Discover and experiment 32 High Park Road, Kew Gardens, Richmond TW9 4BH • United Kingdom Tel: +44 (0)20 8878 2133 • sales@juratoys.co.uk • website www.janod.com

FEATURE

PRE-SCHOOL

A’head of the game HASBRO 020 8569 1234 www.hasbro.com

Did you know?

Mr. Potato Head Movin’ Lips features more than 40 phrases and four parodies of popular songs, including a parody of the song ‘Lips Are Movin’ by Meghan Trainor.

Who knows what Mr. Potato Head will say – or sing – next? The Mr. Potato Head Movin’ Lips electronic interactive talking toy is fun and entertaining for kids and adults alike. Attach his mouth and press the buttons to make his lips synchronise to wacky songs and some really funny phrases. The talking toy features more than 40 phrases and four parodies of popular songs, including a parody of the song ‘Lips Are Movin’ by Meghan Trainor. Kids can experience the same mix-and-match play, with a lot more to say, with Mr. Potato Head Movin’ Lips.

Children can join their favourite rescue birds-in-training – Swift, Penny, Rod, and Brody – and explore the importance of teamwork as they recreate their favourite scenes from Nickelodeon’s animated pre-school series Top Wing. The Top Wing Figure and Vehicle set includes a poseable 3in figure and matching vehicle, creating a great way for kids to take their cadets-in-training on imaginary missions to save their friends and community.

Top Wing cadets race to the finish line with the Top Wing Academy Mission Ready Track. Pre-schoolers can load two racers into the top of the track and fire the double vehicle launcher to send them on their way. The Top Wing figures will race down spiral tracks, launch into the air off a ramp, and win as they reach the spinning badges. The playset features a diverter that lets kids switch from one track to the other, while spinners at the finish line rotate, making for an exciting finale. This track comes with Rod Racer vehicle.

Baby Shark A roarsome Doo Doo Doo portfolio JAZWARES

0203 598 0270 www.jazwares.com The Pinkfong Baby Shark song is the global sensation with more than two billion views and a top 10 charts hit in the UK. Distributed by Jazwares, the stackable, collectable Pinkfong Baby Shark Family song cubes, iconic Baby Shark song dolls and Baby Shark Fingerlings are bound to be a hit with fans.

Squeeze them to hear the Pinkfong Baby Shark song and squeeze again to silence or play with them for fun reactions.

Cuddle up with Pinkfong’s Baby Shark Talking 25cm Plush.

Baby Shark sings an extract from the hit YouTube sensation, the Baby Shark song! Choose from Baby Shark, Mummy Shark and Daddy Shark.

A great gift for ages two and up.

UNIVERSITY GAMES/ PAUL LAMOND GAMES 020 7254 0100 www.paul-lamond.com University Games UK and Paul Lamond Games has a portfolio that is jam-packed with fun and educational games and puzzles specifically created for pre-schoolers.

New for 2019 and available now, is the new Oi Frog! Memory Card Game in a Tin and three Oi 35-piece puzzles. Starring the Oi Frog!

Oi Cat! and Oi Dog! characters from the award-winning, funny, and rhyming storybooks, these eye-catching products are educational, colourful and fun.

Arriving this summer is the Dinosaur Roar Board Game, Dinosaurs Galore.

Dinosaur Squeak is looking for her Dinosaur friends. Players need to answer prehistoric questions, name different dinosaurs and make the loudest roar to collect dinosaur figures and help Dinosaur Squeak find her friends.

Also available are games and puzzles based on Eric Carle’s Very Hungry Caterpillar, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. As well as the Let’s Feed the Hungry Caterpillar board game, there is also a Memory Card Game, a 4-in-1 Games Cube, a 24-piece Floor Puzzle and 4-in-1 Puzzle Set.

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FEATURE

PRE SCHOOL

Strength in numbers

Zoom into view Fact!

VTECH

01235 555 545 www.vtech.co.uk

There are more than 24 ZoomiZooz characters to collect.

Launching in autumn/winter 2019 are the ZoomiZooz, a fun group of animal friends who wobble and bounce, and roll and zoom around their play set environments.

There are more than 24 adorable animal characters to collect, each with their own characteristics and cheeky personalities. Fun to play with on their own, the ZoomiZooz are perfect for little hands. Favourite animals can be collected individually, in themed three or six packs, and exclusive characters can be found as part of the interactive play sets.

The ZoomiZooz Tree House playset features a rolling rope bridge with a trampoline, sliding track and a tree trunk slide.

These interactive motion zones are fun for children and are ideal for the four included ZoomiZooz animals to wobble, bounce, roll and zoom around on. When the ZoomiZooz are placed on the recognition points in the play sets, the animals will introduce themselves with fun phrases and sound effects ZoomiZooz media and PR campaigns will start in the summer holidays and continue through peak season. The TV advertising will have the right channel mix to target both children and households with children aged three and under, while digital and social platforms such as Facebook, YouTube and Instagram will be used to target parents.

Rebecca Lazarus, Senior Brand Manager at VTech says: “We know social media is where mums are spending an increasing amount of time, with 59% of Pre-School mums (0-5) checking social networks more than five times a day*. We therefore need to have engaging content for consumers, across each platform, in the various formats required.” *Source GB TGI 2017 Q3 Audience Female Main Shopper with Child 0-5).

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ORCHARD TOYS 01953 859525 www.orchardtoys.com New from Orchard Toys is Number Street, a fun introduction to counting from one to 10. This 20-piece puzzle for children aged two to five has colourful, chunky pieces, perfect for little hands to hold.

Children piece together the number street, then count and match the quirky characters to each house. Number Street includes a giant poster for added value.

Another new product from Orchard Toys is a dinosaur-themed game for three- to six-year-olds. Players race to identify dinosaurs in this fun colour, counting and observation game. But the winner is not the first person to finish – it’s the player with the most bubbles.

Shape of things to come GIBSONS

020 8661 8866 www.gibsonsgames.co.uk As a family business, Gibsons strives to entertain all generations, and this year it has launched a new children’s collection, Little Gibsons. Three new jigsaws are available now and a further four jigsaws and games are arriving in the summer, all of which have been tailor-made for inquisitive pre-schoolers thanks to both their bright, quirky packaging and ontrend themes.

The three new jigsaw puzzles are made from the same high-quality materials as Gibsons’ award-winning adult jigsaw range, guaranteeing durability and resilience. Each jigsaw has been designed by a British artist and is presented in an innovative box that links to the artwork theme. For example, the 36-piece puzzle Camp Gibsons is the first-ever puzzle to be presented in a tent-shaped box, which complements the explorative treasure map puzzle that’s inside. The Sweet Dreams puzzle is presented in a striking crystal-ball shaped box to portray the mystical dream-world jigsaw that’s filled with unicorns and llamas!

Bear with us!

SISO TOYS UK 01620 674 778 sales@sisotoysuk.com Siso Toys UK took over distribution and marketing of Masha & The Bear this year, and will support the range in 2019 with full 360 marketing support including heavyweight TV, YouTube, social media, digital and PR. The range will include bestselling lines such as the 12cm dolls, 23cm soft body doll, plush bear in various sizes from 25cm to 50cm as well as the ever-popular playsets. Key items include the Big Bear House playset, which has sound features and two floors of interactive play, and the Winter Bear house, based on the bestselling Masha Bear House line with a winter twist.

Masha & The Bear airs on Tiny Pop more than 400 times a month

Did you know?

Masha & The Bear airs on Tiny Pop and Cartoonito more than 700 times a month.

and on Cartoonito more than 300 times a month.

New content will air in 2019 in what is shaping up to be another strong year for Masha & The Bear.

Wissper, the adorable show on Milkshake, premiered its second season in late 2018 and was among the top five pre-school shows in Q4 2018.

Siso Toys UK will be supporting the show with the basic 23cm Wissper doll, which includes a figure of her best friend Peggy and accessories. A 34cm feature doll with interactive features is also available.

Pre-schoolers can start with the basic figurine sets, which come with a Wissper figure and two of her animal friends. The 2 in 1 Transforming playsets let kids bring the magic home and recreate their favourite stories from the show. Little ones can also have fun with role-play items including the Panpipe, which Wissper uses to transport to magic worlds and the Bag Set, which includes a compass, so littles ones can find Wissperâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s animal friends.

Dumbo Collection THE NEW

Š Disney 2019

Available now!

APRIL 2019

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FEATURE

PRE-SCHOOL

Puppy (magnetic) power!

GEOMAGWORLD 01189 721370 www.geomagworld.com Geomagworld has teamed up with Viacom/ Nickelodeon for the latest Magicube products featuring characters from Paw Patrol.

The range, which launched at this year’s toy fairs, accompanies series 5 of the globally popular Nick Jr. series.

Magicube is an awardwinning product line that reinterprets the classic cube in a magnetic way. Magicube has a patented system of magnets that allows the cubes to stick together on all six sides. By exploiting the invisible forces of magnetism, builders of all ages can give free rein to their imagination to create a wide variety of constructions.

Magicube allows even the youngest children to develop their first manual dexterity skills, and enables solid 3D building, through simple and creative play activities.

Each Magicube PAW Patrol character set contains three cubes, with each side featuring a part of the playful pups.

Two skus are available; the first featuring Chase, Skye and Rocky, and the second containing Marshall, Zuma and Rubble. Each pack shows the pups in different positions and poses, and kids can have fun by mixing and matching them all! Magicube makes children true play experts, giving them the power to shape and develop the toy thanks to their imagination. Also available are PAW Patrol Vehicle 5-piece Magicube sets. Three skus are available and feature the vehicles of Skye, Chase and Marshall and allow for 3D modelling of each character’s vehicle or badges.

Fun from favourites A.B.GEE OF RIPLEY 01773 570444 www.abgee.co.uk What makes a really good preschool toy? A.B.Gee has the answer... Chuckles is a range of classically designed, timeless, educational toys using tooling from well-known favourites Tomy and Hasbro. Now exclusive to A.B.Gee, the Chuckles range offers superb value for money at great price points, giving retailers highly attractive POR. Chuckles pre-school toys are packed with fun functions and will have infants and little ones playing for hours. The toys make early years learning fun while actively encouraging creative and imaginative play. The Chuckles range develops a child’s dexterity, motor skills and problem solving, and improves hand-eye co-ordination while they play.

The range includes easy-to-assemble ‘Build & play’ Cars, Aeroplanes and Helicopters, a Pull Along called Jessy the Giraffe, which encourages walking and balance, and musical instruments in the shape of Sammy the snail!

Children will love Freddy Fire Engine with its ladder-shaped The Chuckles range uses tooling musical hammer that rewards a from well-known favourites Tomy child with sounds and light effects and Hasbro. when they hit the colourful pegs.

Did you know?

Enter Ryan’s World VIVID IMAGINATIONS

Fact!

Series five of the Nick Jr series Paw Patrol, has just launched.

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01483 449944 www.vividtoysandgames.co.uk Having been appointed as lead toy in the UK for Ryan’s World, Vivid launched its toy range inspired by the hugely successful YouTuber in early 2019. Already a huge hit in the US, the Ryan’s World range includes blind bags, squishies, plush and action figures with a focus on collectables.

With a variety of content on his channel, Ryan Toys Review, including toy reviews, animation and family vlogs, seven-year-old Ryan has created fun, engaging characters that have their own videos, such as Gus the Gummy Gator and Combo Panda. These and other characters are also featured within the toy line-up.

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Flippinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; marvellous!

CHARACTER OPTIONS 0161 633 9800 www.character-online.com Character Optionsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; pre-school portfolio has everything little ones could desire including the Peppa Pig master toy collection, which you can read all about in this monthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cover story. Evergreen brands Teletubbies, Ben and Holly and Fireman Sam all support the impressive line-up, while the exciting new brand FlipaZoo introduces a whole new play concept into the mix for 2019.

FlipaZoo is an enchanting and imaginationinspiring range of both plush and tactile plastic playsets. Quirky, cuddly and loveable animal plush with a clever twist â&#x20AC;&#x201C; â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;flipâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; your elephant to see him transform into a tiger or watch as your snappy croc â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;flipsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; into a grizzly bear! Available in both 8in and 16in scale.

Adding to the collection is a range of feature-packed scaled FlipaZoo plastic playsetsâ&#x20AC;Ś from quirky FlipaZoo mini characters with pocket-sized flip-pods and micro playsets each with a different themed adventureland to explore with your mini FlipaZoo character to three very special FlipaZoo vehicles â&#x20AC;&#x201C; choose from a push-

along giraffe who flips into a safari bus complete with driverâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s seat for your mini collectable to sit in, a polar bear who morphs into an ice-cream van, or a dragon who flips into a fire truck.

The Teletubbies range is underpinned by a delightful learning-through-play concept supported by the animated TV series.

Characterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own Teletubbies adventure is now entering its fourth year, with plush toys continuing to be the mainstay of the collection. The 8in Talking Soft Toys and Supersoft Collectables create volume sales as all four characters are often bought, while feature plush toys such as Lullaby Laa-Laa and Jumping Po make the perfect one-off gift. The adorable Tiddlytubbies are available as handy Clip-on Soft Toys, cuddly Giggling Plush and an interactive Shuffle â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;nâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Giggle line to encourage play and movement.

Ben and Holly is a great choice for older pre-schoolers and with this year being their 10th anniversary thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s much to celebrate within Characterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s core collection.

Did you know?

Ben and Holly celebrates its 10 anniversary this year.

31-Piece T-Rex

Robot

AWARD WINNING Count with Peppa

Triceratops

Expect so much more!

Peppa Pig Š Astley Baker Davies Ltd/Entertainment One UK Ltd 2003.

VELCROŽ and other marks are owned by Velcro BVBA Š2019

Trends UK (National Accounts)

Wind Designs (Independents)

Email: salesadmin@trendsuk.co.uk www.trendsuk.co.uk

Email: sales@wind-designs.com www.wind-designs.com

Tel: +44 (0)1295 768078

75(1'6 +3 DG [ 0DUFK LQGG

APRIL 2019

Tel: +44 (0)1353 724140

For media enquiries, please contact:

Ane Olesen: ane@wirepr.eu

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FEATURE

PRE-SCHOOL

Pre-schoolers go wild!

SCHLEICH 01279 870000 www.schleich-s.co.uk With Schleich’s huge assortment of farm and wild life animals, little ones can learn as they play.

Each Schleich animal, whether new or part of the existing collection, can be added to until an entire play world is created. With the Farm World play sets, pre-school children can get to know about life in the countryside in a playful way. In 2019, the popular theme world will become even more lively with new play sets that will delight all farm fans.

From strong bulls and sweet calves to cute dachshunds, many new animal figures are waiting to move onto the farm. But that’s not all: the Farm World theme world is getting even more horsepower! Four new pony agility play sets provide even more variety on the farm. And in the second half of the year, Schleich will be launching a large stable that is equipped with many exciting functions and lots of accessories and is aimed at pre-school children.

Thrilling new arrivals to the Wild Life range will make their debut too.

Whether it’s a proud lioness, clever lynx, cute raccoon or sweet white calf: the Wild Life theme world focuses on the fascinating world of animals

Did you know?

that children can discover while playing with the lovingly-painted individual figures. This year, little adventurers can also expect a colourful play mat and New Wild Life animals an exciting set of flash cards that bring include a lioness, lynx, them closer to the wonders of nature in raccoon and white calf. a playful way.

Like all Schleich products, the new Farm World and Wild Life figurines and playsets are designed with attention to detail and hand-painted with care. The possibilities for individual arrangement stimulate children’s imaginations, opening up endless new opportunities for play.

The pre-school portfolio will be supported by a substantial PR and marketing campaign for 2019.

Holding out for a hero GP FLAIR 020 8643 0320 www.flairplc.co.uk

Fact!

Series 2 of PJ Masks will run on Tiny Pop from April.

Just Play/Flair’s PJ Masks collection continues as a hero range for kids who strive to recreate Cat Boy, Owlette and Gekkos’ missions through play.

Series 2 of PJ Masks, which includes Super Moon Adventure themed episodes, will air in April on Tiny Pop. The Super Moon Adventure themed product range continues to grow with this spring’s new Super Moon Adventure Fortress Playset. Packed with interactive features, hero and villain figures can battle it out in Zero Gravity, but beware of the crystal trap beneath the mountain, which will snap shut when the loser falls in. The playset comes with two articulated figures: Cat Boy in his space outfit and Luna Girl, ready for battle to commence.

The core range continues to drive sales, with the PJ Masks vehicles behind the wheel. This spring saw the introduction of the new PJ Masks Power Racer Vehicle Assortment, bringing more choice for existing fans. Each Dynamic set comes with a 7.5cm articulated figure dressed in a racer outfit, along with a vehicle that has a sleek design, chunky wheels and go-faster styling that is ready to kick it into high gear! The vehicle range will continue to be refreshed with some exciting new developments to come for AW19…

A major focus for autumn, and perfect to track down those pesky night-time villains, is the new PJ Masks Seeker. The PJ Masks Seeker can fit up to four vehicles in the detachable carrier and up to three 7.5cm articulated PJ Masks figures in the cabin. Features include a light-up searchlight, disc launcher and a detachable cage. For a quick pursuit of escaping villains there’s even a pull-out ramp and drop-down side door.

The Seeker is the ultimate playset for any PJ Masks fan; not only is it

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packed with hours of fun features, but it also doubles up as a storage solution for fans’ vehicle collections. This new hero product will be heavily supported with TV, digital and PR activations from launch, with a crescendo of activity in the run-up to Christmas. The Mission Control HQ Playset, Super Moon Adventure HQ Rocket Playset and Romeo’s Lab Playset will also all continue as part of the core AW19 range.

Disney Jr’s Vampirina is another fun choice for pre-school rock stars.

In the autumn fans will be able to go on a musical tour with Vampirina and her friends in the Rock N’Jam Touring Van. With its Ghoul Glow Rooftop stage and transforming sofa, not to mention lights and sound effects, these are the wheels for the super-cool kids to be seen in.

The Vampirina and Family Figures Set will be the perfect addition to the waves of Fangtastic Friends. Including Vampirina, Mum – Oxana, Dad – Boris, Gregoria the Gargoyle and Wolfie the Puppy, each Hauntley family member has a ghoul glow that brings an extra spooktacular fun to the play.

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Chicco scores with tots CHICCO

020 8953 6627 www.chicco.co.uk Future football stars can hit the back of the net with the Dribbling Goal League, a moving electronic net offering hours of fun for children from two years and up. With the option to move from side to side for full speed matches, and a striking new appearance, the game offers three modes of play including ‘Penalty Shots’, ‘Golden Goal’ and ‘Challenge’ mode.

Complete with interactive sounds, flashing lights and 25 different melodies.

A different kind of sport comes in the shape of Happy Darts, which joins the Fit n Fun range where little ones from 18 months+ can develop their coordination and numerical skills through play. With an interactive Velcro dartboard and three soft Velcro balls, the aim of the game is to hit the targets to gain the highest points possible. The board offers two play modes including ‘Hit the Target’ and ‘Countdown’ mode. To add to the fun, children will be celebrated with lights and sounds every time a point is scored.

Little ones love music, and Chicco has expanded the Happy Music range even further with Flashy the Xylophone. It has flashing lights and different melodies, which children can play along to or create their own tune. In Follow the Lights mode little ones have to match the pattern of the flashing lights to replicate the melody.

01494 538999

sales@gr nboardgames.com www.gr nboardgames.com

APRIL 2019

Fuzzikins fun INTERPLAY UK 01628 488944 www.interplayuk.com Interplay is introducing a fabulous new concept that will make children’s parties and sleepovers even more magical. Face Paintoos transform the magic of face painting into a fun and easy activity for children and parents. Super fun and quick, everyone can apply and remove the cute face tattoos with ease. The range is launching with four different sets: Wild Pack, Pet Pack, Pretty Pack and the Party Pack.

Interplay has exciting new launches with new animals for 2019, introducing everyday low price point items and higher-price play set items.

For SS19, Interplay will be introducing Fuzzi Babies, a collectable range of sweet Fuzzi baby animals with a bed, a cuddly teddy and three pens to decorate, available at a pocket-money friendly price point.

It will also be launching a Fuzzi Street range, featuring adorable cardboard shops with cute animal characters and accessories to occupy them.

Available NOW! 53

FEATURE

PRE-SCHOOL

Building on early skills GREEN BOARD GAMES

01494 538 999 www.greenboardgames.com Green Board Games is stepping out with the new Footsteps range targeting pre-schoolers up to three years of age. The striking range not only stands out with trend-setting designs and styling but ticks the box for promoting fun learning and early skill development. The collection includes proven and much-loved formats, including Stacking Cubes and Puzzle Cubes, to help children fine tune their motor skills and hand eye co-ordination. Footsteps is a great capsule range for retailers of all sizes.

Further bolstering its robust pre-school offering is Leaps & Bounds, promising safe and engaging, high-quality play experiences for children under the age of three. The range includes Miximals, complete with fun-to-learn animal facts and Match–A–Rhyme a singalong nursery rhyme tile game for extra interactivity.

Wooden it be nice?

TOBAR

01603 397 105 www.tobar.co.uk Tobar has a timeless pre-school range that features wooden games and puzzles, including dominoes and shape sorters. There is an innovative twist with the Robot building blocks, which form two colourful, futuristic robots. Then, more traditionally, there is the beautifully finished and packaged Lion Stacker.

Pull-alongs are always popular as gifts and Tobar has a brightly-coloured pullalong Tractor complete with a horse, a cow and a pig – lovely chunky wooden toys which are great for little fingers. The pull-along unicorn and the pull -along dragon tick all the boxes for current meets classic.

Wooden playsets packed full of pieces include Noah’s Ark, a farm, and a Pirate Ship. The contemporary design and bright colours attract the eye and the packaging has been designed to maximise shelf space.

The versatility of this wooden range is also demonstrated in the Wooden Car Transporter, complete with colourful, chunky wooden cars.

New for this year is the Wooden Stack and Sounds Train. This all-purpose product comes in ‘try me’ packaging, which will prove irresistible to customers. Just press down on the funnel and the train plays one of three sounds. The carriages of the train double up as shape sorters and stackers, and the whole item trundles along to act as a push-along toy too, teaching toddlers coordination and colour while being great fun to play with.

We’ve got the power FUNRISE 01908 555640 www.funrise.com The Tonka toys collection recently launched a line of construction vehicles called Power Movers.

These pre-school-friendly vehicles are perfect for intuitive play that brings the dump truck, front loader, excavator and cement mixer vehicles to life.

Simply push the vehicle forward and the Motion Drive Technology will make the engine rev and activate the lights; push the vehicle backwards to hear back-up sounds; work the mechanical feature of each vehicle to hear hydraulic sounds and flash the lights.

Funrise’s new line, Herodrive, combines kids’ favourite entertainment characters with cool vehicles. The range launched with character vehicles inspired by the recognisable DC Superfriends characters such as Batman, Superman and The Flash.

Herodrive Mash Machines are a new style of vehicle that fuses vehicles such as police cars and fire trucks with DC Super Friends characters.

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Back to the future BASIC FUN! 07917 186 540 www.basicfun.com Basic Fun! is adding a touch of retro class to the pre-school market with the Fisher Price Classic range that continues to delight today, just as it did for parents and grandparents decades ago. The colourful, clever and collectable pre-school toys make great gifts and add some ontrend vintage style to any room.

The range includes more than 10 different products, and price points start with the Fisher Price Classic Pocket Camera and Fisher Price Classic Chatter Phone. Also coming up is the relaunch of the Fisher Price Classic Music Box Teaching Clock.

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y a d s Tue une J h t 4 2019

GOLF

£98 FOR THE DAY

CLASSIC 2008 - 2019

£98

A E Y R S 1 1 Goring & Streatley THE PACKAGE INCLUDES • Coffee and bacon rolls on arrival • 9 hole morning Texas Scramble from 9.30 • Lunch (ham, egg and chips) • 18 hole individual Stableford and team four ball, longest drive and nearest the pin • 3 Course Presentation Dinner Email: malcolm@lemapublishing.co.uk

FOR THE DAY

FTS A R C & S R ARTS O D A S

AMBAS

L SPECIA

d r o w e h t s ’ t

Ar

TnP has once again enlisted the help of its little Ambassadors to put some of the best arts and crafts products to the test

T

his month, we sought the help of our pint-sized toy testers to trial the Epoch Aquabeads Box of Fun set and Wilton Bradley’s latest craft creations produced under Toyrific’s Made It sub-brand.

The children were recruited to play with one of the products and they were also asked to think about what they enjoyed about it and what they had learnt from their play experience.

Arts and crafts has long been a popular category for both children and parents alike. But in recent times, there has been even wider support for the arts following a drive to broaden the ever-popular STEM concept and integrate art to make STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics).

Placing art at the centre of STEM is intended to drive innovation and combine the artistic skills and thinking processes with traditional STEM-learning.

The rise in popularity and growth of this category has naturally given rise to a new wave of arts and crafts products – and new play patterns. These exciting new products, no doubt, will help to further invigorate a passion for the arts, and help to cultivate creativity and foster young talent.

Parental point of view Anne, the mum of Zoe (one of our Ambassadors who got creative with the Toyrific Unicorn Yarn Animal kit), was really impressed and looks forward to the range launching in August:

“Yarn Animals are such an original idea – I haven’t seen anything else like this. It was the perfect activity to keep us both busy for a few hours – and when they come to market, I’ll look to purchase the other kits.”

Consumers corner Carol56 bought the Aquabeads Box of Fun Safari set from very. co.uk and she fully recommended it, giving it top marks for quality, value and how good it was for learning and development:

“I bought this for my granddaughter she loved it kept her occupied for hours well worth the money.”

Epoch Making Toys has seen remarkable growth in the past 12 months, in particular within arts and crafts with Aquabeads. The exciting new launches in the Aquabeads range, the mess-free play and the hit licensed editions make Aquabeads a popular choice for children across the UK. Epoch’s MD, Neil Bandtock says: “We’ve seen the demand for toys that inspire creativity and promote the kinds of tactile and imaginative play our screen-obsessed lives often lack is higher than ever.”

Equally, Wilton Bradley, renowned for its broad range of toys, sport and leisure products, including a licensed range of kids sewing machines in partnership with The Great British Sewing Bee, will be bringing to market an exciting assortment of Toyrific Yarn Animal craft kits come August. Children will be able to create their favourite animal characters – with a choice of unicorn, giraffe, dinosaur, and llama packs.

Turn over to find out what our little Ambassadors had to say about these great new products. Check out their photos and see how much fun they had getting crafty with Aquabeads and Yarn Animals.

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FTS A R C & S R ARTS O D A S

AMBAS

L SPECIA

s n r a y g in

p p i R

The Toyrific Yarn Animals Wilton Bradley 01626 835400 www.wiltonbradley.com

We had a whole team of TnP Ambassadors getting busy creating these fun Yarn Animals from Wilton Bradley. Here’s how they got on making a veritable Noah’s Ark of creatures

Made It is a new sub-brand from Toyrific that features craft kits that encourage kids to express their imaginative and creative side.

What’s in the box ■■ ■■ ■■ ■■ ■■

Cardboard templates Yarn Adhesive Plastic needle Accessories to make■

Note: Contents vary ■ between kits 58

0 1 , E O Z Y

“

L I REAL AY HE W LOVE T ORNS IC MY UN LOOK!

“

Did you know?

The Toyrific Yarn Animals come in a whole array of animal characters – there’s a unicorn, giraffe, dinosaur – and this year’s big animal trend the llama.

The products are produced under Toyrific’s Made It subbrand. They are brand new and our testers were the first children try them out!

Open the box and you’ll find card templates. Use the included yarn to wrap around the templates to create your creatures.

Eight-year-old Annabelle had a go at making the llama, and was really pleased with the end result, her mum Jo told TnP. The llama lets you go crazy, adding pompoms to his head and tail and a saddle to finish off the look. Annabelle enlisted the help of her older brother to help her with the pompoms, but ended up with a great-looking creature for her efforts. She did find it a little fiddly, so younger children will probably need some adult (or older sibling) assistance.

Zoe, 10, made a magical unicorn and its baby – glittery pipe cleaners help to make them look especially magical. It says that adult help will be required, and Zoe did enlist the help of her mum, Anne, for some of the trickier bits. It took a bit of concentration but she was delighted with the finished product with their multi-coloured long manes and tails (a plastic needle is included for the fiddly bits!). Zoe’s unicorns are in pride of place on the dining room dresser, but you could even hang them from a Christmas tree if you wanted.

The benefit of the animals is that you can use any colour combination you like, so you can get really whacky if you want to. Seven-year-old Zachary really got creative with his multi-coloured dinosaur. Like the others he enlisted the help of a grown up to help him get started – and even his three-year-old brother Stanley lent a helping hand!

Yarn Animals will be available from midAugust 2019. All items tested were presamples. The boxes shown are not final.

toysnplaythings.co.uk

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Aquabeads Big Box of Fun EPOCH making toys 08435 574062 www.sylvanianfamilies.net How can you make a five-year-old’s day? Present her with an Aquabeads set containing 3,000 beads, says Simon, whose five-year-old niece Evie was really excited to receive the set.

He tells us more

■ 3,000 beads – 24 jewel and solid colours ■ Bead palette ■ Layout table with two flip trays ■ 10 x Bead Stands ■ Bead pen ■ Sprayer ■ 5 double-sided template sheets ■ Play mat ■ Instructions

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THERE DS A ARE LO DS OF BEA !

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Inside the box

Like most five-year-olds, Evie isn’t always great at sitting down and focusing on something for very long. But she was delighted when I gave her the Aquabeads Big Box of Fun. She had been after one for a long time, and it’s easy to see why.

There are LOADS of beads in the set – 3,000 to be precise – though I didn’t count them individually!

The lid of the box also turns it into a workstation – ideal to keep everything in one places – because who wants little beads rolling everywhere!? The divided tray ensures all the colours stay divided, to make it easier to pick up the colour you need too.

All these little touches – plus the fact that the beads stick together with a few squirts of water – means that it is easier for littler ones to get creative on their own, without needing lots of help from grown-ups. Great for their independence and for giving Mum a few minutes of peace!

Evie loved it and thought it was the best thing ever. She doesn’t always sit down to do this kind of activity but she absolutely focused on these beads.

And she was thrilled with the finished results.

The little bead tool makes it easier to pick up the beads – great for improving fine motor skills, which are important to develop writing skills.

The box has a safari theme, so there are lots of animals and insects to create, including flamingo, panda and monkey. The trays had shapes to fill in – perfect for boosting confidence before getting really creative with your own designs!

Evie also loved that she had a play mat on which to display all her animals when they were finished.

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FEATURE

ACTION FIGURES

Supervillain Thanos

Superhero sellers!

From the first female-led superhero film to the anxious countdown to the latest Star Wars movie release, 2019 is far from short on inspiration for action figures. Sarah Welsh delves deeper into one of the toy industry’s bestperforming categories

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rom Disney’s liveaction remake of Dumbo and the plethora of gorgeous plush product it’s inspired, to actor Jake Gyllenhaal’s villainous turn as Mysterio in the upcoming Spider-Man: Far from Home film and the action figures and accessories it has created, big-screen characters and gaming trends are currently one of the biggest stories in ‘toy town’.

In a tough toy market, action figures is one category holding its own and out-performing Mike Stagg, The Walt others – with figures from the Disney Company States showing 10 per cent sales growth in 2018.

And whether it’s Minecraft, Roblox or Fortnite gaming that floats your boat or the popcorn to portable figures inspiration that comes from the biggest new

Kids love action figures because they want to recreate the storytelling and action they watch on TV or at the cinema.

And that’s where Disney excels

releases from the Walt Disney and Marvel movie stables, this year is shaping up to perhaps be the biggest yet for action figures.

March has already seen Marvel score big with actress Brie Larson’s starring role as Carol Danvers in Captain Marvel, followed by the highly-anticipated release of Tim Burton’s live-action remake of Dumbo, featuring Colin Farrell – and of course the highly lovable elephant.

And the months ahead promise a deluge of action figure activity, with Avengers: Endgame, XMen: Dark Phoenix, Toy Story 4, the live-action remakes of The Lion King and Aladdin, starring Beyoncé and Will Smith respectively, Frozen 2, Maleficent Mistress of Evil, and of course Star Wars Episode IX all set to hit cinemas

by December.

Adult collector boom!

One area of the action figure market that is flying is interest and sales driven by adult collectors. And perhaps no retailer is better placed to comment on this than specialists Forbidden Planet.

Internet and Marketing Manager Jon Harrison told TnP: “We’re not like The Entertainer or Smyths, in that we’re focused on the adult collectors’ market – but increasingly we’re seeing toy companies working to satisfy that demand. We’re also seeing new interest in

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the adult collectors’ market all the time.

“A great example of this is the Star Wars Black Series – really high-end action figures. Interest in Star Wars never goes away, and the Marvel Legends line also does really well for us overall: the new lines for Avengers: Endgame are about to come into store.

“We sell a modest amount of Disney Princesses – again to mainly adult collectors – but for us Disney is really all about the Marvel side of things.”

Mike Stagg, SVP, Franchise and UK Retail at The Walt Disney Company, says storytelling has a big part to play when it comes to the soaring popularity of action figures.

“Our insights team look at play patterns among children of all ages, and we’ve seen that kids love action figures because they want to recreate the storytelling and action they watch on TV or at the cinema. And that’s where Disney excels,” Mike exclusively told TnP. “All of our products, including action figures, have storytelling at their heart and really bring the film’s story from screen to real life.

“We also ensure that we provide a real breadth of product too, like our Marvel’s Avengers ranges, for fans, adults and kids, and our recentlylaunched Marvel Super Hero Adventures range for pre-schoolers where we’ve adapted our figures for smaller hands.”

Hasbro launched the very first action figure – GI Joe – back in 1964, but Mike says that these days innovation is key to ensure a product stands out.

“The consumer retail landscape is continuing to evolve, and we are changing with it. But we never rest on our laurels and are constantly looking to work with our licensing partners to

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create product that will surprise and delight our fans.

“A recent example was the reveal of the new Toy Story 4 product with our licensee Thinkway at this year’s London Toy Fair – it’s a never-beforeseen fall down Woody and Buzz and the most technologically advanced 12-inch figures we’ve ever had for the franchise.”

In terms of upcoming films, which characters does Mike think are particularly likely to capture consumer imagination?

“Captain Marvel had the biggest opening of any film so far this year,” he says. “As a result, we’ve had positive

reactions to our role-play product – Hasbro’s Captain Marvel Photon Power FX Gauntlet and Glove – and it has been fantastic to see girls in this category re-play their favourite moments from the movie.

“Then of course there’s Toy Story 4. There’s an array of new characters appearing in the film, which allowed us to create a real breadth of product that appeals to audiences of all ages.

And while we can’t say too much on Frozen 2 and Star Wars, we know both will provide fantastic ranges of action figures.

“Our film slate for 2019 is so, so exciting – from Aladdin and Toy Story 4 to The Lion King and Frozen 2. And we have a strong product offering to complement the incredible content.”

According to the latest figures from NPD, the In terms of bestsellers over the past top five selling action figure toys in the UK year, Mike says Thanos last year were: action figures and a host Pop! Fortnite Character Figures Assortment of other product sold from Funko well from the Avengers: Treasure X Action Figures Single Pack from Infinity War range, while Character Options the Hulk is consistently WWE Basic Figure, 15cm Asst from popular, as is the Black Mattel Corp Panther range.

Stretch Armstrong Mini 7 Inch from “Our Spider-Man Character Options licensed product also Minecraft Series 3 Figure Assortment from continues to go from strength to strength Character Options

Hasbro

every year, and we’re excited to expand the world of Super Hero Adventures and have more toys designed especially for pre-schoolers due to launch later this year with Hasbro.”

Box office best sellers

Ready for action GP FLAIR 0208 643 0320 www.flairplc.co.uk

APRIL 2019

Kids can rise up and choose from action figures in The Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles collection. Already popular are the four brothers as Deluxe Ninja Attack Figures, which can perform side, back or front flippin’ action complete with Ninja attack sounds.

In autumn, new figures will be released, including a wave of Deluxe Slide Attack figures that spin and slide across a surface, as well as 11in Giant Shell Storage Figures – available as Raphael or Leonardo – which come with 13 points of articulation, two favoured weapons, two throwing stars and an opening shell to store them in.

Flair will also introduce scenic playsets such as the awesome Sewer Lair, plus vehicles including a collection of four Shell Hog Motorcycles. Each comes with its own exclusive figure, and they’re armed with a missile that really fires. When things get hot, the Shell Hogs can combine to take two Turtles into the affray or link with the Battle Tank.

Spring 2019 sees a new style guide and refreshed packaging for Flair’s Ben 10 collection, which has been incorporated into the upcoming release of action figures that will introduce new characters such as Humungousaur, Rath, Kevin 11, and the Omni Enhanced XLR8. Autumn will bring with it the seventh wave of Ben 10 action figures including all new aliens, Hot Shot and Slapback, plus Rustbuggy Ben on his street scooter.

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FEATURE

ACTION FIGURES

A heroic collection CHARACTER OPTIONS 0161 633 9800 www.character-online.com Pokémon underpins four core brand pillars – video games, trading cards, TV animation and apps. 2019 is set to be a landmark year for the brand, with the Detective Pikachu movie, two new gaming releases and a new generation of Pokémon coming in the second half of the year.

New waves of figures will be released throughout the year, including some special vinyl collectable figures, an adorable interactive Charmander feature plush and the show-stopping ‘My Partner Pikachu’ interactive Pikachu toy with more than 100 touch sensors and reactions for you to discover.

The Stretch toy collection will continue to expand in 2019, when the stars of WWE join the existing big-name licences.

Launching this summer and TV supported, the superstar WWE fighters Roman Reigns and AJ Styles are sure to be a success in their giant stretch figure form. Kids can stretch them, pull them and tie them in knots! The mini stretch line-up will also have some WWE excitement added to their ranks with four professional wrestlers including Finn Balor and John Cena.

Stretchy heroes from DC Comics and Sonic the Hedgehog, add to the licensed collection.

Bot-battling is go!

BANDAI 0208 324 6160 www.bandai.co.uk Following the October TV release of hotlytipped new ITV series Robozuna, Bandai will follow its SS19 toy launch with phase two for AW19 including roleplay and articulated figures. Clunk, the Combatabot voiced by Ali A in the show, comes to life as Mega Clunk. This 30cm articulated feature figure spins at the waist and includes an interchangeable spinning arm, so that Robozuna fans can reenact Clunk’s ‘baddest’ battles.

The Robozuna range will be supported by a heavyweight marketing campaign including TV, kids press, character visits and a digital campaign featuring the stars of the show.

Bandai is relaunching the toy range for the much-loved brand ‘Thunderbirds Are Go’ in Autumn 2019. Already a hit action TV series on ITV, the show is currently in its third series with Season 3 continuing in 2019 in the UK.

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Making a splash SISO TOYS UK 01620 674 778 sales@sisotoysuk.com The CBBC animated series, The Deep, has two seasons under its belt, with a third season launching this Easter. Fans of The Deep will dive in for Siso Toys UK’s impressive range of licensed action figures.

The basic 4in action articulated figures feature Nektons and Pirates and come with a set of accessories. A family pack of the Nektons family contains all four figures in diving suits.

Available now, the Mag Knight and White Nekbots are used by the Nektons for deep sea missions and explorations. The basic figures fit into the control seat of both vehicles, which are 25cm tall, have blaster features and are fully articulated. The action figure range will be supported with a multiplatform media campaign.

Trollhunters: Tales of Arcadia is the hugely successful animated Netflix series. Available from May, Siso’s detailed action figures will bring the world of Trollhunters to life. The 3in mini non-poseable figures come in sets of three – one hero human character and two troll characters.

Powering imagination JAZWARES 0203 598 0272 www.jazwares.com Jazwares’ Roblox toy line is designed to power Imagination. Fans can take apart the characters in the physical toy line, mixing and matching parts to create new characters, just like they can in Roblox’s virtual world.

Following the success of Roblox toys in 2018, Jazwares is delighted to launch Series 5. The new toys are based on hit games and iconic characters including 24 collectable blind boxes, core figures, the Jailbreak: Great Escape Large Playset, the Night of the Werewolf six-figure pack and the Pirate Showdown Mix & Match Set. Deck out figures with the included accessories. Each package comes with a code to unlock an exclusive virtual item on Roblox. Series 6 launches later this year.

Roblox is the largest social platform for play that allows children to imagine, create, and play together in immersive 3D worlds.

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13/03/2019 12:27:52

FEATURE

SAND, WATER & BUBBLES

Exploring a world of play When it comes to sensory play, the only limit should be a child’s imagination, which might explain the enduring popularity of sand, water and bubble toys. Sarah Welsh spoke to some industry leaders to find out more...

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ook, listen, touch, smell and taste – the five essential senses we’re all born with might sound like the basis for a Masterchefinspired cooking challenge, but in toy terms these are the building blocks for children discovering the world around them.

Think of a toddler putting everything within reach into their mouths, or little hands marvelling at the feel of grains of sand slipping through their fingers, and it’s easy to appreciate how young children are perfectly placed to expand their minds through sensory exploration.

It supports brain development, language and motor skills, confidence, movement and social interaction – and it can channel frustration and calm anxiety.

No wonder then that demand for imaginatively designed, well-made sensory toys has been high for decades – or that sand, water and bubble toys in particular are enduring popular with both

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Sand, water and bubbles is a niche of the toy industry that’s been around for decades because the products are excellent for children’s physical development Joe Rushworth, Marbel

” Spin Master

1

Marbel

retailers and parents and giftgivers alike.

Research from NPD reveals that of the top 10 best-selling sand and water toys in the UK last year, suppliers included Zuru, Wilton Bradley, Simba, Mookie Toys, Vivid and MGA. “Sand, water and bubbles is a niche of the toy industry that’s been around for decades because the products are excellent for children’s physical development,” says Joe Rushworth, Sales Manager at Marbel.

“With these toys, children are practising hand-eye coordination and using motor skills to scoop,

will get people talking this year include Marbel’s Rock Pool Squirters, Pop-Up Teddy Shower Buddy, Happy Buckets Set and Multi-Spout Sprayer.

Sand, water and bubbles is also a key category for Spin Master, which tops the sand charts with Kinetic Sand.

“Kinetic Sand is the number one sand brand globally, and in Britain we’ve seen a significant spike in awareness due to the latest social media craze for ASMR videos,” Simone Palombi, Spin Master UK’s Brand Manager, reveals.

ASMR (or autonomous sensory meridian response) is the term used to explain the NPD Top 10 best-sellers Bunch O Balloons Zuru sensory Bunch O Balloons Rapid Fill Pack 8 Pack Zuru reactions H2O Go! Single Water Slide Wilton Bradley people get Little Tikes Dual Splash Twister MGA Entertainment when Wubble Refillable Water Balloon Vivid Imaginations watching Mountain Lake Simba certain videos Plastic Spade Wilton Bradley online, often Aqua Slide Mookie Toys ones that Aquaplay 516 Aqualand With Loc Simba involve Aquaplay Superset Simba observing play activities or seemingly mundane tasks, such as stirring a sift, funnel, pour, catch and bowl of soup or spraying water. demonstrate cause and effect. And “Watching Kinetic Sand being they’re also important in providing squashed, moulded, cut and opportunities for them to practice squeezed is taking off, with millions cooperative play and sharing. of views of #Sandisfying videos “A great example of this is Hape’s across all platforms,” Simone adds.

Squeeze & Squirt Set. When the “The product will always remain a child squeezes the ball at the end firm favourite with children who are of a syringe, sucking up water, the mesmerised by the sand flowing balls inside the syringe jump through their fingers. It is perfect around in a floating motion. You for sensory and fine motor skills then squeeze the ball once the development through hands-on syringe is full for a fountain of play, as kids use their imaginations water, again moving the balls in a to mould and create anything floating motion.”

Other great toys that Joe believes they want!’’

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Unbelievabubble!

ALPHA ANIMATION AND TOYS 01293 804599 SalesSupport@alpha-animation.com With series 3 recently launching on Cartoonito, Super Wings is continuing to grow in the pre-school space. The show lends itself to a wide range of play themes, and bubbles have been successfully incorporated into the toy range by Alpha Animation and Toys.

Bubble Blast Jett is a replica of the favourite character from the show, which releases a constant stream of bubbles at the touch of a button. The lightweight Jett plane can be ‘flown’ around in little hands, even taking off and landing with ease on the working wheels. The battery-powered toy is supplied with bubble solution.

APRIL 2019

Let’s go Cra-Z CHARACTER OPTIONS 0161 633 9800 www.character-online.com Character Options will introduce the Cra-Z-Air range for Summer 2019; the new sand kits with the amazing learning material that ‘comes to life in your hands’.

Cra-Z-Air is a new indoor play sand that is super easy to mould, sculpt and create with no mess – and it will never dry out. Made from non-toxic, antibacterial materials, it’s fun and safe sand play.

At the top of the collection is the Cra-Z-Air Sand Deluxe Set; light as air – it is super stretchy, super smooth and super fun.

Kids can stretch their creativity to new levels with this packed kit, complete with vibrant colours of sand, play tray and moulds.

Single-coloured Cra-Z-Air Sand sets are also available with moulds and colours to match their theme. Choose from the perfectly-pink Pretty Princess, or the lime-green Rad Road Rally. Alternatively, why not sculpt a seaside adventure with the aqua-coloured Mould N Build sandcastle-themed playset, or make delicious pretend treats with the berry-coloured Fun Foods & Sweet Treats set.

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FEATURE

SAND, WATER AND BUBBLES

Sand-sational!

MARBEL 0845 6000 286 www.marbel.co.uk Make your mark in the sand with a number of sand-sational toys from Marbel’s fantastic selection of brands this season.

Enjoy hours of s-t-r-e-t-c-h-y, open-ended play with Mad Mattr, the super-soft modelling compound. Press it, mould it, knead it, squeeze it and sculpt it; the possibilities are endless! In a selection of six bright colours; teal, pink, blue, purple, red and green, check out the Quantum Builder Pack. Enjoy 10oz of this rather magical compound, including ultimate brick maker for children and adults alike. Make your very own buildable, stackable bricks with one easy trick. Next up, beware of the monster outbreak; they can’t be stopped with Mad Mattr’s collectable Meteor Monster. Offering all the fun of the fantastic modelling compound with the additional novelty of collecting the Meteor Monster figurines too.

Take building those sandcastles to the next level with Hape’s extensive selection of sand moulds. Build your very own wonders of the world to inspire the youngest of architects

Make a squish SPIN MASTER 01628 535000 www.spinmaster.com The number-one sand brand globally, Kinetic Sand is the original, squeezable sand kids can’t put down. It stimulates the imagination, allowing you to mould it and shape it to create incredible sand creations over and over again. It flows through your fingers like a slow-moving liquid but leaves them completely dry.

Kinetic Sand never dries out and it sticks to itself, not kids, for long-lasting play with easy clean up.

Spin Master has continued to focus on Kinetic Sand product development with exciting new introductions for 2019. The number-one selling item in the UK, the Sandbox Set, is back and available in brighter colours than ever before.

More bright colours have also been added to Kinetic Sand 2lb Colour Sand – purple, green, blue and pink! With 2lbs of colourful Kinetic Sand, you can squish it, mix it, cut it or mould it – the creative possibilities are endless.

or globe trotters, no heavy lifting required! From the Eiffel Tower, Colosseum, Opera House and the Taj Mahal, make monuments in the sand with these sets. If making a mark in sand is more your thing, check out Hape’s Grabber; the nifty little tool allows children to pick up dino-sized handfuls of sand and water, and even digs holes. Meanwhile, the Driller allows you to keep on turning to construct your very own channel of tunnels. Last up is the Rain Shovel, this brightly-coloured device can be used either to collect, carry or sprinkle water or dig, carry and sprinkle sand; the possibilities are endless.

That’s ‘edutainment’ BANDAI

0208 324 6160 www.bandai.co.uk Bandai’s National Geographic range covers a variety of STEAM subjects, encouraging ‘edutainment’ play. The Ultimate Playsand Kits contain 2lbs of coloured sand that doesn’t dry out, six moulds and a sand tray. Sea Monkeys encourage engagement with nature, nurture-play, and an opportunity for children to own their own aquatic pets. Sea Monkeys is TV advertised at key periods in the year.

Bubbling up with Gazillion FUNRISE 01908 555640 www.funrise.com Funrise’s Gazillion Bubbles has led the charge in creating premium bubble products for over a decade. With an already extensive array of premium bubble solution, bubble toys and machines for 2019, the Gazillion range is ever-expanding.

A new star for 2019 will be the new Gazillion Bubble Rush. This next-generation bubble machine has a three-sectioned, no-spill modular design including a removable washable top, solution recycling tray and batteries and motor sealed inside base. Pour solution into the reservoir and push the button for a bubble explosion in seconds.

Make a splash LITTLE TIKES 0845 0533 333 www.littletikes.co.uk Little Tikes toys within this category encourage sensory development through play.

The Fountain Factory Water Table inspires children to build endless combinations with 13 interchangeable pipes and fittings for pumping, spraying and endless playing. Little tikes can pump water through the main tower to create fountains to experience water play at its best. The UK’s top-selling water table, with support across TV for 2019, is a garden must-have.

toysnplaythings.co.uk

RETAIL INTERVIEW

TOYS-UK

That’s toy business David Fynn, the Director of Toys-UK, speaks with TnP about business online and offline, membership to the plaY-room toy buying group and the upcoming Independent Toy & Gift Show Can you tell us more about Toys-Uk? Our parent company has operated shops since the Victorian era, but Toys-UK started as an online-only business in 1999, with our first shop opening, in Didcot, in June 2009. With an operation base in West London, we concentrated on sites in towns we were familiar with, which were within a one-hour drive.

Why has Toys-Uk been so successful?

For many years, we had been successfully selling toys in our department stores, so we had good knowledge of the industry. We had tremendous help on the supply side from our buying group, plaY-room. Our stores are bright, modern and we offer a

high level of customer service, along with fun activities and dress-up days.

What are your current bestsellers?

Ryan’s World from Vivid and Twisty Pets from Spin Master are this week's top sellers, but L.O.L. Surprise is not far behind. TY Flippables are our most popular plush range and the strongest pre-school licences for us are Peppa Pig and Super Wings. Pokémon sales have been on the rise recently, with the Team Up trading cards continuously in the bestsellers’ lists. And we're having a phenomenal year with Schleich!

APRIL 2019

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If a range is not selling, often we just need to try it in a new location

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What suppliers do you think have the most exciting new product line-ups for 2019?

Character Options’ Toy Fair stand was brimming with innovative product. I liked Swarm Squad and the Peppa Pig Stage Playset. I also think Goojitzu could be the boys’ product we've all been waiting for.

Moon and Me from Hasbro looks like the strongest new pre-school licence. The game that had us enthralled was Bank Attack from John Adams. In the extensive girls’ collectables market, Ritzy Rollerz from Tomy stood out. The stand-out activity range was Face Paintoos from Interplay.

Do you have any favourite suppliers?

We've had support from many suppliers, but in this fast-paced age, we value efficiency, helpfulness and innovativeness.

Depesche and Bigjigs tick all of those boxes. We also have excellent support with a smile from Orchard Toys and Interplay.

However, along with our social media activity, the website acts as a showcase to encourage visits to the branches.

As a member of the plaY-room toy buying group, what are the benefits associated with membership? plaY-room negotiates terms and operates a central payment system with all of the toy suppliers relevant to us. It also coordinates activities and promotional opportunities for us with suppliers, culminating in the Independent Toy & Gift Show, which houses all of the top suppliers in a professional and convenient location, at the perfect time of year.

Additionally, plaY-room operates an FOB programme, which allows us access to a varied range of product that would otherwise be beyond our reach. The weekly newsletter keeps us up to date with relevant toy supplier news. They're also a lovely bunch of people!

Do any products sell better online/in-store?

Our online business is often volatile and unpredictable. More surprising is how much of a difference there can be between shops.

One of our branches is in an area with a large student population, and sells more trading cards (and Rubik’s Cubes!) than all of our other branches combined, but then only our Didcot branch can sell diecast tractors! If a range is not selling, often we just need to try it in a new location.

Who are you looking forward to seeing at this year’s Independent Toy & Gift Show?

Janod, Big Potato and Jumini. The Janod stand impressed me at Toy Fair, while the Big Potato stand is always full of laughs. I missed Jumini at both Toy Fair and Spring Fair, so need to make it up to them. There are a number of suppliers attending for the first time, so I will make a point of talking to Siso, Hornby and the other newbies.

How important is your online business?

Online business is growing as a percentage of the total, but it is still the shops that are of prime importance.

What was your favourite toy growing up?

I was a child in the 60s and all we had were Matchbox Cars. I had hundreds of them – all in neat lines across the front room!

Dress to impress Toys-UK keep its stores bright, modern and runs fun activities and dress-up days to keep customers coming back into store.

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FEATURE

INTERACTIVE

Point of

difference

What: The Independent Toy and Gift Show When: 29-30 April Where: Cranmore Park, Solihull, B90 4LE Web: www.independenttoyandgift.co.uk

Now in its 11th year, the AIS Independent Toy and Gift Show attracts exhibitors and retailers of all sizes – all in search of the welcoming ambience and networking heaven this don’t-miss trade event offers. TnP’s Sarah Welsh takes a look inside

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orget the daunting anticipation that can come with walking into a show so large that it can be somewhat of a challenge to navigate, especially as an independent retailer with a carefully managed budget and potentially limited time. The Independent Toy and Gift Show offers the chance to check out 85 key suppliers This is a small from the toy and children’s gift industries and an entirely show with big reach, different visitor experience. and we’re very “We aim to give both buyer focused, so exhibitors and visitors a real those who exhibit alternative,” says Aimee Hill, have to fit the ethos Assistant Selector of the AIS toy of what we do division PlaY-room, and Aimee Hill, plaY-room coordinator of the Independent Toy and Gift Show. “We have things such as our single product offer booklet, ‘one hit wonders’, that offers a special price on single lines to all visiting buyers, so exhibitors can present something more enticing for customers.

“We try to give members as much opportunity as possible to buy at better prices and to range plan. The show is all about networking and making and nurturing contacts.”

The Independent Toy and Gift Show launched back in 2008, following the establishment of plaY-room during the difficult financial climate of that year. The toy arm of AIS now has more than 80 members with around 200 retail outlets nationwide. Its annual show, which is open to all independent retailers, is held at Solihull’s Cranmore Park exhibition centre attracts exhibitors from across the globe, including big names such as TOMY, Hasbro and LEGO. Gibsons is a sponsor of the show this year, along with Jumbo, helping to celebrate this year’s theme of games and puzzles.

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”

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Alpha Animation

AIS is the largest independent non-food buying group in the UK and Ireland – with 350 members and a combined retail turnover of £2bn. Its aim is to support independent retailers, from single shops to department stores and specialist retailers, and to increase collective profits.

“This is a small show with big reach, and we’re very buyer focused, so those who exhibit have to fit the ethos of what we do,” explains Aimee.

“Our top exhibitors include a range of big names and prominent small suppliers, including Green Elephant and Alpha Animation. Exhibitors who come back year on year to the show include Keel Toys, John Adams and Orchard Toys, to name a few. Plus, the show marks the first time each year that UK retailers will be able to check out MGA – the company that’s won Toy of the Year for the past two years with L.O.L. “Retailers who never miss our show include Daniel of Windsor, Jarrolds and the Tillington Garden Centre Group – and we’re expecting visitors from the tourist and leisure industry to attend.”

“I coordinate the show with my colleague Faz. We work in a tight-knit group of three with the head of the department Miles Penhallow. Everything we do is to maximise benefits for our members.

“I love working in such a social industry – it’s very warm and that feeling certainly extends to the ambience of the show. We design the show to make people feel as comfortable as possible. It’s not in a huge building, there’s plenty of free parking and lunch is included.

“Over the years the show has certainly become more visually appealing. The look and feel of it is sensational. There’s always great promotions and competitions on offer – as well as a bit of retail theatre!”

Karen Dorn, owner of online store The Forgotten Toy Shop, based in Nottingham, says she’s greatly looking forward to this year’s show outing. “The end of April can be a slightly awkward time for me business wise, so making time to attend a trade show means the show has to be worth it – but the Independent Toy and Gift Show is great,” Karen says. “It’s a manageable size so you don’t end up feeling stressed working your way around.

“I really buy into the AIS support for independent retailers. Business is a completely different ballgame for a store like mine and they understand how we work. The independent show is much more about networking and making useful contacts than buying power.

“I go to shows with a targeted approach.

I like to see what’s new, what toy trends are coming up and I like to see the products in person. As a small, independent business it’s harder to make big buying commitments, but the suppliers who exhibit at AIS understand that.”

Simon Prest, Sales Director, Orchard Toys, says: “AIS is a great show for us because we get to see a number of existing and potential customers – particularly those in the gift and garden centre market. It offers a great opportunity to showcase our range to these fabulous independent businesses.”

Mark Slater-Hyndman, Country General Manager, Alpha Animation and Toys UK, says the AIS show has an important place in the company’s trade calendar.

“The AIS show is a valuable platform where we can engage with independent retailers, who of course are interacting directly with our consumers,” Mark says.

“They have a real feel for the industry and trends, so it’s useful to share feedback and insight with them. This in turn stimulates successful future product development.

“This year, as well as new introductions from hit pre-school property Super Wings, we have new concepts in inflatable play and true innovation in Feature RC to present.”

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Winning solutions WINNING MOVES 0207 298 9507 www.winningmoves.co.uk Winning Moves offers a merchandising solution for every retail space, made in high-quality metal with eye-catching graphics, grabbing the attention of the busy in-store footfall. The Top Trumps range is constantly refreshed to include popular generics such as Dinosaurs and Football, as well as hot new licences. The stands occupy minimal space holding a high value of revenue and enabling you to share the growth the company is experiencing year on year.

Its new, multipurpose Multi Games FSDU is specifically designed to house all of Winning Moves’ bestselling lines to maximise sales.

Mix and match your selected games all within a small footfall. With a 360-degree display, this can be positioned anywhere in-store.

You can now house all your favourite Top Trumps games with the new 216 FSDU. This master fixture displays 36 front facings with a grand total of 216 Top Trumps packs, with the option of displaying an additional 36 facings on the back. Pull-out shelves have been added to hold eight Top Trumps Quiz products down the side of the stand. Use the two bottom shelves to show off your selection of larger-sized Top Trumps lines; Top Trumps Tins and Top Trumps Match. The perfect all-in-one with no need to use your shelf space.

Drive incremental sales with the new Trifold CDU. This multi display is designed to hold four, eight or 12 facings of your top-selling lines. With the option of hanging on the wall or stand on shelf, you can choose how to display your selection to suit the space available.

Its Top Trumps clip strip has had a fresh transformation from the current plastic clip strip holding 10 packs of Top Trumps to a new metal clip strip holding a total of 25 packs. With a new sleek design, this will not only look great, but it also makes a great solution to space limitations. This metal clip strip is permanent and refillable, so you can keep up to date with the bestselling titles.

Visit Winning Moves at the AIS Show and take advantage of its show offer – five per cent off a £500 order and 10 per cent off a £1,000 order, one-drop delivery; terms and conditions apply.

Fun for all ALPHA ANIMATION AND TOYS 01293 804599 SalesSupport@alpha-animation.com Alpha Animation and Toys is delighted to be exhibiting at the AIS show for the second consecutive year.

With brands spanning all ages, Alpha has something to offer all retailers. Super Wings will catch pre-school attention, while WWE Airnormous, Grrrrumball, Terrasect, Massive Monster Mayhem and SpongeBob SquarePants provide entertainment for tweens and teens.

Alpha Animation is known for being a global leading company in toy design, from new innovations in roleplay and RC toys, to the ultimate must-have collectable toys. Alpha Animation knows how to deliver intriguing products to retailers of all sizes and consumer audiences, supported with tailored marketing plans to really drive the brands at retail.

APRIL 2019

Work of art DKL MARKETING 01604 678780 www.dkl.co.uk DKL Marketing will be showing its key ranges.

Plus-Plus, already a huge hit with plaYroom members, will have a fantastic offer across its spinner stand, and don’t forget to pick up your free giveaway!

Hama Beads will be showcasing its new packaging and fresh ideas. PlayMais will have its ever-popular tub range, which now comes in many sizes.

Centenary celebrations GIBSONS

020 8661 8866 www.gibsonsgames.co.uk 2019 is a special year for Gibsons as it celebrates its centenary; the company has been trading as a British, family business for 100 years. To mark this special occasion, it is sponsoring the show, so make sure you come to the café area to play some of its quick-play games. Gibsons invites all to visit its stand (D9) to say hello and view its exciting array of new products.

Gibsons will be releasing seven new puzzles in April, including a montage of delicious Vintage Walls Ice Cream imagery, a delightful 500-piece spring scene from Greg Giordano, and an idyllic 1,000-piece caravan design.

71

FEATURE

INTERACTIVE AIS PREVIEW

Independently inspired

Toy Treasure

GP FLAIR/JUST PLAY

CHARACTER OPTIONS

020 8643 0320 www.flairplc.co.uk

0161 633 9800 www.character-online.com Treasure X is the ultimate surprisereveal collectable and is soon to be joined by two further quests for kids.

Named Action Figure of the Year at the Australian Toy Fair, Treasure X Aliens is a throwback to the ‘alien autopsy’ craze, inviting kids to dissect the alien to save the Treasure Hunter within. Each alien stomach contains a bag of slimy ooze, which hides treasure and a critter inside!

The next quest is a challenge to excavate the king’s gold. Kids can smash through the wood and use the tool to uncover the hunter hiding inside the magic rock. Then find the treasure chest and use the key to unlock and discover either the trap or gold-dipped treasure. The Treasure Tomb playset comes with a whopping 30 levels of adventure.

The Boxy Girls Mini Dolls series is a pocket money option, with each including one of six Mini Boxy Girls Dolls, plus three mini accessory boxes inside. Perfect for AIS members is the Boxy Girls UnboxMe blind box series. With 36 dolls to find, this new series will be highly collectable. Also, don’t miss out on the ultimate Boxy Girls gift – the Jumbo Crate.

Flair and Just Play have a host of sought-after brands that are perfect for the independent sector – the popular Hairdorables, sweet offerings from Pikmi Pops and a new nurturing baby doll brand.

Just Play’s Hairdorables has just introduced its new Series 2 dolls! The girl squad with its ‘Big Hair Don’t Care’ attitude has 26 new dolls to collect with all-new styles and a new colour reveal accessory. Also new for spring are the Hairdorables Pets. There are 24 pets to collect.

At New York Toy Fair, Just Play unveiled the bombshells set to hit shelves this Autumn. The next chapter will include Series 3 dolls, their little sisters, the Shortcuts, and the introduction of DUDES to the Hairdorables tribe!

The love affair with Pikmi Pops is set to continue with the recent launch of Pikmi Pops Bubble Drops.

Va-va-voom

Walk on the wild side

HTI 01253 775544 www.htigroup.co.uk

SCHLEICH

Visit the HTI Group for more information at The Independent Toy & Gift Show on Stand 24.

This year it will showcase its latest additions, including new car collectable series Micro Motorz.

From Teamsterz, Micro Motorz series 1 is off to a flying start following its February launch with YouTuber Yianni Charalambous from UKTV’s Dave. Featuring six surprises, the product is supported with TV advertising, events, PR and influencer unboxing.

Also at the show is HTI’s updated Peppa Pig role play range, including the Electronic Guitar, perfect for introducing mini musicians to sound, rhythm and hand-eye coordination. Plus, see HTI’s latest range of Baby Annabell prams with brand new colourways and updated features.

01279 870000 www.schleich-s.co.uk

3

Game on!

UNIVERSITY GAMES/PAUL LAMOND GAMES 020 7254 0100 www.paul-lamond.com There will be plenty of new games and puzzles to see at the University Games/Paul Lamond Games stand.

The Gangsta Granny Stash the Swag board game sees Granny and Ben planning the greatest jewel theft in history, but can they avoid the Queen, collect and stash all the jewels?

The new, fun and educational Oi Frog! Matching Game comes packaged in a colourful embossed tin.

This summer sees three fun games starring Roald Dahl characters including The BFG’s Whizzpopping Letters and Matilda’s Splendid Spelling.

Schleich provides the perfect portfolio of children’s figures and playsets, with multiple pocket money price-points and a quality and craftsmanship that parents trust.

Central to the 2019 Horse Club range will be the new Rider Café Cups & Saddles. The set will be on the market in July and includes more than 60 pieces and two movable figures. It guarantees unlimited fun when reenacting scenes and imagining the most varied scenarios. Horse Club will also be supported with its first ever TV advertising from Q3 in the UK.

tnp.media

STEAMing ahead

House of fun

01353 724140 www.wind-designs.com

01483 449944 www.vividtoysandgames.co.uk

Count with Peppa from Trends UK’s ELA range is a multi award-winning and five-star rated range. The Mr Tumble Learning Pad and Learn with Thomas Alphaphonics are also popular learning toys with fans.

The Science Mad Build Your Own Robotic Vacuum Cleaner lets children build a working model that can sense walls and obstacles, has floating suction and dust collection chamber.

Vivid will be showcasing its key lines at this year’s AIS show. Leading the way for the company’s licensed offering is Ryan’s World. Already a huge hit in the US, the Ryan’s World range includes blind bags, squishies, plush and action figures with a focus on collectables.

Bouncing into AW19, Boomtrix is the new extreme marble track system consisting of towers, trampolines, stunts and a goal, where players must use their imagination to create the craziest track set-ups using all the included components.

Encouraging STEM linked learning via educational and fun-packed Sciencebased kits, Science4You is the perfect range to encourage children to discover the wonders of the world around them.

The company’s award-winning Phlat Ball continues to lead the way for Vivid’s outdoor range, along with the Super Wubble – an extension to the successful inflatable Wubble line – which was recently awarded Outdoor Toy of the Year at the Toy Industry Awards 2018.

Featuring super-soft, slow-rise foam, the cute and cuddly Squeezamals collection will see a new sweet-smelling Squeezamals Dessert range launching later this year.

Vivid’s brand AniMagic will also be on show. The new collection of Little Light Ups features an adorable sausage dog and French bull dog pups as well as a cute kitten.

Muddy Buddies are cute little animals that need rescuing from the boxes they’ve been abandoned in. Wash in warm water, and the mud magically disappears.

Having been taken over by Goliath, the games catalogue is exciting – there are more than 20 new games for 2019, including Gator Golf, Dragon Snacks, and Silly Sketch.

WIND DESIGNS

APRIL 2019

VIVID IMAGINATIONS

73

TNP

LOOKS BACK

Step back in time TnP’s founder, Malcolm Naish, takes a journey through the annals of time, reflecting on the news from Aprils past: 1989, 1999, 2009 and 2014

APRIL 2014

APRIL 1999

• Hasbro posted impressive first quarter figures that were up by two per cent to $679.5m compared to $663.7m for the same quarter in 2013. Its girls’ products My Little Pony and Nerf Rebelle were credited with helping this sales increase.

• LEGO closed its Wrexham offices as a result of global restructuring.

• Mattel topped the March TV spend at ratecard on £899,089 with Hasbro close behind on £841,249.

• We learnt Walmart’s toy sales had outstripped Toys R Us in the US.

• One of our regular advertisers, Learning Resources, celebrated its 20th year. Its range of hands-on learning products were finding favour with more retailers and they continued to thrive in 2019.

• The Entertainer helped to raise an incredible £500,000 for six children’s hospitals via its digital charity box ‘Pennies’.

• Marvel’s Captain America: The Winter Soldier broke all April records for an opening weekend by posting $96.2m.

• We interviewed Jenifer Farndell, Toy Buyer at Paultons Park’s ‘Peppa Pig World’, which was about to open a large toy section.

Based on the edge of the New Forest, it is a kid’s paradise and in addition to Peppa product sells plenty of other ranges including Tye, Keel Toys and other licensed product such as My Little Pony, Fireman Sam and Something Special. Surprise, surprise, Character’s Peppa Pig Camper Van is among its top sellers.

APRIL 2009 • Toymaster announced that it would be passing on a rebate of £250,000 to its members – the largest amount ever returned to members in one year.

With Woolworths out of the equation, this rebate was to be of huge help to members wishing to capitalise on Woolies’ absence from the high street. With NPD claiming that around 14 per cent of Woolies’ business had not yet been picked up by its competitors, Toymaster members had an opportunity to pick up some of this potential business.

• Mothercare announced the closure of its Swindon ELC offices, moving the ELC operation to its Watford HQ. • In the month prior, I printed the thoughts of a supplier about his working relationships with the grocery toy buyers and their staff.

He felt that they did not work nearly as well as major buyers from the likes of Argos, TRU and others. And, frustratingly, they never seemed to answer or respond to phone calls or emails.

• We received quite a few responses from fellow suppliers. The letter headed ‘The grocers are a sham’ evoked this response: “Like Anon, it is not sour grapes, but it is the total and utter lack of buying skill and understanding of what the suppliers put in to try and do business with these people. I could say a lot more, but must run to make the 45th phone call and email to one of my customers who hasn’t responded.”

74

• Rumours that Walmart had mounted a counter-offer for Asda, which had just agreed a £18bn merger with Kingfisher (Woolies parent company) – were fuelling speculation.

• Our UK suppliers were all looking forward to learning about Walmart’s fabled negotiating skills!

• I mentioned last month that both LEGO and Mamas & Papas had opened their own retail shops and wondered if this might upset a few toy retailers? I print below Alan Caswell’s response.

• ‘’Take a leaf out of my book, throw them out of the door, there is plenty of product out there with which you can replace them and make better profits. Let them open chains of shops and see just how hard it is to make ends meet on the ridiculous margins they ‘make available’. It isn’t always necessary to stock a No. 1 product, as they say a No.2 will do!”

• Bestoy MY went into receivership.

• In the US, Star Wars mania was in full swing. Toys R Us opened many of its branches at midnight to give customers the opportunity to be first on the block with the latest Star Wars merchandise.

April 1989 • Mattel was seeking an injunction restraining Hasbro from selling its newly-sculpted Sindy fashion doll.

In Mattel’s opinion new-look Sindy was very similar to Barbie. They felt this could lead to consumer confusion. Meanwhile, in the Hasbro camp they were expressing surprise at Mattel’s action.

• Hamleys made the news as it was bought by two Brits who resided in Beverley Hills, California – Duncan Chadwick and Neil Bailey. It was to be run with its present management including Bob Brown – the price paid was £20m.

• We ran a spread on Hornby. In addition to its core products, Sales Director Malcolm Hussey was also selling Pound Puppies and Famosa Dolls. Turnover was up to £23.4m, with a profit for 1988 of £2.4m.

• John Moschitta, who in 1999 held the record for the fastest talker in the Guinness Book of Records, did the voiceover for more than 50 ‘Micro Machine’ commercials that Rainbow Toys partly used in the UK under its forerunner to Character – Rainbow Toys.

• Nintendo was beginning to make significant strides in the UK. Currently dominating the American toy charts, Nintendo predicted that by the end of 1989, one in four US homes would have one of its home entertainment systems. The rest, as we know, is history.

tnp.media

DON’T MISS… We bring to the fore a selection of the hottest and newest products that will help you sell more. Buyers and retailers, get in touch with your sales contact now!

Product: Robozuna Mega Mangle Company: Bandai Tel: 0208 324 6160 Web: www.bandai.co.uk

Product: Zoo playset Company: Playmobil Tel: 01268 548111 Web: www.playmobil.co.uk

Product: Monster Jam Monster Dirt Starter Set Company: Spin Master Tel: 01628 535000 Web: www.spinmaster.com

Product: Treasure X Aliens Company: Character Options Tel: 0161 633 9800 Web: www.character-online.com

Product: Dumbo classic plush Company: Posh Paws Tel: 01268 567317 Web: www.poshpawsinternational.co.uk

Product: ZoomiZooz Tree House playset Company: VTech Tel: 01235 555 545 Web: www.vtech.co.uk

Product: Mr. Potato Head Movin’ Lips Company: Hasbro Tel: 020 8569 1234 Web: www.hasbro.com

Product: Rider Café Cups & Saddles Company: Schleich Tel: 01279 870000 Web: www.schleich-s.co.uk

Product: Mapominoes – The Ultimate Geography Game Company: Wild Card Games Tel: 07916 349942 Web: www.wildcardgames.com

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