Toys n Playthings

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y 2016 r a u n Ja 5 No.4 Vol. 3

Includes Preview Independently audited ABC circulation of 5,123 1 July 2014 to 30 June 2015

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CONTENTS P51

16 ry 20 Janua No.4 5 Vol. 3

TEAM TnP Group Editor Mirella Anstey mirella@lemapublishing.co.uk

Editor Mairead Wilmot mairead@lemapublishing.co.uk

Writer Rhys Thomas rhys@lemapublishing.co.uk

Group Advertisement Manager Ryan Horwood ryan@lemapublishing.co.uk

Regular 7 Leader – with Mirella Anstey

Media Solutions Manager Bradley Mason bradley@lemapublishing.co.uk

Publisher Mark Naish mark@lemapublishing.co.uk

Production Director Paul Naish paul@lemapublishing.co.uk

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

8 News – what’s the latest?

11 Quick Coffee Break with Hasbro’s Craig Wilkins, Marketing Director 12 People News – the movers and shakers 14 Exhibition News – the latest from the trade show scene 16 Movie News – The latest from the silver screen 18 Media News – the multimedia rundown 19 Media Charts – the latest from Global Media on TV viewing figures 22 What’s New – new products you need to get your hands on

P26

24 Toy Talk – the independent retailers have their say

Managing Director Malcolm Naish malcolm@lemapublishing.co.uk

Circulation Manager Robert Thomas robert@lemapublishing.co.uk

44 TnP TV – We look back on TnP TV’s incredible first year

P21

220 Trade Talk – we give suppliers a chance to talk business 222 Don’t Miss… – unmissable products for all buyers and retailers

Lema Publishing Ltd

PUBLISHING

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

P32

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

Independently audited ABC circulation of 5,123 1 July 2014 to 30 June 2015

toysnplaythings.co.uk

Helping everyone sell more

DISCOVER THE NEXT BIG THING AT

LONDON OLYMPIA JAN 24-26 2016

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Featuri, MV SPORTS,

TOYS, SMAN H GROS ES, ASOBI, IMC M E GRE N M GA ESDEVIU GROUND TOYS, EE, UNDER O, A B G LL GAME C EATWE BOARD RLD, CH BRO, O W A R SAM AURO REVELL, GAMES, OOKY...

W E. NY MOR D N A MA

PRE-REGISTER FOR YOUR FREE VISITOR ENTRY BADGE AT: WWW.TOYFAIR.CO.UK

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ON EXHIBITING AND SPONSORSHIP CONTACT MAJEN IMMINK, HEAD OF TOY FAIR OPERATIONS AND SALES BY TELEPHONE: +44 (0)20 77017127 OR BY EMAIL: MAJEN@BTHA.CO.UK UNFORTUNATELY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ARE UNABLE TO ATTEND

CONTENTS 260 Licensing News – the hottest news from the toy licensing industry 263 Step Back in Time – a slice of toy history from the industry’s longest running magazine

16 ry 20 Janua No.4 5 Vol. 3

TEAM TnP Group Editor Mirella Anstey mirella@lemapublishing.co.uk

Editor Mairead Wilmot mairead@lemapublishing.co.uk

Writer Rhys Thomas rhys@lemapublishing.co.uk

Group Advertisement Manager Ryan Horwood ryan@lemapublishing.co.uk

Media Solutions Manager Bradley Mason bradley@lemapublishing.co.uk

Publisher Mark Naish mark@lemapublishing.co.uk

Production Director Paul Naish paul@lemapublishing.co.uk

Features 51 Toy Fair 2016 - The road to Toy Fair begins with our in-depth show guide 206 Character Licensing – The hottest characters and kids’ brands from around the world 248 Ride ons – This category is always a favourite with plenty to roll out to stores in 2016

Special Report 21 Cover Story – MV Sports are back with a fresh line-up of licenses and flagship brands for 2016

P46 P40

26 Retail Interview – TnP sat down to talk toys with Disney Stores’ MD Graham Burridge 32 Range in Focus – Toy State details its incredible portfolio including Nikko and Warner Bros. DC Super Heroes 40 Range in Focus – Discover more about one of the world’s fastest growing toy brands as Magformers shapes up for a landmark year 46 Meet the Team – You know the products, but do you know the team behind Bladez Toyz?

50 Bureau Veritas Open Day – A look at the safety testing house’s popular Warrington event 254 Year in Review – TnP MD and Founder Malcolm Naish looks back at a jam-packed 2015 258 Those Licensing People – We sit down with MD Russell Dever to find out about the licensing company’s first four years

Columnists 20 The Media Whisperer – Clive Crouch breaks down a recent Ofcom report on UK media consumption 29 High Street Highs – The Entertainer’s MD Gary Grant and team gear up for Toy Fair season

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

30 The Independent and Secret Supplier – A new year brings new debate for our enigmatic retailer and supplier 31 Shop Talk – There’s plenty of room for every retailer online says John Ryan - but don’t jump in blind 246 TnP Ambassadors – Our ambassadors test the toys you stock on your shelves!

Managing Director Malcolm Naish malcolm@lemapublishing.co.uk

262 Licensing Opinion – LIMA MD, Kelvyn Gardner reports back from Korea’s Seoul Character and Licensing Fair •

Special Nuremberg Flip Show Guide Flip this issue over for our in-depth guide to the European toy show

Circulation Manager Robert Thomas robert@lemapublishing.co.uk

P206

P258

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 5,123 1 July 2014 to 30 June 2015

toysnplaythings.co.uk 4

toysnplaythings.co.uk Helping everyone sell more

25 \HDUV of supply chain excellence

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LEADER Mirella Anstey

A member of the Audit Bureau of Circulation

Independently audited ABC circulation of 5,123 1 July 2014 to 30 June 2015

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keen for all of their customers, new and old, to or some Christmas is their favourite time know just who is involved in the business. Turn to of year – for me, it is the new year. From a page 46 where you will find yourself introduced to professional stand point anyhow! January everyone, from management to finance to a very spells the start of a fresh retail year and special company investor. we are saturated with trade shows where we If you flip the magazine over, you will find get to meet suppliers and retailers from January yourself in our Nuremberg section and within that, through to February. Be it in Hong Kong, London, you will discover a six-page introduction to some Nuremberg or New York, Team TnP will be at each of Plum Products outstanding new lines. These and every show speaking to you all, viewing the outdoor products really are something very special ranges we’ve not managed to get to in previews so it is well-worth looking at their range and and generally catching up with everyone.

As always, our bumper January issue is by far the reading an interview with MD Mark Wilson who explains the company’s ethos. biggest of the year.

Moving towards page 258 you will find an We’ve got a cracking issue for you with plenty interview with Those Licensing to keep you all occupied on the People’s MD Russell Dever. train to London or the flight to The Fence Club’s Russell talks TnP through his Nuremberg. In keeping with TnP agency’s take on the industry as tradition, we have a flip cover main fund raising event they act as both IP owner and with the magazine split into two – The Ladies Night – at agent. Of course, we couldn’t sections, the front with MV on the Marriott Grosvenor have our January issue with our the cover contains our London Square, as well as being cover owners: Mattel and MV. Toy Fair preview, along with all MV have an absolutely fantastic of our usual TnP regulars, while a fabulous evening, line-up for 2016 and you simply the flip - with Mattel on the managed to raise must catch-up with them at cover - contains our almost £20,000 Toy Fair. But go armed with Nuremberg preview. information and read our cover Firstly a nod has to go to our story first on page 21. Finally, feature sponsors: Toy State, you’ll find an in-depth interview Chicco, Bladez, Plum Products, with our friends at Mattel in the Magformers and Those Licensing Nuremberg section. The toy giants have a great People. We’ve delved into these companies to year ahead of them so delve in. bring you the latest from each of them.

Finally, we must mention the excellent work Toy State, on page 32, is a brilliant eight page indone by those involved in The Fence Club. TnP’s depth look into the company’s range for 2016. founder and MD Malcolm Naish told us all about The management team at Chicco talk us through recent ladies night which raised a phenomenal their top toy picks for 2016 from the company’s £20,000 for charity. “The Fence Club’s main fund new range, from page 60. On page 40 you will come across our three-page profile on Magformers. raising event – The Ladies Night – at the Marriott Grosvenor Square, as well as being a fabulous Prior to our working with Magformers on this profile we had really noticed retailers picking up on evening, managed to raise almost £20,000 on the night,” reveals Malcolm. “Chairman Richard Keel the brand and saying great things about it. So we were delighted to be able to sit down with new MD of Keel Toys was in good form with many of the guests dancing the night away well into the early Dave Kelly to get his take on how the range will be hours. With the Jersey Boys tribute group belting developed in the UK market. This is definitely one out a selection of their all-time favourites, followed to watch – and the Magformers team has kindly by the Band of the Irish Guards, the evening was chosen their hero products for us too. over far too quickly.” And with that, see you all at Sometimes companies can be nameless, faceless Hong Kong, London, Nuremberg places – but not at Bladez Toyz. The company is g and New York.

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If you would like to subscribe to any of our other market leading titles please call Robert Thomas on 01442 289930 or email your request to robert@lemapublishing.co.uk

“

”

NEWS

INTERNATIONAL WIN FOR SAMBRO

Record year for Character Group The Character Group posted record pre-tax profits for the year ending 31 August 2015, up 73 per cent to £12.27 million compared with the same period in 2014, exceeding its expectations. Group revenue also grew by 1.2 per cent, from 97.89m in 2014 to 99.05m this year, with domestic trading off-setting a dip in international sales due to currency and a generally testing economic climate.

Peppa Pig, Minecraft, Fireman Sam, Teksta, Little Live Pets, Scooby Doo, Doctor Who and Character’s Activity ranges were all highlighted as its most important brands this year, while Teletubbies, picked up by Character Options as master toy partner, will be a big focus for 2016.

Richard King, Executive Chairman said: “Our new ranges coming to market over the next calendar year are very exciting and are already receiving great reviews from both our customers and the trade media.

“On this basis, we are confident that the cornerstone brands and the new season’s ranges will deliver in terms of demand and sales at consumer level across both our UK and international markets. At this stage we believe that our underlying performance should be able to deliver another year of solid progress.”

All change for Peterkin leadership Nigel Seary has been appointed by the board as Chairman of Peterkin UK Ltd, as of 1 January 2016.

He has been replaced as the company’s MD by former Sales Director, Andrew Moulser. Simon Blacker, who is currently the Managing Director of Peterkin Asia Ltd, has assumed a wider group role as Group Managing Director.

8

Sambro is celebrating a win in the Insider Media North West International Trade Awards, taking the title of International Company of the Year (£10m - £50m turnover) at the event held at The Lowry Hotel in December 2015. The judging panel cited Sambro’s innovation, active seeking out of new markets, and fantastic period of growth as reasons for winning. “To say we are delighted with this award is an understatement,” said Sambro Director, Nikki Samuels. “The team at Sambro has worked tirelessly over the past few years to grow our business into what it is today. We are constantly seeking new markets overseas and 2016 will see us enter even more territories for our biggest year yet.” Sambro also scooped win at the Finance Director of the Year competition, Nickelodeon Licensee of the year as well as several awards for its product innovation.

Science4you sales explode!

After launching in the UK at the beginning of 2015, educational toy company Science4you has had a phenomenal year with sales doubling to more than ¤10 million.

The Portugal-based company’s entry into the UK market in 2015 has been fundamental to its European growth, while brand new packaging and a partnership with the University of Oxford have also played vital roles. Currently the UK represents the most important market to Science4you, and to achieve further growth the company has enlisted the support of John Harper, former European head of Hasbro, and Mike Barrat, former Sales Manager at Mattel.

The company was founded in 2008 in Portugal and over the last seven years has grown to be one of the biggest toy companies in its domestic market. In recent years, Science4you has also expanded into Spain and other European markets.

Charities benefit from The Light Fund The licensing industry’s charity, The Light Fund, has donated the £150,000 it has raised in 2015 to funding projects with 30 different charities. The impressive sum was raised through a variety of activities undertaken by the licensing industry including the Southern and Northern Light Fund Quiz Nights.

toysnplaythings.co.uk

Magformers welcomes new MD David Kelly has been appointed as the new Managing Director of Magformers UK. Formerly Sales Director at Depesche UK, he brings more than 10 years’ experience in the toy industry to the role.

David and the Magformers team will be at London Toy Fair on stand Gallery 540, showcasing both current and brand new lines.

Read more about Magformers and David’s plans for the company on page 40.

A new door opens for The Entertainer The Entertainer opened a company record amount of new stores last year, and already has plans to open further stores in the first quarter of 2016. A total of 18 new locations opened their doors across the UK in 2015 - 10 in the last quarter - bringing the total number of The Entertainer stores operating in the UK to 116.

MD and founder Gary Grant said: “We have a solid footprint right across the UK on both the high street and in shopping centres. Launching 18 new stores plus major re-fits for several others is a great achievement for us, and this is in addition to the new warehouse in Banbury.”

New boss at Nick UK Nickelodeon UK’s leadership is changing hands with the appointme appointment of Alison Bakunowich as General rep Manager, replacing Tina McCann, who is stepping down from running the children’s TV network. tak up her new role in March and Alison takes will take over management responsibility for Nick Nickelodeon UK’s network of seven TV channe channels and multiplatform properties.

The handover coincides with a period outs of outstanding ratings for Nickelodeon’s netwo of UK channels, with Nick Jr. network having recently recorded its highest ever a daily and weekly share of viewing among children aged four to 15.

David Lynn, President, VIMN UK, Australia Easte Europe praised Tina’s leadership and Eastern pa six years as MD, adding: “Alison over the past a has been absolutely integral to Nickelodeon’s competitiv success in recent years.” competitive

JANUARY JA J ANUAR NUA NU AR RY 2016 20 2 016 16

Golden brands Two of Golden Bear’s most popular pre-school licenses are expected to drive it to success in 2016. In the Night Garden and Twirlywoos are at the core of the Golden Bear’s strong portfolio of licenses, and their continued success at retail have defined a successful year for the company.

Continuously featuring within, The In the Night Garden Ninky Nonk Musical Activity Train and Talking Soft Toys were a constant presence in the top pre-school items in NPD in 2015, and this pattern of success is being replicated with its new Twirlywoos range which only launched in June.

Katherine Pierce, Senior Licensing and Marketing Manager at Golden Bear said: “The enduring appeal of In The Night Garden and the success of Twirlywoos are testimony to the TV heritage and appeal of the on-screen themes which lend themselves perfectly to the development of innovative and engaging products to delight a new generation of children.

“The engaging characterisation, everyday themes and elements found in the In the Night Garden TV programme are reflected throughout our product line which continues to be an evergreen license for us. Similarly it is important that the Twirlywoos toy range conveys the essence of what the show is all about – centred around fun and play… Without a doubt 2016 will be an exciting year for Golden Bear’s Twirlywoos range.”

MGAE expands EMEA licensing MGA Entertainment has been busy extending its rapidly growing licensing business, reaching new markets for successful brands including Bratz, Project MC2, Zapf Creation, Lalaloopsy and Little Tikes, ahead of Toy Fair season.

With Hong Kong Toy Fair, London Toy Fair and Nuremberg Toy Fair on the horizon, the company’s new partnerships will allow it to grow its exciting new brands across Europe through 2016 and beyond.

Five newly appointed licensing partners in EMEA will join its existing agency partners. These new partners include: The Brand Residence (Germany, Austria, Switzerland), Partner Plus, (Greece, Cyprus), J & M Brands B.V (Belgium, Luxembourg, The Netherlands), LiSANS A.S (Turkey, Cyprus) and Plus Licens AB (Nordic, Baltic & CEE Regions).

9

NEWS

Masha sells out for Simba

Big show in the Big Apple With weeks to go until the 113th North American International Toy Fair opens its doors, the show is expected to draw a massive global crowd this year, with international registration up more than 50 per cent. Buyers, trend-spotters and trade guests from 83 countries have already registered to attend, with 4,700 buyers already pre-registered and many more expected to pour in over the coming weeks.

“Though registration has been open for just a few weeks, the number of represented countries expected at Toy Fair has grown by 54 percent year-to-date,” said Marian Bossard, US TIA’s SVP of global market events. “We’re thrilled to see that so many international play professionals have already signed on to attend the largest toy marketplace in the Western hemisphere. With nearly 30,000 visitors expected from around the world, Toy Fair 2016 is sure to be a whirlwind of energy, activity and product innovation!”

Simba Smoby leaped into action on in December, shipping in more units nits of its Masha and the Bear toy range after it sold out. The licensed collection, which includes plush, dolls, playsets and construction, launched exclusively vely at The Entertainer in October 2015, quickly becoming one off the retailer’s best selling pre-school ol ranges.

“Sales have been incredible and we have had to ship in more stock from Europe just to keep up with the demand,” said Simba Smoby Sales Director ,Richard Belford in December. “It’s great to see so many mums and kids connecting with the show and buying into the toy range.”

Let’s Torque logistics Many companies will be considering new ways to reinvigorate the business in the new year, and one area that can bring positive change is logistics.

Torque offers a unique set of flexible services that can be customised to fit any logistics and warehousing requirement. Using best practice and working in partnership with its customers, Torque delivers a tailored solution that is versatile, seamless and cost-effective.

In addition to offering the regular freight and warehousing services you would expect to find from a successful third party logistics provider, Torque focuses on providing a solution to help brands succeed in the toy and nursery sectors. These specialist services include: stock control and reporting, repairs and returns, e-commerce sales, compliance and customer services.

Working with organisations that have a variety of fulfilment solutions, and using its firsthand experience of the toy and nursery sectors, Torque is the ideal partner for your business.

Torque is one of the UK’s largest independent warehouse and logistics providers and operates in over 1.8 million sq ft of warehousing, with six sites in the UK. The company employs over 900 people across a range of departments which enables them to offer their one stop shop solution.

Thank you from Cockermouth!

Owners Jonty and Fiona Chippendale were overwhelmed when extra stock and messages of support poured in to flood-struck Toy Shop Cockermouth last year. Toymaster MD Ian Edmunds put out an appeal for help and it was a resounding success. He said: “Your generosity in providing stock will go a long way towards ensuring the presence of the Toy Shop Cockermouth for many years to come.”

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COFFEE BREAK

Retailer of the Year shortlist The shortlist for this year’s TIA Toy Retailer of the Year awards has been finalised, and the winners will be announced at Toy Fair later this month. Nominations were invited from BTHA members’ toy agents and national account managers, as well as toy stores who were also invited to self-nominate.

Categories include Independent Toy Retailer of the Year, Specialist Multiple Toy Retailer of the Year (up to five, 30 and over 30 stores) and Online Toy Retailer of the Year. Shortlisting was done by a panel of 20 from across the industry. The winners of the prestigious awards will be announced at the annual Toy Industry Awards held at Olympia on Sunday 24 January 2016.

Industry sales up five per cent Figures released by NPD Group at the end of last year revealed that toy industry sales in Britain increased 4.8 per cent versus the same period 2014.

The categories showing the most growth from the start of 2015 to 6 December were Action Figures and Accessories (19 pe rcent), Plush (13 per cent) and Building Sets (12 per cent). Of the remaining eight categories tracked by the information company, six saw single-digit increases, while two were in decline.

The top 10 selling toys in Great Britain (Jan - 6 Dec 2015) in pounds sterling: LEGO Minifigures (pictured) - LEGO Shopkins 2 Pack - Flair Disney Frozen Elsa Sparkling Ice Castle - LEGO Smart Tike 4 in 1 Trike Asst - Mookie Toys Shopkins pack of 12 - Flair Disney Frozen Sing Along With Elsa - Jakks Pacific Hot Wheels Basic Car Asst - Mattel Pie Face Game - Hasbro First Steps Baby Walker - VTech NERF N-Strike Modulus Blaster - Hasbro

As Play-Doh celebrates its 60th anniversary Hasbro’s Craig Wilkins, Marketing Director, speaks to TnP about the iconic brand and their plans for its future – hint, Hasbro have something big planned!

Play-Doh is such an iconic brand! How important is it to Hasbro’s portfolio?

Seeing tremendous growth over its years and now being the total UK Arts & Craft market, Play-Doh lleader le a er in the tot ad player under the Hasbro umbrella is a key pla brands. With licensing for Frozen, of b Marvel Avengers, and the upcoming M launch of Play-Doh Town, the brand is continuing to grow year on year.

And how has Play-Doh performed for Hasbro in recent years?

Since it was first invented in 1956, Play-Doh has become a classic and beloved toy, used in homes and schools around the world by children of all ages. Play-Doh is a market leader in Arts & Crafts; its endless creative possibilities ensure hours of fun for little ones, while its heritage, quality and trust make it the number one craft choice for parents. In 2011 Play-Doh was named TIME Magazine’s Top 100 Toys of All Time! Just a year later Play-Doh celebrated an exciting online milestone: acquiring one million Facebook fans.

Now, we must mention a huge moment in the brand’s life – Play-Doh is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year, how is Hasbro marking this occasion?

While we can’t reveal anything at the moment, rest assured we have very big, exciting, plans afoot for Play-Doh in 2016 to celebrate its 60th birthday!

Although the brand has such heritage, how do Hasbro keep it fresh and relevant?

Over the years, the Play-Doh brand has expanded and evolved from its classic Play-Doh can to a variety of colours and engaging play sets. Entering new categories of creativity, the Play-Doh brand extended its toy box strategy resulting in 99 per cent consumer awareness. The new segments introduced to the Play-Doh brand include: food roleplay, construction themed play and outside of the core toy range the Play-Doh brand has multiple licensees who expand the Play-Doh world. We’ve also recently introduced a brand new line – a sister product to PlayDoh called Doh Vinci. The Doh Vinci brand provides an intuitive and unique play pattern which allows kids to decorate their world in 3D using a Styler tool and Doh Vinci/Play-Doh compound.

You’ve applied some great licenses to Play-Doh such as Disney Princess and Star Wars, how have those performed?

With licensing for Frozen, Marvel Avengers, and the upcoming launch of Play-Doh Town, the brand is continuing to grow year on year whilst maintaining its position as the UK Market leader in Arts & Crafts.

JANUARY 2016

11

PEOPLE

NEWS Organisation announcement at Vivid Vivid promotes Leon Jarmolowicz to Crayola EMEA Commercial Director. Leon Jarmolowicz is adding responsibility for Crayola Export sales, strategy formulation and execution to his current marketing responsibilities for the Crayola brand in the EMEA. Leon has previously held the position Crayola Europe Head of Marketing for two years, and the appointment will be an internal promotion for him.

Leon has worked more than 10 years within the toy industry having held roles at VTech, Tomy and Vivid.

Eric Rossi, Vivid Group CEO sais: “Leon has been instrumental in building Crayola Brand through his Marketing Excellence and has been instrumental in driving on our Crayola business across EMEA territories. He brings a wealth of experience to his new role, and will I’m sure play a key part in the further development of our Crayola business in EMEA.” Speaking about his new role, Leon said: “Crayola is a fantastic brand with massive potential and one of those rare brands that can truly have relevance in all markets. I look forward to expanding the business further into Europe.”

Making an educated K’NEX-ion K’NEX UK has appointed Lynne Swatton-Reed as Head of Education Sales from January 2016. Lynne brings to the role a wealth of sales management experience gained on both toy and education brands, including Mattel, Hasbro and Franklin Electronic Publishers.

Speaking about her appointment, Lynne said: “I’m delighted to join K’NEX UK in such a landmark year. In addition to my professional experience working with toy and education brands, my daughter is currently in secondary school so I understand first-hand the importance of making STEM subjects exciting.”

‘Brand’ new role at HTI Following the appointment of Alison Downie to HTI at the end of August 2015, the company have since announced the promotion of Alison to Global Licensing and Brand Director. The new role will see Alison heading up the HTI Product Development and UK Marketing teams in addition to being responsible for the firm’s global licensing function.

Colin Houlihan, HTI Executive Director, said: “We are thrilled to have promoted Alison to this new role. This extension to her remit will enable HTI to benefit from Alison’s wealth of experience and expert knowledge in the children’s toy market. Her knowledge and capabilities in the product development process, as well as in marketing and licensing arenas will be invaluable in assisting HTI to take the business to the next level.”

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Funrise unveils its new regional sales force Funrise UK has unveiled details of its new regional sales force as five new agents join the team under direction of UK Director David Martin; the new team, includes some of the most experienced and respected sales professionals in the toy industry.

Speaking about the appointments David Martin said: “Our new regional sales force will primarily cover Toymaster and the independent sector, and I am delighted with how the team is developing.

Dave, Stuart, Andy, Hugh and Andrew are some of the most valued in the industry and will be a cohesive addition to our national sales drive. 2016 is promising to bring with it many new opportunities for Funrise and our retail partners, both for existing brands such as Gazillion and My Little Pony with the addition of heritage brands such as Tonka.” Starting with immediate effect the new appointments and their areas are: • Dave Glicksman – London and South East England • Stuart Nicholas – Midlands and the North • Hugh Burnett – Scotland and the North • Andrew McCormick – ROI and Northern Ireland • Andy Robertson South West and Channel Islands

Managing Director appointed at Drumond Games UK based games developer Drumond Games, creator of the internationally bestselling multi-title LOGO game brand, has announced Jan Slecht as Managing Director and Marcel Haarhuis as International Sales Manager.

Co-founder and Marketing Director Claire McCool said: “Jan and Marcel bring a wealth of international IP and licensing experience to the company. They will significantly increase our ability to sell our substantial repertoire of new and popular existing games, around the world. We see their decision to join us as a powerful endorsement.”

Jan Slecht added: “When Drumond Games approached me to join their team, I felt very honoured. We all know that consumers are becoming ever more demanding for highly innovative board and action games. Drumond Games has enthusiastically embraced these advances, and Marcel and I are looking forward to working with the team to help grow our business worldwide.”

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OTE £40,000 plus.

For more information please Jobs@DestinationBoardGames.co.uk

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EXHIBITION

NEWS

AIS sells out in two weeks All exhibition space for the AIS Independent Toy and Gift Show 2016 sold out within a mere 12 days, cementing its position as a firm favourite on the industry’s calendar after just four years.

There will be over 90 stands with exhibitors from across the world of children’s toys and gifts, all showcasing their latest product ranges. The show will also mark the first time in the UK buying calendar that Hasbro, LEGO and Mattel can be found under one roof. It will also be the first UK show at which Hasbro will exhibit in 2016.

Miles Penhallow, Head of Toys and Children’s Gift at AIS, said: “We are thrilled with the support the exhibitors have demonstrated for our show. We are looking The show will also forward to back suppliers who have exhibited mark the first time welcoming with us before and also to welcoming new in the UK buying suppliers to the show.”

The Independent Toy and Gift Show takes calendar that place at the Cranmore Park Exhibition Venue in Hasbro, LEGO and Shirley, Solihull on Tuesday 12 and Wednesday Mattel can be 13 April 2016, and is easily accessible by car, train and airport. found under Visit www.independenttoyandgift.co.uk one roof for more information, including the full exhibitor list.

”

Opening the door to China Following Messe Frankfurt’s successful first-time participation in organising the 2015 Toy and Hobby China, and Baby and Stroller China, next year will see the debut of an International Zone to assist overseas suppliers to enter the fast-growing Chinese market.

The new initiative has been design to ensure maximum exposure for participants. Located near the entrance for buyers’ convenience, its distinctive design will ensure it stands out from the crowd on the show floor.

Wendy Wen, Senior General Manager of Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd, said the introduction of the new International Zone was prompted by strong feedback received at the 2015 fairs from potential international exhibitors.

“The strong reputation in the domestic industry of this longstanding event and the quality buyer profile make these fairs the ideal entry-point for overseas companies to establish a foothold in the Chinese market,” she added.

The fairs, which run from 8 – 10 April will be held across a 75,200 sqm show floor at the Poly World Trade Center Expo, and are expected to attract more than 1,000 exhibitors.

For more information on exhibiting and visiting, visit www. chinatoyfair.com.

14

Head to toy town Organised by the China Toy & Juvenile Products Association (CTJPA), China Toy Expo is held in Shanghai every October and runs concurrently with the China Kids Expo, making it the largest toy and baby products fair in Asia by exhibition space.

In 2015, the event attracted a total of 60,618 buyers from over 120 countries and regions and over 1,500 global exhibitors, covering a total exhibition area of 145,000 sqm. China Toy Expo directly connects overseas buyers with high-quality Chinese toy manufacturers. Each year, the local government and associations of more than 20 major production regions for toys and baby products organise local factories, big or small, to exhibit and showcase their latest products on the fair.

Over 90 per cent of these manufacturers take international orders, and have high reliability and capability for product innovation and quality control to satisfy global buyers various demands. And more importantly, many of them are new exhibitors.

China Toy Expo 2016 will take place from 19-21 October 2016 in Shanghai. Visit www.china-toy-expo. com/en for more information or directly contact Helen Zhang on zhangying@tjpa-china.org.

BIGGER AND BETTER Brand Licensing Europe has unveiled a new layout for the 2016 event.

BLE 2016, which takes place from 11 – 13 October 2016 at London’s Olympia, will now feature two central aisles to encourage a free flow of visitors across the Character & Entertainment zone on the ground floor. It will also build two central staircases up to the Art, Design & Image and Brands & Lifestyle areas, easing congestion and enabling additional access to these busy sections of the show.

In addition, some stands in the Character & Entertainment zone will undergo dramatic increases in size. Nickelodeon Viacom Consumer Products, Sony Some stands in the Computer Entertainment Character and Europe, Warner Bros Entertainment zone Consumer Products, Turner Cartoon Network, will undergo Mattel Brands Consumer dramatic increases Products and Hasbro in size…in some Brand Licensing & cases by as much as Publishing have all significantly increased 150 per cent their stand sizes, in creating the largest some cases by as stands the much as 150 per cent show has ever - creating the largest stands the show has seen ever seen.

”

toysnplaythings.co.uk

MOVIE

NEWS

Cap’ kicks it up a notch

2016 Movie Calendar February

Captain America kicked Marvel Studio’s Phase Three movie slate into action in December, with a record breaking debut trailer that racked up 61 million views in 24 hours. The reveal of the conclusion to the Captain America trilogy almost doubled The Avengers: Age of Ultron’s 34 million first-day views Captain America: Civil War will be the first release in the third wave of movies set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The MCU encompasses the films featuring some of its most popular heroes, including Iron Man, Thor and the rest of the Avengers, with new faces Black Panther and Doctor Strange

4 Deadpool 5 Goosebumps 12 Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip

March 11 Kung Fu Panda 3 25 Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice 25 Zootropolis

April 15 The Jungle Book 29 Captain America: Civil War joining the saga between now and 2019.

Civil War sees Chris Evans return as the titular hero alongside Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man and Scarlett Johansson’s Black Widow when the film releases in the UK 29 April, 2016.

May 13 The Angry Birds Movie 13 X-Men Apocalypse 27 Alice Through the Looking Glass

June

A look to the stars…

With the latest Star Wars offering out in cinemas after its reawakening, we look back at what was popular 10 years ago. Topping the IMDB charts for most popular film releases in 2005 was none other than Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith, set three years after the onset of the Clone Wars and largely regarded as the final ever window into the far away galaxy.

The fourth instalment of the Harry Potter franchise joined the most watched films at the cinemas a decade ago and The Goblet of Fire was joined by V for Vendetta and Batman Begins. With the much anticipated release of Batman V Superman (more from that later) releasing in the UK in 2016 but with momentum already building, have we come full circle?

Also popular at the Box Offices that year included: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory; The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardobe; Sin City and the The Fantastic Four,

16

3

Trailer blazing Batman and Superman fans were recently treated to the second trailer for the upcoming film Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice.

With close to 10million views in the first 48 hours following the trailer’s release, the DC Comics and Warner Brothers partnership could rest easy ahead of the film’s March release date. Rumours suggest the film could be the most expensive movie in history, and it certainly has a lot of work to do to live up to the hype.

But with veteran Oscar-winning actors Holly Hunter as well as Ben Affleck on board, the latter as the iconic Batman – this could very much make its super, bat-shaped mark.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2 24 The Secret Life of Pets

July 8 15 22 29 29

Tarzan Ghostbusters The BFG Finding Dory Ice Age: Collision Course

August 12 Pete’s Dragon

October 7 Monster High 21 Trolls

November Katniss hits the target

18 Fantastic Beasts and Where

Opening in the US with a $51.6 billion first weekend, The Hunger Games – Mockingjay Part 2 beat its rivals The Good Dinosaur and Creed to top the box office charts over the Thanksgiving holiday.

December

to Find Them 16 Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

toysnplaythings.co.uk

and

MEDIA

NEWS

Rebels with a Disney cause

Revived children’s classic takes top spot Teletubbies’ return to screens in November has been hailed The launch of a success by DHX Media, the new episodes winning a 66 per cent share saw Teletubbies of its target audience in occupy four slots, its first week on air with including number CBeebies. Its stellar one, in the Top performance also boosted 10 most watched the pre-school channel’s children’s share among the same category by 27 per cent. programmes Based on average of the week figures for the first five episodes, using data from industry ratings body BARB, the launch of the new episodes saw Teletubbies occupy four slots, including number one, in the Top 10 most watched children’s programmes of the week. Character Options is the master toy licensee for Teletubbies in the UK.

Disney XD has ordered a third season of animated series Star Wars Rebels from Lucasfilm, and is currently in production, scheduled to premiere in 2016.

Speaking on the continued success of the series Marc Buhaj, Senior Vice President Programming and General Manager, Disney XD, said: “We are proud to bring our audience a third season of Star Wars Rebels, a series that has resonated across generations.

“The creative team behind the series continues to do a brilliant job in delivering on the key tenets that fans have come to expect from a Star Wars property, including adventure, hope and the battle between good and evil.”

The transformative second season of Star Wars Rebels featured the return of fan-favourite clone troopers Captain Rex, Captain Gregor and Commander Wolffe, and the debut of new characters includes the Seventh Sister - a cunning and crafty Inquisitor who is tasked by Darth Vader to track down the Rebels. Kiri Hart, Lucasfilm SVP of Development, added: “Season three will see our Rebel heroes face new obstacles and find new allies in their fight against the Empire.”

YouTube sensation to hit TV

”

DHX Media and DWA enter five-year deal DHX Media and DreamWorks Animation have struck up a five-year agreement to co-produce 130 episodes of original animated children’s content at DHX Studios. Content under the deal will air on DHX Television’s suite of channels, which includes Family Channel, Family Jr., Family CHRGD and Télémagino.

DHX Media has also licensed more than 1,000 halfhours of television programming from DreamWorks Animation, to be broadcast beginning as early as June 2016. DHX Television will become the exclusive television network for this DreamWorks Animation television content in Canada. Series coming to the network include All Hail King Julien, The Mr. Peabody & Sherman Show, Dragons: Race to the Edge, The Croods, and many others.

In addition, DHX Media has entered into an agreement with AwesomenessTV, which is majorityowned by DWA, to license 300 half-hours of teen content for exclusive broadcast in Canada on Family Channel.

18

Get set for a sofa scramble!

The team behind Linkee has become one of the first to create and launch an Apple TV app; the new Linkee tvOS app has been specifically designed for quizzers to use with Apple TV. Dean Tempest, of Team Linkee, said: “This year sees the birth of on-screen multiplayer Linkee.

“Linkee has always been about doing things differently and this is a brilliant new way for us to engage the whole family, in one room, and have them do battle over the remote for very different reasons.”

Jetpack Distribution has signed a deal with Outfit7 Limited for the global broadcast rights to Talking Tom and Friends.

Created and produced by Outfit7 and Vienna-based arx anima, Talking Tom and Friends chronicles the adventures of Talking Tom and the gang as they shoot their own reality television show.

Since the series launched on the YouTube channel in April 2015, all content - including episodes, trailers and mini-sodes - has drawn in over 300 million online views.

Jetpack will have exclusive global TV rights - excluding Asia - to distribute the 52 x 11-minute CGI animated series.

toysnplaythings.co.uk

MEDIA

CHARTS 6000 5000

Switch it up

4000 3000

W

elcome to the November media report, we are reporting on Boys and Girls 4-9 years and Housewives with Children.

The total viewing for Boys 4-9 years is up by two per cent when compared to November 2014. As the chart shows there has been some serious movement of viewing levels from one station to another.

Nickelodeon is showing a decrease in viewing of some 37 per cent, Nick Junior is up by 42 per cent, Tiny Pop up by 51 per cent, Channel 5 up by 68 per cent and Kix is up by 145 per cent, albeit from a low based, so it is a real mixed bag for November.

The overall viewing for girls aged four to nine years was down by 4.5 per cent when comparing it to November 2014, similar to the boys viewing data there have been some major moves from one station to another. Nickelodeon is down by 30 per cent, Nicktoons is up by 37 per cent, Disney Junior is up by 125 per cent, CiTV down by 49 per cent. I don’t believe we have seen such station switching since 2014.

Looking at the viewing levels for Housewives with Children, the overall market is up by 13.9 per cent. There is especially good news for ITVBE which is up by 23.4 per cent. It is now clear that their programme schedule is going in the right direction from where they were 12 months ago – good news. Nick Junior is showing increases as are Disney Junior and Tiny Pop. The top 10 spenders are up by a massive 90 per cent, the total market is up by over 100 per cent, these are staggering increases at this time of the year.

Just looking at the increases for Hasbro, John Adams and Mattel they have all doubled in reported expenditure on the previous November.

The total TV revenue is up by 4.4 per cent, however within the Sky stations they are up by 13.7 per cent.

We predicated in our October report that TV revenue would be up by 4.4 per cent for November and it was – aren’t we the clever ones!

The next issue we will look at the whole of 2015 for Girls and Boys aged four to nine years and Housewives with Children.

I would like to take this opportunity to wish you all a very Happy New Year from Global Media Services.

2000 1000 0

Housewives & Kids TVRs November 14 vs November 15

Nov-14

Nov-15

10000 9000 8000 0 7000 0 6000 0 5000 0 4000 0 3000 0 2000 0 1000 0

Boys 4-9 TVRs November 14 vs November 15

Nov-14

Nov-15

8000 7000 6000 5000 4000 3000 2000 1000 0

Girls 4-9 TVRs November 14 vs November 15

Nov-14

Nov-15

Nov 2014 Toy Company TV Expenditure

Nov 2015 Toy Company TV Expenditure

Company Name

TV Expenditure

Company Name

TV Expenditure

Hasbro (UK) Ltd John Adams Leisure Ltd Mattel UK Ltd Character Options Ltd Flair Leisure Prod Ltd Playmobil UK Ltd VTech Electronics Ltd Spin Master Toys Ltd Fisher-Price Toys Ltd LEGO UK Ltd

£1,629,090 £1,402,842 £1,202,529 £997,161 £888,474 £732,143 £699,475 £669,074 £510,460 £428,269

Hasbro (UK) Ltd John Adams Leisure Ltd Mattel UK Ltd Jakks Pacific/Kdz Biz Ltd Spin Master Toys Ltd Playmobil UK Ltd Flair Leisure Prod Ltd Fisher-Price Toys Ltd Drumond Park Ltd VTech Electronics Ltd

£3,976,951 £2,367,945 £2,246,527 £1,413,169 £1,398,181 £1,337,400 £1,264,708 £1,264,059 £1,217,089 £937,252

For more information on viewing levels please contact Mike Penfold. mike@globalmedia.me.uk Tel: 01494 763178.

All graphs and information supplied by Global Media Services

SEPTEMBER SE S EPTEM PTEMB PT EM E MB BE ER 2013 20 2 013 13

19

MEDIA

OPINION

What we watch and how A recent Ofcom report reveals just how the UK public consume media, Clive Crouch takes a closer look

O

fcom published its International Communications Market Report on 10 December 2015.

At the risk of losing your interest at this early stage, the name of the report somewhat undersells its content. It is brimming with interesting facts, figures and lifestyle trends typical of today’s media consumption.

In short, the report tells us the UK leads the world for hitech TV viewing, that UK viewers most likely to use tablets to watch catch-up TV and that online viewing is higher in the UK than elsewhere.

Those three statements set the scene for the wiring diagram of advertising expenditure patterns that are chasing the technology opportunity.

We can take comfort that television is still the dominant medium, accounting for a 38 per cent share of total advertising spend.

Zenith Optimedia’s Advertising Expenditure Forecast says: “mobile advertising will be larger than all other media except for television. Growth of the global ad market is being driven by advances in technology, especially mobile and programmatic tech.”

The forecast tells us “almost all advertising growth is being driven by mobile, and that programmatic advertising – or real time ad buying through special software – will account for more than half of the digital display advertising (53 per cent) for the first time this year.”

Closer to home, last month 31 million UK viewers are estimated to have consumed their Christmas viewing on catch-up services such as BBCi Player and ITV Hub, that’s 70 per cent of all UK adults. The UK is ahead of all other major European countries, and the USA, Japan and Australia, and technology is driving this lifestyle choice of television

viewing. The proportion of UK homes with digital TV is now at 97 per cent (Q4 2014 – Source BARB Establishment Survey) and it’s interesting to note that the number of minutes of television viewed by people age four plus each day was an average of three hours 52 minutes in 2013, and three hours 40 minutes on average in 2014. Year on year, 2014 over 2013, that represents a viewing decline of just over five per cent.

Given the penetration of mobile and digital appliances, that decline in TV viewing is marginal when put into context by the following figures.

For example, the proportion of adults with broadband in the UK (fixed and mobile) was 77 per cent in Q1 2014 and 80 per cent in Q1 2015. The proportion of online adults who use social networking sites was 66 per cent in 2013 and 72 per cent in 2014.

In terms of the amount of people who use their mobile handset to access the internet, well that was 57 per cent in Q1 2014 and 61 per cent in Q1 2015.

The amount of adults who used a mobile phone in the UK was 93 per cent in Q1 of 2014 and 2015, while the amount of adults with a smart phone was 61 per cent in Q1 2014 and 66 per cent in Q1 2015. These stats demonstrate the potential for growth and usage of mobile advertising. Accordingly, Zenith Optimedia says: “Mobile advertising is set to overtake desktop computers and total $114bn by 2018, up from $50bn this year (2015), and account for over half of all internet ad spend.”

However, I am not suggesting that advertising to children should be re-profiled, despite the growth of mobile. To simply follow the money is not the way forward. While television remains by far the dominant and most effective media for advertising to children the toy industry has creatively reached out to children through new media.

I recently wrote in TnP about how the UK advertising industry leads the way in Europe with digital advertising solutions.

The inherent value of good media planning is fundamental to reaching the end user in the most effective way, across both consumer and trade target groups.

“

These stats demonstrate the potential for growth and usage of mobile advertising

”

Clive Crouch www.clivecrouch.com, info@clivecrouch.com, mobile: 07831 670 453

1

toysnplaythings.co.uk

COVER FEATURE MV

MoVe it on out!

A one-stop shop for all things outdoor, MV Sports’ campaign for 2016 will welcome the return of beloved iconic characters such as Teletubbies, Bob the Builder, Noddy and Fireman Sam. These join a host of refreshed flagship brands to create excitement and buzz for the year to come. TnP discovers more...

F

ollowing another successful year of growth, MV unveils an unprecedented line-up of new product, new licenses and new brands for Toy Fair 2016.

MV say this is potentially its best line-up ever and the 2016 range is a ‘one stop shop’ for all things wheeled and outdoor.

For 2016, MV will launch no less than eight new licenses, plus refreshes to another seven properties and two completely new brand launches. There are six blockbuster movies to look forward to, plus the two fastest growing new licenses in toys.

That’s electric!

MV has two new ownbrands to shout about in 2016. The first is Electrick – MV’s brand new range of cool scooters and powered urban vehicles. Electrick is an ideal complement to the successful range of Stunted performance-based scooters.

The second is a range of funky, brightly coloured tripod scooters under the new Twista brand.

Completing the stable of MV brands will be its new Hedstrom range of outdoor play equipment complete with all new full colour packaging; the Kickmaster football range ready for the Euros in 2016.

18 21

Positively pre-school First off, MV’s two flagship p pre-school ends and Peppa brands Thomas & Friends over for 2016 to Pig are getting a makeover ensure that the product stays fresh and ive generation relevant to each successive nd My Little of fans. Disney Princess and Pony are also strengthened d with several exciting new product launches. hes.

Joining them is the pre-school hool arena is the return of classic favourite - Teletubbies.

Spearheading the new range is MV’s new sound-around Po scooter, based on the one used

by Po in the show and it is sure to be a must-have for any Teletubbies fan.

Pre-school classics Bob the Builder er and Noddy also get a refresh with new product.

A massive success for MV first time around, Bob’s focus on construction vehicle play is a perfect fit for wheeled toys. The return of Noddy to our TV screens will showcase his new car, and of course MV will be launching a kids battery operated version as part of a wider range of outdoor products. Accompanying Noddy will also be an all new range of bikes, ride-ons and inflatables based on the fastest growing new preschool property of 2015, Paw Patrol.

Fireman Sam completes MV’s lineup of essential, action-packed range for pre-school boys.

For older kids there’s also a k lot to shout out about. Shopkins is already a massive girls’ toy alr phenomenon, and early sales reads indicate that MV’s range of wheels is flying of the shelves.

“

Movie mayhem

MV say this is potentially its best line-up ever and the 2016 range is a ‘one stop shop’ for all things wheeled and outdoor

Later in the year MV, will be launching a range of Trolls wheeled toys in anticipation of the new DreamWorks movie. The Angry Birds movie launches in May and MV’s range of scooters, skates and skateboards perfectly captures its humour and edginess. For older boys, the unstoppable trio of Star Wars, Batman and Avengers all have exciting new additions based on upcoming blockbuster film re releases.

”

Riding the licensing wave MV’s new licensed portfolio for 2016 gets even better with the launch of Finding Dory wheeled toys and inflatables.

Get in contact with MV Sports to find out more Water-based product will be in high about their new lines, go online to www.mvsports. demand as the film breaks in July and co.uk, or call 0121 748 8000. You’ll also find them at the watery world of Dory, Nemo and London Toy Fair on stand B30. friends is the perfect license for pools, water slides and sprinklers.

toysnplaythings.co.uk

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

An epic launch LEAPFROG 01895 202 840 www.leapfrog.com

Another pioneering year for LeapFrog, 2015 saw new product launches, including Epic, their first Android based tablet. The launch marked the first time LeapFrog had offered learning content on a tablet made for sale in the consumer electronics section of stores. The LeapFrog Epic tablet was built from the ground up to adapt as a child grows, offering endless possibilities for children to explore safely, play, imagine and create. The tablet delivers access to unique personalised learning experiences that auto-level with a child’s progress and act as a customisable, interactive, playable home screen; kid-safe browsing and easy-to-use parental controls that help define the play experience for each individual child.

Next year will see LeapFrog continue to steer the brand into new and exciting territories to inspire children to learn in a fun way, creating new and exciting revenue opportunities for retailers. Using a powerful combination of expertise, new technology and LeapFrog innovation, 2016 will see the creation of powerful and lasting 2016 will see the educational experiences creation of powerful that transform and lasting educational children’s lives.

experiences that transform children’s lives

Say ‘eh oh’ to big hugs CHARACTER OPTIONS 0161 633 9800 www.character-online.com Hitting the shelves this January is an impressive Teletubbies soft toy collection – each Teletubby character is available as a Signature 8” 6” Supersoft Collectable, Talking Soft Toys making it a perfect feature speech first toy. and sound effects; The signature 8” Talking Soft Toys feature speech simply press their and sound effects; simply tummy to hear press their tummy to hear them speak iconic them speak iconic phrases phrases such as ‘Eh Oh’ and ‘Big Hug’! Fans will also have lots of fun with the very lively Jumping Po; Lullaby Laa-Laa Night Light toy adds to the line-up as the ideal bedtime companion, with its soft light show and soothing music.

”

22

toysnplaythings.co.uk

NEW Retail therapy FLAIR 020 8643 0320 www.flairplc.co.uk There is big news for Shopkins fans with the introduction of the Shoppies Dolls.

Love Shopkins? You’ll love Shoppies: fabulously fashionable dolls, each with their own personality, outfit and accessories.

There are three food themed dolls to collect: Popette, Bubbleisha and Jessicake. Each doll comes with two exclusive Shopkins characters, accessories and a code to download special features within the hugely popular Shopkins app.

Each doll comes with two exclusive Shopkins characters, accessories and a code to download special features within the hugely popular Shopkins app

”

Positively batty VIVID 01483 449 944 www.vividtoysandgames.co.uk Visit Nocto’s bat cave at Nocto’s six different erent Vivid stand B70! Who’s moods and modes each Nocto you ask? Well have associated light he’s the light-up bat with colours, expressions, ‘batitude’ of course! sounds and movements.

Boasting over 50 Nocto also comes with interactive features, Nocto is four interactive games a teenage bat with a glowing including his favourite personality and just like all Fruit Bat teenagers, he likes to hang Machine around, sleep and listen to music but he’s also prone to some serious mood swings!

Luckily, much like your average teenager, the warning signs are obvious from a mile away as Nocto’s six different moods and modes each have associated light colours, expressions, sounds and movements. Nocto also comes with four interactive games including his favourite Fruit Bat Machine.

Be careful when entering his cave though… he takes his duty very seriously when he’s in protect mode – you have been warned!

”

Cutting edge AXISKI 07519 659 960 www.axiski.com Axiski is the UK and Europe’s most exciting new all year round ski board. Not only can Axiski provide hours of fun and excitement when it does snow, it can also be used on frosty grass as well as sand. Using an Axiski is easy, you can stand on it for maximum thrills, you can sit on it, lie down on it, forwards or backwards, you can even share it with someone else and double up!

Axiski is designed and manufactured in the UK to exacting standards using the very best quality materials. It is available in a range of five trendy stand out colours – black, blue, green, pink and orange.

At a competitive price point and considering its versatility, Axiski believes that this represents fantastic value for money; it also delivers a POR for retailers of more than 50 per cent.

JANUARY 2016

23

RETAIL

OPINION

Toy talk

TnP loves to hear your views. This month we chat with retailers around the country to see what is selling well and how they are finding consumers on the ground

Retailers are important to us here at TnP. We love chatting to them each month to get industry insights into what is selling well and we ask some key questions...

CHARLIE POLLEY Boo’s Toy Shop, Poundbury

LUAN HALL

Boo’s Toy Shop is located in the enviable area of the Duchy estate of Prince Charles, just outside Dorchester. He visited the shop three weeks after it opened, and the store gave him a present for Prince George.

Fairies ‘N’ Frogs, Ampthill

How has trading in 2015 been?

Really good for us, we expanded the shop by agreeing with our landlord that we could knock through to next door. This allowed us to separate the shop into a girly theme, and a medieval/knight theme, adding atmosphere. Our LEGO partnership acts really well for us in getting customers through the door, then once they’re in they can see additional high quality toys such as Melissa and Doug.

What three products sum the year up for you?

Number one would have to be LEGO. Number two would be Indigo Jamm, we trialled three products from them: the scooter, Colin Camper Van and Bertie Bus. They are beautifully made and definitely one I would recommend. I met them at the Toy Fair after someone came into the store enquiring about the products, we now stock the majority of their range. Lastly I would say Orange Tree Toys and Magformers.

What is your outlook heading into trading in 2016?

We opened into the second store last October, and we’ve been expanding into that. Next year will be all about making products more exciting and adding in-store interaction. LEGO will definitely be featured in this concept of creating a play environment within the shop. I love seeing the children with their Melissa and Doug shopping trollys and hearing what people think. We’ve been in the toy shop now for two and a half years, and in 2016 we will be focusing on making everything more magical.

What is selling well for Christmas that you expect to carry into next year? Wooden toys is the majority of our business, Colin Camper Van will do well as will Bigjigs.

Star Wars LEGO will maintain its success. Grandparents come in and see Brio and remember buying similar products for their children 30 years ago.

They see Bigjigs and are reintroduced to new products on the market with that nostalgic feel.

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Fairies ‘N’ Frogs has been the recipient of a Customer Care Bedfordshire award as well as winning an East of England Business Champions award in the Small Business category. The Bedfordshire store was also shortlisted for a Retailer Initiative award where it was up against the likes of John Lewis, House of Fraser, JoJo Maman Bebe and Sainsbury’s. They were nominated in the prestigious category for their Christmas layaway promotion, free gift wrapping, customised children’s stockings, loyalty cards and charity work.

How has trading in 2015 been?

Really good, we’re generally up month on month. We had an unfortunate blip over summer as there were roadworks outside, however this coincided with our website launch so helped to counteract the effects!

What three products sum the year up for you?

Magformers, Kinetic Sand, Elf on the Shelf – the last three weeks have been complete mayhem! Elf on the Shelf has worked mostly with independent retailers and they’re very particular and location sensitive so they don’t saturate areas with their products. I’m very lucky the distribution centre is just up the road.

What is your outlook heading into trading in 2016?

Heading into our sixth year, we grew so much early on we became VAT registered. This took its toll financially, but we are positive with our online sales. I had even rethought the idea of having a shop in the area, but recently I have my mojo back!

The past few weeks has reinstalled my passion and belief, and this will certainly continue with the London Toy Fair. It’s exciting and falls at the perfect time – beginning of the year, it reignites creativity, it draws your focus back and gives you fresh ideas. I have a great team behind me as well which really helps.

What is selling well for Christmas that you expect to carry into next year?

Magformers, 100 per cent!

Kinetic Sand too as we’ve sold so much, and I can see the accessories will also sell because the originals were so popular. I’m also really glad that Magformers has chosen us to sell their products as well, especially as an independent.

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Tweet Talk LAURIE SMITH Jake’s Toys, Petersfield

Share your thoughts with us and keep up to date with all things TnP on Twitter @toysnplaythings

Jake’s Toys moved successfully from the premises in Lavant Street to the hub of the town, Chapel Street, in larger premises with more room to play!

How has trading in 2015 been?

Good for us, we moved in May and are generally busier, whether that is because people are shopping earlier perhaps.

What three products sum the year up for you?

LEGO is always good for us, Hasbro’s action figures as well and Sylvanian Families which is doing well at the moment.

What is selling well for Christmas that you expect to carry into next year?

Jurassic World LEGO is sold out, new releases will come in January. We’re struggling to get hold of Paw Patrol, getting plenty of calls about them!

SIMON ADAMS Toytown, Woodbridge Simon has been in the toy trade for 27 years, setting up in the heart of Woodbridge’s shopping precinct in 2014.

How has trading in 2015 been?

We’re about 10 per cent up on the previous year.

What three products sum the year up for you?

Shopkins, LEGO in general and Star Wars seems to be popular also.

What is your outlook heading into trading in 2016?

I think we are approaching another positive year, the economy seems to be picking up.

What is selling well for Christmas that you expect to carry into next year?

Apart from LEGO I think it will be new products in the new year. Shopkins will also still be strong, and Sylvanian Families do very, very well for us – I can see that continuing into next year as well.

What one thing would you like to do to develop your business in 2016?

Our next project is to get the flooring in the shop done. We moved in a year and a half ago, and have redone the electrics since, so next step is the flooring.

JANUARY 2016

CHRIS GOULDING Langleys Toys Ltd, Norwich An iconic name for over a century, Langleys has recently welcomed new owners to the store in the Royal Arcade, Norwich city centre. Store manager Chris is looking forward to working with the new owner and maintaining the same great service.

How has trading in 2015 been?

Langleys has been taken over recently, with new owners coming in and so technically this will be the store’s first Christmas under new directorship. That said, I’ve worked in the Langleys toy shop for many years and I can say the year has been better than previous. It’s an exciting future ahead with new direction and Christmas.

What three products sum the year up for you?

Off the top of my head, Shopkins has been really big, with Zomlings also a bit of a craze. Anything Star Wars! Minions related products have been big as well.

What is selling well for Christmas that you expect to carry into next year?

Shopkins is selling well, and it’s always the same with LEGO and Sylvanian Families – we’re a big seller of them. The top game is Pie Face, but it is very difficult to get hold of and when we do it’s gone very quickly! Paw Patrol is a huge seller – everyone is after it. Every other call I am getting at the moment is for LEGO advent calendars.

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RETAIL INTERVIEW DISNEY STORE

Step into the world of the silver screen Graham Burridge, Managing Director of Disney Stores Europe is at the helm of all things retail when it comes to Disney. TnP finds out how trading went in 2015, what lies ahead in the new year and, of course, we learn just how strong the force is proving to be…

Graham, was 2015 a good year for retail at the Disney Store?

It certainly has been with Disney Store Europe having recordbreaking sales this year. As well as strong sales across all of our franchises, we’ve seen growth in our online businesses and have delivered a magical shopping experience to millions of consumers through our physical stores. Our product range has been really strong in 2015 – we’ve had phenomenal bestsellers like the Frozen costume and dolls and our Star Wars range is possibly one of our best ever ranges.

As 90 per cent of the range is exclusive to Disney Store, a lot of focus goes into creating the right product for our consumers and this shows in our great results this year.

“

We definitely see a spike in merchandise sales around film releases but outside of a new release, we have a strong business on what we call our ‘evergreen franchises’ too

”

What makes the shopping experience at Disney Store unique?

Our consumers tell us time and time again that shopping at Disney Store is a magical experience, a treat for kids of all ages. The Walt Disney Company is a leader in entertainment and our aim is to bring that to life in our stores through our product, the in-store experience and our Cast Members (staff). We aim to create magical moments for guests of all ages and that’s what makes us unique.

For example, when we launched Star Wars on Force Friday back in September, not only did we have a range that was 90 per cent exclusive to Disney Store, but our stores were all themed to bring the Star Wars story to life. We played the trailer and the music through the whole store and kids could take part in Jedi Training Academies. Daisy Ridley and John Boyega, the new leads in The Force Awakens, visited the store to meet fans at midnight when the product

Star Wars BB-8 figure

We asked…

Force Friday drummed up a lot of consumer excitement. How did this translate to sales, and did the response exceed your expectations?

We always hoped that Force Friday would be a huge success but anyone that was in one of our stores at midnight on the day was blown away by the response we had. The sales of Star Wars merchandise overall has been really strong and continues to grow which is really exciting. As the

26

franchise was new to The Walt Disney Company, we’ve worked hard to let consumers know that they can find Star Wars merchandise at Disney Store so hearing from our guests how much they love our range for the quality, storytelling and breadth of offering is fantastic.

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“ Elsa Animator Doll launched – it was phenomenal.

No other retailer can provide that totally immersive experience.

Overall, the service we provide is second to none whether that be in our stores or via our online site. We pride ourselves on doing extra little things that add a magical touch to make us unique.

What are your most popular product categories?

Disney Store caters for everybody – we have a broad appeal as we feature pretty much all Disney franchises across most categories.

These include toys, costumes, plush, apparel, accessories, homeware and stationery.

Popularity of categories differ depending on the time of year, so for example toys are really big in the run up to Christmas whereas costumes are a bestseller in the spring in countries like Spain, Italy and France where kids dress up every year for carnival celebrations.

Personalisation is also a big category for us online – we’re growing our assortment so that more and more products can be personalised for that special gift.

What are your most popular toy categories?

Dolls are always very popular for us and we have a great selection that is exclusive to Disney Store.

JANUARY 2016

We have a wide assortment of all the classic Princess dolls (and accompanying Princes) as well as singing dolls for all the Disney Princesses. In addition, we have a range called the Animator collection, whereby the original animators from the films have re-imagined and re-created the Princess dolls, as well as some additional characters.

This range makes us very unique. Aside from dolls, our Star Wars range of toys has been phenomenal.

The BB-8 Sphero has been everywhere in the media and it was definitely a bestseller this Christmas but in addition to that, Disney Store’s exclusive BB-8 has been very popular.

We’ve worked hard to let consumers know that they can find Star Wars merchandise at Disney Store so hearing from our guests how much they love our range for the quality, storytelling and breadth of offering is fantastic

”

Kylo Ren Lightsaber

How do Disney Store customers shop? Do they come in looking for a certain property, character or product type and how does this impact in-store merchandising?

Our stores are designed and merchandised to make the shopping experience the best it can be. So it helps us that most consumers come in knowing what they’re looking for. We also see this online in the way in which consumers navigate through the website. More often than not, they know that the person they are buying a gift for loves a particular franchise or character. So if they are looking for Star Wars or Marvel, all of the products are grouped together under clear signage so they can find them easily and also view the entire range.

How often do you change the layout of Disney Store locations and the window displays?

Do toys always sell better in a movie year? How important is content in driving toy sales?

It really depends on the film that is being released. We definitely see a spike in merchandise sales around film releases but outside of a Our Star Wars range is new release, our best ever ranges we have a

strong business on what we call our ‘evergreen franchises’ too – favourite characters that are beloved by all generations.

These include Mickey and Minnie, Cars, Toy Story etc. Great content is at the heart of The Walt Disney Company – consumers love our characters, our stories and the worlds that we create.

For example with Frozen, which has been phenomenal, having such great content drove strong sales of Frozen merchandise but those characters continue to be loved and consumers want freshness from our ranges even though no new content is available yet.

Our windows and layout are mainly driven by either seasonal peaks or major film releases. We pride ourselves that Disney Store is the home of Disney on the high street and online, representing everything

GRAHAM SAYS… possibly one of

27

RETAIL INTERVIEW

GRAHAM SAYS…

Disney’s top five selling toys of 2015

Understanding and having a passion for the characters and stories you’re selling is so important – it’s why Disney Store is so successful

• Princess Animator Collection that the company has to offer and supporting the big new releases.

Our windows change every six weeks or so depending on the release schedule – so for example, we’re currently showcasing Star Wars but in the new year, we’ll have displays that support new releases such as Zootropolis, Captain America: Civil War and Finding Dory.

How does the product offering differ in-store compared with the Disney Store website?

Our online sites feature every product you find in store with an additional selection of online exclusives. These include more collectables, larger items that we don’t have space for in store and items that can be personalised. We also have an extensive selection of product from Disneyland Paris, the only way you can purchase product aside from visiting the park.

What time of year is a bigger driver of sales other than a new movie or a TV release?

Christmas is always the busiest time of the year for us though we definitely see peaks in our business around the launch of a new film or TV show throughout the rest of the year. One of the things we’re proud of at Disney Store is how we support all of the new releases and how we provide a fantastic entertainment experience around these releases.

For example when Inside Out launched this summer - we were first to market with our product, had the biggest range on the high street and online and celebrated the release with windows and in-store themes along with events whereby kids could go on a journey through the character’s mind! It tied in perfectly with the themes of imagination and growing up that the lead character went through in the film.

• Marvel Hawkeye Bow and Arrow • Star Wars BB-8 Talking Action Figure • Star Wars Kylo Ren Lightsaber • Frozen Mega Figure Set

“

Ensuring we have the best cast on the high street is really important to us

”

Our online sites attract adults who want to be able to shop Disney Store at a time that is convenient for them. They often know exactly what they are looking for so it’s essential that our websites help them get to their favourite products and franchises as quickly and easily as possible.

Personalisation is a bestseller as well as big box toys that are difficult to conceal when you’re purchasing in store with children with you!

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There is a lot of Star Wars activity out there and there are some great examples of how other retailers are bringing the Star Wars story to life in a way that suits their brand. But first and foremost, make sure you’ve seen The Force Awakens!

Understanding and having a passion for the characters and stories you’re selling is so important – it’s why Disney Store is so successful.

Do you think having four products in the DreamToys Top 12 list had a positive impact on sales?

Tell us a little about staff training - how much do you invest in that?

Does customer buying behaviour differ online compared to in-store?

How can other toy retailers capitalise on the activity surrounding the recent release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens?

Disney loves being included in these types of lists – it shows how much consumers love our content and our products.

Ensuring we have the best cast on the high street is really important to us. They are often the ‘go-to’ people for anything Disney related and our consumers love that they have such passion for the brand. We invest a lot in ensuring we have the right cast and that they can deliver on the Disney brand promises so training is very important to us.

We offer a number of training opportunities and one of the things we’re really proud of is how we support staff career development.

Having stores in nine European markets means we can move people around – for example, one of the Management Team from our Dublin store recently moved to Stockholm where we just opened our first Swedish store. The store is benefiting from having someone with his experience supporting the business whilst he has the opportunity to experience living in a new country.

Frozen Fever Anna & Elsa Doll set

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HIGH STREET

HIGHS

Happy entertaining T

he toy industry moves, grows, changes – it’s a fluid thing and retailers need to keep up.

We’re in toy fair season now with Hong Kong, London, Nuremberg and New York looming – product is largely ready for retail and everyone’s eyes are on the prize. None more so than The Entertainer. Back when Gary Grant first started in the business, the toy industry and London Toy Fair was very different to today.

“It was in Earl’s Court in those early years,” remembers Gary.

“There were so many companies, rows and rows of them. The industry wasn’t dominated by large suppliers, they were there but you had hundreds of family-owned businesses. These were the years we didn’t have TV advertising and a toy was judged on its merits. Now, volume is driven by movies and advertising.

“The whole market was different, the retail scene was different with hundreds of fantastic toy shops, I mean there were phenomenal shops throughout the country but many have closed now.”

Back in the 80s, retail was local, says Gary, but there is much more risk now because retailers find themselves either buying into outstanding winners where they can’t get stock, or buying too much of slow moving lines.

In theory, toy fairs, previews and gut instinct should arm retailers with at least some knowledge about whether product will sink or swim. So does Gary get excited about London Toy Fair? “Of course I get excited!,” he says.

“Realistically, for the buyers from medium to large retailers Toy Fair is a confirmation in the buying process – they’ve seen the majority of the product in the previews.”

Gary doesn’t go to all of the previews these days, so for him, Toy Fair is all about the new. “It is about educating myself, it is a networking and a product knowledge event for me but my buyers are looking to see what changes have happened with the products.

“In addition to product I am also taking the opportunity to speak to toy industry people from across the globe; who knows whether you’ll pick up some interesting ideas or even find a partner to launch Entertainer stores in a new market.

In 2013 we met Zeta Toys, a successful toy distributor in Azerbaijan and now we have a flourishing partnership; with one Entertainer open and another in March.

“Several of the upcoming international partners we are speaking to are already in the toy industry and toy fairs are a great place to meet,” Gary adds.

“

Gary’s team go to all of the fairs and a stringent effort is made to visit different suppliers so that the trip “makes sense and is cost effective”.

“We try to get as much out of the working day as we possibly can,” says Gary. “For independent retailers it is so important to see the product. How can you properly plan for the next year if you’ve not seen the product? It is your business and your career - you need to see what is out there.

I’m always confused when I hear people are only going to Toy Fair for a day, unless you’ve seen the ranges at previews it seems crazy to me to only go for a day!”

Gary and his team walk the floor of Toy Fair, making sure to include the Greenhouse aisles.

“Of course we visit the Greenhouse, what’s the point in seeing stock from suppliers you already have regular meetings with? You will have no idea what is new to the market.”

We’re really happy for the competition to sell toys below cost price...

Feel free, but we won’t be doing it

JANUARY 2016

Looking towards the future

Searching for that next hit is something all retailers do – let’s not forget Loom Bands, after all. It was thanks to Loom Bands that 2014 was such a stellar year for so many retailers. “We always knew 2015 would be a tougher year,” Gary says. “We will ll be pleased with our like-for-like sales this year ear where we take Loom Bands out of the equation ation because that was a phenomenon beyond a toy doing ‘just okay’.”

Gary says 2015 was a year of investment nvestment for The Entertainer, and 2016 will be too.

“In 2015 we opened our new warehouse, refurbished shed three shops and opened 18 new shops. This will have an impact on our profits but you have to keep investing or you ou grind to a halt.” Gary adds: “In 2016, we will be looking oking at all aspects of The Entertainer to identify where we are being busy fools. We need to get the best out of all of our assets and if something is of marginal benefit to the business, it will go. We are culling the he old and looking at the new. We want to improve our ur supply-chain to meet customers needs and we are e reviewing all we are doing and asking ourselves is this the right way to do it?.”

With regards to pricing stock and facing The Entertainer’s competitors in 2016, Gary says: “We’re really happy for the competition to sell toys below cost price and give their stock away.

Feel free, but we won’t be doing it.”

Toy Fair season is well and truly upon us and The Entertainer’s buying team will be out in force.

Gary Grant remembers Toy Fairs past, and speaks about the company’s future plans

”

1

THE INDEPENDENT

OPINION

How many hours in a day?

We’re in January and it starts all over again. But our indie is suspicious of something…

S

o once again it is all over and we come to the realisation that it begins again.

I, for one, am very happy about how our year went, we worked hard and made sure we were as close to the cutting edge on every product, range and promotion we carried. But yet again we were overshadowed by the majors who seem intent on doing the most margin-dropping and price slashing. The one aspect I found most interesting in 2015 was Black Friday.

Now, I’m no astronomer, but I have always been under the impression that a day lasted 24 hours. However in the mystical

Bestsellers VOLUME: 1) Shopkins 2 Pack – Flair 2) Monster Minifigures – LEGO 3) Paw Patrol Rescue Racer – Spinmaster VALUE: 1) Paw Patrol Lookout Playset Spinmaster 2) Sing Along Elsa – Jakks Pacific 3) Paw Patroller - Spinmaster

land of toy retailing, it seemed to last up to 10 days! I find this both odd and a sure sign of things to continue in the future.

I sit in my little office and wait patiently for the sales to come in, usually starting to get a bit nervous around early to midNovember and this seems to last until the first few days in December until boom… it begins.

Sales in toys are a horrible thing to be involved with at Christmas. I do a lot of pricing research online and it is not an irregular occurrence to see a retailer selling an item at, for example, £7.50 but that same item cost me £8.75 + VAT. All this does is give me a bad taste in my mouth for the supplier, who seems more than happy to lie to my face and tell me they don’t fund these promotions.

In my opinion, the supplier may not fund a promotion directly, but they do it in some way out of a pot of promotion funding.

Unfortunately, this doesn’t make their claim of not funding it truth, it simply means they are not funding it in a direct way, such as: “we will give you x amount of cash to discount this by whatever per cent.”

Anyway, we are into January, and a new year is upon us and I can’t help but feel positive. I have seen a fair bit of the new product, things seem to be set for a

good movie year, with a lot of solid ranges continuing to do well.

My best ranges from 2015 that still carry weight are Shopkins and Paw Patrol, and I am very happy to see Flair and Spin Master respectively doing such a good job at keeping these brands alive.

Movie releases right throughout the year seem set to be the front-of-house sellers.

There is so much going on that lends itself to good toy sales that I can’t help but be a bit enthusiastic.

We now have a plan in place so that our most visible and important locations are constantly turned in order to give the best impression that we have good stock of what is current. This has worked so well for us and if you don’t do the same thing I urge you to start doing this.

The unfortunate thing is that some of the majors don’t like buying movie ranges unless they get a 25 per cent promotion fund, so expect this issue to continue. We still capture a good level of sales despite their constant price reductions, so who am I to complain?

I just wish suppliers would give them 35 per cent off, then I could just go around the retailers and buy the products for cheaper than the supplier would be selling them to me for. Happy trading for January.

THE SECRET SUPPLIER You’re wrong there, pal!

It’s a new year and a new opportunity to sell toys

C

ongratulations to The Independent!

All his hard work and enterprise paid dividends. Indeed, it would seem that with NPD reporting a record growth in the 2015 sales of toys, it is to be hoped that all retailers had a good trading year.

And so we all start treading the business path that we know so well, starting with the foreshortened London Toy Fair with new dates caused by the 2016 clash of dates with Nuremberg Toy Fair.

What we also know so well is that every November sees a battle for market share by the majors, that inevitably results in the prices of leading toys being heavily discounted. This culminates in Black Friday which seems to have grown from a one-day event to a weeklong promotion with online retailers benefiting the most.

Mr Independent points his finger at suppliers, who he believes support deep discounting and this suggests that it is the supplier who enables retailers to sell at below cost.

All suppliers want their brands to deliver long-term profits and what The Independent describes is a practice which is brand suicide and which all major suppliers would deplore. So while suppliers may indeed package together some form of margin support, the objective is to encourage volume sales based on a discounted price well-above cost price so as to encourage brand longevity.

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Hopefully The Independent will believe me when I say that the pressure to discount retail prices comes from embattled retailers who then look to the supplier to help make up for lost margin which some suppliers will do to a limited degree.

Price research on the internet needs to be carefully qualified.

We have all seen crazy prices being offered only to find that the retailer concerned either has no stock or is on the point of going out of business.

Movie releases give every retailer the opportunity to add excitement to his store so follow the advice of The Independent and don’t just leave this opportunity to the majors.

But all of this is part of the annual cycle of business practice that makes this industry so challenging. Fortunately 2015 finished well because the industry delivered some excellent brands and promotions.

The coming year promises even more product excitement as suppliers develop new skills in not only launching new products, but in keeping existing, successful brands alive for longer.

Toys is a tough business and to be successful you need to embrace the industry with enthusiasm and entrepreneurial flair just as The Independents does. From a supplier point of view, we need more retailers like The Independent!

toysnplaythings.co.uk

RETAIL

OPINION

How good are you online?

N

ews breaks that John Lewis is putting £500m into its online operation. Half a billion pounds?

Well yes, and the reason for this is simple. The department store sees a future in which online sales draw level and then race ahead of sales derived from its physical stores, on which reckoning this seems like a sound investment.

Two things, however. How does it know this is going to happen and what about the massive stores that it has on the high streets of our major towns and cities? To the first, if there is one thing that retailers tend to be pretty adept at, it’s backing a hunch. And in this instance the upward curve of online sales is pretty incontrovertible. As for the stores - they’re not going anywhere and will continue to be the darlings of those in search of a wide choice in pleasant environments. The internet is coming once again for retailers, but this time it’s different.

Almost a decade and a half ago retailers were running scared in anticipation of the internet taking over and leaving them with unwanted piles of bricks and mortar.

Today it’s the physical retailers that are chasing the virtual pound, which is every bit as real as that garnered from a store that has doors through which you might walk.

But what, pray, has this to do with purveyors of toys?

Well, actually quite a lot. Here are a few names you might or might not recognise. Birchbox, Google, Warby Parker and Shoes of Prey. All of these are online operations that have decided that the high street is actually not a bad place to be and have opted, in a modest way, to open stores that do not involve megabytes and Paypal. The reason for this is, now that we are aware of the direction of travel, pretty obvious: both bricks and mortar and online stores have their strong weak points.

For online merchants, a physical store can be just as engaging as a good-looking website and will act as a physical billboard for the main event. When the process is seen in reverse, the John Lewis site reaches the parts that other stores do not.

But here’s the thing. John Lewis is on record as saying that whenever it opens a new store, online sales in the shop’s hinterland enjoy a substantial boost, so perhaps it is not about online being the death of the physical, as was previously feared.

Now back to toy shops. Fire up the laptop and take a look at the Hamleys website. It is all-singing, all-dancing and features calls to action across much of the homepage in the shape of toys that are popular and new arrivals.

Getting to this stage in the online game is not easy and

involves rather more than photographing the toys you have in stock and then uploading the same to the website with an associated price.

The Hamleys site will have a whole team of people backing it and gives credence to the thoughts of one CEO who, in the not so distant past, said that he regarded the web as being equivalent to a flagship store in terms of turnover and the number of staff required to make everything happen. The fact that John Lewis is now saying that sales from its site will be greater than the combined mass of all of its physical stores shows just how quickly things are moving on. But this online bandwagon is in danger of disappearing around the corner if you don’t take the opportunity to board it very soon.

The point then is that if you want to succeed as a toy retailer in future, a fair degree of effort will have to be involved in your online activities, and a somewhat static homepage will probably be insufficient. There is a pretty compelling reason for doing this and it’s the same as it is always is in retail, you have to do something because others are and you will be in danger of being left behind.

Now ask Prof Google about toyshops and what comes up on the first page are links to the websites of the The Entertainer, Smyths Toys and Hasbro Toys. There is actually one indie toy retailer that has made it onto the homepage, but for the most part, they are on succeeding pages and it is an unpalatable fact that the majority of those using Google to find out about something rarely stray beyond the first page.

So here’s the task. In all probability you have a website and are pretty pleased about its performance. But you have to ask yourself a number of questions.

What sort of percentage do your online sales represent? How easy is it to find your way around your website and is it eye-candy?

What have you done to market it? It’s as much a store as the physical shop or shops that you know and love.

And finally, do you see it as a source of future growth or is it just something you’ve done because somebody told you it would be a good idea?

Online remains a bold frontier and one that has been eagerly populated by the biggest players in Toyland. But it is an accommodating medium and there is still time for smaller operators to make their mark.

As John Lewis invests in its online business, retail expert John Ryan says toy shops should jump on the bandwagon and make their mark

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.

JANUARY 2016

1

RANGE IN FOCUS TOY STATE

CAT® Machine Maker™ Apprentice Tower Crane with Fork Lift

of affairs Toy State has had a pretty great year - after fully integrating the Nikko brand into its portfolio, the company also announced a partnership with Warner Bros. for DC Super Friends, amongst other great licensed collaborations.

That, and they are at the fore of innovative toy design.

Andy Friess, President and SVP of Global Marketing speaks to TnP about the company’s exciting plans for the future high-quality design and creativity for which Toy State has been known for more than 30 years, has given us a lot to be pleased with in 2015, and even more to be excited about heading into 2016!

Firstly Andy, thanks for taking the time to speak with us. Can you sum up 2015 for Toy State?

It’s a pleasure speaking with you again. This year was an actionpacked year for Toy State! It was our first full year as the owners of the Nikko brand, which has provided a strong foothold for us in the RC category. We are thrilled to now include Nikko as a Toy State flagship brand! This year also represented our first year as primary race team sponsors with Sébastien Loeb Racing in Europe. Prominently featuring the Nikko logo and branding elements on the car of nine-time world champion, Sébastien Loeb, we are excited to align the Nikko RC brand with the excitement of auto racing as a major marketing tool and to further increase brand exposure. All of these efforts, along with continuing to enhance the product innovation,

Andy Friess, President & SVP of Global Marketing

What were the company’s stand-out products for 2015?

“

In comparing Toy State’s position this year versus one year ago, the development of our Nikko range would be the leading story, along with very good results coming from our first full year of holding the Hot Wheels license in EMEA.

”

Toy State’s business in the UK and Ireland continues to be quite strong. We are very fortunate to feature great brands such as Nikko, Road Rippers, Cat®, James Bond and Hot Wheels to help lead this charge. Over the past year, the Nikko VaporizR 2, our reimagined Road Rippers Wheelie Bikes, Cat® Tough Tracks and the Hot Wheels Hyper Racer and Extreme Action vehicles have performed very well and will continue to lead the way for future growth.

How has the company progressed over the past year?

In comparing Toy State’s position this year versus one year ago, the development of our Nikko range would be the leading story, along with very good results coming from our first full year of holding the Hot Wheels license in EMEA. The 2016 Nikko line will also represent the first full year of product development we’ve had with the brand, due to our acquisition of the company occurring so late in 2014. We’re very excited to show the innovative products that Toy State’s talented product design and marketing teams have developed. The Nikko and Hot Wheels brands are true leaders in their categories, and we are look forward to the continued success for both lines!

You spoke to us last year about “aggressively pursuing new opportunities to increase your retail footprint” – how has Toy

Hot Wheels Mutant Machines™ Skullface™

toysnplaythings.co.uk

Road Rippers® Real Works™ Motorised Combine Harvester

CAT® Job Site Story Time™ R/C Haulin’ Harry™

iconic characters found within the DC Super Heroes world. It’s great fun to work with Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman and other characters that have helped shape the super hero genre into what it has become today. We are having fun putting a Toy State twist on these products and can’t wait to see the positive response from consumers as they enjoy playing with this new line!

State implemented this policy?

One of the ways we have branched out to increase Toy State’s retail footprint is through licensing. Toy State has always featured strong licensed products in our range, and we have added even more strength to this area in 2015. With the addition of DC Super Friends (pre-school RC) and Barbie (RC) to our growing license portfolio, as well as introducing the new Cat® Machine Maker line (construction category) to the toy aisle, Toy State products can now be found in more places throughout the store than ever before! The acquisition of Nikko in 2014 clearly deepened Toy State’s presence in the RC category, and our racing sponsorship with Sébastien Loeb Racing has expanded our reach with new retail opportunities, as well.

We are diversifying our products, with the goal to appeal to a broader consumer base. I believe we’re well on our way to accomplishing this.

In terms of licensed product, what can we expect from Toy State in 2016?

We are very fortunate to partner with brands that resonate globally and are leaders in their respective categories.

Caterpillar, Hot Wheels and James Bond are brands we have featured for many years, and they have provided a solid foundation to our licensing program. Since the beginning of 2015, as noted, we’ve entered into a new agreement with Warner Bros. Consumer Products on DC Super Friends (pre-school RC), as well as expanding our successful relationship with Mattel brands to include Barbie (RC). Securing these

When can we expect to see products on the shelves?

Road Rippers® Dino Hauler™ - T-Rex rights further bolsters our licensing program, positioning Toy State to enter the girls’ toys category while strengthening our existing pre-school statement. Stay tuned for more great licensing news coming from Toy State soon!

“

We’re very exciting about your collaboration with DC Super Friends – what can you tell us about that?

We’re very excited, too! The new partnership between Toy State and Warner Bros.

Consumer Products has been fantastic, so far. It’s always exciting bringing so many creative minds together. The result of this meeting of minds will be a fun and innovative remote control line aimed toward children seven-years-old and under, showcasing the great ‘lights & sound’ features that Toy State is known for, with designs utilising the

The new partnership between Toy State and Warner Bros.

Consumer Products has been fantastic, so far. It’s always exciting bringing so many creative minds together.

”

Our DC Super Heroes line will reach retail shelves in AW 2016. The response to the products from the trade has been very positive.

Can you tell us anything about marketing plans for 2016, will you be TV advertising many lines? Throughout our 30+ year history, Toy State has supported our products to help with their successful sell-through at retail. We will continue this support again in 2016.

Over the coming six pages, we will take a look at Toy State’s range for 2016 – can you give us an insight into the range first?

We pride ourselves as being “The State of Imagination”. With that said, the 2016 line is packed with innovation, performance, creativity, quality design and great play value that retailers and consumers alike have come to expect from Toy State.

We are very passionate about the toys we produce and look forward to a very successful 2016!

DC Super Friends™ Night Crusader Voice Changer™ RC

Hot Wheels Stretch FX™ Dieselboy™

JANUARY 2016

33

RANGE E IN FOCUS TOY STATE

erman p u S ™ + ode Ages: 3 Boost M 2016

Autumn : e l b a l i Ava an easy ’t n is s s! illain g evil v ure help Catchin oost Mode™ s ings B d the w s. n a p job but x e e ward to p turbo engin r o f e iv Dr t-u eal ligh and rev

Blazing Eng

ines™ Superman

Your new super friend Toy State introduces some of the hero products from its DC Super Friends collaboration with Warner Bros.

Ages: 3+ Available: A utumn 2016 Hit the stree ts in these s uper styled crime fighting mac h in es!

Each feature s a spinning lightup engine w ith turbo en gine sounds and forward/rev e rse turn tethere d control!

DC Super Friends™ Night Crusader Voice Changer™ RC

Hero In Disguise™ Batman Ages: 3+ Available: Autumn 2016 Sneak attack your enemies in this transforming crime-fighting machine.

With a push of a button Bruce Wayne becomes Batman, ready to save the day! Featuring forward and turn-inreverse drive, glowing logo reveals and working headlights.

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Ages: 3+ Available: Autumn 2016 Become Batman with this voice changing RC. Speak into the controller to project your transformed voice from the Batmobile!

Featuring forward and turn-in-reverse drive and cool Batmobile inspired styling.

ttoysnplaythings.co.uk oysnplaythings.co.u

ks™ rvester a Real Wor H e n i b d Com Motorize Ages: 5+

n 2016 can be! : Autum le b a n the farm il o g in stic Ava rk o with reali iting w

ipped how exc with extra rs are equ Discover to c a t tr d Complete e . s s ri n ard o to ti o o m m ing lly work h These s and farm actors rea d tr n e u s o e s , th ts , ligh e job es to do th accessori s. in the field

heelie™ Ultra W 370Z Nissan + Ages: 3 016 utumn 2 ive A : e l b a l ass Avai some m

r ready fo eelie Are you tion? Ultra Wh c a e e wheeli t wheeli The differen n! has two le the fu b for dou big s r e e d p o u m r and s e s il o p s h e ve icle mega elp thes tart the h s e ir t drag eels. S two wh up and race on car rev e h t r a e h , n actio . engine wheelie e h t h watc

Ripping up the road!

Toy State showcase some products from its Road Rippers range.

Surely the next best thing to the real deal?

er

aul ino H

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e ng th 016 d bri uck 2 n a n e ag tum is tr le: Au prehistoricg room! Th - the b a l i Ava ack to the your livin ut bewareagination to ,b im pb Jum dventure us cargo ee! Your ffects, e o r a i f t c o h k e n r a g i i l d ng p g to bre xciting i l . u e a v i dr is h ee ryin o is t ld with th otorised g r a c i m and un w will r s, music d soun

D

: 3+ Ages

JANUARY 2016

Collector Series™ – Lamborghini Huracán LP 620-2 Super Trofeo Ages: 3+ Available: Autumn 2016 Experience the thrill of driving the greatest race cars with the Collector Series! Activate the realistic motor sounds and vibrations by pressing the gas pedal. Rev it up and then release! The longer you rev, the stronger the vibrations! Time to slow down? Hit the break and glide to a stop.

35

RANGE IN FOCUS TOY STATE

nder™ a p x E Turbo ill lll™ M n i w T ges: 3+

Action™ e m e r t Ex ™ Turboa

+ Ages: 3 016 citing utumn 2 motorised drive, ex A : e l b a h l wit Avai es to life .

A 2016 utumn A : e l b a and Avail eds off e p s it button ine with g a n f e o p h u s ic! ghte pu nd mus With th to reveal the li a s d n u s so expand alistic driving re

s it com d music Watch a tion and theme c a striking

Scorching good fun!

The Hot Wheels portfolio from Toy State is turning up the heat on toy store shelves across the globe. Take a look at the latest lines from this classic and iconic collection.

ullface™ k S ™ s e in h c nt Ma

Muta

Ages: 3+ utumn 2016 atures Available: A heels style fe W t o H t c , n This disti ering action th li s h it w e v ri motorised d ! ds and music n u o s g in it c ex

36

elboy™

Dies Stretch FX™

Ages: 3 + pring 2016 the Available: S play! Stretch to s y a w o the car There are tw Or pull back . o g it h tc a ts, music car and w ine with ligh g n e e th l omes a e to rev the vehicle c s a s d n u o s and driving y. d drives awa together an

toysnplaythings.co.uk

Machine Maker™ Apprentice Tower Crane with Fork Lift Ages: 5+ Available: Autumn 2016 No worksite is complete without a tower crane for heavy lifting. Standing 3ft tall it has a hand articulated boom arm with full 360 degree motion and interchangeable attachments. This set comes with a pushpowered forklift, a screwdriver and features Smart Loc Technology™ allowing for easy assembly and take-a-part play.

Move & Groove™ Machines Mighty Marcus™

Machine Maker™ Junior Operator Combo Hauler™Ages: 3+ Available: Autumn 2016

Ages: 3+ Available: Autumn 2016 Get ready to Move & Groove™! With the push of a button they come to life with dancing action, motorised drive and fun vocal phrases.

Be ready for any job with the new Combo Hauler!

Screw all machine pieces together to create a wide load trailer or take-a-part to create a recycling truck, cement mixer or service truck. Fully equipped with a chunky screwdriver, operator figure and reusable carrying case.

Kids at work We all have to work – so you might as well make sure you’ve got the correct tools to make the job happen. Toy State introduces you to its CAT® range, perfect to help little ones get the job done.

Job Site Story Time™ R/C Haulin’ Harry ™ Ages: 3+ Available: Autumn 2016 Turn the page and watch Haulin’ Harry™ come to life! Each page-turn triggers different vocal phrases and actions that relate with the story. Includes a handle for easy carrying so that you can take your Job Site Story anywhere!

Truck ‘N Trailer™ Dump Truck Pulling Excavator Ages: 3+ Available: Spring 2016 When the job calls for some extra muscle, this push-powered duo is the perfect match!

Featuring a light and sounds accessory machine and removable trailer with a retractable ramp. © 2015 Caterpillar CAT, CATERPILLAR, BUILT FOR IT, their respective logos, “Caterpillar Yellow,” “Caterpillar Corporate Yellow”, the “Power Edge” trade dress, as well as corporate and product identity used herein, are trademarks of Caterpillar and may not be used without permission

37

RANGE IN FOCUS TOY STATE

1:16 Sca Ages: 8 +

le - Land

Rover D efen

der 90

Available :

Autum These fu ll-functio n 2016 n off-roa feature a d trucks wesome do off-road built to t styling, t n’t just ackle ru gged te h ey are a upgrade rrain lso s includin g recharg . With optional can pow er up at eable US any port B batter y and kee p the rac , you e going!

VelociTrax™ Ages: 8+

Available: Autumn 2016 This full-function remote control vehicle is packed with action and speed! Featuring super cool futuristic styling, 360-degree spins and ultra-maneuverability, you can race through almost any terrain and over obstacles.

Super cool speed Toy State brought the Nikko brand fully into the fold in 2015 - check out what is on offer to retailers.

1:14 Scale – Elite Evo Pro-Line™ Lamborghini Huracán LP 620-2 Super Trofeo Ages: 8+

Available: Autumn 2016 Nikko Elite delivers performance speed and proportional controls for an incredible racing experience. Choose your favourite authentic race livery! Frequency hopping spread spectrum allows you to race with up to 40 players on the track.

38

R™ 2

z Vapori + Ages: 8

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Nikko 1:14 Scale – Elite Evo Pro-Line - Sébastien Loeb Racing Porsche Driven by Sébastien Loeb *Work in Progress / Name

le - Elite a c S 4 :1 1 ot Nikko X - Peuge F S / w s k Truc R 15 2008 DK b stien Loe a b é S y b Driven nding / Name Pe Progress *Work in

Ages: 8+

Pending

Ages: 8+ Available: Autumn 20 16

16 utumn 20

:A Available

Racing into the future For nearly six decades Toy State and Nikko-branded toys have created the thrill of auto racing through imaginative play. Toy State is taking these thrills from fantasy to reality through their sponsorship with Sébastien Loeb Racing.

Nikko 1:16 Scale – Ra cing Series - Citroën C-Elysée W TCC 2015 Driven by Sébastien Loeb

*Name Pending

Ages: 8+

Available: Autumn 20 16

™tor Series c e ll o C pers® 015 Road Rip e WTCC 2 é s ly E C eb Citroën astien Lo b é S y b n Drive nding *Name Pe

Ages: 3+ 016 : Autumn 2 Available

8

INSIDE:

MAGFORMERS

Magformers magic For some retailers, Magformers is the hottest ticket in town. Yet for others, the product is still a relative unknown, despite its lofty status as one of the world’s fastest-growing toy brands. But 2016 is shaping up to be a landmark year for the new magnetic educational toy...

F

more than 50 rom star performer in a countries. Having traditional toy shop established Gymboree in a quaint Georgian on an international village tucked away basis, Gymworld decided in the UK countryside, to ers m r to develop and launch the largest Hamleys in the o f Mag n more complementary toy world in Moscow where o has w products, working with Magformers takes pride 0 5 n Magformers under license of place in the a th ional t a since 2006 and then Christmas shop n r inte acquiring the brand in 2010. window display. s Since then, Magformers has While widely award become the top Korean toy regarded in Europe brand and is now exported to as an exciting new over 42 countries. development in At the company’s core is a vision is the magnetic to become the world’s number one construction toy magnetic construction toy brand, and education toy categories, Magformers was actually created 10 years ago.

Its global growth, particularly to toy megabrand status in Korea, has largely been achieved more recently under the stewardship of Gymworld inc. Since 1992, Seoul-based Gymworld has trail-blazed play for the infant and toddler industry in Korea and the USA through Gymboree, the world’s greatest play, music and art activity programmes.

These are attended by more than three million parents and children worldwide, in over 600 centres in Magformers’ Hamleys Moscow window

40

developing three dimensional thinking through the philosophy of 3D Brain Training.

A 3D brain is balanced, in that the eight essential intelligence skills - modelling, reasoning, sensory ability, curiosity, creativity, imagination, mathematical thinking and scientific thinking - are organically connected, without being biased to any one.

And it’s Magformers’ unique design which allows true three dimensional thinking for any child.

Every set contains various pieces in simple geometric shapes like triangles, squares and rhomboids which connect easily using the power of the built-in neodymium magnets. The magnets are sealed within all the edge surfaces of each Magformers piece, but can freely rotate to any direction, and therefore always connect to each other.

Each Magformers piece is made from a specially-developed ABS plastic which is strong and durable.

And it’s this winning combination of great toy design, being fun to play with and having a clear educational benefit that’s making waves… from Fairies ‘N’ Frogs in Ampthill, Bedfordshire to Hamleys Moscow.

toysnplaythings.co.uk

Meet the man with the plan

Stand:

Gallery 540

“

M taken ou agformers has r world b Luan Ha y storm ll, Fairie s ‘N ’ Frogs

After coming on board the Magformers team in October 2015, TnP sits down with MD David Kelly to hear about his plans for the company

Tell us about Magformers back story?

The first Magformers products came out in 2005, but the brand really started to develop at pace from 2010. We are part of Gymworld Inc - a major Korean company which owns the worldleading Gymboree infant and toddler play programme - and they’re 22 years old.

When did Magformers first enter the UK market?

Magformers appeared in the UK in early 2015. I’d say this was a low key launch really. Magformers UK Ltd was set up by a small team of investors, including Gymworld CEO, Keeyoung Park, and I was brought on board by Mr Park in October to ramp up the operation.

What is your vision for the company?

Magformers’ global vision is to become the world’s number one magnetic construction toy brand, with products that are fun, educational and develop three dimensional thinking through the philosophy of 3D Brain Training. So, simply, my vision for Magformers UK is to support that bigger goal.

And we will do that by becoming the leading educational toy in the UK. My job is to make sure everything is in place for us to achieve that.

And how has the product been received so far?

There has been some tremendous success stories. Retailers who really

rmers Magfo the red in mas u t a e f st t Chri ay recen pl w dis o d n i w …in mleys a H t a ow Mosc

‘get’ the product and have it out on display for children to engage with or stage demonstration events in-store, are re-ordering all the time. Magformers is a very tactile, engaging product.

Feedback from our best retailers is that sell-through is fantastic when the product is presented properly.

What makes the product different from other construction sets?

David Kelly, Magformers

“

Magformers are very easy to use, even from an early age.

The model builds that children can make are amazing, but very easy to follow. Magformers pieces are unique. The neodymium magnets are encapsulated, but freespinning, in a super-strong, toughened ABS plastic so all the geometric shapes always connect however two pieces are brought together, they never repel.

This gives children the chance to connect shapes in any direction and the pieces will always connect and fit together, unlike any other system. We also have a 100 per cent safety record globally.

What is your approach with retailers?

We explain that Magformers is way beyond being just another construction toy and we stress the importance of not letting the product get lost in the general noise of the shop shelf. When Magformers is opened up and given a chance to be seen and enjoyed, it flies. The magnetic construction toy category has been successful for retailers in the past and many of them want to recapture that. Our high build quality, coupled with the fact we appeal to every age from

We’re getting some incredible feedback from retailers

”

”

toddlers upwards, means Magformers is a very strong retail proposition.

One of the major selling points of Magformers is that we sit in so many different categories within the toy industry. We’re magnetic, we’re a construction toy, we have a strong educational aspect, we have a scientific and mathematic angle, we have building sets that range from those suitable for pre-schoolers right up to pre-teens.

And what initiatives do you use to support retailers?

Visual merchandising using video screens is going to be critical.

Magformers has created some superb videos of the models in our sets being built and whenever anyone sees these it’s a real wow moment.

So we’re already looking at a range of bespoke FSDUs, shelf video displays and free-standing media players that will suit all retailers - ranging from small, independent stockists right up to multi-nationals. Demo days and sampling events in retail malls work extremely well in other countries, especially when partnered with a key retailer. We’re looking into that.

Looking towards 2016, what can we expect from you?

A new, expanded sales team. Some really attractive in-store displays and PoS material and some great new products. Our R&D team is amazing - they come up with truly inspirational designs all the time. We’ll have a big social media push, built around a major blogger outreach programme - we see working with bloggers and peer-to-peer review sites as very important.

We plan to drive consumer awareness even further with a TV ad campaign, further enhancing the demand.

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INSIDE:

MAGFORMERS WOW Set (RRP £29.99) The best-seller by unit volume to date in the UK and Russia. With 17 pieces children can make over 20 fun vehicles. Includes plan maps and simple guides for younger children.

Edu Puzzle Set (RRP £19.99) A great introduction to the magic of Magformers for younger children. Complete the fun storyboards by placing Magformers pieces in the outlines provided.

Four to watch The hottest Magformers products for 2016 Walking Robots Set (RRP £64.99) Magformers has introduced battery power units and walking feet so children can make an array of bright, fun walking robots.

Contains 45 pieces. Part of the Hi-Tech Line.

Sales Contacts: Magformers is currently expanding its UK sales team. To see a representative call the company’s sales hotline on 01582 545330 or email sales@magformers.co.uk 42

Mega Brain Set (RRP £399.99) This whopping 340-piece set includes a Remote Control (RC) unit, caterpillar tracks, gears, wheels and a sound generator to really bring large vehicle builds to life.

Incredible model options on offer for fans.

Magformers has more than 80 product lines in its new 2016 collection. For more information visit www.magformers.co.uk

toysnplaythings.co.uk

Ian Edmunds, MD of Toymaster, and Mirella catch up at the May Show in Harrogate

TV

A new perspective

TV

Celebrating an incredible first year of TnP TV, we look back at some of the many highlights, as well as the exciting developments coming in 2016

FIRSTM O R F AT THE AT S K O S LO ST TOY NEWE IR TNP TV TOY FA EN THE E HAS B ESOURCE R BEST ATCHING FOR W AR’S THE YEOPMENTS DEVEL D UNFOL

“

Mark Kingston Nickelodeon’s E BL reveals all at

A lot can happen in a year, and since breaking new ground in January 2015, TnP TV has been keeping thousands of you up to date with all the latest industry developments in an exciting and vibrant new format.

As the toy trade’s only regular, dedicated video series, TnP Editor-in-Chief and host Mirella Anstey has been joined by some of the biggest names and products in the industry.

From first-looks at the newest toys at Toy Fair, and a trip to Harrogate for the Toymaster May Show, to welcoming guests from across the industry to the studio, TnP TV has been the best resource for watching the year’s developments unfold.

Earl, and General, Roland BTHA Director e latest from the th Mirella discuss ciation so as ’s ry st indu

e Le toy Van’s d Mirella explor lay collection an au re Bu ie Mar le-p Honeybake ro award-winning

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“What we have brought to the industry with the launch of TnP TV last year is a new way to discover the latest products, trends and stay ahead of the curve,” says host Mirella Anstey. “We’ve had an incredibly successful first year breaking new ground, but there’s plenty of exciting things to come in 2016, starting with Toy Fair later this month. Stay tuned.”

Joining TnP TV came the launch of LTW TV at BLE 2015, the new, licensing-focused video series from sister publication Licensing Today Worldwide.

The only way to be a part of TnP TV and the brand new LTW TV is to get in touch with Ryan Horwood now on 01442 289930 or ryan@lemapublishing.co.uk.

drew Storey Company’s An Pioneer Balloon TV P Tn to brings the party

Mirella get snap a Lazarus and VTech’s Rebecc dizoom DUO e Ki happy with th

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15 toysnplaythings.co.uk

THE MOST EXCITING NEW TOYS & GIFTS.

Marvel at the latest innovations from best-loved brands and cool new suppliers in Children’s Gifts, Toys & Gadgets at Spring Fair.

Games ȏ Puzzles ȏ Toys ȏ Character Products & Licencing ȏ Gadgets Activities & Craft ȏ Puppets ȏ Traditional Wooden & Educational Toys

www.springfair.com Espresso Cup, Bialetti, Hot Plate Products · Tree, CB Imports · Pineapple, Two’s Company by Mulhouse · Stool, Baa Stool · Foo Dogs, India Jane · Cockatoo Cushion, Bombay Duck · Patterned Cushion, CB Imports.

7-11 FEBRUARY 2016 NEC BIRMINGHAM UK VOLUME OPENS 6 FEB

SPONSORED FEATURE MEET THE TEAM

In a Bladez of glory We know you know the products – but do you know the team behind Bladez Toyz? The RC specialists distribute across the globe and here, TnP introduces you to everyone involved

Company management:

Emma Costello

Iain Morgan Title: CEO Nickname: Global Overlord Bio: After starting the business on a market stall in 2006 I have now promoted myself to the position of Global Overlord.

I oversee all things global, licensed and shape the future of the business.

Favorite childhood toy: My A-Team Toy Van because I love it when a plan comes together

Daniel Abdelmassih

Title: Operations Director

Title: Product Development Director

Nickname: Coslo

Nickname: I’ll spell it for you

Bio: I worked alongside Iain from the very beginning, when we just had a market stall and used to sleep in the back of our LDV van selling toys. Now I manage most aspects of the business.

Bio: I established the Bladez Makerlab in 2007, and played a key role in the companies PD, operations, licensing, and I also act as a visionary for the company!

Favorite childhood toy: Girls’ World

Favorite childhood toy: Retro 1990s Tomy Armatron and Tomy 4x4 Char-G RC

Sales and marketing:

Keiran Peoples

46

Beth Jobber

Jess Jackson

Title: National UK Sales Manager

Title: UK Key Account Manager

Title: Independent Account Executive

Nickname: Peeps

Nickname: Joobs

Nickname: JJ

Bio: My job role is all about delivering a great range of toys and gifts into the hands of consumers. I am also a very biased father of a beautiful girl, Olivia.

Bio: I look after our Key Accounts in the UK, ranging from small independents to some high street retailers. Other ad-hoc duties include being Secret Santa organiser.

Bio: My role is to look after our independent retailers; keeping them informed of all offers, new products and more.

Favorite childhood toy: He-Man Figures (Masters of the Universe)

Favorite childhood toy: Baby All Gone doll

Tel: +44 (0) 2392 658 259

Tel: +44 (0) 2392 658 259

Email: Keiran@bladeztoyz.co.uk

Email: trade@bladeztoyz.co.uk

Favorite childhood toy: Polly Pocket Tel: +44 (0) 2392 658 259 Email: jess@bladeztoyz.co.uk

toysnplaythings.co.uk toysnplaythings.co.uk

Product design and development:

Tom Cane Title: Product Development Manager Nickname: May Bio: I live in the MakerLab designing products from initial concept to production.

I am a real stickler for detail, hence the nickname MAY!, after James May! Favorite childhood toy: Playmobil Pirate Ship

Jim Davey Title: Product Development Manager Nickname: Wesley Sniper Bio: A member of the secretive Makerlab team, with eight years’ experience of designing for toys and gifts.

Favorite childhood toy: Manta Force Red Venom

James Bruton Title: Master Innovation Design Engineer Nickname: The Terminator Bio: I make all the things that need making in the Makerlab using tools and materials which are stored in boxes on shelves.

Favorite childhood toy: Obi-Wan Kenobi action figure

Billy Nicholson

Chris Burt

Title: Junior Graphic Designer

Title: Product Designer

Nickname: Billo Bio: I work on packaging design, product photography, concept art, product artwork and catalogue design.

Bio: Still getting to grips with the tea round and working on everything from trade show stands to in-house product mock ups

Favorite childhood toy: Classic Blue Power Ranger action figure

Nickname: Fuzzball

Favorite childhood toy: Boba Felt Mail Away action figure

Shipping, logistics and fulfillment: Meet the team!

The Bladez team will be at: • London Toy Fair Gallery 123 • Nuremberg Hall 6 Stand C36 • Spring Fair Hall 5 Stand 5J73.

Check out: www.bladeztoyz co.uk for more information.

John Zhao

Bonnie Knight Title: Shipping & Logistics Manager

Title: Supply Chain Co-ordinator

Nickname: Boonie

Nickname: Johno

Bio: I liaise with our various factories in China to ensure that all our toys are made correctly and shipped to our customers all over the world on time.

Bio: My role is to set up a more direct, simple and efficient supply system, as well as saving on our costs for enjoying more team pizza and beer.

Favorite childhood toy: Monopoly

Favorite childhood toy: Water bullet machine gun

Sarah Morgan Title: Fulfilment Officer Nickname: Sare-Bear Bio: My job is to fulfill our domestic orders within the the UK and Ireland. I also work closely with Father Christmas all year round to ensure the efficient delivery of toys in December.

Favorite childhood toy: Roller Boots and Cindy Doll

Title: Finance Admin Nickname: Ray of Sunshine Bio: My role is mainly to oversee the day to day running of financial accounts, including sorting and logging payments, organising remittance and factory invoicing.

Favorite childhood toy: Barbie!

JANUARY 2016

Title: Customer Service Manager Nickname: Bob Bio: I am an RC Toy doctor, primed and ready to diagnose and treat any minor injuries.

Favorite childhood toy: Spirograph Customer Service Tel: +44 (0) 2392 658 255

Investor:

Finance:

Steph Parr

Beth Oliver

Rachael Hughes Title: Finance Business Partner Nickname: Lady Rochelle Bio: I oversee all financial aspects of the business including cash-flow forecasting and monthly management accounts.

Favorite childhood toy: LEGO

Peter Jones Title: Investor Nickname: The Dragon Bio: I invested in Iain in 2007 after Bladez won the ITV Business show Tycoon. The company is an inspiration to any entrepreneur looking to follow their dreams of running a successful business. I have seen the company and team grow to become a global brand which offers real innovation in a crowded market place.

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OPEN DAY

BUREAU VERITAS

Opening the doors to safety

What the visitors said…

“Everyone in toy manufacturing and retail should attend such an event” Bob Paton, Interplay

“Valuable knowledge within an ever changing industry” Sarah Young, Quality Manager, West Design Products Ltd

“It was a very informative day, delivered by professional, knowledgeable experts”

Bureau Veritas Consumer Products Services held its annual open day in Warrington recently. TnP finds out how the event went...

Toy safety is one of the most critical, relevant and important aspects of the industry.

But how many of us really know anything about it?

Well, toy safety testing house Bureau Veritas Consumer Products Services tackled that very issue with its annual open day, which was held at the end of November.

The company’s Warrington testing laboratory played host to visitors from across the toy industry.

Knowing that regulations are constantly evolving and changing, Bureau Veritas have held its open day for a number of years.

EMEA’s Marketing Manager Alexa Besnard explains more: “Our toy open days have been running for five

“

Because toy safety is constantly evolving, retailers, manufacturers and importers are always keen to learn about the forthcoming legislation updates and to discuss hot topics with their peers and our experts Alexa Besnard, Bureau Veritas

Contact Bureau Veritas: www.bureauveritas.co.uk/cps bvsales@uk.bureauveritas.com 01925 854 360

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”

years and are always popular.

Because toy safety is constantly evolving, retailers, manufacturers and importers are always keen to learn about the forthcoming legislation updates and to discuss hot topics with their peers and our experts.”

Hot topics This year’s open day gave visitors an opportunity to hear from Bureau Veritas’ toy technical consultants, Malcolm Horner and Claire Franco, and to visit the laboratory. This year Claire and Malcolm discussed the recently updated acoustic requirements and the issue of the flammability of disguise costumes and the importance of product technical files.

“This year attendees were particularly interested to learn about the latest developments around the flammability of disguise costumes following the highly mediatised incident of Claudia Winkleman’s daughter,”

Joanne Caile, QA, Imports and QC Manager, The Original Factory Shop

“A very informative and interesting day” Jennifer Bulmer, Garment Technologist, Brecrest Fashion said Alexa. “Our toy open day is always a great networking opportunity: it is the occasion for toy retailers and suppliers to share their compliance challenges and ideas in a relaxed environment. Finally, visiting the laboratory, meeting our technicians and seeing tests in action is always appreciated by our visitors: indeed, who does not like going behind the scene!”

While a date has not yet been set for next year’s open day – do make sure to stay tuned to TnP for details.

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f o t s e r i a F m all e h t London Toy Fair 2016 is nearly here and visitors and exhibitors are in for a treat! A change of date certainly has not affected the fair and exhibitors are more excited than ever to showcase their new ranges

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n Sunday 24 January the UK toy trade will descend on Kensington’s Olympia.

For three days each year, Kensington is the hub of the industry. Everything happens there and everyone is there. This year will be no different with Toy Fair running from Sunday 24 to Tuesday 26 January.

Although there has been a well-documented date clash with Nuremberg, London Toy

“

For us, it is about showing customers and licensors what we are about in terms of product execution and strength in depth

Phil Ratcliffe MV Sports

”

Fair organisers have gone above and beyond to ensure exhibitors and visitors alike will have a spectacular and worthwhile show.

Majen Immink, Head of Toy Fair Operations and Sales picks up the story: “The main change is the two day shift forward, so this year we have a Sunday to Tuesday show, with press day falling on the Monday. Our timings have also changed slightly. We open

half an hour earlier at 8.30am on all three days and then we close half an hour later on Sunday and Monday at 6.30pm, and 4pm on Tuesday. This gives visitors the same number of hours as per usual but helps those who need to get away earlier on the final day.”

Majen adds: “We have had a great returnee rate once again as well as a good number of first time exhibitors that always bring a new dynamic to what we expect to be another busy and successful fair.”

Majen’s moment…

One of the questions I’m most frequently asked is “where is the best area of the show to exhibit and how can I ensure I get the footfall to my stand.”

Obviously, the central aisle is prime space so unsurprisingly it gets re-booked every year.

It’s hard to recommend a particular area but we have certainly seen a lot of

growth on the upper level since we took tenancy of the full gallery and Upper West Halls and many exhibitors choose to return to the same location every year. The Greenhouse Zone would be the first area I would always recommend to an exhibitor looking for the smallest size stand to help them introduce their

product to the industry for the first time.

As we can never guarantee the level of footfall in certain areas of the hall, we always recommend that the exhibitor plans well and makes contact with buyers before the event to make themselves known and where possible set up appointments.

toysnplaythings.co.uk

Eyes on the prize Great new venue, same great awards Look who is here!

The British Toy & Hobby Association (BTHA) with the Toy Retailers Association (TRA) will host the annual Toy Industry Awards for 2015 following the first day of Toy Fair Visitors can absolutely expect 2016, on Sunday 24 January. a packed 2016 show with more The 2016 gala event will follow the opening day of Toy Fair starting at 6.30pm. Guests than 250 exhibitors, including 60 will be able to enjoy a drinks reception and light food in Olympia’s Pizza Express, which companies who will be visiting will then be followed by a seated awards ceremony in the adjoining Apex Room, one Toy Fair for the first time. of Olympia’s special rooms for such events. The presentation of the highly coveted Toy One of those first time Industry Awards will take place here from 7.15pm. The venue’s close proximity will allow exhibitors is Alan Sheridan guests to move easily from the exhibition into the awards event. The evening’s formal from Education Harbour who proceedings are planned to finish no later than 8.30pm. will be showcasing some newly The event is one of the key dates in the industry calendar, and one which provides an repackaged product. “I am looking excellent networking opportunity for industry colleagues to celebrate the first day of to partner with toy retailers who Toy Fair and be the first to discover the winners of the toy retailer and supplier of the share my vision of wholesome year awards. toys that combine commerciality Tickets to the event are priced at £20+VAT with £10 from every ticket sale being with educational values,” says donated to the toy industry’s charity, the Toy Trust.

Alan, who is “also looking for Due to venue capacity there are a limited number of tickets available to the event, international distributors to carry therefore guests planning to attend are advised to book tickets early to avoid the product”. disappointment. Please note that companies wishing to apply for larger numbers of And while Toy Fair will play tickets may be limited to allow other companies the opportunity to attend, this will be host to an impressive amount of discussed with you when making your booking. new exhibitors with exciting new For ticket and event enquiries please contact Matt Jones on 020 7701 7127 or email products, established brands will Matt@btha.co.uk also be there in force to showcase their ranges.

VTech is one of the companies who will be launching in excess of London Toy Fair 2016 will be the first time that all three Vivid 100 new products – including divisions including Toy, Crayola and Drumond Park will be a range that will see the I am under one roof at Stand B70! company enter a brand new looking to category for 2016. partner with toy Sales Director Graham reassures Marketing Director Mary Likewise, Vivid will be out in retailers who Canning sees London Toy Wood. force. “I’ve been hearing about share my vision Fair as a very important date Great Gizmos is another great a few companies that have had of wholesome in the company’s diary. supporter of London Toy Fair, with to choose between going to “It presents a great Brand and Marketing Director Nuremberg and London Toy toys opportunity to show visitors Sarah Dayus explaining the date Fair but for Vivid, despite the Alan Sheridan from what we have planned for is a hugely important one in the not inconsiderable challenges in Education Harbour the year ahead and maximise company’s diary. logistics this year, we see London exposure of our new ranges “We really look forward to it Toy fair as an exceptionally to all our customers.” each year. It is a popular show... important date in our calendar,”

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Mookie Toys' Matt Griggs with Pebli at Toy Fair 2015

Vivid's Kerry Paternoster showcasing Thunderbirds in 2015

We asked retailers…

Why is London Toy Fair important to you as a buyer?

“For me, London Toy Fair comprises of three of the most packed days of my year. I will see products from most of our suppliers in a really tight space of time. It’s a really good indicator to us because if I can’t remember the item, then it isn’t worth running! It represents the busiest three days of my calendar, and helps us with the everimportant task of reviewing our position with our domestic suppliers. We can’t afford to miss it!”

Brian Simpson, SMF ToyTown

“London Toy Fair will always be an important event in our calendar. You see so many current and potential suppliers under one roof, it makes the selection process easier, it saves you so much time and is a great way to bring our industry together.”

Andrea Gornall, Senior Buyer, Shop Direct

“Mostly I go to the show to help me decide upon stock and make selections. This year I will be going with our new boss as well. I always head for the main big ones – Playmobil, LEGO, Epoch.

However, I also like the Greenhouse with the emerging products and in the past I’ve picked up a few good tips from there. You can find some little gems in the Greenhouse. I met Rachel Lowe from Destination Board Games there, and she later launched the Destination Norwich game from our store!”

Chris Goulding - Langleys Toys Ltd, Norwich

52

Funrise will have a giant Gazillion Monsoon bubble machine on their stand that sends thousands of bubbles into the air per second – you’ll be seeing that for sure! ...for buyers who we love to see!

It is so nice for the industry to get together and show off their new products,” says Sarah, who adds: “We have a really strong range this year, the best selection we have ever had from lots of new companies.”

All things to all people Toy Fair represent a lot of things to a lot of people, for some it’s an order taking show, for some it’s about cementing opinions on ranges and for some, it is about catching up with old business acquaintances.

Mary tells us that for Vivid, orders are still signed at the

show but she explains: “It is more about being able to showcase our full year offering, with products at their most advanced stage of development, a lot with TV commercials shot and more developed marketing and sales programmes. Another key aspect of the show is that not only is it important for us to meet with our retail partners but also to meet with the wider group of stakeholders that are important in making Vivid successful. It is the time when we first start to engage with journalists who have the power to bring our products to the attention of the public over and above anything we might do...

This is Interplay’s 20th consecutive year at Toy Fair. In 1996 they went to the show with just one product, Ant World, and set up on a trestle table in a small shell scheme.

From the show they got a listing from a major high street account… the rest is history and Ant World is still an important part of their portfolio

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... from a TV advertising perspective – and that is invaluable. Finally, Toy Fair also is a great social event and a time to catch up with friends and associates.”

For VTech, Graham says the show is all about launching product with the stand dedicated only to what is new in the range.

Another confirmed fan of London Toy Fair is MV Sports, with Sales & Marketing Director Phil Ratcliffe revealing that London is a highlight in the company’s diary.

“It is the one and only time that we can show customers our range in its entirety. For us, it is about showing customers and licensors what we are about in terms of product execution and strength in depth. It isn’t an order taking show but essentially a rubberstamping of our product range and selections.”

Interplay’s MD Ross Ainsworth says that from a sales and marketing perspective, London is

This year, Great Gizmos has combined technology and toys to create something new, exciting and exclusive!

“

The main change is the two day shift forward, so this year we have a Sunday to Tuesday show, with press day falling on the Monday

Majen Immink, Head of Toy Fair Operations and Sales

”

hugely important. Ross adds: “It is also important as the deadline date for finalising our new ranges and products. Therefore Toy fair represents the culmination of a lot of planning and hard work over the previous 12 months which dictates our future success for the next 12 months.”

Ross says that showcasing the Interplay range is the prime purpose at the show but they also have “generous show discounts for orders placed at the show, but taking orders is not what the show is about for us”.

Likewise, Funrise highlight the importance of London Toy Fair for them with Director David Martin saying it is the first time domestic customers get to see what is new in the range. “With Tonka coming on board in 2016, new product will be 50 per cent of the business,” adds David.

MV Sport’s Toy Fair in numbers: ■ 8 new licenses ■ 5 blockbuster movie properties ■ 7 license ranges updated or refreshed ■ 2 completely new M.V brands launching and others strengthened with new products.

MV Sports' Phil Ratcliffe

We asked Majen…

There are always lots of thing happening at Toy Fair – tell us about some of the added extras that make the fair so special?

"Exhibitors and visitors will once again have the opportunity to attend the annual Toy Industry Awards to not only celebrate the best in retail and product from the past year but also the event gives the industry a chance to unwind and network in the evening after a busy first day at the show.

Fittingly we also run a Design Student Seminar- now in it’s 7th year- that welcomes university level Product Design students who are looking at possibly starting their design career in the toy industry.

The event has proved very popular over the years and has established solid connections to help facilitate new and fresh talent entering the toy industry.

In 2016 we welcome a new charity KidsOut who will be managing the annual charity trolley dash at the end of the show which sees many exhibitors generously donate thousands of products to help improve the lives of disadvantaged children."

Mr Tumble made a special appearance at Toy Fair last year

The Green Board Games team will be out in force again

4

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VTech is excited to launch a number of great new products at the 2016 London Toy Fair.

With developments to much loved ranges as well as brand new additions in other categories.

Visit our stand to see more!

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GH15 Stiga UK GH26 Suncrest Trading B85 Swag Distribution Gallery 410 T.A.R.E.M.A. F30 Tactic Games D109 Teddy Kompaniet B90 Tenzi B156 TFTV Demo Zone Gallery 157 Thames & Kosmos G60 The Creativity Hub B156 The Games Gang H46 The Original Glow Stars D2 Think Distribution Gallery 147 Thinkfun B156 Throwback GH39 Tinytodds B90 Titan Merchandise C42 TKC Sales E99 TnP TV E1 Tobar Group Trading Gallery 305 TOMY Gallery 520 Toy Retailers Association Gallery 177 Toy Trust Coffee Lounge Gallery 160 Toymaster Members Lounge The London Room ToyNews E2 Toys n Playthings E1 Toyworld GH37 Tractor Ted GH46

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toysnplaythings.co.uk

SPONSORED FEATURE CHICCO TOP 20

The

choice

Chicco have had a stellar year with the company seeing growth in every category. The company’s Managing Director Mitch Levine tells TnP about plans for 2016, how they are approaching the market and what retailers can look forward to seeing at Toy Fair London Toy Fair:

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Tell us about Chicco’s 2015 – we understand you’ve had a pretty remarkable year?

Remarkable is a great word to describe the past year. The fact that we have performed consistently well across all sectors throughout 2015 is testament not only to the ongoing support and investment in the brand, but also the hard work and dedication of the Chicco team.

We have literally seen growth in every sector that we operate in which is an amazing achievement and further reinforces our position as the UK’s most trusted and loved baby brand. To sum up the past year, it has been a story of phenomenal growth and our vision moving forward is to continue to build on these strong foundations, taking both the Chicco brand and product range to the next level.

What strategies do Chicco use to help stimulate growth within the UK market?

Our strategy is simple: to continue to bring innovative, engaging and fun toys that aid a child’s development to the market.

Talk to us about your UK and Ireland sales figures for the past year and in particular, what areas have Chicco seen growth in?

With year-on-year sales an impressive 32 per cent up across all categories for January to October, 2015 has indeed proved to be another milestone year in terms of sales figures.

In particular we have delivered an outstanding performance in the UK infant and pre-school toy market, bucking the trend in what has been a generally flat market, with a 19 per cent increase in year-to-date sales.

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Let’s talk product range – we know you dipped your toes into the world of licensing through your collaboration with Disney.

How have sales been with that range?

As we expected our Disney range of licensed products is really going from strength to strength.

It has been an extremely solid year in terms of sales and we have received great support from our retailers so far. Building on the success of the existing range, we will be launching four new Disney Princess lines this year, including a collection of soft textile princess dolls, which also signals a move into the plush sector for Chicco.

And what about your other ranges over the course of 2015?

Our popular Fit & Fun and Move & Grow toys have also performed consistently well over the past year.

These products really occupy a unique space within the pre-school sector. Designed to develop early physical and motor-co-ordination skills, they can be used either indoors or outside, making them versatile.

Also, in addition to our Disney Princess licensed toys, we are still experiencing phenomenal success with our Fiat 500 branded toys.

In particular the Fiat 500 R/C car, launched last year, regularly appears in the top ten best-seller lists for radio controlled cars and has proved to be a massive hit with both children and adults alike.

What are Chicco’s 2016 objectives both in terms of sales and brand exposure?

I can easily sum that up in just a few words – more, more, more!

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If 2015 has shown us anything, it is that the Chicco brand has the product range and brand support to continue to perform well, even in a market that otherwise is not.

This year is all about continuing to do what we do best and further strengthen Chicco’s position in nursery and toy innovation.

How would you describe Chicco’s 2016 lines in just five words to a retailer?

Engaging, innovative, compelling, exciting and fun!

We know the company has a real focus on developmental learning while keeping ranges fun and focused. Tell us a little about that.

As with all of our new products, the toys have been specifically

designed and carefully tested in collaboration with Observatorio Chicco, our official Baby Research Centre, where paediatricians and parents work together to study stimuli and provide insight to ensure products support and aid a child’s growth and learning development. Our new product collection is the result of that developmental approach to a child’s learning needs, promoting early physical skills, motor co-ordination and social skills, as well as developing a healthy, active imagination.

Our new “Fun of Development” concept will encompass all of our product ranges and will provide a compelling product story and customer journey for each key stage of a child’s development.

“

If 2015 has shown us anything, it is that the Chicco brand has the range and brand support to continue to perform well

”

How do you communicate these messages to retailers, and consumers?

We will continue to support our retailers with engaging, high quality POS display units and an extensive promotional calendar across all product ranges. All new launches and our existing product range will be fully supported by a number of integrated marketing campaigns, including a comprehensive PR plan, digital advertising and social activity. We have a lot to shout about this year so watch this space!

For information on Chicco products, visit www. chicco.co.uk or connect with Chicco on Facebook at www.facebook.co.uk/chiccocompanyuk.

Mitch tell us what retailers can expect from Chicco’s pre-school range Pre-school toys play an extremely important role in developing key skills in a child’s early years and this is something we are passionate about as a company.

While a useful aid for developing early skills, the most important thing remains that the toy must be fun and engaging for little ones and this is something that is evident across all of our new product ranges in 2016. From our new Fit & Fun Jungle Rugby through to our bright and cheerful 3-in-1 Shopping Trolley and interactive activity toy, Rodeo, every toy has a compelling story resulting in a reason to purchase.

In addition to our more traditional range of pre-school toys, we have taken the bold step this year to launch our

JANUARY 2016

first collection of app toys. Our new app toy building blocks merge traditional building blocks with interactive digital technology, via a downloadable app on a tablet, creating magical worlds of play and helping to develop a happy, healthy imagination. Vehicles, animals and pirates all come to life in front of a child’s eyes thanks to the augmented reality provided by the app, guaranteeing hours of imaginative and creative fun.

We are also introducing our first transformable radio controlled car in the pre-school range. Robo Chicco converts from a car into a futuristic looking robot in three simple steps, encouraging coordination and social skills, as well as developing imagination.

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CHICCO TOP TOYS 2016

The Fun of Development

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3 in 1 Jungle Rugby Scott Blease, Customer Development Controller says:

With a cracking line-up of toys sure to whet the appetite of retailers around the country for 2016, Chicco introduce us to its fantastic favourites for the year ahead.

Think fit, think fun, think developmental learning, and why not add some beautiful Disney-licensed product into the mix too?

“Any budding rugby fan will love our new 3 in 1 electronic Jungle Rugby.

With rugby match format, training mode session and stacker toy function, Jungle Rugby will encourage motor and social skills, while providing hours of fun.”

3 in 1 Shopping Trolley Natalie Jackson, Customer Development Controller says: “An interactive scanner with melodies and phrases and a removable shape sorter guarantees our NEW bright and cheerful 3-in1 electronic shopping trolley will keep children entertained for hours, whilst helping to develop cognitive skills.”

Rodeo Holly John, Toys Product Manager says: “Our NEW Rodeo with his cute interactive features is sure to become a firm favourite and can be used as a rocking horse, sit and ride toy or interactive activity centre. Rodeo comes to life thanks to interactive sensors, which activate moving eyes, neighing sounds and children will love feeding him a carrot.”

Goal League Giulia Toselli, Marketing Manager says: “Budding football fans will have hours of fun practicing and developing their motor skills with our popular Goal League Game. With three modes to choose from, toddlers will have hours of fun honing their skills.”

360 Ride on Essentials

Cath Needham, Senior Customer Development Manager says: “Children will have total freedom of movement on our new 360 Ride-On thanks to its swivel wheels. With its removable handle it is extremely versatile and can be used as a Push and Go or a Sit and Ride toy, ideal for developing motor co-ordination skills.”

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TEAM CHICCO HEADED UP BY:

Taking it to Turbo!

Mitch Levene

Giulia Toselli

Jon Tilley

Managing Director

UK Marketing Manager

Customer Development Director

Turbo Touch Fiat 500 family Natalie Jackson, Customer Development Controller says: “These cars are fast and furious and will keep little ones on their toes.

To add to the fun when the cars crash into obstacles the door and hood open revealing a funny face. There is something for everyone in our colourful collection.”

Danny Drift R/C Scott Blease, Customer Development Controller says: “Danny Drift boasts a superbly sporty design, including a spoiler on the back and racing stripes down the body. Complete with a bright blue steering wheel, which includes intuitive remote control function, his friendly character face on the windscreen is sure to entertain and pressing the drift button will make Danny perform spectacular skids.”

Robo Chicco Giulia Toselli, Marketing Manager says: “The latest addition to our Turbo Team family, Robo Chicco is the first transformable radio controlled car in the pre-school range. He converts from a car into a futuristic robot in three simple steps, encouraging co-ordination and social skills, as well as developing imagination.”

Fiat 500 RC Holly John, Toys Product Manager says:

Turbo Crash Team Jon Tilley, Customer Development Director says: “Our three Demolition Derby cars hide a fantastically fun surprise – nott only do the cars make a real tyre screeching sound, when they bump into an obstacle the doors and bonnet et fling open! Little ones will love crashing them, putting tting them back together, er, un and starting the fun all over again!”

JANUARY 2016 016

“One of our most popular licensed products, Fiat 500 is a cute little R/C car controlled with a steering wheel shaped remote. The Fiat 500’s friendly face is sure to win over little ones and parents as well.”

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SPONSORED FEATURE CHICCO TOP TOYS 2016

First Fi irst Dreams Next2Me Stars Giulia Toselli, Marketing Manager says: “Our lovely Next2Me Stars is a new addition to our popular sleep time range. With a soft plush teddy bear that can be attached to a crib or travel cot, Next2 Stars is the perfect companion with three soothing melodies and comforting light projector.”

First Dreams Baby Bear Natalie Jackson, Customer Development Controller says: “Our new First Dreams Baby Bear has a soft projection tummy that activates a Goodnight message for baby. Available in pale pink or soft blue, the soothing melodies and light show will make Baby Bear a reassuring part of every bedtime routine.”

Animal Charity Cottage Mitch Levene, Managing Director says: “As well as being a lively shape sorting nursery toy, Chicco are proud to donate money from every sale of this best selling toy as part of our ‘Happiness Goes from heart to heart’ project. The money raised goes towards surgical heart operations to save the lives of children less fortunate than us.”

What’s ‘apping here?

App toys Mitch Levene, Managing Director, says: “In a bold new step, we are introducing our first app toys in 2016. Our building blocks come to life in front of a child’s eyes thanks to interactive digital technology via a downloadable app on a tablet, creating magical worlds of play with vehicles, pirates and a dinosaur!”

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Fit for a (Disney) princess Snow White and 7 Dwarf Cottage Giulia Toselli, Marketing Manager says: “There is so much fun to be had with the Snow White Cottage, it captures the true essence of the fairytale thanks to all of the well thought out details. Little ones can see the seven dwarves by pushing the apple to open the window and listen to enchanting melodies. Slide the squirrel along the roof or press the turtle and his head will pop out.”

Musical Magic wand Holly John, Toys Product Manager says:

Cinderella Carriage Scott Blease, Customer Development Controller says: “Our new Cinderella Carriage is a push along walker featuring a beautiful twirling Cinderella, enchanting melodies and twinkling LEDs that help bring the toy to life for every princess.”

“Little princesses everywhere will be able to spread a little magic and sparkle with our new electronic Musical Magical wand. The rattle toy features some of Disney’s best-loved princesses and a motion sensor triggers melodies and lights adding to the fun.”

Sweet Melodies Princess Dolls Natalie Jackson, Customer Development Controller, says: “Our new Cinderella, Snow White and Rapunzel soft textile dolls signal a move into the plush sector for us and are guaranteed to be a hit with every Disney Princess fan. The electronic dolls have sweet melodies and sound effects and all feature real fabric princess dresses for added sensory stimulation.”

Princess Stroller Dolls Cath Needham, Senior Customer Development Manager says: “Cinderella and Snow White are iconic princesses in anyone’s book so our new stroller dolls are bound to fly off the shelves. They will clip easily to any pram or pushchair and feature key themes from the fairytales. Cinderella has a lovely textured glittery clock and pumpkin ring with sliding mice, whilst Snow White has the famous apple and mirror.”

JANUARY 2016

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em Nur

Lon 12.2 Hall P04 Toy don Fair: d Stan

Gallery 120

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Party time AMSCAN

Stand: B75

01908 288 500 www.amscan.co.uk

After a successful year debuting at the London Toy Fair last year, Amscan are returning for 2016 to showcase their extensive range of licensed and unlicensed foil balloons and fancy dress costumes to the toy industry.

Amscan's ‘One-Stop-Party Shop’ solution aims to bring total convenience to retailers so they can source everything they require for parties and celebrations of any occasion in one place.

Amscan has an impressive portfolio of over 70 licensed properties of which there will be a variety of licensed foil balloon ranges on display at the show. Look out for exciting new additions to Amscan’s offering including popular characters: Super Mario, Nickelodeon’s

New costumes for toddlers and children In addition to the array of balloons there will also be a variety of exciting new costumes for toddlers and children; ideal for key everyday fancy dress occasions including kid’s parties and Book Week, they also make fun gift ideas. Keep an eye out for new licensed Barbie costumes, adorable new animal costumes for tiny tots, as well as key themes from pirates, to history, story book characters, careers and more.

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Not to be missed is Amscan’s out of this world collection of Star Wars foil balloons including classic characters from the likes of Darth Vader and Yoda, to new Star Wars: the Force Awakens designs from the highly anticipated new movie

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upcoming hot new property Blaze and the Monster Machines, Justice League, Ever After High, Paw Patrol and many others.

Also not to be missed is Amscan’s out of this world collection of Star Wars foil balloons including classic characters from the likes of Darth Vader and Yoda, to new Star Wars: the Force Awakens designs from the highly anticipated new movie.

The range includes six different balloon types, from a hand held Inflate-A-Fun to the Storm Trooper and R2D2 AirWalkers which make an eye-catching statement.

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Razor sharp globally Bladez Toyz 02392 658 255 www.bladeztoyz.co.uk

Since 2007, Bladez Toyz has propelled to success, and the company is now a major player in the UK and international toy markets. With distribution in the UK, US, Australia, New Zealand, Europe, UAE, Brazil, Chile and Asia, Bladez Toyz has really broadened its distribution across the globe.

Bladez’ range of radio control products has grown

Stand : Galler y 123

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Bladez range of radio control products has grown into a family of favorites all over the world with the inclusion of a plethora of well-known characters from Blockbusters such as Star Wars, Minions, The Good Dinosaur, Big Hero 6 and many more

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into a family of favorites all over the world with the inclusion of a plethora of well-known characters from blockbusters such as Star Wars, Minions, The Good Dinosaur, Big Hero 6 and many more. The portfolio currently includes classic characters such as R2-D2, Darth Vader, Yoda and, launching in January new favourite droid, BB-8 is transformed into an RC inflatable toy, complete with sound effects from the latest Star Wars release – The Force Awakens.

Bladez had a fantastic response to BB-8 from retailers as well as consumers, as he joins the Star Wars RC inflatable family.

As well as the hugely popular RC inflatable range, Bladez is also continuing the evergrowing collection of flying RC toys, with their selection of drones and micro gadgets - available in many skill levels and styles, these lines all feature the Bladez-branded point of difference that keeps their customers coming back for more.

At Toy Fair 2016, Bladez will be launching an entirely new range of pre-school toys, including some of the year's hottest licenses;

Teletubbies and Peppa Pig. The range will include radio control inflatables, nightlights, outdoor toys and playmats.

Not to mention the exclusive Teletubbies furniture lines that will bring a whole new dynamic to the Bladez catalogue.

To book an appointment to view all of the Bladez lines launching at Toyfair, please contact trade@ bladeztoyz.co.uk, or call +44 (0) 02392 658 255 to secure your slot.

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Hama Time!

DKL 01604 678 780 www.dkl.co.uk

Stand : E66

DKL returns to Toy Fair 2016 with even more quality products from across nine leading brands. Stand E66 will be overflowing with excitement as DKL showcases new ranges and new products from Hama Beads, Scentco Scented Stationery, SmartLab Science Launching at Kits, Scratch Traditional Toys, Toy Fair is the Wonderworld Wooden Toys, Finding Dory Breyer Model Horses, PlayMais scented Crafts, Miniland Educational and Anamalz Wooden Figures. stationery Launching at Toy Fair is range from the Finding Dory scented Scentco stationery range from Scentco, and available as Smencils, Gel Crayons and Smarkers, the Finding Dory license is sure to be a hit! Vibrant, eye-catching designs and delicious scents will have Toy Fair visitors hooked. The products are competitively priced

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Making its debut at Toy Fair is the brand new Hama Beads app, which will add an even more creative play dimension to this fantastic bead craft range.

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and available in display units.

Hama, the number one bead brand, returns with even more quality products for 2016. Look out for the new Diamond Animals Gift Box featuring brand new pegboard shapes; the Friendship bracelets set, and the exciting Dinosaur Large Gift Box. For ages three plus, Hama is also launching the Maxi Stick collection.

From the Scratch range of traditional toys, Toy Fair visitors can expect to see brilliant new retro tin toys including the Circus Tin Top and Pinball game.

Also launching from Scratch is a must-see collection of mini wooden vehicles with unique and quirky designs, and wind-up Elastic Planes available in a counter display.

New from Wonderworld Wooden Toys is the fantastic role-play Allin-1 Coffee Shop, complete with cookies and other accessories.

Miniland Educational will be returning with the must-see Educational Corner range. Toy Fair visitors can also test out the Play Miniland collection of digital games for smartphone or tablet.

Breyer Model Horses will unveil the exciting new Pocket Box Dogs - a display of 24 collectible mini dogs - and don’t miss the traditional scale Best Friends models, which come with a special friendship bracelet.

Also on display at E66 will be the delightful Anamalz FSDU with a

total of 216 Anamalz models.

The PlayMais craft brand will introduce brand new packaging and concepts including the new Fire Truck set and the fun Trendy Mosaics range.

From SmartLab Science Kits, the bestselling Squishy Human Body will be showcased along with other Squishy lines and the fantastic new Mini Kits which offer great value in small boxes.

In 2016, DKL will continue to provide excellent marketing support across all their brands, including dedicated planograms, and extensive PR and social media activity.

Don’t miss all these incredibly exciting items on display at Stand E66!

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Hat-trick of new releases DRUMOND PARK 01473 322 000 www.drumondpark.com

Stand : B70

Following another strong sell through across the children’s, family and adult game range in AW15, Drumond Park, a division of Vivid Imaginations, is set for an even better 2016 with three more new children’s games joining the portfolio, all of which cater for two-four players.

New for this year is Pickin’ Chickens – in the same thread as the successful Barbecue Party for pre-schoolers, Pickin’ Chickens will have children cautiously watching Mr Fox as they hunt amongst hen houses to save their chicks from the jumping fox.

Launching for Drumond Park in AW16 is the new grasping clasping grappling game of Crazy Claw - a game of quick thinking and quick reactions for ages four and over.

For slightly older children (ages six and over), Drumond Park are introducing Dig In – a raucous frenetic scrabbling and searching game that is bound to prove a big success for Christmas 2016!

For slightly older children (ages six and over), Drumond Park are introducing Dig In – a raucous frenetic scrabbling and searching game that is bound to prove a big success for Christmas 2016!

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On the fast track Bigjigs 01303 250 400 www.bigjigstoys.com

Stand : H39

Toy Fair 2016 will be a platform for Bigjigs to showcase the 100s of new products that we have in the 2016 range. There are lots of new items to see and show discounts to be secured at the show..

With a fantastic new stand and displays showing off the new toys, Bigjigs will launch two wo incredible new distribution brands: PlayColour and Petit Collage.

The railway range is ever increasing with two fantastic new themes for 2016: Fire & Rescue and Pirates.

Following on from the success of the award winning Dinosaurs and Farm themes launched in 2015, which were on the top sellers list for 2015, Bigjigs has made the decision to integrate more exciting and popular themes into the railway range.

There are many more eco-friendly and fun green toys for 2016 and lots of new Bigjigs toys wooden wonders including new pull-along, stacking toys, plush toys and games.

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Following on from the success of the award winning Dinosaurs and Farm themes launched in 2015, which were on the top sellers list for 2015, Bigjigs has made the decision to integrate more exciting and popular themes into the railway range

Take a ride on the wild side Bigjigs’ range of rides-ons maximise on play value - each is brightly coloured and fun, designed with toddlers in mind. The sturdy wooden bodies, handles and wheels are made to last and easy for little ones to manoeuvre, and to keep them amused when on the move; each ride-on has an integrated shape sorter, with perfectly sized wooden shapes for non-stop play fun.

The ride-on range includes a Giraffe, Zebra, Cow, Bunny, Horse and a Bigjigs train all available.

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Room for all at Cosy Cottage Epoch making toys

Stand: B130

08435 574 062 www.sylvanianfamilies.net

New Aquabeads...

Licensed Aquabeads products, including sets from Star Wars, Frozen, Super Mario, Cinderella and Minnie Mouse, will also be on display inside the Cosy Cottage structure. Visitors can demo the products and see the new playsets available.

EPOCH making toys will also expand the core Aquabeads categories with eight new core products including the Beadtasic Set (complete range), Crystal Charm Set (theme refill range), Easy Trays (accessory range) and Mega Bead ad (refill range).

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Sylvanian Families’ iconic, life-size Cosy Cottage structure which won the Toy Fair’s award for best stand in 2015, will make a comeback, housing existing 2015 and new, exciting 2016 Q1 ranges, and there will also be demo areas which showcase the connectable aspect of the products. Outside, there will be a Bluebell Seven Seater reception desk and a meeting area, with grass-textured flooring underfoot.

Outside of the Cosy Cottage, decorative plinths will be displaying the brand new, highly-anticipated expansion of the Sylvanian ‘Village Life’ range, including the Brick Oven Bakery – reminiscent of the 1985 original bakery – which comes complete with a figure and over 52 pieces.

Also in this range is a Pizza Delivery Set, Doughnut Store and Hot Dog Van.

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Throughout the fair, Freya Chocolate Rabbit and Ralph Walnut Squirrel mascot figures will appear to show retailers the potential value of live events

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There will also be the chance to see the new families and furniture ranges as well as the upcoming launches for March and June 2016.

Throughout the fair, Freya Chocolate Rabbit and Ralph Walnut Squirrel mascot figures will appear to show retailers the potential value of live events.

Sally Carnall, Marketing Manager at EPOCH making toys, said: “The 30th anniversary year of Sylvanian Families – 2015 - has been a real reflection of just how loved this nostalgic brand is. We can’t wait to show the achievements from the birthday year and present the new products we have planned at Toy Fair. “We’re also really excited to showcase the new licensed Aquabeads products, some of which will reach a new target group as they appeal to both boys and girls.”

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E Z A R C !

S U 6 1 O 0 I 2 T N C E A J F N s I Aintting store h E S O L C P U & , S S O s e d R G o s i T GE Fungus web with V sponsorship T eover, tak ts & a TV spoakeover! digital t Come & get decontaminated at STAND B70

Check out...

...for MORE!

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Tough Tonkas and Bubble Blasters Funrise 01908 555 640 www.funrise.com

: Stand G90

With the return of Tonka to Funrise for 2016 and a gazillion options for outdoor fun, the Funrise stand at Toy Fair is a must visit for all retailers.

The Funrise team are taking Tonka to a new level with a choice of tough vehicle options for retailers to choose from.

High on the agenda will be the launch of the new Tonka Climb-overs: 4x4 motorised off-road vehicles that climb over almost anything, with a number of playsets to choose from which all interconnect using a Click N’ Climb track system to configure countless obstacles. Vehicles can be taken off-road, and the TV advertised new Climb-over series has many fun sets for tough kids to get to grips with such as the Snake Pit Pass and Ripsaw Summit.

Also added to the line-up will be a full range of Tonka Metal; miniature die-cast vehicles with many to collect, that make the perfect entry level purchase and offer Tonka quality at a pocket money price. Of course, all the renowned Tonka collections will also be available including the Tonka Steel and Lights and Sounds series all of which come with the parental endorsement that has been built over generations.

Gazillion Bubbles will continue to

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The Funrise team are taking Tonka to a new level with a choice of tough vehicle options for retailers to choose from be the bubble brand of choice for kids, with its superior solution and many blasters machines and more to choose from in 2016.

New gadgets to unveil include the Bump N Go Robot.

Also available will be handheld blasters such as the Handheld Hurricane, which will add to mega bubble blowers such as the Gazillion Tornado and 3D Bubble Blaster.

This year Gazillion will benefit from TV advertising and a full marketing plan of digital and kids press, ensuring brand awareness is at its height as the warmer months approach. a On a softer side there’s a chance to see the new plush Sing-a-ma-lings and Stackins. Sing-a-ma-lings are the S quirky tuneful characters that just love to sing. Press their q ttummies and their mouths will move in time with the tune tthey sing. Stackins are all about collecting, and these pocket money friends have over eight different animal p characters to choose from and once you have more than c one the stacking can begin.

Funrise also welcomes the growth in the range of the My Little Pony feature plush, ranging from 3’’ ponies with clips to 20’’ large ponies.

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s o o w y l r i w T e Th e n Zoden Bear LON

Gol

08 o.uk 608 3 oys.c 01952 ldenbeart o www.g

: Stand E69

Golden Bear is heading into 2016 with exciting new additions to its Twirlywoos collection, inspired by the popular TV programme created by children’s TV legend Anne Wood and leading the year’s toy range.

The hilarious Run-Along Fun Sounds Twirlywoos mimick their iconic run sequence from the unique TV show, and the adorable RunAlong Twirlywoos will be available in all four characters; Great BigHoo, Toodloo, Chickedy and Chick. The

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line will launch in January and will be supported with an extensive campaign across TV and digital platforms as well as PR activity. The company’s In the Night Garden range will continue to expand with some fantastic new products including the Explore & Learn Musical Pinky Ponk. Heading up the plush collection is My Best Friend Igglepiggle which has two modes for day and night play with special feature open/close eyes.

Igglepiggle’s Bedtime Boat offers an array of features including music, stories, a light show and a soothing night light.

The fantastic Super Duggee joins the AW collection; dressed in his superhero outfit and cape, he features fun superhero sounds, just like in the show. A further Duggee Talking Soft Toy is being introduced and also a very cute small sized Duggee along with Enid the Cat. New items for AW include the Push and Go Fire Engine, which comes complete with Duggee figure; push along to see Duggee wobble up and down and the Squirrel Club Activity Set featuring all five Squirrels, Duggee, work benches and a playmat.

The Go MINI range will see the launch of the Light Up Twin Turbo Raceway designed to appeal to

The adorable Run-Along Twirlywoos will be available in all four characters; Great BigHoo, Toodloo, Chickedy and Chick, with each character saying their signature sounds as they run along

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children from three to eight years old.

The massive loop lights up from the cars as they go upside down and race around the track in the dark. New vehicles will also be introduced to the range in the form of the Key Racers and the Stunt Racers Twin Pack.

The company will also be launching a brand new in house development; Sleep Tight All Night (patent pending). Designed to teach children when to sleep and when to wake up, the innovation within the product is centred around scientific studies on sleep and the colours associated with either aiding or inhibiting sleep.

The Mr Tumble Something Special brand will see the 2016 collection refreshed - with a new look Mr Tumble who has appealing facial features and a bright, colourful outfit.

The company’s colourful Kid Tough pre-school construction range, My First JCB, will see the Stacking Stanley Mega Truck join the range in summer 2016. Also new will be the Big Wheelers Action Team pack.

Oddbods is a collection of humorous 3D animated sketches which hit our screens on CiTV Nov 2015 with new seven minute episodes airing on Boomerang Feb 2016. Consisting of plush, collectible figures, vehicles and playsets, the toy range will launch summer 2016.

The Golden Bear stand will feature all key licensed products including firm favourites Woolly & Tig, CBeebies Bugbies, Sooty and Forever Friends. Exciting new licenses for 2016 will also be showcased.

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Endless possibilities! : Stand E39

FLAIR 020 8643 0320 www.flairplc.co.uk

There’s plenty to see from GP Flair at Toy Fair with award-winning ranges and favourite licenses being added to brand new collections for girls, boys, pre-school and creative play.

Shopkins, the phenomenal girls’ collectable that is now a full crosscategory property, will move from Series 3 to Series 4, bringing even more cool and colourful shopping inspired characters to collect.

Garden and party-time themes can be discovered, plus the Shopkins Pet Shop aisle will introduce new Petkins collectables.

Big news for Shopkins fans will be the introduction of the Shoppies Dolls: fabulously fashionable dolls each with their own personality, outfit and accessories. There are

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three food themed dolls to collect: Popette, Bubbleisha and Jessicake.

Each doll comes with two exclusive Shopkins characters, accessories and a code to download special features within the hugely popular Shopkins app. Licensed plush is also high on the agenda within the Shopkins portfolio with the introduction of five new characters to collect for spring; including favourites such as Poppy Corn, Toasty Pops and Dum Mee Mee. Spring will also see the

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launch of a new girls’ fashion doll, U Hugs. This brand brings together creative play and stylish doll characters as the perfect way for girls to express their style, mood and personality. The initial launch will introduce six dolls to collect, all of which have quirky traits of their own. Each doll is made from soft plastic and has holes around its body ready for pins and personalisation plus 12 pins to start each unique transformation. There’s Sassy Fashion who’s the oldest of the bunch, a fashion guru who can’t live without her phone and Sweety Rock, with her rock chick style and determined personality to name but two. Screamy

Aiming to retain the top spot in the action figure market, Flair will continue to grow its Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles collection with new waves of exciting action figures from the animation series

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Big news for Shopkins fans will be the introduction of the Shoppies Dolls: fabulously fashionable dolls each with their own personality, outfit and accessories… each doll comes with two exclusive Shopkins characters, accessories and a code to download special features within the hugely popular Shopkins app

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Queen, Scratchy DJ, Scary Baby and Starry Fairy will complete the line-up.

Fashionistas can change and switch their character’s style and look each day, either to match their mood, look or alter ego. Collect more than one and the combinations are endless!

Following a successful launch in autumn, Pet Parade will continue into the new year with a range of cute and highly interactive pets, and this spring will see not only six new puppies join the collection, but kittens too. The launch will introduce a full six breeds of kitten to collect including the White Persian. Each pet has a joystick button on its back so that they can walk and move their head, eyes and tail. This TV advertised collection will have a Play Garden Playset - including an exclusive Siamese kitten - that is the perfect place to unleash their lively personalities. In addition, fans can also treat their puppies with the already successful Play World and Train and Treat kits.

Aiming to retain the top spot in the action figure market, Flair will continue to grow its Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles collection with new waves of exciting action figures from the animation series.

From spring, fans can swell their ranks of Ninjas with new waves of figures including notable friends and foes from the series such as Lord Dregg, Fugitoid and Mozar. The Half-Shell Heroes range roars into action with the addition of a Turtles and Dino theme for younger fans.

The hero of the range will be the

JANUARY 2016

to not only entertain but to also help ward off enemies. Watch as Bamboo trains, fights and guards your room with both realistic and scary responses. With over 75 actions and responses, Bamboo has big moves and a big personality!

Disney’s Doc McStuffins Pet Vet Series has seen Dottie don her paw print scrubs and turn her attention to healing animals. New to Flair’s extensive Pet Vet range is the Findo Vet Kit; a glittery carry bag that includes a Findo plush plus accessories to help cure any boo-boos. Continuing into spring are the Pet Vet Doc McStuffins Interactive Doll, Vet Bag Playset and the animatronic Find & Fetch Findo.

Finally the Doc McStuffins Pet Vet Desk allows children to create their own Pet Vet clinic at home making sure all their own cuddly toy animals are kept fit and healthy.

T-Rex and Donnie playset that includes an exclusive Donnie Mr Frosty... figure. Pushing down the neck is also to return to the of T-Rex will see his bottom creative play scene but with jaw open up to sweep up new contemporary styling enemies. The second Teenage and components making the Mutant Ninja Turtles movie, creation of tasty ice treats Out of The Shadows, will be even simpler. Parents will a key event for Turtles fans, now be able to introduce who can be assured of a full their children to this classic range of figures, vehicles, toy of their own childhood playsets and roleplay to go that took culinary creativity with it. to a cool new level. Echoing Boys will now have the much loved brand, someone right in their corner kids can make their own with the introduction of delicious treats simply from the extremely interactive ice and favourite juices or humanoid robot, Bamboo. cordials.

Programmed for play, Bamboo has a number of play modes and actions that are designed

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Who you gonna call?

H.GROSSMAN 01416 132 525 www.ozbozz.com

â&#x20AC;?

London Toy Fair sees a comprehensive line up of scooters, skateboards, pogos, helmet, bike and a spectacular range of pocket money items from whoopee cushions to wobblers, so if you want Ghostbusters - you know who to call!

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Grossmans is introducing a whole host of merchandise from the muchheralded Ghostbusters movie. London Toy Fair sees a comprehensive line up of scooters, skateboards, pogos, helmet, bike and a spectacular range of pocket money items from whoopee cushions to wobblers, so if you want Ghostbusters - you know who to call!

Continuing the movie theme for 2016 is the Secret Life of Pets, the hilarious new offering from the guys that brought you Despicable Me. The cast of pet characters has something for everyone and as a nation of pet lovers the UK is going to fall in love with these quirky movie stars. HGL has the license for wheeled goods and pocket money toys with a full selection from scooters to sand sets on offer. o The Ozbozz brand is renowned products for great outdoor p and this year sees a whole selection of new offerings scissor scooters, including sciss folding scooters Speedy foldin speedometer) in (with speed colours, satchel new colou scooters, light up scooters of all types, scooter a new pro scissor scooter and lots scoo great new of g styles across sty

Stand : E49

pogo sticks, hog trikes and the bestselling Nebulus, Torq and Elektra ranges.

The award-winning My First Scooter has been revamped with a new folding system and new colours. For older children check out the brand new Mannix Stunt Scooter in a variety of colourways.

Dinosaurs will never go out of fashion and 2016 sees even more introductions in the mighty Megasaur range. The brilliantly priced gift sets have always been popular with consumers and 2016 will see the introduction of a Mega Megasaur set, which will present 30 Megasaurs in one pack.

Car Trax and Train Trax have been award winning, best-selling lines in 2015 and in addition to Sand Sets, will have new line extensions for 2016.

In total HGL will introduce over 100 new pocket money lines for 2016 from water wrigglers to whoopee cushions, skipping ropes to slime balls - theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got the lot.

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Back with a bling!

JOHN ADAMS 01480 414 361 www.johnadams.co.uk

With an all new stand, John Adams Leisure will have lots of exciting things to see at Toy Fair 2016! Continuing to build on its hugely successful heritage within its creative play craft range, the portfolio boasts over 20 new and refreshed product lines.

Leading the new introductions is eZee Beads - a fantastic new line of bead picture making kits, which stick together with water. All kits offer great play value as well as value for money.

Sands Alive, the multi-award winning, super-soft modelling sand - is also expanding with a new themed Sweet Dreams kit, plus an amazing Glow-in-the-Dark set.

These join the existing range which includes Starter, Classic, Animals, Castle and the Super Sets, ensuring all key price points are covered.

Stand : G100

The Disney Princess collection is being extended with a range of magical glow and light-up products to make and display, under the successful Snow Glowbz and Jelly Sticker brands.

Bangle Blitz - the cool collection of ‘make your own’ blinged-up bangle kits had a great 2015 and this year sees the range growing with new Neon and Glam kits.

The hugely successful BloPens range will also see new introductions in the form of a new Disney Princess Creative Case set which turns the packaging into a handy mini easel, plus a cool new Star Wars activity set. The Animal and Super Activity sets are also being refreshed.

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Continuing to build on its hugely successful heritage within its creative play craft range, the portfolio boasts over 20 new and refreshed product lines

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As the UK’s number one manufacturer within the science category (NPD Data by value, 2014), the company will be showcasing new lines joining its successful science portfolio, which teaches boys and girls the fundamentals of science using fun and immersive kits.

John Adams’ range of Ideal branded games and puzzles continues to grow in strength and volume. New for 2016 is the Rubik’s Spark – an electronic cube with six different games that can be played on both single and multi-player

versions. Joining the Action Games category is Soggy Doggy and Splashy the Whale – players need to make sure they don’t get wet!

The popular Total Action Football will be getting a fresh new look ready for the 2016 European Championships and hilarity is guaranteed with new family game Silly Sausage – can you keep up as he shouts out his orders?

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tel. +44 (0)1628 488944 email sales@interplayuk.com

...toys and gifts designed to inspire

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K’NEX enjoyed strong sales growth in 2015 and doubled turnover to reinforce the brand as a heavyweight in the construction category. At Toy Fair 2016, K’NEX will unveil new innovation showcasing the building system’s unique qualities of scale, movement and creative play possibilities.

This is the year of the Thrill Rides, with the introduction of five brand new rollercoaster inspired K’NEX Thrill Rides building sets.

New additions include Electric Inferno which has 640 pieces, a motorised chain lift and can be built 2.5 feet tall, plus Clockwork Coaster which has 280 pieces and an impressive hour hand inspired car lift. TV advertising will support the range throughout the year, alongside activity in kids press and strategic partnerships.

Now established as a firm favourite in both the construction and blaster categories, K’NEX K-FORCE will be refreshed with multi and rapid-fire action features in 2016 with four brand new buildable, customisable blasters at a range of price points. The K25X Rotoshot features all new rotating blasting action, while the Flash Fire Rapid Fire has a 10-dart, quick fit clip for ultimate speed! K-FORCE will be TV advertised in both spring and autumn, driving purchase throughout the year.

The K’NEX UK team will distribute 88

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This is the year of the Thrill Rides, with the introduction of five brand new rollercoaster inspired K’NEX Thrill Rides building sets

the brand’s education range for the first time from January 2016. Aligned to Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) standards, K’NEX Education sets are designed to encourage hands-on 3D STEM learning. K’NEX will partner with Thorpe Park in 2016 to engage education professionals, offering pupils an on-site workshop exploring the physics of rollercoasters using K’NEX product before enjoying the theme park’s real life rides.

Last year saw the introduction of K’NEX

Stand: Gallery 510

Mighty Makers, a line offering girls STEM learning experiences inspired by aspirational careers.

Innovative new additions include Mighty Makers Director’s Cut, which allows girls to explore the exciting world of filmmaking. There’s even an adjustable clip that fits most smartphones so girls can really film and watch back their creations!

K’NEX Beasts Alive will also be refreshed with some brand new buildable creepy critters for 2016.

Last year’s dino and dragon inspired beasts will be joined by all new Shark and Gator building sets, both of which feature motorised movement and two alternate builds.

At the heart of the K’NEX range remains a collection of building sets and treasure chests with generous piece counts and dozens of inspiring creative building ideas.

New additions will tap into the everpopular theme of transportation, including a Jet 2-in-1 set which doubles as a heli-plane, and a Racecar 2-in-1 set which transforms into an all-terrain vehicle.

Licensed product continues to bolster the K’NEX portfolio, bringing to life the gameplay of Mario Kart 8, SuperMario and Plants Vs Zombies.

At Toy Fair, K’NEX will reveal the new series of Super Mario Mystery Figures and Plants Vs Zombies Mystery Figures, allowing young fans a pocket money friendly way to build their favourite characters.

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Shaping up for fun LE TOY VAN 020 8979 2036 www.letoyvan.com

Stand : E10

New for 2016 Le Toy Van welcomes Petilou Mama Baby Counting Puzzle as part of 20 new lines in the Petilou toddler toys collection.

This detailed wooden counting puzzle is illustrated with unique artwork from Le Toy Van‘s inhouse designers. Each of the five ‘mummy’ pieces can be lifted off to reveal the 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 ‘babies’. The game provides a fun introduction to counting plus shape and colour recognition too.

All of the toys in this collection are presented in the distinctive Petilou packaging to provide a clear range effect for retailing and brand recognition.

Le Toy Van has trademarked

the name Petilou, derived from Petit Loup: an affectionate French saying meaning ‘my little wolf’.

Although a UK company, Le Toy Van has an international flavour and this is a nod to the French connection.

Building on the success of last year’s launch, other lines in the collection include a shape sorting bird house, a pull-along bunny train, a sensory shapes puzzle board and an owl clock. Woodland creatures provide a unifying theme to the collection, which offers a great choice for that special gift.

Natural, safe and educational Petilou toys are made of solid wood and ethically made. Le Toy Van is rightly proud of its ICTI Certification and is designed especially for children from 12 months.

Although a UK company, Le Toy Van has an international flavour and Petilou is a nod to the French connection

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Exciting Pirate Adventures!

The Pirates are attacking! They sail the high seas looking for treasure, and don't mind where they go to find it. Unfortunately for them, the Soldiers are keeping watch and will fire their cannons if trouble arises. Where will they travel next?

For more info: www.playmobil.uk 6GN

6678 Pirate Combat Ship

6679 Pirate Treasure Island

6680 Soldier Tower with Beacon

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Transport revolution RE:CREATION LTD

Stand : E125

01189 736 222 www.recreationltd.co.uk

”

Lights, innovation and action: the way ahead for Re:creation Powered by which will reveal an incredible an incredible raft of new brand and product launches for Toy Fair 2016 as raft of new well as a new stand position. products Impressive results in 2015 showcasing provide powerful momentum for the year ahead, and the best in there is a stellar line-up of innovation innovative new products and design, from category leaders Razor, the launch of Re:creatables Re:creation’s creative portfolio and Pop Toy Fair Out Pets - a unique new 2016 line-up plush line from the company’s Snuggables portfolio that is stronger delivered ongoing success than ever story Stretchkins.

Re:creation’s Electrify your Ride marketing campaign has continued to pay dividends as demand for Razor’s E90 and E100 has seen them remain in category top spots year round.

Set to unveil at Toy Fair is the new generation of electric scooters with Power Core - the Power Core E90 and Power Core E100 feature hub motor technology developed inhouse to create a revolutionary ride with incredible performance,

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a cool new look and doubled run time.

Also from Razor and already making headlines is RipSurf, employing 360 degree castor wheels to deliver the closest experience to real surfing on land, and is set to have fans making waves at skate-parks in 2016. Both styled and riding like a real surfboard, RipSurf is a new development from Ali Kermani, the inventor of the incredible Crazy Cart.

Joining the two-wheeled transport revolution is the RipStik Electric, with hub motor technology and powered by lithium battery. The exciting, lightweight ride enables users to control the action with body movement and a handheld remote for a completely unique ride and great portability thanks to its in-mould carry handle.

In 2016 Razor will add its own innovative spin to wearable wheels with the launch of Jetts.

These sparking heel wheels offer the benefit of ‘one-size-fits-all’ practicality to both retail and consumer in a super-cool, on-trend style that is delivered at a great

value price point.

Razor Junior is growing in 2016 with an impressive line-up of junior scooters including unrivalled tiltto-turn technology for easy riding and turning. Pre-schoolers will not be missing out on the e-scooter revolution either as the company will introduce Lil’ E, the first electric scooter for tots as young as three. Re:creation will reveal at Toy Fair major marketing plans across the full Razor portfolio that will keep this unstoppable brand top of mind throughout the year.

Also in outdoor, expect to see new fashion styles from helmet trendsetters C-Preme with their popular Krash and Raskullz kids helmet ranges.

Re:creation’s Snuggables plush portfolio has made a strong impact on the category in 2015 and an innovative new brand joins the fold in 2016. Pop Out Pets offer three times the fun as each animal themed plush can be flipped inside out not just once but twice to provide three different animal characters for incredible play value.

Four Pop Out Pets will be available at launch.

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The freeze continues SAMBRO INTERNATIONAL LTD

Stand :

Galler y 400

0845 873 9380 www.sambro.co.uk Sambro returns to London Toy Fair with their biggest stand yet and with it their largest product selection to date. As well as a raft of new licensed ranges, the company will also launch a wide selection of lines to be TV advertised in 2016.

Sambro will launch the brand new Tsum Tsum collection of arts & crafts products, including the Colour Your Own Bag Set, Paint Your Own Figures and 3D Tsum Tsum Character Erasers. Cool character based games will also be available including the Pyramid Challenge Game and the Tsum Tsum Stack it High game.

Frozen continues to be one of Sambro’s most-popular licenses and line extensions continue to feature even more innovative character-inspired products across lots of categories.

The Frozen Mould Your Own Light Up Creation Dressing Table and Frozen Colouring Wheels are just two of the new

products added for 2016. The everpopular Minions range will now feature a Canvas Painting Set and a 3D Minions Puzzle Eraser 10 pack.

Pokemon returns in 2016 and Sambro will introduce a wide selection of products designed to attract a legion of new fans.

2016 will all be about Finding Dory and Sambro has a collection dedicated to one of Disney Pixar’s most popular characters. The range will feature a Shaped Finding Dory Magnetic Scribbler in different sizes that is shaped just like Dory, as well as a cool EVA trolley bag, novelty items and much more.

Paw Patrol continues to be a

The Star Wars Episode 7 collection comprises unique products for fans of all ages. The extensive pocket money and novelty range includes Glow Sticks, Disc Shooters, Light up Yo Yos and more. An arts & crafts collection comprises items such as the Crazy Cords Kit, Tattoo Sticker Set and a Shaped Art Case.

The cool Star Wars bag collection is also not to be missed. Boys will also love the brand new Batman V Superman range as well as Spiderman, Captain America and the awesome Avengers products.

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favourite with pre-schoolers and the 2016 range will include a selection of plush character bags, which will become a must-have for fans of Marshall, Everest and co.

The award-winning Sambro Play-Doh range will see additions of more arts & crafts products featuring the everpopular Play-Doh. Watch out for the 2-in-1 Play Doh Activity Tray, Play Doh Doh Shaped Backpack and a Chunky Scribbler.

As a renowned name in licensed products, Sambro has all the hottest licenses for 2016 including Bratz and Shopkins whose popularity show no signs of slowing. The Shopkins range features cute umbrellas and bags while the Bratz collection includes musthaves for new fans of these iconic character dolls: a Bratz Electronic Secret Book, a Bratz Hair Beader and a cool Hair Braider. The enchanting Alice in Wonderland collection will launch for the first time at Olympia and visitors shouldn’t miss out on this stunning line.

The famous Little Tikes brand comes to Sambro and features a range of arts and crafts products dedicated to the iconic characters associated with Little Tikes including the Turtle and of course the Little Tikes Car. Sambro is committed to more TV advertised ranges throughout 2016 and will launch several new lines at Toy Fair including Frozen Impact - quite literally the coolest construction car around!

Using moulds, kids can freeze an icecool chassis for their car then enjoy smashing it to smithereens! Popular games lines continue after enjoying a phenomenally successful Q4 2015 and new games will include Spitting Feathers and the adult game Escape Room which will capitalise on the cult craze sweeping the UK. Kawaii Cubes are cute cuddly cushion cubes in all your favourite characters - Wonder Woman, Superman, Batman and more!

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The ne new Shopkins rranges nges will ill be available il ble from Trends UK from January 2016, aimed at ages six and over.

The exciting new FairyLane Sparkletopia arts & cafts range is perfect for creative girls, making sparkling fairy themed characters, charms and jewellery creations with no mess and perfect results every time.

The fun FairyLane Sparkletopia packs come with a delightful selection of beautiful items that girls can decorate, admire and play with. Simply peel to reveal a stickered section, place a sparkle sheet on top and rub to create a perfect glittery design. Each set includes a choice of adorable foam backed stencilled characters, colourful sparkle sheets and glittery sticky gems that girls can decorate with for the perfect dazzling look.

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Shoppers’ paradise Trends UK 01295 768 078 www.trendsuk.co.uk Trends UK is launching a fantastic new range of innovative toys and licensed products featuring leading brands this Toy Fair.

Trends UK is delighted to be working with Entertainment One to develop a new range of Peppa Pig Electronic Learning Toys for launch in autumn 2016. Trends UK will introduce a completely new range of Peppa Pig Electronic Learning Toys and marketing materials. The new educational learning range will help develop early learning skills including understanding colours, phonetics and numeracy through interactive play features.

Available from summer 2016, Trends UK will support the launch of the new Peppa Pig Electronic Learning Range with strong marketing campaigns.

Trends UK will be distributing a new range of licensed Shopkins construction toys in the UK in 2016. Featuring the popular Shopkins characters and iconic scenery from the best-selling brand, the new Shopkins Kinstructions range will enable kids to build their favourite Shopkins scenes and sets including the supermarket checkout, bakery, café and the town centre set.

Each set includes a popular Shopkins character that can be taken apart and rebuilt for added fun. Separating into three pieces, the characters can be mixed and matched for hilarious results. The FairyLane Sparkletopia range will be available from Trends UK for spring 2016.

Trends UK is launching exciting new Play and Put Away products from Perpetual Play Group ranges in the UK in 2016.

Continuing to build the marketplace for new and existing products, Trends

Stand: B20

UK will promote the Perpetual Play Group ranges with added value and competitive pricing solutions.

Products available through Trends UK will include leading brands licensed from Hasbro such as Play-Doh, My Little Pony and NERF. The licensed Play and Put Away ranges combine play features with portability.

Designed to store or carry the toys, each product also has standalone play value, offering hours of fun that is easy to tidy away afterwards.

Trends UK is a leading science toy manufacturer and offers The Discovery Channel science toys range and new for 2016 are the sophisticated Digital Walkie Talkies.

Trends UK is launching a new Haynes ‘First Tech’ Build Your Own range.

Colourful and captivating, the products help young petrolheads understand how basic engines and car parts work, while having lots of fun.

The range launches with two sets featuring easy to assemble models and bigger parts that are ideal for small hands to build with; both are in try-me packs.

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ESDEVIUM 01420 593 593 www.esdeviumgames.com

Fresh from celebrating their bestever calendar year; Esdevium will launch a host of exciting new products into their range of games, collectibles and toys.

Esdevium’s range of Disneylicensed games will see a number of exciting new additions unveiled at Toy Fair 2016, including two very special licensed versions of the Dobble Card Game - Star Wars Dobble and Cars Dobble!

Introduced in 2011, Dobble has been a smash hit for Esdevium and fans will be delighted to hear licensed versions for both Star Wars and Cars are soon to be available, with the latter being a development on the younger Dobble Kids format.

Esdevium will also reveal a brand new Star Wars version of their 2015 hit game, Disney Pictopia.

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Star Wars Pictopia will closely follow the award-winning gameplay of Disney Pictopia, quizzing players on their knowledge of images from the legendary movie franchise.

The Pokemon Trading Card Game (TCG) saw recordbreaking sales across 2015 with NPD data (NPD Q3 YTD 2015) recording 52 per cent growth from 2014. This year, Pokemon celebrates its 20th anniversary with a collection of exclusive new products to excite collectors and TCG fans alike. Esdevium will showcase all available new products at Toy Fair, including the hotly anticipated February release of XY-BREAKpoint.

In addition to the aforementioned releases, a number of new products are still under embargo, but will be unveiled to the trade for the very first time at Toy Fair. This includes

“

A number of new products are still under embargo, but will be unveiled to the trade for the very first time at Toy Fair

a huge new top secret collectible from the creator of Zomlings, Magic Box Int. Retailers will need to visit the Esdevium Games stand to see them and check out the exclusive show special offers!

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SEE ALL THESE BRANDS AT

STAND E66!

DISTRIBU UTIN NG AN ND MA ARK KETING QUALITY CHILDREN’S BR RAN NDS FOR R OVER 25 YEARS. DKL Marketing Ltd 11 Deer Park Road, Northampton, NN3 6QD, UK tel. 01604 678780 • fax: 01604 678787 • email. dkl@dkl.co.uk • www.dkl.co.uk

facebook.com/DKL.Toys

twitter.com/DKLtoys

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s l e r r Ba n! u f of Great Gizmos 01293 543 221 www.greatgizmos.co.uk

Great Gizmos has lots of new and exciting products for 2016, with additions to 4M, Meadow Kids, Kid O, NICI and more. New brands include Fat Brain Toys, Bead Bazaar, Charm It, Magic Sticky and Great Gizmos' own fantastic range of popular wooden toys.

An exciting year ahead for 4M, 2016 will see the addition to many new items in the craft and science categories, with a new collection called Young Minds. Safe, simple and easy to use, this range explores STEM; science, technology, engineering and maths. The collection is specifically designed for younger children and combines learning with hands-on fun in brilliant and bright colours. Discover simple machines and leverage while having fun with construction trucks.

Fat Brain Toys offers a range of award-winning toys, games and brainteasers for kids of all ages.

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Stand: G10

Shift creativity into high gear with Mod-Mobiles, switch and swap the colourful foam pieces to create all sorts of vehicles and race them for hours on end. Vibrantly mindbending, the game of Acuity keeps everyone on the lookout! It’s a race to work together or against each other to discover and match hidden patterns.

A range of fun brightly coloured beads and accessories from Bead Bazaar will go down a treat with crafty minds. From Barrels of Beads to Craft Kits and Jewellery Making, there is something for everyone.

Also new for 2016 is Charm It!, a fabulous fashionable range of collectable bracelets and interchangeable charms for young girls. Collect all sorts of charms from a pink Donut to a Rainbow Star and glittery Princess Crown.

Draw a picture on the Magic Sticky Art Pad with the super washable pens, stick the picture on to any surface, it adheres to any vertical and horizontal surface and can be moved and reused endlessly. The Magic Art Pad comes with many character outlines that can be traced, so kids can

“

Fat Brain Toys offers a range of award-winning toys, games and brainteasers for kids of all ages!

Shift creativity into high gear with Mod-Mobiles, switch and swap the colourful foam pieces to create all sorts of vehicles and race them for hours on end! draw their favourite characters on the pad and colour them in. Great Gizmos has developed its own range of multi-functional Great Gizmos wooden toys that are designed to promote learning through play. The colourful and cute Pull Along Dinosaur will be a hit with children and encourages social skills, hand eye coordination and physical development. Teach The Time Clock Game encourages kids to learn counting, colours, shape recognition and how to tell the time. It’s a puzzle and a game with three levels of play.

Luxury plush and accessories collection NICI, offers everything from plush toys for tots to stationery and bedroom accessories for pre-teens. Debuting at Toy Fair are the new NICI ranges of brightly coloured NICIdoos, cute Comic Cats, Easter Rabbits, a new Classic Bear and new characters join the popular Wild Friends.

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The MINI logo and the MINI wordmark are trademarks of BMW AG and are used under License. © J.C. Bamford Excavators Limited 2016 © 2016 DHX Worldwide Limited. In the Night Garden and all related characters, titles and logos are trademarks of DHX Worldwide. All rights reserved.

For more information please contact your sales agent.

TWIRLYWOOS and all related titles, logos and characters are trademarks of DHX Worldwide Ltd. © 2016 Ragdoll Productions Ltd/DHX Worldwide Ltd. All Rights Reserved.

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Stand: G20

Style makeover INTERPLAY 01628 488 944 www.interplayuk.com Interplay is preparing for a very exciting 2016 with the introduction of its brand new range My Fairy Garden and some highly innovative and fun products that have all been designed and developed in-house.

Interplay launched the first Indoor Fairy Garden de product in 2014 under er their CraftBox brand and it quickly became a bestseller in its category thanks to the unique concept pt that helps develop a love of nature and care for or the environment through ough play. The success of the first generation Fairy y Garden led to creating ng a new

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products as trend analysis reports indicate that older girls now prefer nontoy craft kits with more grown-up offerings.

The myStyle craft range follows seasonal fashion trends. The kits are being developed by a talented, professional jewellery designer and always deliver high quality end results that never disappoint. This year’s most charming addition This year’s most c charming addition to the range has to be to the range has to be the Keepsake the Keepsake Lockets, Lockets, which is one of the fastest new which is one of the jewellery trends on the high street and is fastest new jewellery a fun and fashio fashionable new way to display trends on the high miniature keeps keepsakes and cherished items street and is a fun and fashionable new way to display miniature keepsakes and b brand name My cherished items.

Fairy Garden that F Another eye catching addition currently features cu to the range is Dreamcatcher five new products Jewellery, a quality jewellery including the refreshed includin making kit that creates the improved Fairy Garden. and impro extremely trendy boho look. other products in the range The e ot o her produ FabLab, which the company include: Lilypad Gardens, Fairy launched in 2015, has proven to be Flowerpot, Secret Fairy Door and a great success and the products Woodland Fairy Door. All these have become essentials for every products include interchangeable sleepover or birthday party.

The and collectable pieces and are heavyweight TV campaign last year designed to encourage children built strong brand awareness and to learn more about nature. You the videos on social media created should look out for the beautiful a high level of interaction.

TV commercial of My Fairy Garden While Style Lab seems to be an which will be on all major children’s extremely popular product, InventTV channels from February half-term. a-Scent Perfume has been an Interplay’s myStyle range has absolute hit as well, leading seen a complete makeover, which to the company developing an looks fabulous! The new packaging even larger perfume making kit design reflects the category’s Scent Lab! shift towards more sophisticated

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Mookie 01525 722 722 www.mookie.co.uk

Stand: E149

The past year has been one of diversification for Mookie as they have successfully entered a number of different categories in a strategy to expand their product portfolio.

The year saw the launch of Pebli Town, 3D Magic and Skwooshi, while existing brands continued to grow and perform well. In 2016 Mookie will continue to expand with a range of new exciting products as well as development and investment into existing lines.

All of Mookie’s new launches will be supported with comprehensive

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Buddy Balls are the super soft 16” cuddly bears that transform into soft colourful balls… flip and tuck the bear into the compartment and zip him up to create a bright soft ball perfect for little hands to catch and throw marketing campaigns including TV advertising, PR, online support and in store.

Looking forward, the Pebli world is set to continue to grow and expand further. Pebli Safari will be launching in 2016, which will see the first of many expansion packs being introduced. Pebli Safari allows children to unlock huge amounts of new content, including brand new stories, games and videos.

Kazooloo allows players to battle and fight against creatures and monsters in a virtual reality versus real life cross over. Kids scan the Kazooloo board with their phone or tablet to open

up the Kazooloo world. The game then uses augmented reality to immerse players in a fantasy world that blends seamlessly with our own reality, leaving players unsure as to what is real and what isn’t. Kazooloo will launch in SS16 with a fantasy board and a robots board.

Mookie Toys launched the 3D Magic range last year, which proved to be a huge success. 3D Magic allows children to design and build their own 3D creations from scratch using the gel pens and Creation Station. For 2016 the range is set to grow with new expansion packs as well as a few exiting new lines which allow children to create 3D creations like never before.

Skwooshi was a late launch for Mookie Toys in 2015, the super

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Pebli Town... has proven incredibly popularr with parents and kids in 2015, nd having won five toy awards and received support from a vast tive array of bloggers. The interactive d pre-school toy has established sa itself within the ELA market as g an revolutionary new toy offering s amazing physical-virtual cross d this over. Pebli Town was launched s autumn/winter as Mookie Toys d den teamed up with Amanda Holden ggest-eve er for the company’s biggest-ever p campaign, with viral videos, press ys and TV supp p ort. days support.

stretchable creative compound proved successful almost immediately with a wide range of SKUs at key price points. Mookie will focus on Skwooshi with a full marketing campaign.

After establishing Pillow Pets as one of the biggest plush brands in the last three years, Mookie Toys are now looking to expand their offering in the plush market in 2016 with four new launches, all of which will be TV advertised throughout 2016.

Buddy Balls are the super soft 16” cuddly bears that transform into soft colourful balls. Unzip the back to reveal a secret compartment, perfect for storing toys or pyjamas.

Flip and tuck the bear into the compartment and zip him up to create a bright soft ball perfect for little hands to catch and throw.

The range consists of four bears to collect and will launch in SS16.

Fluffimals are the craft plush that

JANUARY 2016

will allow children to create, design and bring to life their very own fluffy friend. The range will launch in SS16 with the Fluffimal starter set and three expansion sets allowing children to extend the play value and create more Fluffy Friends.

Further expansion packs will be available in the build up to Christmas.

Peeka Puffs are the next pocket money playground craze for children to collect. Peeka Puffs pop to reveal their hidden smiling face

from within their long hair. The furry plush will launch in SS16 with an initial three SKUs to collect.

Story Stars allow children to listen to customised playlists consisting of stories, melodies and personalised messages. Parents can simply upload playlists to the Story Star from their tablet or phone for their children to listen to whenever they want.

Story Stars will be launched in AW16, and will be a key focus for Mookie in the build up to Christmas.

ScuttleBug and ScrambleBug have teamed up with Disney for 2016. ScuttleBug has been licensed to Disney Cars and Disney Princess while ScrambleBug has been licensed to Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse. ScuttleBug and ScrambleBug have already proven to be hugely popular as children’s first ride ons, however this new partnership is set to extend their appeal even further. The new Disney range will launch in SS16.

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e l g n u j a s ’ It there t u o LON

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POSH PAWS 01268 567 317 www.poshpawsinternational.co.uk Posh Paws range continues to expand at a fast pace and at the upcoming fair season the company will showcase some me of the hottest kids' plush, backpacks cks and accessories around.

Disney launches new offering ring Zootropolis in 2016; a movie e that is set in the animal city of Zootopia, pia, where animals live and work like humans. umans.

Out in cinemas in March, the e story links a fast talking fox forced d to go on the run after he is framed for or a crime i he didn’t commit. As UK Disney sney Plush licensee, Posh Paws plush showcases howcases key characters all made from m supersoft fabric with key details, the range will vary in size from 18cm to o 50cm.

To coincide with the movie launch the Zootropolis plush collection n will arrive in February 2016.

Finding Dory, the long-awaited waited sequel to record breaking Finding Nemo is out this summer. At the

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upcoming fairs upco Posh Pos Paws will reveal reve its whole cast of o Finding Dory plush characters c that will be ava available ahead of the movie diving into d cinemas on 29 July 2016. i J Posh Paws will bring back all of the Jungle Book’s favourite fa characters from Disney’s 1967 Disn original animated animate feature as Disney gears gea up for its re-release. The plush collection from fro Posh Paws will include Baloo, inc King Louie, Loui Bagheera, Kaa and a Sheere Khan.

Kha Blockbuster Blo animation anima studio Illumination Il Entertainment's The Entertainme Secret Life e of Pets Pe is a comedy that d adventure adven follows f llllow fo owss the ow the lives liliv v of various vari va riou ri o s animals ou a im an ma living in a Manhattan apartment Manh Ma n at nh atta tan a building. has builildi bu d ng di ng.. Posh Pos Paws P created range crea cr eate ted d a ra rang nge of back to school s ho sc ool bags bag agss and an nd novelty nove no velt plush bags that features key characters from the film. The Minions had a phenomenal year at retail in 2015 and Posh Paws have been working on a brand new range of innovative backpacks that includes creative lenticular designs and bags with sound. The all new collection comes in variety of sizes and styles to suit

the brand's wide audience.

In 2016 the Star Wars saga will continue and Posh Paws expects the appetite for merchandise to continue well into the New Year. Posh Paws Star Wars plush range includes classic characters such as Darth Vader, Yoda, Chewbacca, Princess Leia, Ewok and Darth Maul. In addition their Force Awakens collection includes; BB-8, Captain Phasma, Kylo-Ren and the all new Storm Troopers.

Posh Paws introduces two new plush brands for the pre-school market Lion Guard and Miles from Tomorrow. Lion Guard is brand new to Disney Junior in 2016 and follows Simba’s son Kion and his team of new characters that join together to protect the pride lands. Posh Paws will have a full range of plush characters from the new TV show.

The successful galactic pre-school show Miles from Tomorrow has had proven success at retail and on TV in 2015. Ahead of series 2 launch in spring 2016, Posh Paws will be bringing to market a range of different sized plush from 18cm to 50cm. Characters include: Miles, Loretta, Merc and Gadfly.

The collectable Tsum Tsum craze will continue throughout the year with Posh Paws releasing new characters each month. The 2016 Tsum Tsum will include new collections to coincide with new movie release such as Zootropolis and Finding Dory, as well as releasing classic characters such as Rapunzel, Lion King, Aladdin and many more. Story Telling Princess is new to the Posh Paws existing Disney Princess collection. The new range puts a new spin on the plush princess with stunning new dresses and more.

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Stand: E115

Ten-year Bananaversary!

Helping imagination bloom ORCHARD TOYS 01953 859 525 www.orchardtoys.com

Stand: B12

Orchard Toys will launch six exciting new lines, plus a brand new offering, to their award-winning range at London Toy Fair 2016.

Woodland Party is a beautiful and colourful 70-piece jigsaw for children aged four to seven, depicting an enchanted woodland. Once the jigsaw is complete, parents can use the included talkabout guide to encourage imagination. Giant Railway is a fun, railway-themed jigsaw, which interlinks with the bestselling puzzle Giant Road as well as the entire Giant Road System. Children can build multiple railway tracks with the 22 interchangeable track, railway, train and character pieces.

The Giant Railway jigsaw is also supported by the launch of three interchangeable expansion packs, which are all compatible with the Giant Road System: Station, Junctions and Airport. Varying from between eight and ten pieces, the expansion packs contain add-on pieces to the Giant Road, Giant Town and Giant Railway jigsaws, extending the play value and providing opportunities for imaginative play.

Where Do I Live? is a fun animals of the world lotto.

Children will develop their knowledge and understanding of the world as they match animals to their habitats around the world. Double-sided boards feature interesting animal and habitat facts to encourage educational discussion and learning.

Orchard Toys have extended their much-loved characters and illustrations to a fun range of six colouring, sticker and activity books.

Designed with education in mind, the range features bold, engaging illustrations of familiar Orchard Toys characters and uncluttered pages for children to work through step-by-step.

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BANANAGRAMS 020 7298 9500 www.bananagrams.com

This year’s Toy Fair will mark a decade from the launch of BANANAGRAMS at the London Toy Fair back in 2006. The anagram game that drives you bananas will be celebrating its tenth Bananaversary at Kensington Olympia this year by unveiling two brand new word games: BANANAGRAMS Party and My First BANANAGRAMS and will be sponsoring the BANANAGRAMS Lounge at G122.

Visitors to the lounge can discover whether their names are playable words and enjoy the giant word grid on display, containing 814 names that can be used in the game.

From balancing the pouch on your head, to completely destroying an opponent’s word grid, the all-new Party Power tiles add an energetic and hilarious new dimension to the classic game

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Launching at Toy Fair 2016 is BANANAGRAMS Party - an exciting new edition featuring 13 Party Power tiles. Each player now faces challenges and forfeits throughout the game as they race to complete their word grid. And the all-new Party Power tiles add an energetic and hilarious new dimension to the classic game. Also debuting will be My First BANANAGRAMS - a new title for the younger, greener player! The iconic BANANAGRAMS pouch is now a ripening green and, in response to customer requests, contains colourful lower-case letter tiles. The collection of fun games caters to a wide range of reading abilities with 10 curriculum-based mini games for early learners, and word game challenges which grow in difficulty to adapt to each child’s skill level. My First BANANAGRAMS uniquely includes new doubletiles with vowel-teams, word families and digraphs, making it the perfect game for children as they learn to read and spell.

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Ja 2 0n u a 16 ry !

The Worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Greatest Super Heroes Visit us at London Toy Fair, stand B121 or Nuremburg International Toy Fair, Hall 6 stand C-21, to find out more about the new collections of DC Comics figurines joining Schleich in 2016.

Schleich UK, 4 Stansted Courtyard, Parsonage Road, Takeley, Bishopâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Stortford, Hertfordshire, CM22 6PU T: 01279 870000 E: schleich@schleich-s.co.uk W: www.schleich-s.com

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e h t a o l , t i e Lov t! i d n it, fi S Stan ON

GIBS

.uk 866 es.co 661 8 020 8 ibsonsgam .g www

For Gibsons, the upcoming trade fair season is the most exciting time of the year, as it’s not only the perfect time to showcase their latest releases, but a chance to catch up with customers old and new.

This year, the stand will be chock full of new products, from over 40 new jigsaw puzzles to the Iconic Brands Collection, board games and puzzle accessories.

With a focus on promoting their Iconic Brands Collection, which features four branded puzzles that are presented in quirky tins, Gibsons’ Toy Fair stand will proudly display new lines that were inspired by brands adored all over Britain.

The Marmite Puzzle, a double-

d: E40 sided jigsaw in a screw top jar, will challenge the lovers and the haters alike, while the Love Hearts Puzzle represents all the fun of the classic catchphrases but without the calories!

The Iconic Brands Collection also includes two puzzles from Roger Hargreaves’ Mr Men series, which has been adored by children and adults alike for over four decades.

Little Miss Sunshine is always cheerful and bright even on a cloudy day while the Mr Grumpy puzzle is perfect for any of our melancholy loved ones – we all have them!

As always, Gibsons will showcase their extensive new range of

Strength of attraction

The Marmite Puzzle, a double-sided jigsaw in a screw top jar, will challenge the lovers and the haters alike, whilst The Love Hearts Puzzle represents all the fun of the classic, corny catchphrases but without the calories!

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traditional jigsaw puzzles and each new puzzle will be presented on glass shelving for all to see.

The collection includes many exciting new additions, from the third instalment of the Our House Memory Lane range, to a glorious jigsaw that celebrates the upcoming 90th birthday of Her Royal Highness. The Gibsons team encourage all to drop by and say hello!

Stand : F36

SMART TOYS AND GAMES 01903 885 669 www.smartgames.eu

Smart Toys and Games have enjoyed a buoyant first year and are now looking forward to extending the awardwinning range in 2016 with a number of new and imaginative products.

Based on the award-winning success of Three Little Piggies, SmartGames will extend their Fairy Tales range in 2016 based on the classic tale with Little Red Riding Hood. The game has a 24 page booklet with 48 multi-level challenges, 24 with the wolf and 24 without; plus an illustrative picture story book with the original story.

In total there will be 10 new games including

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new IQ games, premium games, a new compact format, and many new display initiatives.

The award-winning SmartGames have multilevel challenges from the very easy to the very challenging. They come in travel, compact and table top editions with a premium wood range.

SmartMax, awarded ‘Best Toy Overall 0-3yrs+’ at the recent Right Start Best Toy Awards, is the award winning pre-school construction system that allows children to explore the fascinating world of magnetism in a fun and safe way.

The products are safe and durable and made from the highest quality materials, the magnets can carry up to 60 times their own weight.

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www ggtrade co uk www.ggtrade.co.uk

TOYS, GIFTS, AND GREAT IDEAS

Come and see us at

TOYSTAND FAIR G20

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g n i t o o h S r a t S X Autel Robotics +86 755 8672 2460 www.autelrobo.com

Autel Robotics came to thiss world with a desire to explore. Thiss desire fuels its motivation to create e innovative tools that help them reach their goal. At Autel Robotics, they explore the world of science and technology with a goal to find simple, reliable and creative solutions for people around the globe.

Autel Robotics is based in Shenzhen, China. This young and lively city is also an innovators’ hub where technology enthusiasts gather and high-tech companies arise.

They have also established

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Stand: Gallery 122

“

This is why they see no limit in innovation, why they believe they can change the world, why they are born to explore

offices in the United States and Germany, to bring together a diversified team of brilliant minds with the same passion: the passion to enrich lives through innovation.

After years of perseverance, hard work and research, they have successfully designed and built the X-Star, a quadcopter with a powerful flight control system that is unbelievably easy to fly and create professional aerial photography. The X-Star is a combination of complex algorithms and advanced engineering delivered in one simple package, allowing anyone to do what was once

only imagined - to explore and capture our beautiful world from the air. Indeed, stunning scenery will no longer be seen only from the ground, but smoothly captured from high above in ultra HD videos that you can share and appreciate with your friends.

The X-Star is a sophisticated yet amazingly easy-to-fly quadcopter designed for superb aerial imagery.

The 4K camera, integrated with a 3-axis stabilized gimbal, can record crystal clear Ultra HD videos or take 12 MP photos. Powered with intelligent flight control and autopilot functions, flying will be fun and worry-free. The quadcopter is positioned precisely through dual satellite navigation systems in combination with Starpoint indoor positioning system, keeping your flight safe and sound.

Born to explore, the X-Star lets you embark on new journeys like you’ve never imagined.

Autel Robotics is not just about products, they are also about people. They believe that their innovations are truly meaningful only if they make people’s lives better in whatever way possible.

This is why they see no limit in innovation, why they believe they can change the world, why they are born to explore.

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www ggtrade co uk www.ggtrade.co.uk

TOYS, GIFTS, AND GREAT IDEAS

Come and see us at

TOYSTAND FAIR G20

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Fungus Amungus... is set to be the hot collectable of 2016 with over 100 icky sticky figures that can be squished and flung! Funguy figure packs, the Toxic Chamber and ExGerminator launch in spring.

Up the ‘Battitude’ Vivid 01483 449 944 www.vividtoysandgames.co.uk

Stand: B70

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Off the back of a stellar AW15 performance, the Thunderbirds Are Go range will have even more fire power in 2016: Kayo joins the figure range along with Brains and his robot helper Max, and new vehicles FAB1 and Thunderbird S will lead the way for Thunderbird 5 which will be out in A/W16. New categories include Diecast models as well as games and puzzles, and all new for AW16 will be the 50cm Supersize Thunderbird 3 Playset which will come with three different play modes, lights, sounds as well as amazing launch smoke.

Fans of Batman V Superman can use the new Laser Battle Set to fight to become the victor with sound effects, lights and automatic scoring.

Real FX 2.0 introduces new adjustable traction control and brand

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Nocto is the lightup bat with ‘batitude’ boasting over 50 interactive features

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new car colours.

Nocto is the light-up bat with ‘battitude’ boasting over 50 interactive features including six different moods, each with associated lights, expressions, sounds and movements – Watch out for him in AW16.

Aim and fire virtual arrows at your opponent’s bow or do target practice against the free app on a tablet with Laser Arrow.

Create your very own emojis with PIXL then bump your characters together to swap and share with friends and unlock secret animations!

Zippeeez is a cute collectable range of characters full of miniature magical movement, which will hit shelves in the autumn, coming in at a variety of price points.

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Charm U is the new wearable, tradable, collectable with adorable and attachable character charms.

Following the phenomenal success of the Chocolate Pen in AW15, Real Baking will be extended in AW16 with a range of fun and easy-to-use baking equipment for kids.

Oodlebrites is the fun new plush range that magically changes colour when you tap them.

The Care Bears brand is expected to grow further with the introduction of figure assortments in spring and cute new Care Bears Cousins for AW16.

Kitty Club – a range of stylish, collectable kitties each with flocked fur, blinking eyes and interchangeable hat accessories launch in spring.

Animagic returns for 2016 with a range of new items including the cute, cuddly (and hungry) Feed & Care Pets and the adorable Patch My Pretty Puppy who loves being brushed and cuddled. Watch out for the loveable Scruffies range launching AW16.

Animagic Rescue Hospital, starts the year with the launch of the new Series 3 collectable figures that are sure to

JANUARY 2016

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New for SS16 is the Harry Kane range of football inspired toys to help young footballers to develop their ball skills. The range has been codeveloped with Harry himself and will consist of the Skills Ball, Volley Blaster and Goal Blaster

be a big hit, alongside the new actionadventure vehicle SKUs perfect for those animal rescues.

Brand new for pre-schoolers this autumn is Chuckle Ball, a motorised ball which encourages development of gross motor skills as it erratically rolls and bounces around, making silly sounds as it goes.

2016 sees Crayola celebrating its 100th Birthday within the UK with a full-year of special Crayola experiences.

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Responding to the trend of adult colouring, Crayola is launching a range of colouring books and stationery.

New for 2016 Crayola Games are three fun games for all the family.

3,2,1 Draw it! See it! Sketch it! Shout it! The quick draw game with endless possibilities! Scribble Scramble Erase Against Time! Draw fast or be wiped out! Doodle Delirium - Will it make you go delirious? The hilarious doodling, modelling and guessing game.

Cling your whole world with new Cling Creator lets kids create clings that stick and peel on many surfaces.

For hours of fun doodling new Twirl & Whirl Turtle stamp, stencil and Spirograph amazing drawings, Marker Maker with Emoji Stampers make your own colours, markers and the added fun of Emoji stamper nibs. Brand new within the Colour Alive portfolio is Easy Animation Studio where anyone can easily create animated movies.

Creations has a brand new look for 2016, showcasing the exciting partnership with Tween trend leader Fashion Angels.

Flying paper planes will never be the same again once you’ve tried the ADX Launcher. Shoot planes and achieve over 30m flight lengths.

New for SS16 is the Harry Kane range of football inspired toys to help young footballers to develop their ball skills.

The range has been co-developed with Harry himself and will consist of the Skills Ball, Volley Blaster and Goal Blaster.

A proven winner in the outdoor category, Phlat Ball will be available in new fusion inspired colours as well as neon colours in the junior range.

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MAGFORMERS UK

Stand :

Galler y 540

01582 545 330 www.magformers.co.uk

Magformers expects to showcase at least 15 new UK product lines at the Toy Fair on a stunning 60 sq m stand that will stage daily live modelbuilding demonstrations.

This will include new kits from the company’s Hi-Tech line, including the Magic Space, Walking Dinosaur and Walking Robot sets. These sets bring stunning 3D model builds completely to life

some amazing structures. Other releases include the Village Set, Space Traveller set, Space WOW set and the Mini Tank set.

David Kelly, Magformers UK Managing Director said: “The show is effectively our launch in the UK because for many retailers this will be their first experience of Magformers.

“Over the coming months we will be re-structuring and growing our sales and marketing teams and our ambition is to become the leading fun, educational construction product in the UK toy sector. We are committed to building strong partnerships with UK retailers and consumers alike, so we look forward to The welcoming visitors to our stand.” emphasis All current UK lines will be is very available to view at the show alongside new launches such much on as My First Buggy. This is a the children wonderful set with solid-colour using their shapes in blue, yellow, pink and red. Each piece has one colour imagination on one side with white on the to build other and includes wheels. It also vehicles in includes set cards giving design ideas on buggy builds - however, their own

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with the addition of LED lighting, power blocks and feet so the models actually move and walk.

One of the most eagerlyanticipated launches in Magformers’ 2016 range is the Sweet House Set. Just like an architect creates buildings by looking at blueprints, children can build their own Magformers house using the magnetic pieces and various accessories, including stairs, windows and trees.

When the various House Set accessories are combined with the Magformers’ basic shape pieces like squares or rectangles, children are able to build

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way

the emphasis is very much on the children using their imagination to build vehicles in their own way.

Retailers should also look out for the EDU puzzle book. This is a book with different magnetic story cards included. Children complete the storyboards using the Magformers pieces included in the book.

Magformers magnetic construction sets foster brain development through fun and education. Every set contains various pieces in simple geometric shapes like triangles, squares and rhomboids that connect easily using the power of the built-in neodymium magnets.

The magnets are encapsulated within all the edge surfaces of each Magformers piece but can rotate to any direction, and therefore always connect to each other regardless of their position when two pieces are brought together.

Starting from simple ‘flat’ 2D plan shapes, children can transform their builds easily into hundreds of 3D geometric structures - understanding the concepts of design and construction and recognising the scientific principles of magnets as they play. With high quality, safe, durable construction and an intelligent design, the construction possibilities are endless.

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Developing fun!

CHICCO UK LTD 020 8953 6627 www.chicco.co.uk

Chicco will unveil its new range of pre-school developmental toys at this year’s London Toy Fair, as well as additions to its popular lines of licensed Disney Princess toys and First Dreams sleeptime range.

Chicco’s new 2016 product collection is the result of a developmental approach to a child’s learning needs, promoting early physical skills, motor coordination and social skills, as well as developing a healthy, active imagination. The Fun of Development theme for 2016 has been built around the key categories in which Chicco can offer something unique. It expresses the very essence of Chicco – to create products, which promote fun and happiness at every developmental stage.

Two of Chicco’s most popular ranges, which now fall under the Fun of Development theme, are Fit and Fun and Move and Grow. Both lines focus on helping to develop physical skills and motor coordination, while also encouraging social play and interaction.

New to Fit and Fun is Jungle Rugby, a 3-in-1 electronic toy that encourages motor and social skills through three different play modes.

The rugby match format, training mode session and stacker toy function create a fun filled toy for any budding rugby fan.

Also new to the range is the bright and cheerful 3-in-1 Shopping Trolley.

It has a removable shape sorter that helps to develop cognitive skills and the interactive scanner offers melodies and phrases to keep them entertained for hours.

Chicco’s innovative Rodeo

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In a bold new step, Chicco will also be launching its first collection of app toys at this year’s show

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completes the new ew collection and can an be used as a rocking cking horse, sit and ride de toy or interactive activity centre.

Rodeo comes to life thanks to interactive sensors, which activate moving eyes, neighing sounds and create ate the illusion of chewing hewing when children feed eed Rodeo his tasty carrot.

The latest addition ition to Chicco’s Turbo Team family ily is a Robo Chicco – a collection of toys designed to encourage a love of racing and social play. The first transformable radio controlled car in the pre-school range, Robo Chicco converts from a car into a futuristic looking robot in three simple steps, encouraging coordination and social skills, as well as developing imagination.

In a bold new step, Chicco will also be launching its first collection of app toys at this year’s show. Chicco’s new app toy building blocks merge traditional building blocks with interactive digital technology via a downloadable app on a tablet, creating magical worlds of play and helping to develop a happy, healthy imagination.

Building on the success of its existing licensed Disney Princess range, Chicco is delighted to announce further additions for 2016. Two new Cinderella and Snow White stroller dolls have been

ad added to the growing range and clip easily to strollers and prams, featuring key themes from the classic fairytales.

The new Disney Princess range also signals a move into the plush sector with the launch of three iconic electronic soft textile princess dolls.

Cinderella, Snow White and Rapunzel all feature real fabric princess dresses for sensory stimulation.

The final addition to the 2016 Disney Princess range is Cinderella’s Carriage, a push along walker featuring a beautiful twirling Cinderella, enchanting melodies and twinkling LEDs that help bring the toy to life for every little princess.

Chicco is also building on its incredibly successful First Dreams sleep time range with the introduction of two new soothing light projectors. Next2 Stars features a soft, plush teddy bear and can be attached to a cot or travel cot with an easy to use universal attaching system while First Dreams Baby Bear has a soft projection tummy that activates a goodnight message for baby.

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WIN Win 25 FREE 25 FREE BrainBoxes BrainBoxes

x o B n i a r B ! e g n e l l Cha

For every 25 BrainBoxes y tr en e n o e iv ce re l ’l u o y , ed order into a monthly prize draw!* • From 1st January to 31st December 2016!

• The winner, drawn at the end of each month receives 25 FREE BrainBoxes of their choice!

• The challenge starts afresh each month - 12 chances to win!

We can provide free sales support: • POS • Giant display BrainBoxes • Posters • Window stickers • BrainBox promo packs • Assisted demo days

For more information call: 01494 538999 Email: davidh@greenboardgames.com ... the makers of

ting... lebra Ce

25 of

Green Board Games

1991

*for independent stores only

2016

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Coming up trumps Winning Moves 020 7298 9507 www.winningmoves.co.uk

Star Wars...

Winning Moves joins forces with Star Wars to bring you the highly-anticipated Episode VII Top Trumps. You’ve seen the classic saga, now is your chance to see all the new Star Wars characters from The Force Awakens movie, as part of your favourite card game

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In 2016, a world of new opportunities and new beginnings awaits as Winning Moves joins the friendly-but-forgetful blue tang fish in search of her loved ones. Voyage on an epic journey with Disney’s Finding Dory Top Trumps pack and relive all the unforgettable moments of her quest to find her family.Accompany Firedog Marshall, Police pup Chase, fearless Skye and the heroic pups on their adventures within the special Paw Patrol Top Trumps collectors tin and discover all of the different special skills, gadgets and vehicles that help them on their rescue missions to protect the community.

Winning Moves joins forces with Star Wars to bring you the highly anticipated Episode VII Top Trumps. You’ve seen the classic saga, now is your chance to see all the new Star Wars characters from The Force Awakens movie, as part

Stand: E115 of your favourite card game.

Welcome to the Secret Life of Pets! Join Max and pals as they embark on an epic journey around this brand new Monopoly board.

Discover what life is really like behind closed doors, as you choose your squares and discover the real personalities in your home and the mischief that goes down when no one’s around!

Battle against family and friends to claim the Iron Throne in the Game of Thrones Deluxe Risk. The multi-award winning US fantasy drama series has been immortalised in this special licensed collector’s edition of the classic game of Risk. Command one of seven houses of Westeros and Essos as you battle across two maps using beautifully crafted armies. Who knows what will happen as you take charge of this incredible game.

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a e T R A B O T 105 3 397 o.uk 0160 .c r a .tob www

? y t r pa Stand :

Galler y 305

Tobar’s team has designed a charming pink wooden Cupcake Tea Party Set and matching Cake Stand with eight wooden cakes - perfect for those Teddy Bear picnics.

Great Ormond Street Hospital, the company’s chosen charity, has worked together with the team to develop exclusive ‘Hop for GOSH’ Space Hoppers.

‘Thunderbirds Are Go’ as a range of Thunderbird Flexi Collectible Figures from the iconic show will be available to delight fans.

Zuru launch their Seahorse collection and confirmed the official Finding Dory and Dory Playset lines set to sell out fast when the movie launches later in the year.

Tobar has also signed new distribution partnerships with Alley Oop and Regal Games who design fun and novelty children’s toys.

There will be a boost to pocket money lines as the scary Dinosaur Hand Puppet joins the stock as well as bestselling lines from Maisto, Bburago, Syma, Blue Sky, Scentos and Schylling.

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“

Tobar’s team has designed a charming pink wooden Cupcake Tea Party Set and matching Cake Stand with eight wooden cakes perfect for those Teddy Bear picnics

toysnplaythings.co.uk

on 20 us B ir e Se D Fa AN Toy ST at

™

To place an order please contact:

+44 (0)1295 768078 salesadmin@trendsuk.co.uk www.trendsuk.co.uk For Media/PR enquiries, please contact Ane Olesen: ane@wirepr.eu © 2015 Moose. All rights reserved. Peppa Pig © Astley Baker Davies Ltd/Entertainment One UK Ltd 2003.

Discovery Kids - © 2015 DCL. FairyLane Sparkletopia - © Colorific Australia 2015.

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Stand: E15

GREEN BOARD GAMES 01494 538 999 www.greenboardgames.com Introducing BrainBox Transport, BrainBox Predators and BrainBox English – GBG are further increasing the breadth of their award winning BrainBox range.

Each of these new comprehensive editions is as compelling and educational as ever providing an opportunity for families to play across all ages and learn lots as part of the process.

The New Year will also see the introduction of a new game concept - BrainBox start them young with Bounce - that will include Mr Green Board Education!

Men, Little Miss, Animals and Continuing to focus on Dinosaur versions. This rapid producing games sensibly recall memory game involves linked to the National all players studying a different Curriculum and providing picture card at the same time and play is ‘bounced’ from multi-game play ideas player to player until they for teachers and parents have all answered question alike, GBG is supporting one of the card they have children’s learning in

Make learning fun...

a fun manner.

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studied. Those who answer correctly remain in the game; incorrectly answered cards must be placed in a pile for the winner of the round to collect.

The bonus of Bounce is that it includes a spotthe-difference game as well; can you find six differences in each pair of cards?

GBG are extremely excited by the imminent launch of their new construction range, Q-BA-MAZE: a unique marble run that meets the world of construction toys. Build fish, dinosaurs, robots, butterflies, towers and more.

After the success of GBG’s preschool BrainBox’s in 2015, they now are adding First Animals and First Homes to their roster of pre-school product. These new titles are aimed to further increase BrainBox appeal to the pre-school market, providing a natural progression into the wellknown BrainBox family.

Green Board Education continues to focus on producing games sensibly linked to the National Curriculum and providing multigame play ideas for teachers and parents alike, GBG is supporting children’s learning in a fun manner.

New product launches for 2016 such as Maths and R.E. Learning Trays that include 120 BrainBox cards are perfect for inside and outside of the classroom! Snap & Pairs is another popular range from GBG and five more titles are being introduced; 3D shapes, Irregular shapes, Higher Times Table, Materials and Life Cycles.

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Toy Fair 2016 Find us at Stand H39 Say ‘Hi’ to Station Master Sam and have a coffee & catchup!

&

TE RAN

BJT038 - Pirate Train Set

Plus lots more from...

trade.bigjigstoys.co.uk bigjigstoysltd

@bigjigstoys

bigjigstoys

AN

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FIRE

PI

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More items available in the Pirate range

GE

All NEW products for 2016 More items available in the Fire & Rescue range

RESCUE R

BJT262 - Firestation Shed

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Building a creative tomorrow LEGO 01753 495 000 www.lego.co.uk

Stand: Gallery 550

In the first half of 2015 sales for LEGO Group were driven by double-digit growth across all geographical regions and strong product innovation on themes such as LEGO Ninjago, LEGO Elves and LEGO Creator.

For 2016, the introduction of new independent properties and exciting licenses have been developed.

LEGO City is the largest and longest running brand for The LEGO Company.

For the first half of 2016, LEGO City will see expandable playthemes including Fire, Prison Island, and the Great Vehicles concept to target treats and loyalty purchase opportunities. A major staple since 2011, Ninjago is a leading LEGO brand supported by a hugely successful TV series on Cartoon Network and Netflix. Now an evergreen property within the portfolio, 2016 will see the introduction of a new ‘Skybound’ storyline and playsets reflective of this plot.

New IP, Nexo Knights will bring a new

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Classic pre-school...

These sets will allow children aged 18 months to five years to create stories inspired by easily recognisable, classic pre-school themes, imitating everyday life and learning through pretend play

way to play by bridging the gap between physical and digital play. The concept and character-rich adventures of the futuristic knights will be brought to life through playsets, a TV series, digital content and a free app game.

Pocket money collectable brand Minifigures will continue to launch three range waves throughout 2016. Themes will include own IPs along with a new licensing deal for the Minifigures brand.

Somewhat differentiated from the core brands, Technic is a classic evergreen that caters for the slightly older boy delivering some of the most iconic real-life vehicles with authentic features and functions. S/S16 introduces widely appealing models across varying price points including a Heavy Lift Helicopter and pull-backs Police Interceptor and Getaway Racer. Quarter one will see more of the low price point pullback Action vehicles which use pull back motors to create a fun, simple function and build for a quick, achievable success.

The ever popular and hugely successful LEGO Friends brand is introducing a whole

host of new playsets in 2016, making Heartlake City the go-to destination for girls aged five to nine for full immersive role play. Pre-schoolers can learn, play and build with new LEGO Duplo sets for the first half of the year in 2016. Offering cute, colourful and fun story starters, the latest additions provide a wealth of opportunities for developmental learning, with additions to My First and the Duplo Town ranges amongst others. These sets will allow children aged 18 months to five years to create stories inspired by easily recognisable, classic pre-school themes, imitating everyday life and learning through pretend play.

Introduced in 2015 and already hugely popular, LEGO Elves will see an exciting new story added to the collection in 2016, allowing fans to explore new areas of Elvendale with some exciting mythical creature friends.

Following on from a successful second year, LEGO Juniors will launch a further collection of playsets next year. There will be further product extensions to the popular LEGO Star Wars, Super Heroes and Disney Princess ranges.

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Spin Master 01628 535 000 www.spinmastertoys.co.uk

Paw Patrol started and ended 2015 on a roll as the Top New Toy Property (NPD EPoS YTD November 2015). Paw Patrol was the number one contributor to Nick Jr. in October with 37 per cent of the channel’s ratings, and over 8.1 million viewers have tuned into Paw Patrol across the Nick Jr. channels since launch. With season 2 episodes now airing on Milkshake Monday to Friday and season 3 already in production to go on air in 2016, the success story of Ryder and his pups is looking forward to another bumper year. The new season will feature new locations, themes and characters that will be reflected in the product mix throughout 2016 and being TV advertised from

Stand: E131

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Paw Patrol was the number one contributor to Nick Jr. in October with 37 per cent of the channel’s ratings, and over 8.1 million viewers have tuned into Paw Patrol across the Nick Jr. channels since launch

spring onwards The award-winning Bendaroos is back and now in 3D. The traditional sticks will be available in three sizes alongside 3D wax shapes for free play and two theme kits that can be used to mould Bendaroos create 2D scenes. The range will launch with a DR campaign which kick started its massive success waddled their way into the hearts of kids and creating over $45m sales enjoyed a successful year since launch. Further puppy worldwide in its first year. breeds will be introduced in 2016 along with fashion A (sand) storm of accessories from spring. The introduction of Chubby sales has seen Kinetic Puppy Friends sees a new range of Kitties and Bunnies Sand blasting ahead of with the same adorable features. The Ultimate Dog Park predictions. Brand and Playtime Packs will carry forward. The range will be expansion will TV advertised in spring with the new interactive website extend in 2016

Chubby Puppies...

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with Kinetic Sand Build, a newly developed compound with the fluidity and tactile feel of Kinetic Sand but with added magic – helping the sand to hold its shape while you play. You can also mix the colours to create even more colours to build with. There will be four dual-colour refill sets alongside the Bakery Boutique and Crash ‘Em Car Set. Both sets include two colours of sand along with multiple moulds and accessories; packaging works both as play space and storage.

The core Kinetic Sand range will be developed further with

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giving details about breeds and fun activities all with a cuteness overload!

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A (sand) storm of sales has seen Kinetic Sand blasting ahead of predictions.

Brand expansion will extend in 2016 with Kinetic Sand Build, a newly developed compound with the fluidity and tactile feel of Kinetic Sand but with added magic.

new and exciting playsets such as Ice Cream Treats, the popular Sandbox Set expanding to three colour choices, and a new Paw Patrol Playset featuring three colours of sand and pup moulds.

Air Hogs will be introducing the unique but easy-to-fly Hoverblade 360 for spring 2016.

This remote controlled boomerang is made from high-density foam with a slider controller making it simple to operate. Press the throttle then watch it spin and soar, fly back to you like a boomerang - do tricks and stunts indoors and outdoors!

Hoverblade 360 will also be TV advertised once released.

March sees the release of the film Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and as the perfect partner for Spy Gear, a range of four Batman

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themed Spy Gear products is being introduced in 2016. There will be three low priced Micro Bat Gear items focusing on detection, distraction and illumination that can be attached to the Utility Belt, which comes with a Sensor Alarm.

The Batman Night Scope gives 3x zoom and has a pop up night light which illuminates in the shape of the Batman logo whilst the Batman Night Vision Goggles are shaped in the iconic Batman logo so that kids can truly encounter the ultimate Batman experience.

Two huge entertainment licenses for Spin Master in 2016 are The Secret Life of Pets and Angry Birds.

The Secret Life of Pets from the home of Universal is produced by Illumination Studios, the brains behind Despicable Me and Minions.

Angry Birds from Rovio is a proven winner with kids globally. Both ranges will feature plush, collectables and playsets on sale in time to support the films’ launches late spring.

Meccano continues to inspire kids to build, play and learn using real mechanics, and 2016 will see an elevation of the build experience as well as an expanded range of junior, metal and electronics based Meccano.

The new 10 Model Set has a dinosaur theme and features an articulating spine joint, polycarbonate hip joint, moving jaw and lenticular eyes giving realistic movement and look. Over the year a number of licensed Meccano products will be introduced, the first of which is the Ducati Monster 1200cc motorbike. The model has working steering, coil spring suspension and multi-piece wheels.

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d e t a c u Ed Hot on the heels of a hugely successful 2015 with overall sales up by 12 per cent, Ravensburger look forward to welcoming visitors to its biggest ever trade stand at Olympia where they’ll be unveiling its brand new range for 2016. Highlights include: children, adult and 3D puzzles as well as new family games.

Traditional jigsaw puzzles bring genuine educational benefits and lots of fun, all hidden inside magical memories of family togetherness. The range offers characters, themes, piece counts and formats suitable for every child. During 2016 they’ll be adding these 15 exciting new properties to the already superb license portfolio - Teletubbies, The Good Dinosaur, Finding Dory, Lion Guard, Dora and Friends, Matt Sewell’s Birds, Zootropolis, The Secret Life of Pets, Emoji, Trolls, Moana, Spongebob Squarepants, The BFG, Angry Birds and Historic Royal Palaces.

Ravensburger are also launching new products within established ranges: Paw Patrol, Bing Bunny, Twirly Woos, Disney Princess, Frozen, Shopkins, TMNT Half Shell Heroes, Avengers Assemble, Spider Man, Thomas and Friends, plus exciting new generic titles too.

Inspired and informed by years of research and consumer feedback, they understand what consumers

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t n e m Stand: n i a t r E140 e t n e RAVENSBURGER LTD

” Inspired and informed by years of research and consumer feedback, they understand what consumers both want and need from a jigsaw puzzle. Because local tastes and preferences are so important, over 75 per cent of the range is developed in the UK

01869 363 800 www.ravensburger.com both want and need from a jigsaw puzzle. Because local tastes and preferences are so important, over 75 per cent of the range is developed in the UK. They are launching over 70 new titles during 2016, so are confident that consumers - whether they are puzzlers, collectors or gift buyers, will find plenty to attract, amuse and challenge them, all backed by the unrivalled Premium Puzzle ‘softclick’ technology.

The market-leading 3D puzzles have energised the sector, delivering originality of design, innovative, high-quality manufacturing and products consumers love to display in their homes. Amongst exciting new launches for 2016 are the Big Ben 216 piece with clock, four shaped Minions designs, a 72 piece sphere of Tsum Tsum and, for AW16 - a Night Edition Chrysler Building, an amazing Disney Castle and a range of stylish storage items for girls.

Sales of the fun-filled quality games grew by 40 per cent in 2015. Among the big hits were Bugs in the Kitchen, Labyrinth and Scotland Yard, and the new games will focus on the year’s major film launches, so come along to Toy Fair to learn more about these and how Ravensburger's superb promotional plans will ensure this sector continues to flourish.

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Depth of variety UNDERGROUND TOYS 01708 372 727 www.underground-toys.com

: Stand E130 To mark another year at Toy Fair, Underground Toys will be delighting visitors with a plethora of new products from existing and new ranges. The display will show their impressive portfolio of licenses such as Star Wars, Marvel, Ghostbusters, Yo-Kai Watch, WWE, Doctor Who and the hugely popular POP! Vinyl Figure among many more.

The Star Wars talking plush range continues to grow, with many new items added to the existing range.

New characters are based on the much anticipated film Star Wars: The Force Awakens and will include the adorable astrobot BB-8, Kylo Ren and the 12” Death Star Premium Plush, with

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Underground Toys will be delighting visitors with a plethora of new products from existing and new ranges. The display will show their impressive portfolio of licenses such as Star Wars, Marvel, Ghostbusters, Yo-Kai Watch, WWE, Doctor Who andxthe hugely popular POP! Vinyl Figure among many more

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green LED laser light and sound.

The company will also be unveiling a new range of Star Wars homeware products available throughout most of Europe. Darth Vader Oven Gloves, a Lightsaber Cutlery Set and a Death Star Kitchen Timer will be on display.

Underground Toys has also developed a host of Marvel Civil War talking plush to sit alongside its existing Marvel range, which will include Captain America: the Winter Soldier, Black Panther and Falcon.

Also new to the Underground portfolio, and to be shared for the first time at Toy Fair this year, is the Yo-Kai Watch range. Retailers can get a sneak peak of what’s in the new gifting range at the stand. It will include drinkware, talking pens and keychains alongside must-have storage containers and throws, all to complement the popular series.

Underground will also be unveiling the newly acquired Assassin’s Creed license, with the range including products such as ice trays, bookends and throws.

Finally, a giant range of POP! Vinyl Figures will be at the stand, across every imaginable license from Ghostbusters and Harry Potter to Doctor Who as well as Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Marvel Civil War and BatmanV Superman figures being revealed. These will sit alongside ranges such as Vinyl Dorbz, POP! Tees and Mopeez.

Underground Toys originally became well known for the talking keychain brand In Your Pocket and Pocket Pals and have expanded successfully into the talking plush arena, developing and manufacturing premium talking plush for huge licenses worldwide. They have also expanded into the world of gifts and homeware items.

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Jumbo Games 01707 289 289 www.jumbo.eu Looking to 2016, a year of celebration lies ahead for Jumbo’s premium quality range of adult jigsaw Falcon de luxe, as the brand celebrates 40 years of producing some of the most beautiful and eyecatching jigsaws in the UK. To commemorate this landmark, Jumbo will be launching over 40 brand new jigsaw puzzles throughout the year, across a range of themes popular with puzzlers. The extensive range will include varying piece counts to meet retailer and consumer needs, including 200XL, 500, 1000 and 1500 piece jigsaw puzzles, as well as themed collections that include 2x500, 2x1000 piece and Collector’s Box Sets featuring 3x100

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Within the Jumbo Falcon range, you can also find selection of jigsaw puzzles from popular TV licenses such as Poldark, Thunderbirds and Coronation Street – so be sure to check these out at the London Toy Fair

piece puzzles – there really is something for everyone with Falcon de luxe.

Within the Jumbo Falcon range, you can also find selection of jigsaw puzzles from popular TV licenses such as Poldark, Thunderbirds and Coronation Street – so be sure to check these out at London Toy Fair.

To support Falcon’s 40th Anniversary year, Jumbo will be actively incentivising retailers and driving consumer promotions, so please speak to your local sales representatives to be a part of the celebration.

The original and unique puzzle brainteaser brand, Wasgij, continues to go from strength-to-strength as the UK’s number one adult jigsaw puzzles brand and 2016 will be no different. Launching in January, there will be five brand new Wasgij puzzles across various concepts that have kept consumers wanting more – these include the addictively entertaining

Wasgij Imagine…? 2, Destiny 16 and Mystery 12 in a 1000 piece format and for lower-priced, more impulse purchases, there are 300, 150 and 54 piece puzzles that make great additions to any instore offering.

The first quarter of 2016 sees the widely anticipated return of Game of Thrones Season 6 and Jumbo are on board and ready to meet the demand for collectable products with the addition of a 1000 piece puzzle to accompany the hugely successfully 1000 and 3x500 piece range that is currently available.

Jumbo’s exclusive range of Jan van Haasteren jigsaws will also see new additions to the existing portfolio, that include varying piece counts from 54 to 3000 pieces so that retailers can offer consumers a puzzle based on any purchase requirement.

From the 28 January to the 29 February, Jumbo will be continuing their support of National Puzzle Day in the UK, by offering 25 per cent off Adult puzzles – so get in touch to find out how you can be a part of this campaign.

Don’t forget to check out Jumbo’s range of The Simpsons jigsaw puzzles that will be showcased at Toy Fair and available to order from June. And keep an eye-out for new license announcements throughout 2016 – you won’t want to miss out!

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e s u o h l l u F ON D S A C 11 766 4 01253 sdon.com .ca www

Stand: E30

Following a successful year of new additions to ranges across its extensive portfolio, Casdon will continue to build on its role-play Launching in January 2016 is the brand new Dyson collections for 2016 with further new additions to tempt retailers, Hand Held from the award-winning Dyson collection. while heightened consumer marketing and social media will The hand held vacuum features real suction and the ensure shoppers are equally inspired. same cyclonic action as with a real Dyson Launching in January 2016 is the brand new Dyson Hand Held from the award-winning Dyson collection. The hand held vacuum features real suction and the same cyclonic The Annabel Karmel cookery collection will continue to be a firm action as with a real Dyson. The spinning beads will mesmerise favourite in 2016. These real baking kits are just the thing for a bake children, and will be an instantly recognisable favourite at home. off and have all the attention to detail expected of the Annabel Designed with the same colours as the real-life cleaner, children will Karmel brand. The My Perfect Pastry Set has everything needed be able to feel all grown up by pretending to clean the house just for a young baker with mixing bowl, cutters, measuring spoons and like mummy and daddy. three separate tins.

A further addition to the Little Helpers collection of role-play Kids can also cook up a storm with the Morphy Richards toys is the new Hetty and Henry Household Cleaning Sets. These Microwave that looks just like the real thing. Designed with robust sets include everything needed to help tidy up at home. The contemporary styling in mind, the microwave displays a host of striking red Henry and pale pink Hetty sets feature a dustpan and features that will help little ones cook treats for friends and family, brush, mop, sweeping brush and more to help with those heavy featuring a rotating turntable, flashing lights and cooking sounds. cleaning tasks at home.

This year will see Casdon not only expand its collection, but New to the Little Cooks range is the exceedingly good Mr Kipling expand its marketing support for retailers too. With so many Birthday Cake Set, which allows little ones to treat friends and satisfied parents already on side, this will include a strategic year family to cake without the added calories! This brightly coloured round online campaign and social media schedule to further the cake is easily sliceable and includes candles, plates and cutlery to awareness of all the firm’s much loved toys. help with serving.

What time is it?

It’s funtime!

PADGETT BROS 01226 381 188 www.padgettatoz.co.uk

Stand : F15

The range sells through for the retailer, while achieving an excellent margin

The funtime range of pre-school toys continues to get bigger and better. Another year brings in another increase in turnover and another gain in market share.

The Funtime range gives customers a choice of an excellent quality product that significantly undercuts the pre-school market, so if you are looking for excellent quality toys that sell year round with fantastic profit margins both on an FOB and ExUK basis – look no further.

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Found in many of the country’s leading retailers in Funtime packaging as well as customer’s own brand and with over 150 items in the range, there is plenty to cover a variety of price points.

Funtime can be purchased through a UK warehouse in new packaging or from Hong Kong on an FOB basis, either in Funtime artwork or customer specific packaging.

Alex Kenyon, Sales Director says: “Quite simply, the range sells through for the retailer, while achieving an excellent margin! With over 20 new items including the Construction Digger and Spinning Carousel – in new eye-catching packaging, the Funtime range is strengthening year on year.

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ROLL along

Push

& Roll

Two Toys in One!

New

Colourful Gift Box

PUSH along

Aids development whether crawling or walking

Easy to display on shelves Easy to wrap for gifting Reduce soiling of stock

Toy Fair - F66 | Spring Fair - 5L06 | Nuremburg - 1- B09 Fiesta Crafts Ltd - 121 Brooker Road, Waltham Abbey. EN9 1JH

Tel: 020 8804 0563 sales@fiestacrafts.co.uk

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l h a D d l a o R l l A one!

Stand: E120 into

Firmly on the map WILD CARD GAMES 07916 349942 www.wildcardgames.com

RAINBOW DESIGNS 01329 227 300 www.rainbowdesigns.co.uk There will be a host of exciting new toys and as well as stunning new collections launched by Rainbow Designs at this year’s Toy Fair. Rainbow Designs are really excited to be launching the brand new product category Activity Playmats, they will be showcasing this for the first time at Toy Fair.

The beautiful Character Playmats are suitable from birth and have been packed with activities to help stimulate babies’ senses as they grow. The Activity Playmats include features such as a detachable mirror, removable shaped teethers and more, and will be available in Peter Rabbit, Guess How Much I Love You, Peppa Pig for Baby and The Very Hungry Caterpillar collections.

This spring, Rainbow will launch a stunning new plush collection of some of Roald Dahl’s most famous characters including Matilda, The BFG and Willy Wonka as well as a funpacked Whizzpopping BFG feature plush.

Following on from the hit movie Paddington, Rainbow Designs will be launching two new fantastic Paddington feature plush items in 2016. The ‘My name is Paddington’ soft toy talks and roars when his tummy is squeezed and the new ‘Talk to Me’ Paddington not only says five different phrases but he also has a recording function.

See all of Rainbow Designs’ 2016 collections including Air Puppy, Paddington, Peter Rabbit, Peppa Pig for Baby, Guess How Much I Love You, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Miffy and Shaun the Sheep and The Snowman and The Snowdog on stand E120.

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With 50 per cent volume growth year on year and over a quarter of a million games sold in the UK, Wild Card Games has added several new products to their range of award-winning games. Top sellers Who Knows Where, Mapominoes, Frenzi and Backpacker and award winners Arithmanix and Astronauts are joined by big new hit Ski Run, history board game About Time and a range of 11 family travel sized games for all ages.

Exciting new addition Ski Run - the ultimate skiing game will have 10 per cent off orders placed at Toy Fair and is an action packed race across the mountain where you try to be the first player back to the resort for the Après Ski. Pick your route across the piste map board by riding up lifts and racing down runs, while trying not to wipe out! The lead changes constantly in this dynamic game of fluctuating fortunes, where you try to use the right cards at the right time to stay one step ahead of your opponents.

Who Knows Where? is the award winning, leading seller global location guessing game where you race opponents to be the first player to travel around the world by locating famous places on the world map. With over 1,000 locations to guess in five categories: capital cities, major cities and towns, events and facts, famous tourist sites and beautiful images of many iconic landmarks it’s a great fun way to learn about our world.

Having trouble guessing? Think about ‘Who Knows Where’ and piggy back on one of your opponent’s guesses, but choose wisely because if they are wrong you will be the one going backwards! Quick, simple, inclusive and adaptable to different ages and abilities.

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Introducing two fresh bananas to the bunch!

Ripening the skills of Top Bananas in training!

New party tiles add an energetic twist to the classic game!

Still driving people bananasâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;10 years later!

Celebrate our 10th Bananaversary at The BANANAGRAMSÂŽ Lounge (#G122)

Stand #E115 +44 (0) 207 298 9500 sales@winningmoves.co.uk www.bananagrams.com

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Wheels in fast motion KIDDIMOTO 01749 871 175 www.kiddimoto.co.uk

Stand : H44

Kiddimoto, the British company speciailising in wheels for kids, is delighted to launch three new products at the 2016 London Toy Fair.

Adding u-Zoom Scooters and Super Junior Max bikes with new design decals to its collection along with its first ever ride-on walker, the London Bus, the award-winning brand hopes to continue to excite retailers in 2016.

Simon Booth, Kiddimoto Founder, said: “We are very proud of the success of our wheels for kids to date and look forward to seeing everyone at our stand to introduce our newest additions!”

The u-Zoom features everything a child could want from a scooter, including a funky design, flashing wheels and with a folding handle.

Kiddimoto’s popular Super Junior Max Decals have had an eye-catching makeover with three new designs based on their best selling styles: Skullz, Dotty and Jack.

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The beautiful wooden Kiddimoto Ride On London Bus doubles as a walker for little cruisers, bringing a touch of retro design to any toy collection. Bright and enticing, with built-in storage to take favourite toys along for the ride, it’s perfect to keep toddlers from 12 months entertained, and encourage them as they start to move, developing motor skills and balance.

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We are very proud of the success of our wheels for kids to date and look forward to seeing everyone at our stand to introduce our newest additions

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Fair play CHEATWELL GAMES 0845 226 6516 www.cheatwell.com

Stand : F20

Toy Fair sees the launch of Tell-a-Tale from Cheatwell Games; a creative play-together storytelling set designed to encourage creative thinking and imaginative play.

A clever blend of storytelling and pretend play, each set includes a stage and interchangeable character and setting pieces that are introduced, repositioned and removed as the story progresses.

The four chunky wooden dice add structure to the play, offering a reassuring environment in which to explore the art of storytelling.

The three themed sets are based on Pirates, Farmyard and Fairytale adventures and are suitable for age

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We’re looking forward to welcoming buyers who are looking for something that will offer them the exceptional products and margins people have come to expect from Cheatwell Games

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three and above.

For an older audience there are two new ‘all in’ family games where everyone plays at the same time. Get The Picture involves communicating the picture on your card by miming, posing or describing it.

Pass the Pen involves a race against…the pen. The nib retracts as you sketch,

while everyone tries to guess what you are drawing.

Joining the best-sellling Animal and Monster Popper range are the Atomic Popper guns that are suitable for indoor or outdoor play.

These high performance shooters need no batteries - they’re 100 per cent air powered, firing soft foam balls up. Great fun for kids and big kids alike.

Head of UK Sales, Mark Jones said: “We’re looking forward to welcoming buyers who are looking for something that will offer them the exceptional products and margins people have come to expect from Cheatwell Games.”

Outstanding contribution MARVIN’S MAGIC 01582 849 000 www.marvinsmagic.com Marvin and the team at Marvin’s Magic have celebrated another successful year, made more special with the receiving of prestigious awards including the celebrated Magic Circle Maskelyne Award for services to British Magic – the most respected award in The Magic Circle – presented exclusively to those at the top of the magic industry.

Marvin’s iMagic is the latest range of smart magic for smart devices and has been a great success in both the toy and hobby and magic industries.

It has been awarded the gold medal in the Electronic Toys category at the Independent Toy Awards and the Toy Verdict Winner in the Magic Sets category.

Other notable awards for Marvin’s Magic Team include the

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Marvin’s iMagic is the latest range of smart magic for smart devices and has been a great success in both the toy and hobby and magic industries

British Magical Society’s Cup for Outstanding Contribution and the British Toy and Hobby Association’s top honour for Outstanding Contribution.

The long-standing Marvin’s Magic approaches its 30th year and will continue to run popular magic shops within some of the globe’s most beloved stores and maintain their high street presence as well as their international expansion.

Focusing on the investment in

people, the team is committed with a sales and marketing team to help shops create the best instore theatre possible.

Marvin’s Magic, internationally recognised as the number one for magic worldwide, is steeped in magical heritage and is at the forefront of innovation - with Marvin working with the most highly respected names in magic.

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Double the fun GALT TOYS

Stand: E9

01614 289 111 www.galttoys.com Galt Toys will bring twice the fun to Toy Fair by launching the very first 2-In-1 Playnest!

The fabric covered inflatable ring provides a soft resting area for a young baby on one side, with a self-contained play environment for older babies on the reverse. Turn the Playnest over to reveal a padded seating area to support an older baby in a sitting position.

This enables them to reach out and explore safely, with eight multi-sensory features.

Galt will add to the Ambi Toys range with the Ted In A Box, a handy-sized pop-up toy with a friendly teddy hidden inside.

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With 175 years experience in toys and education, Galt design toys to encourage children to learn through play

Based on the original drawings of world-renowned British toy designer, Patrick Rylands, Ted pops up with a little squeak when the button is pressed. Push him down, close the lid and start again for a fun game of peep-o, to encourage hand-eye coordination and the learning of cause and effect.

Galt will also expand its marble product range with two new Glow Marble Runs. The funky florescent construction game lets children build a labyrinth of tubes, chutes and curves using the transparent coloured pieces. Then turn off the lights, place the marbles in the glow starter tops, let them go and watch them glow!

All new products will be shown alongside Galt Toys’ full portfolio of products.

This includes the iconic Ambi Toys product range, as well as new products in Galt’s First Years and Active Play ranges. With a focus on young art, new products will be added to the Activity Packs, Fairy Friends, Creative Case and Express Yourself ranges next year.

New Construction, Puzzles, Horrible Science, and Play & Learn toys and games, with a focus on education and learning, will also be launched.

Model performance REVELL GMBH 0845 459 0747 www.revell.de/en Revell returns to Gallery 100 this year with a supersized stand, showcasing their latest ranges.

Revell Control’s position as a major player in the radio controlled sector is ramped up

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Stand:

Gallery 100

with the Quadcopter Steady Quad Cam, featuring an automatic height setting function which allows the user to focus on their manoeuvring skills and an on-board camera for high definition pictures and video; the Quadcopter Pure is perfect for beginners, with a height setting function and crash-proof frame; the Quadcopter Nano Quad Cam is the latest evolution of the awardwinning Nano Quad, featuring an on-board camera. On the ground, there is an awesome range of offroad RC vehicles. Plus a licensed range of 1:24 scale RC cars including the Porsche 918, Audi R8 and BMW Police Car. The Revell Junior Kit is a new concept for children aged four plus that bridges the gap between

playsets and model kits. Once completed, each Race Car or Fire Truck becomes a durable, fullyfunctioning toy.

A major re-branding project is unveiled with a newly packaged Revell model kit range, featuring informative, colour-coordinated packaging and colour manuals.

Structured into five different skill levels from beginners to professional modellers, the range comprises Build & Play, Easykits and newly tooled Model Kits.

This new concept is spearheaded with a Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens range. Other iconic model kit releases include the Citroen 2CV, Porsche Boxter and VW T-1 Samba Bus, all in 1:24 scale. Brand new aircraft model kits include the BAe Hawk T.1, Boeing 777 and a newly tooled Avro Shackleton.

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Another member joins our Dream Team!

NEW FOR 2016

687 Dyson Hand Held Just like the real thing, this replica of the iconic Dyson Hand Held is the latest role play toy from Casdon. Little Helpers will

IN1 3TOY

love pressing the button to hear the realistic vacuum sound effect, and using the working suction to clean up - just like the grown-ups!

Inventors of Fun & Play!

CASDON Ltd., Cornford Road, Blackpool, FY4 4QW Telephone: +44 (0) 1253 766411 Email: roger@casdon.com

www.casdon.com

Just like the real thing!

SEE US AT

UK Toy Fair - Sun 24th Jan - Tues 26th Jan: Stand E30 Nurnberg Toy Fair - Weds 27th Jan - Mon 1st Feb: Hall 12, Stand C-04 New York Toy Fair - Sat 13th Feb - Tues 16th Feb: Booth 1075

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e v i t a e r y C a l p e s r o h SCHLEICH 01279 870 000 www.schleich-s.co.uk

Stand : B121

Schleich will be highlighting new additions to its distinguished play worlds at Toy Fair with its showcases of DC Comics, Farm and Wild Life plus the entirely new introduction of Horse Club.

For DC Comics, the battle will commence from January with new characters presented as single figures together with a selection of scenery packs.

Batman v Superman will lead the way in the first half of the year, along with Wonder Woman, Aquaman and Cyborg. Following suit, July will see the superheroes meet more of their arch enemies as Batman vs Bane and Superman vs Lex Luthor Scenery Packs become available.

Farm Life is one of Schleich’s evergreen collections and for 2016 will receive a major overhaul, as for the first time, the horses will move out of the Farm Life collection and become part of their own Horse Club range. This new brand will offer a standalone range that includes all the favourite breeds, accessories and playsets such as the Horse Stable in new branding and colouring.

The pre-school offering from Schleich will also be a key focus for the year ahead as both the Farm Life and Wild Life collections will focus on this younger age group.

The Wild Life collection will now be split into Safari, Jungle, Forest, Ice and Ocean is one of Schleich’s rather than continents opening up evergreen collections exciting play worlds for pre-schoolers. and for 2016 will receive a In 2016, the favourite Dinosaur range will major overhaul, as for the have many new dinosaurs to collect plus a first time, the horses will new Mini Dinosaurs with Puzzles range. In move out of the Farm Life addition, a Giant Volcano playset will explode collection and become onto the scene in the second half of the year, part of their own Horse marking the first playset for the dinosaur Club range portfolio.

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Stand : H1

Playing their hand CARTAMUNDI 01268 515 522 www.cartamundi.com

Disney favourites...

will also be Cartamundi celebrates new getting together additions to the Shuffle with the UK’s family at Toy Fair. most popular Inspired by Disney·Pixar’s card game when eagerly anticipated Cartamundi follow up to Finding highlights Nemo, Cartamundi will be new Finding previewing a Finding Dory Dory, Disney game box with waterproof Princess and cards. Also to be released Disney·Pixar’s will be colourful new card Cars snap games decks for Snap, the UK’s at the show best-known children’s card game. Carta Magic – the exciting Cartamundi range highlighting the popularity of card tricks will also welcome updated card decks. Shuffle Disney MONOPOLY and Shuffle Disney·Pixar’s Cars bring together Cartamundi’s card-making expertise with some of Disney’s most famous characters, combining compelling card games based on incredibly popular brands with an optional free app.

There’s also a brand-new Disney Princess game box, which includes six perfumed Princess cards for its delightful guessing game and a Disney·Pixar’s Cars game box, which includes four buildable cards so characters can be created for the racing game. All three Disney favourites will also be getting together with the UK’s most popular card game when Cartamundi highlights new Finding Dory, Disney Princess and Disney·Pixar’s Cars snap games at the show. Visit the stand to find out about more new launches.

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ORN: ND I LO A F TOY allery 100 :G Stand E:RG B M E NURTOY FllA1I2R.2/P1360 /D-1 ll: Ha Reve o: Hall 7A c i Hobb

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L E V E L Y R E V E N O D E K C A ACTION-P

Revell GmbH, Unit 10, Old Airfield Industrial Estate, Cheddington Lane, Tring, HP23 4QR. For trade enquiries tel: 0845 459 0747, Email: ukbranch@revell.de © 2015 Revell GmbH. A subsidiary of Hobbico, Inc. © & TM Disney Ltd. © & TM Lucasfilm Ltd. All rights reserved.

I V E R S A RY A NN 956 - 2016 1

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WOOKY EUROPE 01514 943 821 www.wookyentertainment.com

Stand : Galler y 180

After a year of product development, the amazing i-loom has gone from concept to reality. This amazing piece of kit transforms most tablet computers into a jewellery creation station. Clipping over the face of the tablet and, working with a downloaded app, young designers can make, create and share their designs. You can follow stepby-step instructions or choose to design your own and share with an online i-loom community. Starter packs, set up tools, specialised creative kits and tote cases extend this revolutionary range.

Charmazing is the perfect Design-It-Yourself jewellery craft line, for young designers. Style Me Up!’s Charmazing lets you design expandable and stackable bangle bracelets that can be charmed-up with style. This year Charmazing offers an additional 60 new charms across six exciting new themed collections.

For young artists looking to create innovative fashions, Style Me Up! offers the new Splash of Colour kits range.

These fairy, dance and fashion themed deluxe sketchbook kits include watercolour line drawings, stickers, a watercolour guide, paints, pencils and paintbrushes. There are new additions to the much loved Disney sketchbooks including Frozen and The Descendants.

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Clipping over the face of the tablet and, working with a downloaded app, young designers can make, create and share their designs. This is beyond bracelet making, you can literally follow stepby-step instructions or choose to design your own and share with an online i-loom community

Blockbusting new twist ACCENTUATE GAMES LTD 0330 400 4162 www.accentuategames.com

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Launching at London Toy Fair 2016 is the new and improved edition of Accentuate. The hilarious guess-the-accent party game now features 90 different quotes from famous movies – players pick a card then read that movie quote aloud in a randomly selected accent. Teammates have just 30 seconds to guess the accent, and can now earn points by also identifying the movie (1 point), and even the film’s year of release (2 points). There are 30 different accents from around the globe.

The new game is compatible with the existing Film Quotes Expansion Pack, which features a completely different set of 90 movie lines – players might recite “I ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice chianti” in a strong Brummie brogue, or “Say hello to my little friend” in an out-of-context Cornish.

To keep the game challenging and to appeal to as broad an age range as possible, the quotes have been taken from a spread of movies spanning eight decades, including My Fair Lady, Ghostbusters, Jaws, The Graduate, Monty Python & The Holy Grail, Casablanca, The Devil Wears Prada and Back to the Future.

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! f f o t f i L FLYING GADGETS

Stand : F101

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With a competitive price point, Flying Gadgets is confident their X-Cam with built in camera is set to fly off the shelves.

0844 209 2626 www.flyinggadgets.com The dynamic RC toy specialist Flying Gadgets will be showcasing new products from their extensive portfolio at this year’s Toy Fair.

These include a Monster truck, an impressive X-Cam, a palm-sized quadcopter with camera and a BMW ride on.

Flying Gadgets – The Big 1 is an all terrain 27mhz radio-controlled monster truck ready to take on surfaces that other remote controls most certainly shy away from. With a range of over 50 metres, users can enjoy large-scale fun at the wheel and get creative with their courses including ramps and jumps outdoors without the worry of mud-ridden puddles. Drone technology has established itself firmly in the consumer market and Flying Gadgets is delighted to be able to offer the sizeable Flying Gadgets X-Cam quadcopter with ultraresponsive flight controls and a built-in camera.

The market for palm-sized flying machines saw a marked increase this last 12 months and, taking the best available technology, Flying Gadgets has managed to add a camera to one of their smallest quadcopters yet, creating the NanoCam Quadcopter.

The fully licensed BMW Mini ride-on is aimed at the very coolest of younger drivers. Powered by a 12V battery, kids themselves can harness the impressive power, with own control steering, brakes and accelerator – or it can be switched into parental mode. This latter control lets younger children enjoy the ride without too much concentration. Adding to the fun are realistic ignition sounds, working lights and a horn as well as a built-in MP3 player to play music through the speakers, all of which creates an impressive ride.

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Colour me fun EDUCATION HARBOUR LTD 0800 756 9788 www.sciencemeetsmagic.com

Stand : GH4

0 Education Harbour Ltd is delighted to announce its Science Meets Magic range with Newton’s Colour Wheel. The set features a turbo action spinner and seven cool discs that make different effects when placed on the spinner and set to action with a simple flick between your finger and thumb.

Though it is a science toy it will not only be young (five-11 year old) science fans who will find delight as they witness colours turn to white on one disc as another mixes colours instantly when spun – once the spinning stops, the colours deconstruct back to separate hues. Spiral discs and spin-the-bottle discs included will bring smiles to faces young and old(er).

With an accessible price point, the product offers great margin opportunity.

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Though it is a science toy – it will not only be young (five-11 year old) science fans who will find delight as they witness colours turn to white on one disc as another mixes colours instantly when spun

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Puppeteer success FIESTA CRAFTS

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020 8804 0563 www.fiestacrafts.co.uk

Stand : F66

Fiesta Crafts has added extensively to its existing range of interactive hand and finger puppets with a whole new range for 2016.

Designed to stimulate creative minds and encourage both individual play and roleplaying, the new hand and finger puppets are sure to keep children entertained in their own fantasy world for many a happy hour.

The new Pinocchio finger puppet set brings the beloved story to life and is supplied in a stunning presentation gift box including finger puppets for each of the story’s main characters.

Every puppet is beautifully designed with a wooden head and bright fabric bodies, skilfully handmade to bring the favourite characters to life. A downloadable play script is available to help children act their parts.

The new individual finger puppets add to the already extensive selection produced

by Fiesta Crafts. Now, children can include a T-Rex, a Pterodactyl, a Triceratops, Cleopatra,

Roar-some KIDKRAFT 07515 653 370 www.kidkraft.com

Stand : E79

New products being showcased as Kidkraft return for their seventh Toy Fair 2016 include - Cinderella Royal Dream Dollhouse, Modern White Kitchen, Dinosaur Toddler Bed, New Kitchenette and a new range of floor puzzles and peg puzzles.

The Disney Cinderella Royal Dream Dollhouse by KidKraft has everything your princess will need to relive her favorite fairytale. The dollhouse includes 11 pieces of royal furniture, a beautiful glass slipper and gold hanging chandelier all fit for a princess.

With five rooms of open space to play and decorate, the dollhouse includes a glass slipper and pillow perfect for Cinderella and her Prince. Gold attic

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Perfectly sized for little fingers, the puppets encourage creative thinking, roleplay and interactivity

a horse rider, a Royal Guard, a policewoman, a cave woman, a policeman and a caveman into their storytelling. Perfectly sized for little fingers, the puppets encourage creative thinking, roleplay and interactivity in a way that is such fun it keeps the finger puppets in use time and again.

Each puppet includes intricate details such as embroidery, bright fun materials and arms and legs so to be animated and walked.

New to the hand puppet range is a unicorn with a moving mouth, a toy soldier, a cavewoman and a caveman. These puppets are aesthetically realistic, soft to the touch and great fun to play with.

New products being showcased at Toy Fair 2016 include - Cinderella Royal Dream Dollhouse, Modern White Kitchen, Dinosaur Toddler Bed, New Kitchenette and a new range of floor puzzles and peg puzzle

doors open right into Cinderella’s sewing room - packaged with detailed, step-by-step assembly instructions.

Accommodating fashion dolls up to 12” tall, it is made of composite wood products, fabric, plastic, and solid wood.

Your explorer will ‘roar’ over the Dinosaur Toddler Bed by KidKraft. This bed is constructed lower to the ground for easy access and will simplify the transition from crib to a regular bed.

Your little one will love the colorful dinosaur designs; you’ll love the quality and craftsmanship.

The Dinosaur Toddler Bed also benefits from fun, colourful dinosaur artwork. It fits most crib mattresses and is a smart, sturdy construction.

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CLEMENTONI 020 320 613 www.clementoni.com

Stand : Galler y 155

parents can also download an app which brings Sandy to life on screen. Children can learn ABCs and numbers as well as develop their hand eye co-ordination. Baby T’Rex has been a huge hit for Clementoni through 2015 and 2016 will see the new pink version, which is also TV advertised, complete with a rattle which interacts with Baby T’Rex to make her move.

Also in the lineup is the Firetruck - designed to teach first letters, numbers, shapes and colours and will be aimed at babies nine months and above.

For toddler years, the Rally Tumbling Car is a fun RC that teaches numbers through rhyme.

The Science category has always been strong for Clementoni and Create your Crystal has been a top seller throughout 2015.

Added to the range for 2016 is the amazing Cyber Robot has been a huge hit for - a programmable Clementoni through 2015 robot which is directly and 2016 will see the new controlled via an app pink version, which is also on smart phones and TV advertised, complete tablets with Bluetooth with a rattle which connection. Cyber Robot interacts with Baby T’Rex registers and executes to make her move all demands in real time and comes complete with sound effects and lights to add to the robotic experience. Children can also take photos and

Clementoni is proud to be showcasing a host of new products for 2016 at the London Toy Fair, putting a strong focus on the Infant market with Baby Clementoni as well as the Education and Development category with Science and Puzzles product launches.

The two stars of the show for Baby Clementoni will be Lele Cuddle and Learn Bear - an interactive development plush for babies six months and above and a pink version of the hugely popular Baby T’Rex, perfect for babies of 12 plus.

Sandy Cuddle and Learn Bear will be TV promoted and

videos while Cyber Robot is in action to capture their finest commands!

Included within the four play modes is the ‘Self Learn,’ where Cyber Robot will register all commands and reproduce the saved paths. Cyber Robot can also be used offline in a manual programme mode. With a competitive price point, Cyber Robot is sure to be a must have in 2016.

The Mechanical Laboratory is a modular construction system with varying levels of difficulty offering strong play value. The kit comes with over 200 pieces with almost 50 constructions possible including a helicopter, car and crane. Hours of fun guaranteed and a great product

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for encouraging quality family time.

Clemetoni Puzzles continue to be a strong foundation of the business and the adult category continues through 2016 with high quality offerings. New launches are tied into popular licenses from Nickelodeon, Disney, Pixar and Dreamworks including key theatrical releases such as Finding Dory and trending properties like Tsum Tsum.

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POWERING UP

IN 2016 THE ALL NEW

DOUBLE THE DISTANCE...

DOUBLE THE RIDE TIME*! *compared with the classic E90 scooter

YEAR ROUND

V T ING S I T R E V D A

NO 1 ELECTR SCOOT IC BRAN ER D* Source : Sept 2 NPD Jan 015 £Value

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JAZWARES 07711 080 866 www.jazwares.com

Stand : D99

Tapping into the hottest kids’ crazes for 2016, Jazwares is poised to unleash a raft of highly sought-after playthings at Toy Fair. From the number one TV show for boys in the UK right now – Danger Mouse – to the craze that’s set to sweep British playgrounds in 2016 – Animal Jam – along with rapidly-growing brands Tube Heroes and Terraria, Jazwares is all set to thrill Toy Fair visitors.

The new series of Danger Mouse has seen a triumphant return to CBBC and Jazwares is ready to feed the fan demand for toys.

The range brings Danger Mouse, Penfold and all the favourite characters to life in a stunning new collection of figures, vehicles, plush and roleplay. Kids big and small can immerse themselves in the international secret

agent’s world with Danger Mouse’s Mark IV Vehicle – featuring popout wings, functioning boot as well as an exclusive 3” figure.

There’s also a fully articulated 10” Danger Mouse figure that features a removable jet pack accessory and five authentic show sayings!

Kids will be able to roleplay as their favourite secret agent with The Shrinkatiser – DM’s gadget of choice. An assortment of plush featuring three individual character phrases and collectable figure range are also available. Further lines for 2016 include Professor Squawkencluck’s Lab playset as well as new vehicles and figures.

Feeding Brit-kids’

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Helping the humour leap from screen, the range brings Danger Mouse, Penfold and all the favourite characters to life in a stunning new collection of figures, vehicles, plush and role-play

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ever-growing appetite for YouTube sensations, Jazwares will grow its already popular Tube Heroes range in 2016. Collectables are being added to the figures and plush that emulate the biggest YouTube stars.

Kids can collect 19 different online heroes in the form of a Mystery Tube, plus there’s a new key line for the hottest Tube Hero of the moment – DanTDM – which lets kids re-enact scenes from the Diamond Dimension: the DanTDM Diamond Dimension Pack. It includes 2.75” DanTDM and exclusive Dr. Trayaurus figures, a minecart with rolling action, plus a bow and quiver. In addition, there’ll be a DanTDM roleplay set which includes his goggles and pick-axe.

The Terraria toy collection - based on the action-packed sandbox video game heads into 2016 with an even more extensive offering for fans.

Helping to bring that virtual world to life are new armoured figures with accessories, additional roleplay items including the Terrablade sword and Paladin’s Hammer, and new pixeldecorated plush.

Animal Jam, a digital playground for kids who love animals and the outdoors, is the number one online social game for kids. In summer 2016, Jazwares brings the adorable world of Animal Jam to life. Jazwares’ new product line will feature an extensive range of customisable and colourful animal figures, pets and destinations representative of the game.

From blind bags of adorable adopt-worthy pets, to collectable figures with decorative accessories and features, kids can dress up and collect all of their favourite animals.

The play experience extends into plush and feature-based playsets.

Images are pending approval - final products may vary from that shown.

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That’s edu-tainment Stand : D36

LEARNING RESOURCES 01553 819 386 www.learningresources.co.uk At London Toy Fair 2016, Learning Resources will be launching over 70 new toys and games and the anticipation is set to build as the show will mark the unveiling of their new brand look.

Learning Resources design and manufacture award-winning educational toys and games to support children’s learning both at home and in the classroom.

From early years through to the application of key STEM skills: literacy, exploration and critical thinking, their unique portfolio of brands engage active minds through hands-on play - unlocking a child’s potential and inspiring a lifelong love of learning.

New for 2016, the company will be introducing five new STEM

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activity sets, designed to support the development of skills such as problem solving, critical thinking and engineering.

The sets The sets include Force and include Force Motion, Simple Machines, Sink and Motion, or Float, Magnets and Robot Simple Mouse, each covering learning Machines, Sink areas that help children or Float, to understand the world around them.

Magnets and The STEM Robot Mouse Robot Mouse, Activity Set requires users to each covering programme a robot mouse learning areas to find a wedge of cheese. that help The maze can be customised children to for endless possibilities and is the perfect introduction to understand the the concepts of coding, step world around programming and logic. them Also at the show, Learning

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Resources will be showcasing new construction product innovations.

The hands-on range Design and Drill features real working tools and colourful bolts. The show will see the launch of Power Play Vehicles, featuring a Race Car, Monster Truck and Helicopter - children can build and customise their vehicle using a motorised mini drill, bolts and stickers.

The range will also see an improved Brightworks Activity Set with an all new sound activation mode and see-through drill as well as the launch of the SparkleWorks set. With SparkleWorks budding designers can make their own custom glow-in-the-dark creations with fun shaped bolts and activate the lights with their voice or music!

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: Stand GH58

t n e d fi n o e C c n a i l p m co ER M U S ON C LTD S A K T I U VER RVICES U A BURE UCTS SE PROD ps .uk/c 4 630 85 s.co 01925 reauverita .bu www

Toys in Europe have never been so safe. This is thanks to the diligence of UK toy manufacturers, importers and retailers, and to the rigorous legislation brought in to protect children from unsafe and harmful products.

Meeting and maintaining these standards presents major challenges to everyone involved in the toy industry, especially as European legislation and standards are constantly changing. No matter the size of your company or your

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Testing is a quick and straightforward way to demonstrate compliance and it is essential to partner with a reputable and accredited toy testing laboratory – one that can provide outstanding technical advice and support

role – from inventor to manufacturer, importer to retailer – if you place a toy on the market, you need to be confident it is compliant and is safe to use.

Testing is a quick and straightforward way to demonstrate compliance and it is essential to partner with a reputable and accredited toy testing laboratory – one that can provide outstanding technical

advice and support.

Bureau Veritas Consumer Products Services provide a complete solution to the toy industry from product concept to store shelves including product safety testing, safety assessments, regulatory consultancy, product inspections, chemical supply chain solutions and social and factory audits.

Bureau Veritas CPS helps clients to improve their supply chain, as well

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as checking that their toys meet regulatory standards.

Supporting a wide range of clients from small toy start-up businesses to large importers, brands and global retailers, they offer product development support, chemical risk assessment, consultancy and safety testing to UK, US, AUS and ISO standards – all of these in-house, at their UK laboratory.

The testing laboratory in Warrington, Cheshire, has been helping toy companies to ensure the quality, safety and compliance of their products for more than a decade. The laboratory, which is UKAS accredited and holds a Notified Body status, offers a unique array of testing capabilities and technical expertise under one roof. It is geared up to test for any type of toy, from electrical toys and outdoor play equipment through to acoustic toys, ride-on toys and children’s dress-ups. With the capabilities to test for Chromium VI, azo

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dyes, allergenic disperse dyes, phthalates, nickel, cadmium and lead in-house (without sub-contracting), they offer clients quick turnaround time and competitive prices, which is crucial in an industry where speed-to-market is essential.

Experienced technicians perform thousands of physical and mechanical, flammability and chemical tests every year and technical consultants sit on a wide range of UK and EU technical committees and industry forums, ensuring that Bureau Veritas CPS is always at the forefront of changes in legislation and test methods.

Also working closely with clients globally, they help them assess their products and manufacturing processes for chemical compliance – one of the main challenges facing the toy industry today.

The UK toy safety teams are given added support by the extensive expertise and resources of the wider Bureau

Veritas network. Bureau Veritas Consumer Products Services is a global leader in testing, inspections and certification for the consumer products market. Founded in 1828, Bureau Veritas has more than 66,500 employees in 1,400 offices and laboratories, located in 140 countries. Their toy safety consultants will be on hand to answer your questions throughout Toy Fair (stand GH58). Get in touch to book an appointment.

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Experienced technicians perform thousands of physical and mechanical, flammability and chemical tests every year and technical consultants sit on a wide range of UK and EU technical committees and industry forums.

toysnplaythings.co.uk

New from K-FORCE, the only blasters you can build, customize and build again, comes The Flash Fire and Super Strike. These next level blasters are bigger and better than ever before and offer rapid fire and multi shot firing action.

Supported by heavyweight TV, Online and Digital Campaigns across 2016.

SALES HOTLINE 01189 253270 KNEX.CO.UK Come and see us at London Toy Fair Gallery 510 and Nuremberg Toy Fair Hall 12.0, Stand F04

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Pirates Budding rebels can bravely protect their ship from invasion using the fully functioning on deck cannon, with a second cannon situated at the bow of the ship.

Swashbuckling fun PLAYMOBIL 01268 548 111 www.playmobil.co.uk

Stand: Gallery 210

Little ones can take to the seas whenever they like with the new Pirate range from Playmobil.

The majestic Pirate’s Combat Ship is the perfect choice for hardy sailors, suitable for play both in water and on land. This impressive ship includes three fearsome pirates with weapons and fully functioning cannons. Budding rebels can bravely protect their ship from invasion using the fully functioning on deck cannon, with a second cannon situated at the bow of the ship.

Children can also hide weapons in secret places dotted around the ship, and lower the working anchor using the winch.

Those with a more mischievous streak can protect their treasures by hiding them on the Treasure Island. Pirates can sneakily hide away treasure chests and golden coins using the working trap door and can capture prisoners in the secret cave. Row the treasure from shore to ship in the minirowing boat and save it from sailors and other pesky pirates.

The Pirate range is available from January 2016. The Soldier’s Cannon Boat allows battles to be had and treasure to be won,

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as sailors defend themselves from the evil pirates that they try to steal the treasure back. The Soldier Tower with Beacon is another great addition to the range for little sailors to keep a look out for those sneaky pirates.

This set comes complete with two soldiers and a seagull.

The new Zoo range is sure to delight all animal lovers with a whole range of both wild and domestic animals, available from January 2016. At the Large City Zoo, children can feed lions in their enclosure, delivering tasty treats with the zoo worker and his wheelbarrow. There is a fun stall selling balloons and cuddly toys, and in the penguin enclosure, children can throw in fish! This fun set also comes with a family of beavers, a peacock and three zoo visitors.

The Petting Zoo allows children to get up close and personal with some of their

favourite furry friends.

The Petting Zoo worker helps deliver supplies while children can feed the animals, snuggle them up in the animal house and feed them their favourite treats. Including sheep, goats, pigs and guinea-pigs, this set is fun for all ages.

These new Zoo sets will be available from January 2016 and are sure to fly off the shelves, especially when all zoo sets can be extended with add-on enclosures to host lots of new animals including two Koala Bears with Baby, Meerkats, Zebra Family, and Parrots and Toucan in a Tree.

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CHARACTER OPTIONS 01616 339 800 www.character-online.com Characters Options’ 2016 brand portfolio holds much to discover across all industry sectors including Girls, Boys and Creative Play together with the most comprehensive pre-school line up in the industry which grows even further with the addition of Teletubbies.

As the number one pre-school license, Character’s Peppa Pig collection is to enter 2016 with a classic range of figures, vehicles and playsets that reflect the most popular themes within the show. Grandad Dog’s Pull-Along Boat, Miss Rabbit’s Train, plus many more playsets will all be featured. The highly successful Holiday range will also continue with a cute addition of a Holiday Big Wheel, plus

The simplistic concept... takes just seconds to create a decorative pom pom that can also be dyed or decorated with glitter.

Pom Pom WOW! will launch in early summer with a huge marketing plan behind it

Stand : E119

a beautiful Princess collection will sparkle for AW16.

There’s also the stunning Peppa Pig Construction range, with newly moulded figures that reflect the Peppa styling.

At the heart of the World of Teletubbies collection is plush with 6” Supersoft Collectables and a signature plush line of 8” Talking Soft Toys are both available as all four Teletubbies. The Talking Soft Toys each have their own sayings and phrases.

Feature plush is also high on the agenda with Tickle & Giggle Po and Laa-Laa, a very lively Jumping Po, plus a Lullaby Laa-Laa night-light toy.

For playsets and accessories the Superdome

Playset is modelled on the Home Dome where the Teletubbies live.

The feature-filled playset has a working lift, light and sound phone, pop up Tubby Toaster, moving Noo Noo and spinning seats, as well as loads of fun sound effects and music! Other playsets include a stunning Pull Along Custard Machine, a Music Day Playset, a Drive and Steer Noo Noo, with fun sound effects and a Giant Pull and Play Noo Noo activity centre.

Character’s Weebles collection is also to wobble to new heights with the arrival of Paw Patrol as you’ve never seen it before. Then in late spring its Eh-Oh to a whole new way to enjoy Teletubbies.

The exciting launch of the Storytime Theatre will add to the pre-school offering and brings bedtime stories to life on the wall or ceiling. Children can learn to read with their favourite characters as well as projecting photo slide shows and downloaded films too.

Character’s creative play division will see huge growth in 2016. Pom Pom WOW! has already received rave reviews from retailers and will open up a whole new style statement for girls, who will go pom pom crazy decorating any accessories and items in an instant.

The simplistic concept takes just seconds to create a decorative pom pom that can

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LONDO TOY F N A STANDIR GH58

At Bureau Veritas Consumer Products Services, we support a wide range of toy clients, from start-up companies to large importers, well-known brands to global retailers, with their safety, compliance and sustainability needs. Through our UK testing laboratory and global network, we have the scope and capabilities to support your business wherever you need.

Product Testing: Physical, Analytical, Flammability

Safety Assessments

Technical & Regulatory Consultancy

Seminars

Chemical Management Solutions

Supply Chain Management Solutions

Inspections & Audits

Our UK laboratory in Warrington, Cheshire, has in-house testing capabilities for chromium VI, azo dyes, nickel, cadmium, lead, phthalates and allergenic disperse dyes. No sub-contracting, ensuring you a quick turnaround time.

Contact our UK testing laboratory: e: Bvsales@uk.bureauveritas.com t: +44 (0)1925 854 360 w: www.bureauveritas.co.uk/cps a: Bureau Veritas Consumer Products Services UK, 31 Kingsland Grange, Woolston, Warrington, WA1 4RW, UK

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be dyed or decorated with glitter.

Pom Pom WOW! will launch in early summer with a huge marketing plan behind it.

Make your own cute collectibles with Poppits: mini clay creations that you piece together and decorate! Just use the special tools to pop and create super cute handbags, ponies, shoes and even puppies. Each set contains the unique Poppit clay, crafting tools and moulds while refill packs of clay are also available to extend the fun.

This summer kids will be able to make a sparkly 3D world come to life with Gemmies. This proven creative play pattern takes working with beads and jewels to another level as they hook, loop and create collectable jewelled figures and decorations which can be displayed or used to decorate key rings, bags and more. Top of the range is the Gemmies Design Studio with design mat, design book, bead storage unit and pre-assembled ring mounts.

In the fun with food sector, ChillFactor will see new licensed slushy makers enter the portfolio in summer in the form of Star Wars and Frozen. A new soft ice cream maker, the ChillFactor IceCream Magic Tray, is also launched.

Just pour the ingredients onto the metallic plate and stir to create the smoothest ice cream ever.

Or, for a lower fat version of the creamy frozen treat then the new frozen milk shaker is a few seconds and a spin away to make a super cool American style thick shake. This category will now also include Banana Surprise - the most surprising way to fill a banana with your favourite sauce or flavour!

Further additions to the creative portfolio will include a new collection for boy’s creative brand Qixels with Qixels Kingdom, a medieval world where you can

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The iconic and popular Stretch Armstrong heritage toy will also be returning with his original styling, new packaging and classic play pattern

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build a fortress, create a qixel army and forge mighty weapons or create 3D characters with new Qixels 3D. And for girls there’s also lots more to discover from Shimmer and Sparkle, Beados and Orbeez.

The iconic and popular Stretch Armstrong heritage toy will also be returning with his original styling, new packaging and classic play pattern. The famous body builder with the malleable limbs is an icon for fathers across the globe and now their children can stretch their own figure to 4 x its original size.

Character’s proven success in youth electronics will again be there for all to see with the unveiling of key new items for both the Little Live pets and Teksta for 2016.

Following on from the success of the iconic Teksta Robotic Puppy, which received Toy of the Year in 2014, Character will be delighted to unveil the new voice recognition G5 Teksta Robotic Puppy. Never before has a robotic pet been so lovable with his multicoloured LED eyes and realistic ear movements. Add to this his super sensitive voice control, new applications and multiple commandled features - this pup will be a kid’s new best friend in an instant!

Kids will also be able to engage with the brand new ultraintelligent Toucan, who can tell jokes, play games and even performs

numerous magic tricks that will keep children guessing. With the addition of a free app, children will be able to download further content and more comprehensive responses. Toucan’s interactive eye pattern and realistic sound effects are mesmerising whilst his voice recognition programmes will make him the ultimate responsive pal.

With two million Little Live Pets sold to date in the UK and Mice, Turtles, Birds, Butterflies and Sweet Talking Friends to choose from, Toy Fair will be the place to see what’s in store for this top children’s brand.

The popular Mice collection will grow with six new musical mice, a mouse wheel and multi-featured Play and Fun Park Trails that can be used alone or connected to the existing mouse house and playsets.

Swimstar turtles are amazing amphibians that are just as much fun in water as out and will be joined by a new collection of Little Live Pets Frogs that swim in water and hop on land and like the turtles, they come on their own or with their own tank.

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See us at Toy Fair - Gallery 119 www.ty.com Tel: 01329 829 828 Fax: 01329 220 900

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e t s a t t e e w S s s e c c u s f o

SCIENCE4YOU 020 8223 7364 www.science4youtoys.co.uk

Stand Galle : ry 199

Science4You bet there’s a chocoholic in almost everybody. Chocolate is universal and puts a smile on every single face.

Science4you launches the latest Chocolate Factory that avails this circumstance and blends entertainment, joy and scientific knowledge not only for the kids but as well as for older ones.

The Chocolate Factory sweet novelty offers more than 30 diverse scientific experiments.

Delicious chocolate lollipops, chocolate chip cookies, chocolate yogurt, brownies, crunchy chocolates and instant chocolate ice-cream are only a few of the delights that children can experiment with using this kit.

Children from ages eight and above can learn the science behind making appetising candies and the confection of chocolate at the same time. The kit comprises an educational book that explains all the steps, methods and scientific phenomenon – learning science has never been this sweet!

Scientific studies demonstrate that if learning is triggered by a positive experience, it stimulates the brain to develop assorted

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Scientific studies demonstrate that if learning is triggered by a positive experience, it stimulates the brain to develop assorted capacities

capacities. As a result, the award-winning Sweet Factory explores this dimension in a very dulcet manner. Named the UK Toy Verdict Awards 2015 winner and given a silver medal in the UK Independent Toy Awards 2015, this kit contains two educational books that clarify the procedures and scientific phenomenon behind all of its 40 experiments.

No one can resist this sweet empire for all ages from eight years and up.

The Sweet Factory instructs about how to create tasty and colourful sweets such as jelly sweets, lollipops, yogurt treats, marshmallow teacakes and homemade soft drinks, all of which help the imagination of little ones to flow.

The Sweet Factory is an educational scientific toy that merges knowledge and leisure in a unique way. While kids have fun trying to make their own sweets, they will be simultaneously developing their knowledge of science and procedures. What’s the special ingredient? Science!

The Explosive Science is a kit developed for little scientists from the age of eight. This kit is more than a toy as it has a scientific learning component.

The Explosive Science comprises all the required material and a coloured booklet providing detailed instructions and scientific information with 28 different experiments such as building an incredible rocket with a chemical reaction, making an effervescent bomb, piercing a balloon without popping it and many po others. The sky is o the limit!

This kit mingles entertainment and e education in an e engaging approach. e Children will blow up C dullness and monotony d with the Explosive w Science. This toy is a S great way to spend g ffamily moments, granting enjoyment for g all ages. a

toysnplaythings.co.uk toysnp

BIG MAGNETIC NEWS FROM GEOMAGWORLD! Geomagworld SA, the magnetic toys specialist, is a company where creativity is always at work.

We are launching new products in the Classic lines, Color and Panels and also in the recently introduced Mechanics range. Let yourself be â&#x20AC;&#x153;attractedâ&#x20AC;? by our drive ve to t iinn innovation, nnov ovat atio ion, quality and excitem excitement. emen e t. en

COME AND FIND US AT 2016 London Toy Fair, at Booth 505 Nuremberg Spielwarenmesse at Hall 6, Stand A23

www.geomagworld.com

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Woodland wonderland THE PUPPET COMPANY 01462 446 040 www.thepuppetcompany.com For a few years now The Puppet Company has been designing a range of puppets called Hide-Aways.

As their Hide-Away name suggests, these sets of puppets all have somewhere to ‘hide’. For example, like the Mouse Family, their cover is a big slice of cheese, whereas the Grey Rabbit can find solace in lettuce.

Joining this fantastic range is the Old Tree and Pond, which features a gnarled old tree with seven residents including a Tawny Owl, Kingfisher, Robin, Frog, Mallard, Greater Spotted Woodpecker - plus - sitting very proudly on the top, a Blackbird on his nest incubating three eggs!

All seven birds and animals are finger puppets and help to create a delightful and educational toy. The surface of the pond gives the impression that a little breeze has just

Centre of attraction PLAYMAGS

Stand : E16

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As their Hide-Away name suggests, these sets of puppets all have somewhere to ‘hide’.

rippled the surface on which the Mallard can go for a swim. The Kingfisher can perch on either branch so it can keep an eye out for some lunch. Far from replacing the current Tree House, this is a worthy addition to the Hide-Aways collection.

Other new additions to this bestselling range are Rabbit Hill House, Under the Sea House and the Dinosaur Volcano House!

Each new Hide-away comes complete with assorted finger puppets and a playhouse for them to live in.

One of the most successful new launches has been the Wilberry European Wildlife and World Wildlife ‘soft toy’ collections - see them on the stand.

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Stand : GH32

020 3667 2721 www.playmags.com After launching into the construction toys category in 2014, Playmags has continued to go from strength to strength. Playmags is made up of 3D construction blocks that attract on all sides and can be combined to form many different geometric shapes and

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structures. Building with the tiles has been shown to inspire creativity and brain development, as well as providing fun construction-based play for children aged three years and up.

The product is available in nine sizes: 150-piece, 100-piece and 50-piece sets, a 50-piece accessory set, and sets containing 48, 30, 24 and 20 pieces, with a new 60-piece launching in 2016. All the sets come in eye-catching boxes, and fit nicely on shelves as part of a construction and educational retail offering.

Also new for 2016 is a range of three accessories: a two-car set, a magna board - which is a 16x16 inch magnet board - and a Playmags

remote control car.

The magnetic blocks of Playmags easily connect together allowing open-ended play creating cubes, pyramids and other shapes. The shaped blocks encourage creativity, maths skills and spatial relations, as well as patterning and basic geometry. The ease with which the tiles connect allows children to move from constructing two-dimensional to three-dimensional creations - it’s a really interesting new product for the Construction Toys category, and one that wears its education-through-play badge proudly.

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To St y an Fa d ir B4 0

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016 2 y uar th Jan !!! d th / 26 n a t s ir, 24 mazing a F Toy Ea N t a O s n ange ds, all o r l e Matt ing bran & sbro he lea d a H 2016 ith all t e h t See gether w to

A.B.Gee of Ripley Ltd, Asher Lane Business Park, Ripley, Derbyshire, DE5 3SW. Tel: 01773 570444 www.abgee.co.uk Email: sales@abgee.co.uk

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TY UK 01329 829 828 www.ty.com

Stand: Gallery 119

It’s stacking up to be a good year for retailers, and Ty is more than a teeny bit excited to introduce the latest members of their family; the pocket-sized, stackable Teeny Tys. Possibly the sweetest Ty creations ever, Teeny Tys are made for cuddles and love snuggling up together. These 12 lovable characters will become instant friends, like cheeky Diggs the Dog, you know ‘whoo’ Mimi the Owl and the irresistible Shuffler the Turtle, you can stack them up and take them anywhere.

These miniature pets are available at pocket money prices and promise to be another totally collectable range for all ages. Teeny Tys are launching in January 2016 in three or four selected accounts and will be on

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Sure to be instant favourites, the eight new Beanie Babies are created from rich velvety fabrics and natural colours with finishing touches airbrushed by hand

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general release in February.

It’s shaping up to be a great year in more ways than one as Ty also unveil their twist on the tech accessories market with the adorable Peek-A-Boo range.

The next generation of the world’s favourite plush toy brings smartphones and tablets to life by holding them upright for you during game play. Let Pups the Dog and Penni the Penguin make eyes at you over the top of your device. Peek-ABoos will be backed by Ty Warner’s first ever TV commercial campaign; a catchy song that’s as cute and modern as they are.

The 12 Peek-A-Boo characters feature a micro-fibre screen wipe.

No surprise that the bright colours and silky soft material of the phenomenal Beanie Boos have proved irresistible to Ty fans

with 1 billion produced in the last five years. The wide-eyed, round faced bundles of joy have proved too cute not to take home and with eight new characters out in January, there is a Beanie Boo friend for everybody.

Perhaps most exciting of all for seasoned collectors as well as newcomers, is the release of the first new Beanie Babies characters for 2016. Sure to be instant favourites, the eight new Beanie Babies are created from rich velvety fabrics and natural colours with finishing touches airbrushed by hand.

The announcement of the latest Ty characters alongside anticipated growth across the range will give retailers the confidence that their sale of Ty Beanies will continue to grow in 2016.

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Going for a song VTECH

Stand : Galler y 500

01235 555 545 www.vtech.co.uk

With over a hundred new products launching at Toy Fair 2016, many of these are in the VTech Baby range.

The Little Friendlies Glow and Giggle Playmat is a beautiful and bright padded playmat and baby gym, with light-up fireflies on the leaf for visual stimulation. It has a detachable, interactive electronic piano activity

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The Toot-Toot ranges... have helped VTech secure its number one Infant and Toddler postition for another year, due partly to its continued growth and development year on year: and 2016 is no exception

centre that introduces colours and shapes.

There are three detachable play pieces with a variety of textures for fun and stimulating play. A soft caterpillar friend acts as a prop for baby while playing on their tummy. The fully washable mat includes four songs and 30 melodies.

The Toot-Toot ranges have helped VTech secure its number one Infant and Toddler postition for another year, due partly to its continued growth and development year on year: and 2016 is no exception. The Toot-Toot Drivers Gold Mine Train Station from VTech lets

your child play like a real conductor!

Spark children’s imagination as they combine the 30 track pieces into different combinations. Watch the cute motorised train and its wagon chug along the tracks, climb slopes on its own, go into the mine and through the tunnel! The train and other Toot-Toot Drivers vehicles respond to the eight SmartPoint

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locations that introduce early language interact with the floating Toot-Toot and encourage essential motor skill skills. The train includes three singSplash Bath Island, which has lots of development while learning through along songs and 17 melodies and the manipulative features, turning water roleplay. Caring for baby also fosters mine introduces colours, wheel and splash launcher for great imaginative play and problem solving. shapes, early language skills and basic water play fun.

Parents are also able to connect to time concepts. the learning lodge via their VTech are looking to Smartphone to programme continue the Toot-Toot the child’s name, the dolls success in to bath time name, health tips and launching in AW16, is a karaoke play in 2016, with the important events such as introduction of a brand a birthday or holiday. microphone and stand! Connect either new addition to the award There is a brand an MP3 player or phone and with built-in winning Toot-Toot Family; new addition to the vocal removal technology it allows you to Toot-Toot Splash. TootKidizoom range for become the star and sing along to your Toot Splash will include 2016, the Kidizoom a range of fun boats and Selfie Cam comes favourite songs cute marine animals, which bundled with its include the renowned very own selfie stick! interactive features and fun sound Entering the doll market for the Following the popular trend of taking effects with VTech’s unique closedfirst time in 2014, VTech introduced selfies, the Kidizoom Selfie Cam has cell technology. These individual items the Little Love Baby Talk. The doll been designed for children to be able received a great response following to join in too! It has a twist camera its launch and 2015 saw the range to easily take front and rear facing increase with the two new additions of pictures and lots of built in selfie apps Little Love Baby Peek-a-Boo and Little to get really creative!

Love Learn to Walk, further increasing Creativity doesn’t end there in the its presence in the doll category. Now VTech range. Kidimusic, launching in two years on, VTech will be unveiling AW16, is a karaoke microphone and their new arrivals to the Little Love stand! Connect either an MP3 player family at Toy Fair 2016, with the or phone and with built-in vocal ® launch of Little Love Get Better Soon removal technology it allows you to and the Little Love 4-in-1 Carrier. become the star and sing along to Little Love Get Better Soon your favourite songs. Playback to comes complete with six medical friends and family using the record accessories and various sensors on function and add fun sound effects to the doll, allowing children to develop the songs whilst the light flashes and nurturing skills through pretend play changes colour in time with the music.

Kidimusic....

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Toy Fa ir Stan d GH 3 2

erg b m Nure and 4 St Hall D-88

T: 0203 667 2721 2 21 E: sales@playmags.co.uk

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l a e r e Som cters! a r a h c SIMBA SMOBY

Stand : E135

01274 765 030 www.simba-dickie.com

Simba Smoby Toys will be exhibiting its largest ever collection at London Toy Fair in 2016, where incredible new licensed projects for brands including Transformers, SpongeBob and Bob the Builder will sit alongside exciting new brands such as Masha and the Bear.

In the boys’ category, the new Dickie Transformers range of vehicles covers radio control, feature light and sound as well as die-cast vehicles, adding a completely new play pattern to the Transformers universe. Simba will also be showing the Disney Cars Radio Control from Dickie for the first time at a London Toy Fair, featuring fantastic price points and backed by the biggest offmovie Cars brand campaign ever in the build up to Cars 3 in 2017.

SpongeBob continues to perform well following a stunning year in 2015 that saw SpongeBob toy retail sales grow by over 100 per cent! 2016 will see continued new product development

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Incredible new licensed projects for brands including Transformers, SpongeBob and Bob the Builder will sit alongside exciting new brands such as Masha and the Bear 62

and innovation on the SpongeBob master toy line from Simba and the full new collection will be available to view on the Simba Stand.

For pre-school kids, Simba Smoby is delighted to be working with Mattel on the roleplay range for the new Bob the Builder. This incredible range of play tools and workbenches is derived directly from the show and kids will be able to get their hands on the very tools they see Bob using every day.

Masha and the Bear has become a global pre-school phenomenon, and has seen sell-out success in late 2015 with an exclusive UK launch at The Entertainer.

Now available to the whole market in the UK for the first time, and with an increasing broadcast footprint supporting 600 million YouTube views a month, Masha is set to be one of the big break-out toy brands in the UK this year. 2016 also sees the arrival of another exciting new pre-school property in Wissper.

This beautiful animated series tells the story of a young girl who can talk to animals and travels to magical worlds helping animals with their problems. Supported in the UK by Nickelodeon and with broadcast on Milkshake and Nick Jr, the Simba master toy range includes dolls, plush, roleplay and playsets and will be available for AW16.

For girls, Simba Smoby continues to build the Steffi Love and Evi Love fashion doll brands, with an increased range on display at Toy Fair. In 2015, a headline partnership with pop superstar Pixie Lott drove sales and Steffi Love recorded over 25 per cent growth in NPD! Simba Smoby will also be showing new developments in the ever popular Smoby outdoor and roleplay collection, featuring their biggest ever range of playhouses, slides, activity centres, kitchens and ride-ons; all with great promotional opportunities developed to drive sales of the range in 2016. As ever, Simba Smoby will continue to support all the Smoby items with a best in class home delivery dropship service.

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www.nickotrade.co.uk Come and see us at Toy Fair GH63

s Wooden Toy s Balance Bike

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ir e h t n Stand: i y t GH43 Safe s hand BUDDY TAG www.buddytag.co.uk Buddy Tag is a stylish, easy to wear wristband that uses Bluetooth technology to monitor your children through the use of your mobile phone.

The Buddy Tag is worn by your child and works by sending an alert to your phone if your child leaves your proximity. The tag in the wristband can also alert you if it is submerged in water and can therefore help to prevent accidental drowning.

Conveniently located on the wristband is also a panic button, allowing your child to alert you if they are in fear or in a threatening situation. Each Buddy tag has a child ID in the wristband to also help reunite your child with you if they become separated. The app can email time and map locations of when your child was last seen - ideal for parents whose children are out with a childminder or nanny for the day.

Inquisitive minds EDUK8 WORLDWIDE

Stand : GH42

01434 672 336 www.eduk8worldwide.com As well as Eduk8's ever-popular Belly Bump Balls, they will be exhibiting a great range of exclusive wooden toys and ‘hands-on’ science range for inquisitive minds. They will be launching an exclusive range of large outdoor playmat games. Choose from Snakes and Ladders or Ludo – both with unique dice domes so ensuring you never lose dice again. Plus the Crocodile Hop and Large Numbers Games are each supplied with large jumbo inflatable dice. All are water and heat resistant with UV protection, so perfect for outdoor play. And the giant outdoor games have little sisters – mini board games with dice domes are just as much fun, offer all the same features as their larger siblings, at fantastic pocket money prices.

Also new is a range of Premium Trikes - four types of high quality Trikes in trendy white, that are stylish, well-built and great value for money.

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It’s your creation THAMES & KOSMOS 01580 212 000 www.thamesandkosmos.co.uk

Stand : G60

For the fifth year in a row, Thames & Kosmos will be exhibiting their educational science kits at Toy Fair. There are plenty of new additions for visitors to see including Toy of the Year nomination - Kids First Physics. Other brand new kits for 2016 include Aeronautical Animals, Gyroscopic Machines and Candy Lab. There’s also additions to the robotics range with Geckobot – a robotic gecko that can climb walls, and Remote Control Machines Custom Cars!

For those looking for something smaller look no further than the Prism Force range! With a selection of six different kits to choose from, each with three different models to build and a collectable crystal, they’re sure to be a hit. Kits also available in 2016 will include the My Discovery 3D Microscope and the long awaited Glow Stick Lab. Along with the exciting new science kits, Thames & Kosmos will be launching four unreleased Kosmos board games at Toy Fair. Try your hand at becoming a master Egyptian builder in Imhotep or take a turn in the dynastic Battle of the Roses with The Rose King.

Make sure to pop by and chat with science demonstrator Brad Gross to see the exciting new kits in action and pick up a catalogue. Any customer placing an order will receive a special show discount.

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FLYING GADGETS

RADIO CONTROLLED TOY SPECIALISTS IN

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LONDON TOY FAIR STAND F101 SPRING G FAIR STAND STAN 5H56

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Tractor Ted

®

In partnership with

the UK’s favourite little green tractor

New toy range being introduced in 2016...

See us at:

Real Life Farm Fun and Adventure Tel: 01373 834500

•

www.tractorted.co.uk

Stand No: GH46

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e c i o h rc o f f l e s r u o y Spoil OF RIPLEY LON

EE A.B.G70 444

5 01773 gee.co.uk b a . www

Stand : B40

Fit for a king GP FLAIR - JUST PLAY DIVISION

A.B.Gee has stepped forward this year, with the leading toy manufacturers Mattel and Hasbro not taking part at Toy Fair 2016, A.B.Gee will be the exclusive show representatives for these two global toy giants.

All new Mattel and Hasbro All new Mattel and 2016 products will be on Hasbro 2016 products will display, together with leading brands like MGA be on display, together Entertainment and many with leading brands like others, all displayed on one MGA Entertainment and amazing large trade stand. many others, all displayed The A.B.Gee of Ripley on one amazing large trade stand will have dedicated stand sections packed with great value toys for all ages, with toys and games for early years, boys, girls, roleplay, wooden, craft, pocket money, puzzles, games, outdoor, remote control, quadcoptors and diecast. The team at A.B.Gee are sure that their extensive range enables them to offer an unrivalled collection of quality products direct from one supplier, enabling you to maximize your sales and profit going into 2016 and beyond.

Among the highlights on their stand will be Mattel’s incredible View-Master 3D virtual reality viewer. Also on offer will be a dedicated product demonstration area, giving hourly demonstrations of the award winning Science4you range. Science4you is backed by the University of Oxford and the Discovery Channel and has been a tremendous success in 2015.

And it’s not all about new toys - they have all your favourite names including Star Wars, Disney’s Frozen, Disney Princess, Sofia the First, Barbie, Peppa Pig, Fisher-Price, Thomas & Friends, Shopkins, Little Tikes, Turtles, Baby Annabell, Casdon, Remote Control and many more on display.

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020 8643 0320 www.flairplc.co.uk

Stand : B22

When it comes to licensed toy collections, GP Flair’s Just Play Division has much to discover and will be a must see for visitors to London Toy Fair, with the master toy range for Disney’s new franchise, The Lion Guard; plus a stylish option for fans of Disney’s Princesses.

The eagerly awaited new Disney Junior animated TV movie Return of the Roar and the Lion Guard series launch in spring and will be followed in autumn with an innovative master toy line from Just Play. This and a lot more so make sure to pop by the stand at London to check out their ranges.

A new beginning EAST COAST NURSERY 01692 408 802 www.eastcoastnursery.co.uk

Stand :

East Coast Nursery will be unveiling B56 something very exciting at Toy Fair – their new partnership!

For 2016, East Coast Nursery has partnered with one of parents’ best-loved resources for baby and toddler development to create something very special. All will be revealed at the Toy Fair, so visit East Coast Nursery on stand B56 to find out more!

Where to Santa? S DESTINATION BOARD GAMES 02392 704 082 www.destinationboardgames.co.uk

tand: GH13

The Destination Christmas game is brand new, having been created just a few short months ago – so it really is hot off the press!

It’s Christmas Eve and disaster strikes – can you help Santa deliver presents with the use of your trusty snow cab?

Celebrating 10 years for the prestigious location board game will be Destination Portsmouth – a very special 10th anniversary edition that celebrates owner Rachel’s time with the company.

Knowing Rachel and loving the Destination brand, many business were keen to be included in the 10th anniversary edition.

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ur o h t i w c i g a M s t e e Science M lour Wheel! o C s ’ n o t w Ne ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖

Educational Fun Value for money Pocket money High margin Great service.

We have been suppliers to the schools and school wholesale market since 2008 and are now ready to offer retailers the same great service with a brand, new, fun educational line in attractive retail packaging. Newton’s Colour Wheel

by Education Harbour Ltd is the first of a range of science meets magic products that we will be introducing.

Visit us at GH40 The Toy Fair call free on 0800 756 9788 or visit www.educationharbour.com

additions to t w e he best-selling N ! m e t s y S Giant Road All jigsaws are fully compatible with one another!

For sales contact your local rep/agent or contact the sales admin team on 01953 859539

sales@orchardtoys.com

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s e m a g d n a Fun e farm h t t aRACTOR TED T

00 834 5 o.uk 01373 ctorted.c a r .t www

Tractor Ted is the foremost supplier of children’s products in the UK based around real life farming fun including children’s gifts, farm toys, children’s clothing, live events and visitor attractions.

The brainchild of childhood friends Alexandra Heard and David Horler, Tractor Ted began life back in 2002 when Alexandra noticed her three small children were fascinated by a short video at the end of a cartoon that featured a real tractor ploughing a field.

The idea took hold to make a video for young children that showed real farm machinery at work.

This simple concept proved a winner not only with children but their parents, grandparents and teachers alike and today Tractor Ted is a national favourite with over 90,000 DVDs and 40,000 books sold each year.

Stand: GH46

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A Tractor Ted bestseller, kids (and parents) love the traditional play value of the Tractor Ted Wooden Tractor.

Chunky and robust, this mini wooden replica of the full size Tractor Ted, is a must have in young children’s play farms

From this incredibly popular series has come an entire Tractor Ted world for pre-school children including toys, gifts, clothing, homeware, live events and visitor attractions. On show at the London Toy Fair will be the Tractor Ted Jigsaws – new for 2016.

hitches to the Tractor Ted Wooden Toy and comes complete with three wooden farm animals – cow, sheep and pig.

Also on display will be the Tractor Ted Bath Squirters which remain firmly at the top of the Tractor Ted Top 10 bestseller list!

Offering guaranteed bathtime fun, Tractor Ted and his farm animal friends (chicken, sheep, cow and pig) have become an essential ingredient to bathtime play across the UK!

” Packaged in attractive and colourful presentation boxes, whether four, six or nine pieces, each of the three puzzles are perfect for little fingers and inquisitive minds!

A Tractor Ted bestseller, kids (and parents) love the traditional play value of the Tractor Ted Wooden Tractor. Chunky and robust, this mini wooden replica of the full size Tractor Ted, is a must have in young children’s play farms.

The Tractor Ted Trailer (wooden)

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Toddler Collection

Come and see us...

HONG KONG 1D E-38

BTHA OLYMPIA E10

INTERNATIONAL TOY FAIR HALL 3 D-34

info@letoyvan.com

SPRING FAIR 5K08

www.letoyvan.com

0208 979 2036

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s r e d n o w Branching out d e l e NICKO TOYS Whe 01293 534 649 www.nickotrade.co.uk

ALPHA TOYS +353 67 63800 www.alpha-toys.co.uk

Stand: Gallery 610

The Siku brand continues to go from strength to strength, with a very successful year’s growth in 2015 and very positive outlook for 2016. This success has been built on the back of an increasing number of stockists in the UK and the continued addition of new releases, which always bring the possibilities of sales growth.

There were four series of releases through 2015, with new items in the blister model series, 1:87, 1:50, 1:32 tractor and attachments. The World series of sets was also expanded to allow for further play value, giving all categories within the brand something new to offer.

Version three and four of the popular Bugatti Gift Sets was also released as a UK and Ireland exclusive for Alpha Toys. Such has been the success of these sets that versions five and six are planned for release later this year. This will enhance the other new items for this year, including the big news: a Siku Control Fendt Tractor with loader in the first series of releases. There is also something of a departure in Siku Control coming in September/October - watch this space!

Lottie leads the way ARKLU 020 3773 2726 www.arklu.com

Stand: B135

It’s a cold winter night and Lottie has found the perfect spot for stargazing.

Designed by six year old Abigail from Canada, the Gold STEM Collection Stargazer Lottie doll will travel to the International Space Station on the Principia Mission with British Astronaut Tim Peake. The special edition doll is a collaboration with the European Space Agency and is a winner of the space.com ‘Little Scientist’ Space Age Award at the New York Toy Fair 2015. The Gold Collection Stargazer Lottie doll wears a dark blue velvet bomber jacket over cerise-coloured dungarees, a long sleeve t-shirt with pale blue arms, and sturdy brown boots. Presented in a giftable doll box, the packaging features constellations as well as the solar system. Recommended for children ages three and above.

Joining the Special Edition Gold Collection is Fossil Hunter Lottie, Muddy Puddles Lottie, Rockabilly Lottie and Pony Club Lottie.

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Stand: GH63

Nicko Toys will be making its debut at Toy Fair 2016, stand GH63. Established in 2014, Nicko Toys started as balance bike specialists and quickly branched out by adding a range of wooden toys.

Much of the range including the baby pushand-pull-along roller toys and the popular nesting xylophone are made from bamboo. Featured at Toy Fair 2016 will be their exciting Q-Pack range. Made from sustainable plantation wood and available in two sizes and eight styles, the Q-Pack collection features a unique connection system and simple instructions making it fun to build and play with.

Taking pride of place is the Nicko Toys balance bike collection, comprising three different options: the entry level balance bike range available in nine different styles, built to last and sensibly priced, this is the mainstay of the range.

The mini bike/trike range is smaller than an average balance bike meaning short legs won’t hold back a budding balance biker. The bike can first be set up as a 3-wheel trike suitable for toddlers, then the trike can be converted to a 2-wheel balance bike. Available in four colours, this range has been a great success in 2015. Launching in 2016 and featured for the first time at Toy Fair is the new 2-in-1 bike which comes with a reversible frame, making the bike suitable for short legs on the lowest setting and then growing with the child all the way until they are ready for their first pedal bike.

2016 proves to be an exciting year for Nicko Toys.

New and exciting products, free next day delivery and drop-shipping options mean a visit to Nicko is time well spent.

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Parental approval ASOBI 01628 200 077 www.asobi.co.uk

Stand: Gallery 124

Asobi’s motto is ‘Inspired Toys for Today’ and that’s exactly what they aim to do with high quality products and exciting ideas.

The Seedling range helps fuel young imaginations and open new paths to discovery. With ORB factory, the Imaginsta ranges, Glitter Petz and Plush Craft offering children mess-free fun and give amazing results every time.

Huge fans of the products from Uncle Goose, Asobi promote how each set is handcrafted using the best materials.

Skipper offers you British hand-made wooden sailing yachts and Asobi’s award winning motto is ride-ons for young children.

‘Inspired Toys for Today’ and Red Toolbox has a fantastic that’s exactly range of what they aim woodworking to do projects that mums and dads and children can build together, from go-karts to bird boxes and even pirate ships.

If you want ride-ons and wagons, then Radio Flyer produces beautifully crafted products that will last for years. In the last few months Asobi has introduced some exciting new ranges from Tegu, Handlebar Heroes and heirloom rocking horses from Rivelin.

Tegu is a real find as they produce the most beautifully crafted magnetic building blocks offering a great sustainability story and endless play. Handlebar Heroes engage creative play by dressing up your bikes and scooters as dragons or ponies.

Rivelin offers you hand built traditional rocking horses that are the definition of an heirloom.

Beautifully crafted with amazing detail, any child would be lucky to receive this amazing rocking horse. They also have two new collections launching from Micador and Minimondos.

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Let’s build and be creative together!

LIVE DEMOS NEW!

AWARD WINNING

Come and see us on stand D95

LEGO and LEGO logo trademarks of the LEGO Group © 2016 The LEGO Group

Discover all the Crocodile Creek and Krooom novelties for 2016!

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Vekemans BVBA / Bertoy Beekstraat 10, 9170 Sint-Pauwels ls BELGIUM Tel: (0032) 3 777 05 33 e-mail service@bertoy.com www.bertoy.com

Toy Fair

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GEOMAG +41 916 961 740 www.geomagworld.com Geomag returns to the London Toy Fair with a new and exciting range of magnetic construction products.

Geomagworld is a company where creativity and learning have been working side by side since 2008. Their classic toys exploit the incredible potential of magnetism for play and education.

Classic is the Geomag platform that lets you create an unlimited number of shapes and structures using the rods and spheres.

This new platform makes it possible to build

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quickly and build big stable structures.

With a wide range of colours, including the exciting glitter and glow product assortment, there is no end to the colour combinations, but include the Geomag Panels and you enter a new realm. Including the bright translucent triangles, squares and pentagons in your structure adds a new dimension and makes the building even stronger.

And now get the fun rolling with Geomag Mechanics, the new magnetic construction system. They’ve taken the Geomag Classic line and added new mechanical elements that really bring your construction to life.

Each year, Geomag introduces new and innovative product lines. The most recent

and innovative of these is Kor Geomag, a new magnetic construction system that lets you make an unlimited number of characters and figures. A completely new magnetic building system lies at the heart of Kor and delivers the fun of building, the excitement of creating new characters and the fun of roleplaying. Kor is engaging for all ages, beautifully designed and will be a joy for any child. Now, with warehousing and distribution based in the UK, Geomag is able to provide excellent support to all their customers. Low minimum order levels, rapid delivery and with creative marketing support, they believe they can make a real impact in 2016.

Celebrity MakoVer MV SPORTS 01217 488 000 www.mvsports.co.uk

The watery world of Dory, Nemo and friends is the perfect license for pools, water slides and sprinklers

Mv Sports is thrilled to be showcasing no less than eight new licenses, plus refreshes to another seven properties and two new brand launches.

Their two flagship pre-school brands Thomas & Friends and Peppa Pig are getting a makeover for 2016 to ensure that the product ranges stay fresh while Disney Princess is also strengthened with several exciting new product launches.

Joining them in the pre-school arena is the return of classic kids favourites; Bob the Builder, Noddy and Teletubbies. Spearheading the new Teletubbies range is the brand new Po scooter based on the one used by Po in the show.

Accompanying these exciting properties will

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Stand : B30

also be an all new range of bikes, ride-ons and inflatables based on the fastest growing pre-school property of 2015 – Paw Patrol. The irrepressible ‘hero next door’ Fireman Sam completes the lineup of essential action packed ranges for pre-school boys.

MV Sports’ new licensed portfolio for 2016 gets even better with the launch of Finding Dory wheeled toys and inflatables. All this and plenty more at London Toy Fair, so make sure to pop by MV's stand.

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IN COLLABORATION WITH

Stand B135

The age appropriate relatable doll. lottiedolls lottie_dolls lottiedolls lottie_dolls

www.lottie.com

Arklu Ltd, Colab, Port Road, Letterkenny, Co. Donegal, IRELAND UK: +44 2037 73 2726 / IRE: +353 74 91 165 91 sales@arklu.com

asobitoys

@asobi_toys

• T: 01628 200077 • www.asobi.co.uk • info@asobi.co.uk

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Stand : H30

The biggest jigsaw manufacturer in Central Europe, Trefl runs two factories – both in Poland – and sells products to over 50 countries globally.

Despite a strong position within Central Europe, Western Europe accounts for an important section of their sales and since 2014 the UK has become the number one market in Western Europe.

At Toy Fair 2016, Trefl will be using this opportunity to get closer to customers, understand customers’ expectations and reach out to new customers.

Littl Planet – currently Little On top of Trefl’s 2015 pr in production, which they range of more than believ customers will find believe 500 SKUs and almost 20 extreme interesting. extremely lso jigsaw puzzle lines, they also te The team at Trefl prides itself have board games, playing cards in being flexible and always and arts and crafts items. ensuring they listen At Toy Fair 2016, Trefl to customers. will focus on puzzles, At Toy Fair 2016, Trefl will As a result showcasing all bestsellers focus on puzzles, showcasing of this, they are all bestsellers and also and also showing off their open to knowing showing off their puzzles puzzles that are targeted at visitors’ needs and that are targeted at adults adults as well as children, expectations regarding as well as children, based based on well-known and puzzles and games, so on well-known and popular characters. that they can improve as popular characters Trefl will present the new well as create even more line of products – Trefl exciting products.

Visit the Alpha Toys stand at the Toy Fair Gallery 610 and see the newest releases from Siku SIKUSUPER

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For UK enquiries please contact: Alpha Toys Ltd. Phone 0035367 63800 • Fax 0035367 63801 • info@alpha-toys.co.uk For Ireland enquiries please contact: Banaghan & Co Ltd • Co.Tipperary • Tel +35367 63800 • Fax: +35367 63801 • info@banaghans.ie

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s g n i h s i n r u f n u F Get creative WEST DESIGN PRODUCTS 01303 297 888 www.westdesignproducts.co.uk

Stand : D95

JNH EUROPE 01617 371 881 www.jnheurope.com

Stand: B98

JnH Europe Ltd has a wide range of new and exclusive products and designs that will be launched and showcased at the highly-anticipated London Toy Fair 2016. They are committed to creating unique, high quality and vibrant designs in all their toys and furniture.

New products include Practical Shelving Units and Drawers, Pull along Toy Boxes, Coat and Bag stands, Work Desks and Storage Benches. All these products feature new and current licenses including Masha and the Bear, Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Princess, Star Wars, Avengers, Cars and many more in the eye-catching brand new range.

In addition there will be updates to their current range of the much loved bestsellers such as the classics - Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Princess, Cars and Winnie the Pooh - throughout their range of indoor and outdoor products, including the Pull out Sofa, Table and Chair Sets, Moon Chairs, Gazebo tent, Folding Chairs and so much more.

With great new family films launching next year, JnH aims to further its position in the market and continue to With great new family films demonstrate a commitment to launching next year, JnH aims their customers, retailers and to further its position in the licensors by subsequently market and continue to developing exciting and up to demonstrate a commitment date products in order to keep to their customers, retailers increasing sales through new and licensors licensing deals. Plenty of updates and exciting news on this will be available at the show.

JnH products come flat packed and are easy to assemble, with a UK helpline number available for anyone that might find any difficulty.

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West Design has had an exceptional year of growth and success, and is now looking to continue its triumph for many more years to come. With the Toy Fair 2016 just around the corner, West Design shows no sign of slowing down as it prepares itself for the debut of the brand new LEGO Stationery range! The company is proud to be the sole UK distributor for this incredibly versatile range of stationery.

West Design does not only fly one flag, but many, including ‘Fun’! The Fun range stationery is perfect for anyone to create a masterpiece with its pens, glitter, activity packs and much, much more, plus even child sized Fun furniture!

And what show would be complete without Creativity for Kids? West Design will be showing off with the award winning Flower Crowns, which is clearly the perfect accessory for any festival, wedding and party goers. Let’s not forget Glitter Tattoos - these not only look better than the real things, but they can be easily removed! Plus, for those action men around the house there’s the CFK Paracord Wristbands. Still not convinced? Then why not visit the stand to see live and fun demonstrations, and some totally LEGO stationery is just the brand new Creativity for ticket for widening the imagination and perfect Kids products.

to get those creative juices flowing

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create visibility

Belgium: Kids Universe China: Toys & Hobby Finland: Lelukauppias Germany: das spielzeug Japan: Weekly Toy News Netherlands: Speelgoed en Hobby Norway: Baby, Hobby & Leketøy Poland: ĝwiat Zabawek Spain: Juguetes B2B Sweden: Lek & Babyrevyn United Kingdom: Toys ‘n’ Playthings USA: The Toy Book

Create Visibility in the Leading Toy Trade Magazines! www.toymagazines.org

Out-of-Range Alert Helps prevent lost child

Water Safety Alert Helps prevent accidental drowning

Panic Button Alerts parent when child is in fear

Last Seen Location Email alert when child is lost

ITMA Presidents:

Lena Hedö Lek & Babyrevyn, Sweden e-mail: lena@lekobaby.se Telephone: +46 70 590 77 33

Reyne Rice Toy Trends, USA e-mail: reyne@reynerice.com Telephone: +1 631 335 5917

mark@buddytag.co.uk

www.buddytag.co.uk

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SAKAR INTERNATIONAL 02476 518 500 www.sakar.com

Sakar International is introducing an exciting line of Shopkins toys for girls, including plush headphones, night-action walkie talkies, flashlights, microphone stands and selfie accessories all featuring your favourite characters such as Strawberry Kiss, Apple Blossom, Kooky Cookie and more!

There’s no other way to listen to music but in style.

Sakar International’s new plush headphones make listening to music even more fun.

These high-quality Shopkins headphones are kid-safe with a built-in volume limiter providing clear acoustic performance, and are compatible with all portable devices, including mp3s, smart phones and tablets.

Never be out of the loop! Cheeky Shopkins lovers will love talking to their friends using these appealing walkie-talkies. A built-in flashlight lets them see in the dark or send light signals across the garden.

Featuring their favourite Shopkins characters, they’re sure to inspire hours of play.

Sing along to your favourite songs with Sakar International’s line of Shopkins microphone stands! Bring the excitement of live performance to your living room. With an additional built-in mp3 output let kids plug in their mp3 player or smartphone and sing along to their own tunes.

Treat your selfie with Sakar International’s new line up of Shopkins moulded selfie sticks, photo props and selfie accessory kits. Bring these photo props to any party and have a blast taking

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fun photos.

Snap your smart phone in the holder, pose with your friends, and snap a great #selfie picture!

Sakar International will be introducing an expansive line of youth electronics based on DreamWorks Animations’ 2016 release, Trolls. The new lineup is to include headphones, karaoke’s and walkie-talkies designed specifically for kids!

Chill out to your favorite tunes with these adorable headphones. The new line of kid-safe headphones allows kids to safely listen to and enjoy music anywhere and everywhere. With kid safety in mind, these headphones feature a built-in volume limiter providing There’s no other clear acoustic way to listen performance. to music but The ear-cups are lightweight and in style. Sakar feature padded International’s comfort with new plush an adjustable headphones headband make listening to (complete with music even more troll hair!) for a universal fit. fun. These highThese headphones quality Shopkins are compatible headphones are with all portable kid-safe with a devices, including built-in volume mp3 players and limiter providing smart phones.

Rock out with clear acoustic music from Trolls, performance or to your own

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tunes with Sakar International’s new line of karaoke sets, bound to bring life to any party! Featuring docking stations, a monitor to display song lyrics, a hand-held microphone, flashing lights and vocal effects, Sakar International offers a wide assortment.

Join Princess Poppy and Branch’s adventure quest to go far beyond the only world they have ever known. Sakar International’s walkietalkies let kids keep in touch with friends to share secrets or plan play dates. Featuring a push-to-talk button and flexible safety antenna that allow for clear sound quality!

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Robot Toothbrush Timer

Introducing

Wooden Owl Miragescope

new products for 2016!

Wooden Critter Catcher

Wooden Kendama

Pop Eye Snakes

We have many more additions to our range at the shows.

Come and find us! b a copy Make sure you gra ent! m of our new supple

Toy Fair, Olympia, GALLERY 305, 24 - 26 Jan Spring Fair, NEC, HALL 5 E20-E21, 7 - 11 Feb 01603 397105

sales@tobar.co.uk

www.tobar.co.uk

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Tomy’s mission is to make children around the world smile, and with over 20 years of experience in developing fun toys that spark children’s imagination and creative play, the toy giant leads the way in innovative toys that children and parents trust. With a lot of exciting activity planned this year Tomy is expecting to cause a storm at Toy Fair.

Toy Fair will mark the official unveiling of the new identity of trusted infant toys Lamaze. Tomy will share Lamaze’s exciting new brand vision, values, marketing and communication strategy with visitors to its stand. The fantastic new range reflects Lamaze’s new identity with engaging and refreshed packaging. The company is also looking forward to presenting its new official A-list celebrity ambassador for Lamaze.

Following the huge success of the Foam Cone Factory in 2015, Tomy is set to own the bath toy category with the launch of fun new lines, as well as innovative new toys from the Tomy Toddler toy range.

Tomy will also showcase the official toy line for the animated adventure The Good Dinosaur, which features favourite characters Arlo, Spot and Galloping Butch.

Toy Fair will also be opportunity for the toy giant to reveal its exclusive range for the eagerly anticipated Zootropolis film, set for release in March 2016. Featuring the lovable duo Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde, Tomy’s Zootropolis range will comprise of featured plush and figure sets.

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Stand: Gallery 520

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This year will also be an exciting time for Pokémon, which celebrates its 20th anniversary early in the year. Tomy will be at the centre of the action with its range of action figures to mark the franchise’s monumental milestone.

This year will also be an exciting time for Pokémon, which celebrates its 20th anniversary early in 2016. Tomy will be at the centre of the action with its range of action figures to mark the franchise’s monumental milestone.

Tomy will also reveal its quirkiest toy yet at Toy Fair. Guaranteed to cause a laugh for young and old, the hilarious new release named Greedy Granny will enrich Tomy’s successful games category, and visitors to the Tomy stand will be treated

to a sweet treat as they see the games revealed.

Following the new appointment of the the UK Commercial and Marketing Department at the end of 2015, Toy Fair will also be an opportunity for visitors to meet the new Tomy team and receive an insight into the exciting activity planned for the upcoming year.

With lots of exciting launches and surprises up its sleeve, be sure to visit the Tomy stand for all this and more.

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For more information visit www.abc.org.uk or email info@abc.org.uk

EW I AIR V E PR DON TOY F

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JR LULU7 3229 944 +191 r.com .luluj www

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Stand: Gallery 615

dance and saying she is an After great success in Children are author!” the USA bringing the delighted when they Parents and grandparents gift of writing to families receive their very love the kits to give not and their children, Lulu own book in the only as gifts, but also to Jr book kits are ready write books themselves for to take the UK by storm post, with their bio their children. They make beginning with the 2016 picture on the back great family projects, too, UK Toy Fair. cover and their name recording family memories, After a long history along with their book with another satisfied buyer in the USA, where the title printed on the explaining: “Since he can’t product line includes a spine write yet, I’ve let him draw variety of print options the pictures and tell me as well as a Crayola the story and I write out the words for branded version, Lulu Jr is finally coming him. We’re having so much fun together to the UK with two of its most popular creating his book.” products, modified for the UK market: According to the USA’s 2015 Toy My Awesome Book, an A4 hardcover Industry Association’s Trends, Lulu Jr. book kit and My Comic Book, an A4 kits meet three of the top four areas comic book kit.

Kits include everything a child needs to considered by parents when shopping for toys: The Maker Movement, where write and illustrate his or her own book/ children build and create; Opencomic, including templates, markers, Ended Playtime, where creativity and and a thought starting guide. Using resourcefulness are encouraged, and the postage paid envelope included in Smart Play where academically focused the kit, parents send the handwritten toys develop cognitive and social skills. and illustrated ‘manuscript’ along with One educational professional said: “This the author’s photo and biography, and is such a great way to freeze time and in a few short weeks, a professionally remember your child’s precious writings printed and bound book arrives by post.

Children are delighted when they receive and drawings. As a teacher, I love how this adorable kit promotes literacy even their very own book in the post, with in the youngest kids.” their bio picture on the back cover and In the USA, kits are sold in department their name along with their book title stores, bookstores and toy stores and printed on the spine. over one million kits have been sold.

One happy customer said: “I ordered When featured in November 2015 on the this kit for my granddaughter who is USA’s national breakfast TV show Good eight years old. She wrote her book and Morning America, 14,000 kits sold in a we mailed it in. The day it arrived she was so excited. She was doing the happy matter of hours.

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The ‘kite’ direction PETERKIN UK LTD 01162 543 645 www.peterkin.co.uk

Creek easy BERTOY +32 3 777 05 33 www.bertoy.com

Stand: Gallery 110

Peterkin’s dolls world brand continues to grow in popularity and 2016 brings the next stage of development, in the form of a complete packaging revamp, which will be showcased at London Toy Fair. The new concept brings a vibrant, fresh, contemporary feel to enhance dolls world’s status as one of the leading brands in the doll’s category.

Since acquiring Brookite, Peterkin has been busy working on plans to develop the brand in 2016 and beyond. The 2016 Brookite range will be re-launched at Toy Fair with a new logo, updated packaging and improved specification.

Existing bestsellers include the 3D Red Kite, the Harrier and Hunter Stunt kites and the Shark, Skyray and Spooky Bat fun kites.

Wear it well TRAVIS DESIGNS 01442 289898 www.travis.co.uk Travis Designs produces beautiful baby and children’s styles for generic and licensed ranges and distribute all over the world. They also work with major retailers for exclusive development on both generic and Disney Baby licensed styles and offer in-house ranges for independents. Visit the stand to view the full range with something for everyone, age from baby to 12 years. Daisy and Donald Tabards are new additions to the Disney Baby character outfit range. Both styles come with a cute hat and soft matching slip on bootees with webbed feet styling for Donald and are available from three months to two years.

The new vintage style Winnie the Pooh character rompers are in a soft textured plush, with knit detailing and vintage fabric highlights.

Stand: G50

JANUARY 2016

Stand: Gallery 148

If you are looking for top quality toys with amazing designs, then look no further Bertoy is the perfect partner for you!

Bertoy is a Belgian company acting as an exclusive distributor in the UK and Ireland for the quality brand Crocodile Creek. Recently, they also acquired the exclusive distribution in the UK and Ireland for new brand Krooom.

The family-run company has already been active for over 15 years and when it comes to their products, they cherish important values like quality, good design and consideration of From amazing puzzles the environment.

Bertoy’s main focus lies particularly to different sized on the American brand Crocodile playballs, Creek, which offers something drinking bottles special to children of all ages. From amazing puzzles to different sized and backpacks, playballs, drinking bottles and Crocodile Creek backpacks, Crocodile Creek has has it all. By it all. By maintaining high quality maintaining high standards and innovative designs, quality standards they continue to impress buyers, and innovative children and parents all over the world. designs, they The latest addition of Krooom is continue to from an Israeli brand that specialises impress buyers, in creating beautiful children and designed toys to inspire parents all over eco awareness. Each the world product is made out of cardboard and 100 per cent recyclable.

This durable technique is patented and unique in the toy section.

In order to further expand Bertoy’s brand across the pond, the company is currently looking for dedicated sales agents in the UK and Ireland.

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PREVIEW

CHARACTER LICENSING

Of good character Licensed characters can be real money-makers for retailers – TnP takes a look at what is on the market

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cooby Doo, Peppa, Danger Mouse, the pups from Paw Patrol, Thomas, the Turtles – all hot characters, all making money for suppliers and retailers.

There is nothing quite like a licensed toy to make consumers sit up and take a bit of notice. And there is nothing quite like a licensed toy to drive footfall through the open door of a toy shop. Essentially any property which drives eager customers through the door can safely be deemed a retail success.

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The beauty of hit licensed properties is that they can either be a flash in the pan, or they gather momentum and that illusive title: ‘evergreen’ – regardless, play your cards rights and you make money.

Popularity contest Currently, Paw Patrol is riding high on the retail wave. The Nickelodeon and Spin Master powerhouse is outperforming anticipated spend as Marianne James, VP, Consumer Products UK & Ireland at Nickelodeon & Viacom Consumer Products tells us: “Paw Patrol has had an extremely successful year both on screen and at retail and is currently our number one pre-school license. Over 10 million viewers tuned into the series on both Nick Jr. and Milkshake! and product has been flying off the shelves. We’re incredibly excited by the sales of the Paw Patroller, which has been one of the most popular toys this Christmas with many retailers selling out of the product.”

Retailers certainly know product has been flying off the shelves and they

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We engage in a lot of PR activity to ensure that the PLAYMOBIL brand remains visible throughout the year

Jamie Dickinson, Playmobil

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are eager for more! But why has it resonated with consumers?

“I think Paw Patrol’s blend of action, adventure and comedy in addition to its broad range of themes and diverse characters gives the show universal appeal for preschoolers,” Marianne says.

Moving on from Paw Patrol, Warner Bros. Consumer Products are having a cracking year, we know companies such as Mattel and Toy State are excited about the launch of their Super Hero Friends lines – and retailers are too. But putting those aside, Paul Bufton, Vice President of Licensing and Business Development at Warner Bros. Consumer Products EMEA tells us that Scooby Doo – driven by toy lines from Character and LEGO - has had a great year. Paul says the brand saw a resurgence in popularity across Europe, and he puts this down to the strength of characters and content. Paul says: “Our complete commitment to evolving the franchise in line with consumer trends are key factors, and the studio’s outstanding broadcast partnerships are key too. Nostalgia also plays a huge part as parents who love the show introduce their kids to it, knowing it offers spookyfun that is wholesome and safe.”

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Brand awareness It is impossible to talk about character licensing without mentioning the queen herself.

Known as Peppa to her friends, she has long reigned supreme as licensor Entertainment One know.

“In the UK, the brand has over 10 years of awareness and there has been a constant pipeline of fresh content that continues to garner critical acclaim,” says Hannah Mungo, Head of UK Licensing at eOne. Hannah explains that working with retailers is a key focus for eOne. “We work very closely with retailers to offer them seasonal exclusives and unique solutions for their individual needs. Our digital media channels have a huge following and we use these to promote retail events, promotions and exclusive retail ranges. These platforms offer a captive audience and some lines, such as the Daddy Pig loungewear collection for father’s day at Asda, have been huge Facebook success due to their individuality and the fact that they’re not as widely accessible to fans. More recently Peppa took part in Hamley’s Christmas toy parade and was part of the store’s PR and marketing push to drive footfall in the approach to Christmas.”

Inspiring buying BBC Worldwide have a rake of hot properties to boast of, but Clare Piggott, Head of Merchandising tells us that in particular, Doctor Who had an “outstanding” 2015.

“We’re very proud of the Doctor Who LEGO set, which went on sale

1 December, and has performed brilliantly at retail. Doctor Who and LEGO is a match made in fandom and the success of the set illustrates how well the brand is performing globally.

At BBC Worldwide, we pride ourselves in working with licensees that create innovative and exciting products that capture fans imagination, which is acutely demonstrated by our partnerships with Warner for LEGO Dimensions.

This innovative new game has had a very big impact and it’s been fantastic to see Doctor Who on the same stage as iconic global brands such as Scooby Doo and Back to the Future.”

Clare tells us that Golden Bear is master toy for many of BBC’s pre-school brands and retailers help to spread the brand message with several initiatives: “Golden Bear has created an on-pack promotion with CBeebies Land, featuring 2 for 1 ticket entry to Alton Towers.

Stickers can be found across the company’s toy range including CBeebies, Hey Duggee, In The Night Garden, Something Special and Twirlywoos toy lines, giving their customers the opportunity to experience the fun and excitement of CBeebies Land with their children,” reveals Clare.

“

It is perfectly natural for kids to aspire or Pretend To Bee what they see on TV, in story books, or other media channels.

Harrison Palmer, Pretend to Bee

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channels or promoting through ours” – thus increasing brand awareness.

Pretend to Bee are expanding its Thunderbirds offering to retailers, as Harrison explains: “We are launching Virgil and Alan before the new Thunderbirds Are Go series which airs in April. We are also expanding our licensed portfolio in the preschool area… watch this space!”

Playmobil are another company who work closely with retailers to spread brand awareness, as Jamie Dickinson, Marketing and Display Manager tells us. “We engage in a lot of PR activity to ensure that the PLAYMOBIL brand remains visible throughout the year. This includes roadshows, events and partnerships.

An example of this is our partnership with the London Fire Brigade, where we have produced a stop-motion video with PLAYMOBIL figures for their education team to use in schools to teach children about fire safety. We will also be running parties at their fire station open days throughout 2016!”

Jamie adds that PLAYMOBIL will be launching its “first main license in 2016, with the new Porsche 911 Carrera S! This car has all the details of the real thing, while staying true to the look and feel of the brand.”

Retail wonders One of the most talked about properties in 2015 was the launch of ITV’s revamped Thunderbirds Are Go and Harrison Palmer, Director of Sales & Marketing at Pretend to Bee explains that Thunderbirds Scott Tracey from the company’s dress-up range was the top-selling character of 2015.

“It is perfectly natural for kids to aspire or Pretend To Bee what they see on TV, in story books, or other media channels.”

Harrison says Pretend to Bee work closely with Top 5 items in the Licensed Toy Market retailers “to offer YTD Nov 2015 key products 1. Disney Frozen Elsa Sparkling Ice Castle - LEGO as competition 2. Simpsons Minifigures - LEGO prizes either via their social media 3. Star Wars Imperial Troop Transport - LEGO

4. Disney Frozen Sing Along With Elsa - Jakks Pacific 5. Marvel Super Hero Mashers 6 Inch Figures - Hasbro

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PREVIEW

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Box office ready NICKELODEON & VIACOM CONSUMER PRODUCTS 020 3580 2474 www.nick.co.uk In 2016, Nickelodeon’s pre-school licensing portfolio will continue to go from strength to strength following the success of Paw Patrol which finished 2015 as the number one pre-school ool property according to NPD data. The recentt toy prelaunch of Blaze and the Monster Machiness is already taking the consumer product market by storm and in 2016 both brands will continue to dominate on-air with the launch of new episodes and also at retail with expansion across a number of consumer product categories.

NVCP has a fantastic offering for girls with new pre-school property Shimmer and Shine, featuring twin genies and exciting storylines, igniting gniting girls’ imaginations across the country. The show is filled with humour our and magical adventures and with seasons two and three already greenlit, the unparalled confidence in the property will culminate in a new launch of consumer products in SS17 from Fisher-Price.

Moving away from pre-school – ignore the Olympics: the world will be captivated by another group of fearless heroes in 2016. On 30 May, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles sequel will hit cinemas across the country as our mutant ninjas Ignore the Olympics: the take on fan favourites Bebop and Rocksteady world will be captivated by in another family action packed adventure. another group of fearless With a considerable product range from Flair and marketing activities at all major heroes in 2016. On 30 May, retail accounts, the film promises to be a box the Teenage Mutant Ninja office and product smash hit.

SpongeBob SquarePants is set to have a Turtles sequel will hit cinemas phenomenal year with new content leading up to its 200th across the country episode and 360 marketing campaign ‘Laugh your Pants Off’.

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Milestone celebrations POKÉMON 020 7381 7009 www.pokemon.com A landmark year lays ahead in 2016 for the Pokémon Company International - not only will the company celebrate its rich past, but it will also look to a very bright and exciting future.

On February 27, Pokémon celebrates 20 years since the first game launched in Japan, and the company is gearing up for a period of celebrations.

But that’s not all, 2016 will be a milestone year across the entire business, with all facets of the brand heading for a bright and vibrant year.

A range of TCG releases are now set for release throughout 2016, especially conceived and designed to celebrate 20 years of Pokémon.

The London-based Market Development team is working on exciting retail placements to promote these products, which are sure to draw TCG fans and collectors into the 2016 celebrations.

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It’s-a-Mario!

AMSCAN 01908 288 500 www.amscan.co.uk When it comes to licensed partyware and balloons, leading distributor Amscan knows a thing or two!

Working closely with over 20 licensors from the likes of Disney, Universal, Nickelodeon, Hasbro, Mattel and Warner Brothers - Amscan offers inspiring products containing some of the hottest properties in the market. New licensed additions added to the collection for 2016 include Nickelodeon’s upcoming hot property Blaze and the Monster Machines. Angry Birds and Super Mario also join Amscan’s line-up.

Flying into the range is a brand new Justice League range featuring DC’s most iconic heroes including Batman and Superman. Customers will be sure to embrace this amazing franchise and Amscan’s heroic array of tableware, decorations and balloons.

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PREVIEW

CHARACTER LICENSING

All about action WARNER BROS. CONSUMER PRODUCTS

In response to consumer, and indeed, industry demand for a new girls brand that goes beyond pink and princesses – WBCP is about to launch the consumer products programme to support DC Super Hero Girls, an entertainment world that inspires girls to be their own hero

020 7984 6100 www.wbcpmedia.warnerbros.com

Warner Bros. hugely anticipated release of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice in March kick starts a line-up that includes nine more DC Comics films that will launch by 2020 - essentially two DC Comics blockbuster movies every year for the next five years. Global partners like Mattel, LEGO and Rubies ensure a steady stream of new yet iconic products – action figures, wheels, dress up – that underpin DC Comics Super Heroes status as a childhood rite of passage.

Beyond its perennial toy business, WBCP is digging deeper into the diverse DC portfolio to innovate in the toy space. In response to consumer, and indeed, industry demand for a new girls brand that goes beyond pink and princesses – WBCP is about to launch the consumer products programme to support DC Super Hero Girls, an entertainment world that inspires girls to be their own hero. A collaboration between Warner Bros., DC Entertainment and Mattel means girls now have their very own Super Hero world alongside legendary DC Comics female Super Heroes, including Wonder Woman, Supergirl and Batgirl, in this all-new universe that was created just for them.

Animated shorts have started to roll out on DCSuperHeroGirls.com website and products including toys from the Mattel launch later this year. DC Comics is also making waves in the pre-school space and Fisher Price continues to do a fantastic job developing age appropriate toys for pre-schoolers under the DC Super Friends banner.

Danger’s in the Mouse

ALL CREATURES BIG AND SMALL

JAZWARES

DRi Licensing

07711 080 866 www.jazwares.com

020 3757 2170 www.drilicensing.com

The all-new series of Danger Mouse has seen a triumphant return to CBBC. With over 3.6 million viewers in its first six weeks and a ratings winner amongst boys aged four to nine, Jazwares is ready to feed the fan demand for toys with items that are as exciting and action-packed as the series itself!

Helping the humour leap from screen, the range brings Danger Mouse, Penfold and all the favourite characters to life in a stunning new collection of figures, vehicles, plush and role-play.

Enter the world of the international secret agent with Danger Mouse’s Mark IV Vehicle – featuring pop-out wings, functioning boot as well as an exclusive 3” figure. A fully articulated 10” Danger Mouse figure features a removable jet pack accessory and five authentic show sayings! Kids will be able to roleplay as their favourite secret agent with ‘The Shrinkatiser’ – DM’s gadget of choice when faced with monstrous monstrosities!

An assortment of plush featuring three individual character phrases and collectible figure range are also available. Further plans for 2016 include Professor Squawkencluck’s Lab playset as well as new vehicles and figures.

Dick Bruna’s world famous bunny, Miffy, is set for yet another fantastic year with brand new episodes of the engaging new TV series Miffy’s Adventures Big and Small launching on TinyPop on 25 January.

Licensee, Rainbow Designs, is also launching a brand new Miffy for Baby plush collection for the spring aimed specifically at the infant and nursery market. Later in the year Rainbow will also launch a range of new sensory plush, as well as playsets to complement the Miffy Adventures Big and Small TV show.

A year full of celebrations lays ahead in 2016 for the Roald Dahl brand with activities aplenty to commemorate the centenary of the renowned author’s birth.

There will also be a number of exciting new product launches this spring, with educational games and puzzles from Lagoon and more.

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PREVIEW

CHARACTER LICENSING

A super year lies ahead SCHLEICH 01279 870 000 www.schleich-s.co.uk

Enchanting friends BLUE ZOO 020 7434 4111 www.blue-zoo.co.uk

Digby Dragon is

aimed at the top Digby Dragon is a end of pre-school nature inspired comedy for children aged adventure for younger three to six years children. Digby lives in old and each story an enchanted forest centres on the four where nature and magic main characters and combine to make are part comedy growing up one long soap opera, part tales fairy tale. Set in the colourful and enchanted of nature and the environment Applecross Woods, the show follows Digby, a fledging dragon, who is learning to fly. With his best friend the fumbling bumbling fairy Fizzy Izzy, Digby takes on adventures in the woods encountering characters including train driver Grumpy Goblin and Chips, the scatter-brained squirrel.

Digby Dragon is aimed at the top end of pre-school for children aged three to six years old and each story centres on the four main characters and are part comedy soap opera, part tales of nature and the environment. Every day is an adventure as the woodland friends enjoy, protect, live and play in their very special wood. Digby Dragon will make you laugh, cry and care!

Digby Dragon is based on original work from Sally Hunter, creator of celebrated pre-school property Humphrey’s Corner. Blue Zoo Animation Studio is producing the programme entirely at its central London studio and Aardman Animation has acquired international TV, DVD and digital sales rights with Nickelodeon UK commissioning 52 x 11mins of the programme launching on its pre-school channel, Nick Jr in autumn 2016.

The show has been sold to: Nick Jr – USA, Latin America Australia & New Zealand, ZDF – Germany, MBC – Middle East , S4C – Wales, Tele Quebec – Canada.

Nickelodeon & Viacom Consumer Products acquired Consumer Products rights in the UK and Ireland.

Schleich’s venture into the world of character licensing continues into 2016 with brand new collections for DC Comics.

The battle gets fiercer from January with new characters presented as single figures together with a selection of scenery packs. Batman v Superman will lead the way in the first half of the year, along with Wonder Woman, Aquaman and Cyborg. Following suit, July will see the superheroes meet more of their arch enemies as Batman vs Bane and Superman vs Lex Luthor Scenery Packs become available.

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Turtles for all ages FLAIR 020 8643 0320 www.flairplc.co.uk With a new movie collection, new ranges for the TV animated series and a new theme for the juniors in Half Shell Heroes there’s no doubt that the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles collections from GP Flair continue to thrive into 2016.

Aiming to retain the top spot in the action figure market, Flair will expand the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles collection with new waves of exciting action figures from the animated series.

From spring, fans can swell their ranks of Ninjas with new waves of figures including notable friends and foes from the series such as Lord Dregg, Fugitoid and Mozar.

The Half Shell Heroes range roars into action with the addition of a Turtles and Dino theme for younger fans. The hero of the range will be the T-Rex and Donnie playset that includes an exclusive Donnie figure.

toysnplaythings.co.uk

PREVIEW

CHARACTER LICENSING

Right up your street ENESCO 01228 404 022 www.enesco.co.uk Gund has teamed up with Sesame Street to make playtime a more huggable experience! Two of Sesame Street’s best-loved characters, Elmo and Cookie Monster, are appearing as their heroic alter-egos this January.

These two new Superhero Take Along Buddies feature fun details including a superhero cape and embroidered chest insignia — a star for Elmo and, of course, a cookie for Cookie Monster. Grumpy Cat has become one of the most famous felines of all time, and Gund’s adorable soft toy versions make the perfect huggable pal to put a witty spin on life’s difficult moments. Two new, fabulously sullen versions are being added to Gund’s popular beanbag collection.

Find ‘em!

SAMBRO 0845 873 9380 www.sambro.co.uk Sambro will launch a raft of brand new ranges in 2016 based around some of the hottest licenses around.

Finding Dory will release in 2016 and Sambro is introducing a cross category range including a Shaped Finding Dory Magnetic Scribbler in different sizes which is shaped just like Dory as well as a cool EVA trolley bag, novelty items and more.

The company will expand its successful Paw Patrol range to include a selection of stunning plush character bags and the ever-popular Frozen collection will be added to and feature the Frozen Mould your Own Light Up Creation Dressing Table and Frozen Colouring Wheels. Minions will also expand across all categories.

Brand new girls’ licenses include Bratz and Shopkins and are the perfect complement for a girl’s collection. The Shopkins range features cute umbrellas and bags, while the Bratz collection includes must-haves for new fans of these iconic character dolls: a Bratz Electronic Secret Book, a Bratz Hair Beader and a cool Hair Braider.

Watch out for new ranges coming soon - Blaze, Secret lLfe of Pets, Angry Birds, Trolls, DC Supergirl Heroes, Transformers, Pokemon and Thunderbirds.

Tracing ahead…

PRETEND TO BEE 01159 847 838 www.pretendtobee.co.uk

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The fantastically detailed Natural History Museum collection allows little ones to dress up as their favourite species

Renowned for its high-quality dress up ranges, Pretend to Bee took its first foray into licensed costumes in 2015 and following their phenomenal success the company will continue to expand its licensed portfolio even further.

The brilliant Thunderbirds are Go range has been one of the most bestselling lines with the Scott Tracy character costume proving popular with young fans. The authentic costume features an embroidered chest plate, satin printed detachable padded sash and incorporates a brilliant sound chip to recreate sounds from these iconic characters.

In 2016, Pretend to Be will add iconic characters Virgil Tracy and Alan to the range. Both new costumes will be packed with accessories.

Children are fascinated by dinosaurs, and the fantastically detailed Natural History Museum collection allows little ones to dress up as their favourite species. The Natural History Museum range of Dinosaur Onesies from Pretend to Bee includes a Triceratops, T-Rex and Stegosaurus and each is guaranteed to inspire costume envy. Each costume is made from high-quality plush fabric.

Dress up like the super-cute Cloudbabies with the cuddly costume range based on the popular CBeebies programme.

The collections features favourite characters including Baba Pink with cute booties, Baba Blue with his hammer, Baba Yellow with booties or Baba Green which is accompanied by a watering can. The plush onesies are made from quality material with sturdy zips and fasteners to ensure the costumes are durable enough for lots of wear.

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CHARACTER LICENSING

Enhanced storytelling MATTEL 01628 500 000 www.mattel.com

Family favourite BOJ 01273 982 501 www.boj.tv

They revealed plans for “Boj World”, a soft play visitor attraction at West Midland Safari Park, generating a range of offers from plush and merchandise licensees

Since launching on CBeebies, Boj has maintained its remarkable record of airing on every regular weekday. And in the first 18 months, Boj achieved more big audiences than any rival character brand, successfully doubling audience share.

One secret to Boj’s success is family viewing. Its values are gender-inclusive and attract parents with kids from two years old all the way to age six. This explains why a newly ordered special-length episode will see Boj on the BBC until 2022!

As befitting this inspirational brand, it continues to grow a truly innovative Boj licensing campaign. In Paul Lamond Games it has found the perfect partner to embrace Boj’s passion for creative play with a series of Boj craft kits, puzzles and a card game.

At BLE they revealed plans for “Boj World”, a soft play visitor attraction at West Midland Safari Park, generating a range of offers from plush and merchandise licensees. In response to young readers voting it one of their most loved characters, Boj is to get his very own magazine by Redan.

And because everyone loves Boj’s catchy tunes, Demon Records is releasing a Boj-a-BOOM album sung by star Jason Donovan. Boj is now looking to bring in even more of the best licensees out there to join them in exploiting Boj’s unique appeal across multiple categories.

There are at least two major marketing events for Boj this year: promoting Boj World, West Midland Safari Park plan a year-long Boj-focused TV ad campaign. And a partnership with Discovery Education will deliver Boj’s Aussie Safari, a live webcast into over 1000 schools, taking UK reception classes on an amazing virtual fieldtrip to meet Boj’s real-life bilby cousins.

This is just the beginning for Boj, with more exciting developments on the way including a new twist on the Let’s Get Boj-ing outreach programme and, coming soon to a zoo near you, the first ever bilbies outside Australia.

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Mattel boasts an impressive pre-school portfolio including Thomas and Friends and Bob the Builder as well as delivering strong licensed lines based on powerful properties from Nickelodeon, Warner Bros, BBC and more.

Thomas and Friends builds on its busy 70th anniversary year with an exciting new brand campaign based on themes of racing, teamwork and friendship. New spring launches in the toy lines include the Fisher-Price My First Rolling Melodies Thomas, the Take-n-Play Jungle Quest set and the TrackMaster Close Calls Cliff playset as well as new engines based on characters from dynamic new content.

Building on the successful launch of the new look Bob the Builder on Channel 5’s Milkshake!, 2016 sees the introduction of the second phase of enhanced new content with a brand new season of 52 x 11 minute episodes. This will be followed by the highly anticipated launch of the new Fisher-Price toy range bringing construction to life for pre-schoolers through exciting vehicle play, action figures and roleplay toys.

Zooming onto the scene in Q1 is the new Fisher-Price range based on the Nickelodeon series Blaze and the Monster Machines. The range focuses on vehicles driving collectability alongside speed, stunts and storytelling. This will be followed by the arrival of the Fisher-Price Go Jetters licensed range in the second half of the year to add yet more excitement to the category. Fisher-Price’s Bing range success is set to continue with the expansion of the playset and figures offering as well as introduction of roleplay items including Bing’s Phone and Brenda the Blender.

Continuing in 2016 is Mattel’s super collaboration with Warner Bros. with a new range of Batman V Superman movie toys coinciding with the latest film release in March followed by the launch of new DC Super Hero Girls in autumn. As Master Toy Licensee, Mattel will launch three categories to make a Super Statement at retail: action dolls, action figures and roleplay items.

Finally, Mega Bloks sees the exciting launch of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles construction range ahead of the feature film release in June.

toysnplaythings.co.uk

The New Porsche 911 Carrera S from PLAYMOBIL! Arrive in style with the new Porsche 911 Carrera S! Style the car your way with interchangeable wheel rims, spoiler and side skirts. With working lights front, rear and on the dashboard, why not remove the roof and feel the thrill of driving your own sports car!

For more info: www.playmobil.uk 6GN

3911 Porsche 911 Carrera S

PREVIEW

CHARACTER LICENSING

Go bananas for Minion chocolate RE:CREATION LTD 01189 736 222 www.recreationltd.co.uk

The Minions meanwhile make their mark in chocolate, quite literally.

Re:creation’s Minions Edition Make-a-Bar Chocolate Factory Kits have delivered strong results since launch and passion for the lovable yellow rogues shows no signs of abating

Disney is set to sprinkle its magic on Re:creation’s NeckNapperz plush range. Incorporating favourite Disney characters, these super soft plush toys can quickly transform to become comfy and practical neck pillows making them the perfect friend for on the go kids. Best-loved characters set to be showcased in the range include the undisputed queen of kids’ animation - Frozen’s Elsa, as well as Cinderella, Darth Vader and Spider-Man. The Minions meanwhile make their mark in chocolate, quite literally. Re:creation’s Minions Edition Make-a-Bar Chocolate Factory Kits have delivered strong results since launch and as passion for the lovable yellow rogues shows no signs of abating there is more to come. Each kit contains everything children need to design and create their own Minions chocolate bars including three types of delicious Belgian chocolate, templates and moulds.

Re:creation will support these licensed lines with heavyweight marketing and PR campaigns.

Give a little sunshine GIBSONS 020 8661 8866 www.gibsonsgames.co.uk Roger Hargreaves’ Mr Men series has been adored by children and adults alike for over four decades. Gibsons is growing its adult gifting range and has released two quirky jigsaw puzzles in gift packaging, with two favourite characters from the classic stories. The jigsaws are presented in high quality tins, which can be treasured long after the puzzle is completed.

‘Your joy is offensive’ Mr Grumpy clearly doesn’t do mornings! Gibsons’ miserable little Mr Grumpy tin contains a 250-piece puzzle, perfect for a grumpy dad, husband, boyfriend or brother; most definitely a welcome distraction from the grumpiness for a few hours!

Little Miss Sunshine, on the other hand, is always cheerful and bright even on a cloudy day.

Her super-duper tin contains a 250-piece puzzle, perfect for any shiny happy lady to while away a few hours over a nice cuppa. As a cheery bonus, she can use the tin to store all her gorgeous knick-knacks in afterwards.

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RETAIL

OPINION

Trade talk

TnP loves to hear your views. This month we speak to key wholesalers and suppliers to learn what’s on their minds. We explore this month’s hottest topics.

This month, Team TnP catches up with some of the industry’s finest to discover how the year has been so far, their stand-out products for the coming year and support for retailers SOPHIE BONNETT Export Manager, LE TOY VAN

JULIE TAYLOR Sales Director, Golden Bear Toys What was your top toy moment for 2015?

Toy Fair 2015 was definitely a high point for us and got the year off to a fantastic start. The stand looked great, we had appearances from Mr Tumble and Richard Cadell with Sooty.

Sum up the past year for your company?

We’ve had another strong year with increased listings, increased sales in and increased sales out. The Twirlywoos line has sold very well; consumers have responded really well to both the plush items and the hero product - the Big Red Boat Playset. Our In the Night Garden range has also continued to be a successful line for us again this year.

What standout product do you have coming in 2016?

We’re really looking forward to 2016 as we’ve got some great new licenses on board - such as Oddbods. We can’t wait to see the reaction to the Run-along Twirlywoos at Toy Fair. We’ve also got some fantastically innovative new products coming through which complement our strong licensed portfolio that includes Twirlywoos, In the Night Garden, Hey Duggee, Something Special, JCB, Go Mini, Forever Friends, CBeebies, Woolly & Tig, VW and Sooty.

What was your top toy moment for 2015?

A plethora of diverse awards validated our core ranges. We were especially please to have been recommended by Fundamentally Children in the Good Toy Guide and to have won Best Wooden Toy by Loved by Children for Sweetheart Cottage Dolls House.

Sum up the past year for your company?

2015 has been a landmark year for Le Toy Van celebrating its 20th anniversary in the toy industry. We have experienced over 14 per cent growth year on year in the UK. What retail initiatives stood out for you?

To support sales for Christmas 2015, Le Toy Van created an in store initiative with independent retailers capitalising promotional giveaway stock.

These promotions were communicated by new in-store merchandising solutions; shelf wobblers, fabric bunting, shelve edge strips, window decals, consumer catalogues, posters, branded balloons and wooden point of sale stands.

What standout product do you have coming in 2016?

This year sees the launch of 20 new lines in the Petilou 12months+ collection.

FRED WOLFF UK Sales Director, Tomy Toys What was your top toy moment for 2015?

We have had many great moments! I am exceptionally pleased to see the success of our Foam Cone Factory from our Tomy Bath range. This TV-promoted line took us all by surprise to the extent we were out of stock in the last period before Christmas. Such has the consumer demand been that this has been trading on Ebay for more than double our recommended price. More stock is coming this year and we will continue to support this winner with TV advertising. The launch and continued success of the Inside Out toy range has

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been another definite highlight. Lastly, the launch of Pop Up Olaf has been fantastic and been 100 percent incremental to our Pop Up Pirate.

What standout product do you have coming in 2016?

We have a lot of exciting news for 2016. In addition to expanding our Pop Up franchise, we are launching three new games for AW, one of which will be TV promoted. Another great initiative is the relaunch of the Lamaze brand in the UK with Colleen Rooney as ambassador. We are adding a fantastic product to our Tomy Bath range through Remote Control Rescue Boat and lastly we are proud and excited about our Zootropolis line.

toysnplaythings.co.uk

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 contacts!

Product: Jumpin’ Joey Baby Costume Company: Amscan Tel: 01908 288 500 Web: www.amscan.co.uk

Product: Tube Heroes - TDM Diamond Dimension Pack (pending approval final product may vary) Company: Jazwares Tel: 02035 980 272 Web: www.jazwares.com

Product: Mental Blox 360 Game Company: Learning Resources Tel: 07872 377 302 Web: www.learningresources.co.uk

JANUARY 2016

Product: PlayColour Metallic Company: Bigjigs Toys Tel: 01303 254 000 Web: www.bigjigstoys.com

Product: Jelly Stickers Fab Fashion Company: John Adams Tel: 01480 414 361 Web: www.johnadams.co.uk

Product: QuadPod 2 Company: Mookie Tel: 01525 722 722 Web: www.mookie.co.uk

Product: AR Wonders from 4M T-Rex Dinosaur DNA Company: Great Gizmos Tel: 01293 543 221 Web: www.ggtrade.co.uk

Product: 3D Dino Eggs (3 Pack) Company: Jumbo Games Tel: 01707 260 436 Web: www.jumbo.eu

Product: NeckNapperz Emojis Company: Re:creation Ltd Tel: 01189 736 222 Email: sales@recreationltd.co.uk

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Toys at Spring Fair

2016

PREVIEW SPRING FAIR

In with the new With the tagline ‘quench your thirst for new’, this year’s Spring Fair will provide everything you need to refresh tired looking shelves and get hold of truly innovative product lines, as well as speaking to those at the heart of the gift and home trade community Tens of thousands of buyers from across the UK and further afield visit each year – 44 per cent of whom do not attend other 7 – 11 February 2016 trade events with 75 per cent of visitors NEC Birmingham placing orders with suppliers as a result of their attendance at Spring Fair. www.springfair.com Hall 5 will house Children’s Gifts, Toys & Gadgets within the complementary Gifts pring Fair 2016, an i2i events sector. Incorporating an array of products exhibition, enters its 66th year from plush gifts, games, gadgets and with a refreshed layout and traditional wooden toys right through support from 14 industries all under one to pocket money purchases, novelties, roof. Spring Fair Portfolio Director Nick crafting kits and educational items – Davison explains: “Consultation with the line up is sure to excite! Licensed our customers revealed the need for products will also be big at the show, certain modifications to the hall layout with Star Wars, The Avengers, Minecraft, and access points to improve footfall, so Disney characters, Spiderman and we’ve implemented a raft of new changes Batman all trending, while personalised to meet those requirements in 2016.” plush and Segway also come to the fore Express entrances, as hot properties. linking walkways and Iain Morgan, CEO of The visitors to edited layouts will further Bladez Toyz explains what Spring Fair are improve the flow of opportunities the event offers. visitors to the Spring Fair, serious buyers He said: “Spring Fair is a great helping them to get the with a good central point in the UK for us most out of the excellent to meet retailers face to face. knowledge of cross-over purchasing It gives a diverse mix of buyers, their company opportunities. and opens doors for us into The largest retail requirements other sectors with the gift side event in the UK buying Anna May, The of our business. calendar, Spring Fair “We have a diverse range Carat Shop prides itself on each of lines, from toys to gifts sector offering a ‘show and pre-school, so having within a show’ and the such a selection of retailers visiting the event acts as the sole trading event for show gives our new launches a great industries from specialised jewellery to audience. We are launching new Star party products.

Wars droid BB-8 in the form of an RC inflatable with sounds at Spring Fair, as well as our new pre-school and gift lines.”

On who should visit the stand, Iain added: “As we are launching new lines, we would encourage pre-school and giftspecific buyers to visit our stand – we have a new stand design that we are really excited to show off – 80 per

Spring Fair 2016

S

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Retailer’s speak…

“Along with Autumn Fair, Spring Fair is the only exhibition I attend. Buyingwise for me it is the pinnacle event of the calendar, and I will be preparing for it accordingly. I will purchase half of my yearly allocation in person at the show, but I also find the catalogues available extremely helpful. I take them home, study them from cover to cover and they influence the other half of my buying for that year.”

David Webster, Castle Toys, Windsor

cent of our items are new and improved, and we have a fantastic demonstration station for our mycropodz lines, that includes a demo-pool for our RC Mycro Yacht!”

Under the new banner of Greetings & Gifts, Hall 3 will include the UK’s only dedicated event for the party products industry. The stage is set for balloon demonstrations and seminars and there will also be runway shows hosted and sponsored by field experts Pioneer/ Qualatex and Amscan.

Lauren Shipmna of Posh Paws returned to exhibit at Spring Fair 2015 after a few years’ hiatus. She said: “Last year was a huge success for us and hence the reason we are exhibiting again in 2016. Spring Fair offers us the opportunity to meet with a whole host of independent toy and gift retailers, we picked up a raft of new customers last year and we’re looking forward to catching up with them again at the show.

Amscan

toysnplaythings.co.uk

Fresh shoots We speak with two new exhibitors to the fair this year – Access All Areas and Wooky Europe, and hear what it is about the event that attracted them and what they can hope to achieve “Spring Fair gives us the opportunity to meet with a broad range of buyers and that mass appeal is really what our product is all about. Our main expectation is that we’ll be meeting a lot of new faces and establishing some fantastic new partnerships. We always bring some Scottish hospitality to trade shows, and plan to have some live ukulele demonstrations, so visiting 5H68 in Hall 5 won’t just be a place to discover a great business opportunity, but also an enjoyable stand to visit. We have experience working with high street chains, as well as small independents.

Whether you’re a buyer for a multiple, a toy, music or gift specialist, or just keen to learn more about the opportunity for music products in mainstream retail, you should get in touch.”

Sean Kelly, Managing Director, Access All Areas “We are introducing i-loom which crosses over toy/gift/craft buyers so wanted to hit the widest buying profile. We are looking forward to creating a real stir with i-loom and being able to spend time with customers new and old. We have all angles covered, boys, girls, craft, technology, cosmetics, jewellery, design, art – the lot!”

David Williams, European Sales Director, Wooky

to share the magic of the brand. On “Our product mix is suited Spring Fair is a anticipation of the to many gift and greeting great central fair, Anna said: retailers and the opportunity point in the UK “We have stock in to showcase our whole for us to meet jewellers, gift ships, range at an event like Spring Fair is extremely important retailers face to book shops, garden centres, hairdressers to us. Any retailer looking face. It gives a and even a florist. to appeal to stock presents diverse mix of Our official Harry or appeal to young children buyers, and Potter jewellery can then we have something for be sold anywhere.” you. Not only do we have opens doors So who should great quality product we for us into stop by the Carat also have some of the best other sectors Shop stand? Anna licensed brands for 2016.” with the gift adds: “The Harry Monitoring trends Potter brand has throughout the year has also side of our never been stronger confirmed that licensing business – and with a new is still big news in the Iain Morgan, film scheduled home and gift markets, CEO, Bladez Toyz for November with licensed products 2016 – now is the selling well across all major perfect time to take categories. A dedicated advantage of this niche market.

Licensing section of the Spring Fair "Visitors to Spring Fair are serious website helps bring this important buyers with a good knowledge of aspect of gifting to the fore, with their company requirements. countless hot properties to choose We will be launching our Harry from, including Doctor Who and Potter wand necklaces as well as Minions among many more. new charm designs. Including our With Harry Potter jewellery a hot new designs, we now have more than product moving into 2016, we hear 100 products in our Harry Potter from Director of Carat Toys, Anna collection.”

May, who will be on hand in Hall 5

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Visit - www.ggtrade.co.uk VISIT OUR SPRING FAIR STAND: 5E10/f11 f

TOYS, GIFTS, AND GREAT IDEAS

JANUARY 2016

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SPRING FAIR

Handmade companions ALICE’S BEAR SHOP

Hall 5 Stand L28

01297 444 589 www.alicesbearshopuk.com

As with all Alice’s Bear Shop products, there is a real emphasis on creativity and recycling

Alice’s Bear Shop is delighted to share with you their Heirloom Rag Doll Making Kits. These beautiful, traditional calico doll-making kits come in a craft box with clear and extensive instructions in both text and images, so even novice adult sewers will be delighted with the results.

Each kit contains all of the beautiful fabrics, wool, filling and trimmings needed to create a delightful doll and outfit.

Kits come with handmade, English glass eyes for the older doll lover. With a few simple adjustments these dolls can be made for even the youngest child and adapted as a child grows.

As with all Alice’s Bear Shop products, there is a real emphasis on creativity and recycling. Each kit contains all of the patterns, layouts, measurements and details needed to encourage fabric re-

Joining the force UNDERGROUND TOYS 020 7801 6325 www.underground-toys.com An extensive range of licenses such as Star Wars, Doctor Who, Marvel and Ghostbusters will be making their way to Spring Fair this year, courtesy of Underground Toys.

The Star Wars range supports the new film brilliantly.

BB-8 and Kylo Ren talking plush have joined the range of award winning classic characters along with a new 12” Death Star talking plush and premium 15” BB-8.

Underground will also be showcasing their new extensive range of Star Wars homewares products; with items such as the Darth Vader Oven Gloves and Lightsaber Pizza Cutter on offer, this range really will deliver a slice of fun to fans.

The Marvel talking plush range, revealed this time last year, is broadening to support the new Captain America: Civil War movie release; the range will include characters Black Panther, Captain America the Winter Soldier and Falcon. Each superhero will be available in all sizes.

With the Ghostbusters film set for release in 2016, this nostalgic range is also extending

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purposing and to fire up the imagination and indulge the love of making.

The range includes: Emily – 54cm Traditional Rag Doll with dress, pinafore, bonnet, bloomers and shoes; Meg – 54cm Fairy Rag Doll with dress, wings, underskirt, knickers and shoes; Doll only Kit – 54cm doll body with a variety of colouring and styling options that can be made as a boy or girl; and Doll outfit Kits – a growing selection of beautiful outfits to fit the 54cm dolls.

Alice’s Bear Shop also offers a range of Heirloom Teddy Bear Making Kits, which use beautiful German Mohair.

With items such as the Darth Vader Oven Gloves and Lightsaber Pizza Cutter on offer, this range really will deliver a slice of fun to fans

to include new talking plush and computer accessories.

The Underground Toys portfolio is growing with new licenses Yo-Kai Watch and Assassin’s Creed joining the ranks of Star Wars, Marvel and Ghostbusters. The popular animation series Yo-Kai Watch has been developed into an array of products, from throws to talking pens and drinkware. An Assassin’s Creed licensed range will also be on display at the stand!

All these products will sit alongside the latest POP! Vinyl figures from popular licenses such as Ghostbusters and Doctor Who to Harry Potter. New collections from Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Captain America: Civil War and Batman V Superman will also be on display. Make sure to pop along to the booth to additionally see the range of POP! Tees, Vinyl Dorbz, Mystery Minis, Mopeez and more.

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PREVIEW

SPRING FAIR

Who will you be?

AMSCAN 01908 288 500 www.amscan.co.uk

Amscan will be exhibiting at the Spring Fair Party Show with an exciting showcase of their latest ranges across the party, balloon and costume categories available in their new everyday catalogues. The stand will display a variety of their newly launched collections that form a part of their complete range of over 10,000 products in the UK; most of which can be seen at their Milton Keynes based showroom facility. Licensed product will be on show featuring a selection from Amscan’s extensive portfolio of over 70 licensed properties from leading licensors such as Disney, Nickelodeon, Hasbro and Mattel.

Retailers can expect to see some delightful new children’s party ranges

Hall 3 Stand A10-C 11

featuring popular themes such as pirates, dinosaurs, princesses and ninjas. Each coordinating range includes everything to create a fantastic party setting from tableware to decorations, favours and accessories. In light of the growing trend for baby showers and gender reveal parties, Amscan has launched some adorable new ranges including fun baby shower games!

For adults look out for Amscan’s sparkling new pink and gold themed milestone birthday ensembles that will feature alongside new birthday accessories; available in four different colour schemes. Also not to be missed There will also be the is Amscan’s brand new range of over opportunity to learn 50 hen party items; the range has been how to create stunning developed with the latest trends in mind and features a great variety of displays with balloon wearables items, games and party demonstrations to be accessories. Amscan will also be held by Amscan’s balloon launching a brand new range of expert; Chris Horne. Two everyday party essentials; this great value range provides a full seminars will be held per coordinating appearance and day on the stage in Hall 3 includes banners, confetti, latex balloons, candles and badges.

As part of Amscan’s balloon offering there is plenty to get costumes. From cute family friendly excited about; stunning new holographic designs through to truly gruesome themes milestone foil balloons in standard and there will be something to suit all tastes.

3D Multi Balloon formats. Brand new There will also be the opportunity to innovations to the market include learn how to create stunning displays with SuperShape Write on balloons and balloon demonstrations to be held by Inflate-A-Fun balloons that can be Amscan’s balloon expert: Chris Horne. coloured in with crayons provided!

Two seminars will be held per day on the Not forgetting a huge variety of stage in Hall 3. licensed and unlicensed designs across the 22 different types of balloon in the full collection.

With the growing popularity for Halloween here in the UK; look out for Amscan’s spooktacualar display of themed partyware, balloons and

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Visit us at Spring Fair Hall 3, Stand D10-F11

ŠDisney

Phone us on 08453 070707 www.rubiesuk.com

PREVIEW

SPRING FAIR

A sight for jigsaw eyes!

GIBSONS 020 8661 8866 www.gibsonsgames.co.uk

Hall 5 Stand D10-E 11 features gorgeous artwork from different regions of Britain in her signature style. The first launch sees montages of London, Cornwall, Yorkshire, Northumberland, Suffolk, Sussex, Derbyshire, North Wales and Highlands & Islands, presented in smart gift tubes and compact gift boxes. As always, Gibsons will also showcase their extensive new range of traditional jigsaw puzzles. The collection includes many exciting new additions, including the third instalment of the Our House Memory Lane range.

For Spring Fair, the Gibsons stand has undergone a complete redesign in order to promote every product collection in their extensive range. The new design features little sections providing peace and quiet for customer meetings and are themed by product to make the stand eyecatchingly brilliant!

With a focus on Gibsons’ expanding gift range, Spring Fair 2016 will see the launch of the new Emma Ball collection.

The range includes nine 250 piece puzzles painted by the renowned watercolour artist and

ADD A LITTLE FAIRY DUST… THE IRISH FAIRY DOOR COMPANY

Hall 5 Stand H70

01279 408 208 enquiries@ackermanintl.co.uk Designed to bring the magic of the Irish Fairy Doors to life even more in 2016, The Irish Fairy Door Company will be showcasing an exciting new collection of items on their eye-catching stand at Spring Fair.

Aimed at children whose fairies have green fingers or who simply need a space to relax after a busy day of magic, the new Garden Accessory Set comprises a wooden garden bench, potted plant, rake and watering can. For more playful fairies, there’s the new Playtime Accessory Set, which contains a fairy-sized see-saw, swing, ladder and bicycle.

Both Accessory Sets are designed to complement the original Irish Fairy Doors. The Irish Fairy Door Company's award-winning products are sold through distributor Ackerman International in the UK. They will also be displaying the red, blue, pink and purple arched wooden doors, as well as other official accessories including a revamped fairy washing line with female fairy clothes, tiny bottles of fairy dust and an extended collection of colourful vinyl decals – including a colourful new wall-art featuring a rainbow and hot air balloon.

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Spring Fair 2016 will see the launch of the new Emma Ball collection.

The range includes nine 250 piece puzzles painted by the renowned watercolour artist and features gorgeous artwork from different regions of Britain in her signature style

SCANDINAVIAN DESIGN WILLOWBEE 01727 859 200 www.willowbee.co.uk

” Hall 5 Stand M14

Willowbee of St Albans is expanding its lovely range of wooden creative play toys from Danish brand Magni. The range includes themed play kits, each in a tin suitcase, including: play picnic and tea sets in tin, porcelain and wood; musical instruments; games; ride on vehicles and animals and an awful lot more. Beautiful Scandinavian design meets traditional play in high quality packaging.

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Halloween 2016 Advert.ai

1

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PREMIER DECORATIONS LIMITED HEAD OFFICE AND SHOWROOM: Premier House, Braintree Road, Ruislip, Middlesex HA4 0EJ

Tel: 020 8624 5555

Fax: 020 8624 5678

E-mail: sales@premierdec.com

www.premierdec.com

YORKSHIRE OFFICE: Premier Halloween â&#x20AC;˘ No. 11, The Stables, Newby Hall, Ripon, North Yorkshire HG4 5AE

Tel: 01423 324800

Fax: 01423 326633

E-mail: premhall@premierdec.com

WREXHAM OFFICE AND SHOWROOM: Premier House, Oak Road, Wrexham Industrial Estate, Wrexham LL13 9PQ

Tel: 020 8624 5555

Fax: 020 8624 5678

E-mail: sales@premierdec.com

PREVIEW

SPRING FAIR

Ones to watch

THE COMFORT OF MESS-FREE

The Carat Shop 01279 429 026 www.thecaratshop.co.uk

Since signing their first license with Warner Bros to manufacture Harry Potter Jewellery, they have grown considerably

There are thousands of jewellers in the UK, but The Carat Shop is proud to be different. They Hall 5 are one of very few specialists solely working Stand in the licensing industry.

G49 The Carat Shop was established in 2006 with a strong background in the jewellery market. In 2013, they moved into the licensing industry, which allowed them use their design skills and knowledge to create truly unique items. Since signing their first license with Warner Bros to manufacture Harry Potter Jewellery, they have grown considerably. They have taken on extra work premises, staff and also moved twice to accommodate their growth in the past year alone.

Using the style guides, props and models from their licensors, they have created mini replicas of the characters and objects unique to the brand that are used in designs to create charms, bracelets, necklaces, earrings, rings and cufflinks in both sterling silver and silver plated metals.

With a new Harry Potter film due for release in November 2016, now is a great time to start stocking this collection. All stock is held in the

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Hall 5 Stand SL04 M03

FIESTA CRAFTS 020 8804 0563 www.fiestacrafts.co.uk Fiesta Crafts has added to its range of fun, educational and practical toys for 2016. Children can let their imaginations run wild and enjoy hours of fun with the new Stickabouts range.

Designed to encourage creativity, each set comes complete with a themed play scene to set the scene and glue-free character stickers that they can use to create stories on the scenes or place on smooth surfaces around the house.

In addition to the Stickabouts range, the new range of Cush N Case toys are soft, loveable and extremely practical. It’s a cosy animal cushion that comes with a cute little cuddly toy that also is a travel case.

CAPTURING YOUR FOCUS FLYING GADGETS

Hall 5 Stand H56

0844 209 2626 www.flyinggadgets.com

UK and they aim to dispatch all orders the next day. They offer very low minimum first orders and regularly email customers to keep them updated with new products, stock levels and recommended bestsellers.

They permit all customers the use of product images to help them start selling instantly.

At Spring Fair 2016 The Carat Shop will launch their next phase of charms and are really excited to show off their amazing new Harry Potter watch collection.

With 2016 set to be another soaraway success for the Drone category of flying toys, Flying Gadgets has secured distribution of the very best on offer.

In addition to some unique four-rotor flying machines in their range they’re also looking after the much-lauded DJI stable of consumer and pro-sumer camera-equipped flying machines from world leading manufacturer DJI. This includes their latest 3 range of outstanding devices – the Standard, Advanced and Professional machines.

The DJI Phantom 3 Standard is pitched straight into the affordable territory. A superb piece of kit with 25-minute flight time, this unit is mostly on a par with its more expensive siblings, and with the same battery, it retains the intelligent GPS-based return-to-home feature that brings it automatically back to its landing spot if you lose a control signal or simply can’t be bothered to fly it back manually.

Photography-wise, it has a 12MP sensor and outstanding video resolution capabilities. Take off and the Standard automatically hovers in place, waiting for your command. It then effortlessly changes altitude or direction at the flick of a finger.

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Discover more with Amscan... ts! a r g Con

Come and see us: TToy Fair

Spring Fair

Stand B75 S

Hall 3 Stand 3A10-C11

TEL: +44 (0)1908 288 500 E-MAIL: sales@amscan-uk.co.uk WEB: www.amscan.co.uk ©Amscan 2015, ©Anagram 2015 All rights reserved

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SPRING FAIR

PREMIER HALLOWEEN STEPS UP AGAIN! PREMIER HALLOWEEN 01423 324 800 premhall@premierdec.com Sean Looney, general manager for Premier Decoration’s Halloween department literally ‘howled’ about the company’s ranges last year – and justifiably too as the entire product selection proved a huge success.

Building on the popularity of certain products and having developed a real understanding of the UK Halloween market has allowed Premier Halloween to up its game once again and the products on offer in 2016 are better than ever before.

Sean explains: “Halloween is growing more and more popular in the UK and the consumer demand for exciting new products is now probably on par with countries such as the US. However, because it’s so popular, finding exiting new products proves a huge challenge – but thanks to support from our Far East suppliers we have once again exceeded all expectations. Just like Christmas, many families are splashing out on decorating their homes and celebrating with parties so the market for Halloween

products is more lucrative for retailers than ever before.”

With this growing Halloween culture also comes the growing demand for bigger and better quality products and Premier has taken this on board when selecting the collections for 2016. Sean continues: “We still provide many of the lower end ‘bread and butter’ ranges; but we have now expanded into top quality home ware and gift products which are perfect for higher end gift and craft retailers.

The new ranges provide a holistic approach to Halloween with top quality home decorations, hanging plaques, wreaths and lanterns catering for the entire market.”

For retailers dipping their toes into Halloween, Premier offers numerous products which sit comfortably on shelves in almost any setting from best selling make up kits (which all comply with EN71 cosmetic regulations), glow whistles and bunting, to lights and battery operated candles.

For those wanting to make a serious statement the range includes The Dungeon Collection with the scariest of graves and ghouls; and huge inflatable products from

Charming style…

WOOKY EUROPE 01514 943 821 www.wookyentertainment.com

Hall 5 Stand M5

Wooky brings i-loom to Birmingham.

This amazing piece of kit transforms most tablet computers into a jewellery creation station. Clipping over the face of the tablet and, working with a downloaded app, young designers can make, create and share their designs.

Starter packs, set up tools, specialised creative kits and tote cases extend this revolutionary range. Wooky is renowned for arts and crafts and cosmetic products through their Style Me Up! range, and last year they launched Charmazing - the perfect Design-It-Yourself jewellery craft line for young designers. For young artists looking to create innovative fashions that reflect their own style, Style Me Up! offers a new range of Splash of Colour kits. These fairy, dance and fashion themed deluxe sketchbook kits include watercolour line drawings, stickers and more.

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giant pumpkins to witches black cats. The range also includes some fabulous party accessories including the ultimate ‘must haves’ for all children on Halloween – a selection of trick or trick buckets or bags to collect their booty!

Sean continues: “We are delighted with our new 2016 catalogue which we believe caters for the entire Halloween market – if you can’t find what you’re looking for in our new collection, then it probably doesn’t exist!”

Visitors to Harrogate Christmas & Gift in January and to Spring Fair in February can see much of what Premier Halloween has to offer, but if you would like to receive a copy of the new 2016 catalogue email: premhall@ premierdec.com or call: 01423 324800.

Blockbusting BLADEZ TOYZ 02392 658 255 www.bladeztoyz.co.uk

l5 Hal nd Sta 3 J7

Bladez's range of radio control products has grown into a family of favourites all over the world, as it includes a plethora of well-known characters from blockbuster movies, such as Star Wars, Minions, The Good Dinosaur, Big Hero 6 and many more. The portfolio currently includes classic characters such as R2-D2, Darth Vader, Yoda and, launching in January - new favorite droid, BB-8 is transformed into an RC Inflatable toy, complete with sound effects. Bladez has had a fantastic response to BB-8 from retailers as well as consumers as he joins the Star Wars RC Inflatable family. As well as the hugely popular RC Inflatable Range, Bladez is also continuing the ever growing collection of flying RC Toys, with their selection of Drones and Micro gadgets - available in many skill levels and styles, these lines all feature the Bladez-branded point of difference that keeps its customers coming back for more. At Spring Fair 2016 Bladez will be launching an entire new range of pre-school toys including two of the year’s hottest licenses: Teletubbies and Peppa Pig.

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250+TVRS

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

PREVIEW

SPRING FAIR

Tricks of the trade MARVIN’S MAGIC 01582 849 000 www.marvinsmagic.com

Hall 5 Stand L57

The latest addition to the Marvin’s iMagic range of smart magic for smart devices has been a great success in the toy and hobby industry as well as the magic industry. It has been awarded the gold medal in the Electronic Toys category at the Independent Toy Awards and the Toy Verdict Winner in the Magic Sets category. Approaching its 30th year, Marvin’s Magic continues to run successful magic shops within some of the world’s most prestigious stores, as well as having great high street presence and expansion internationally.

Recognising the importance of investing in people, its committed sales and marketing team is also expanding and will help you to create the best magical in-store theatre around.

Be amazed by their super powers!

WALKING IN THE AIR… RAINBOW DESIGNS 01329 227 300 www.rainbowdesigns.co.uk

Hall 5 Stand F6-G7

2016 will see the arrival of three fantastic new collections in the Baby and Nursery category as well a host of exciting new products within the Toy and Gift categories across a number of Rainbow Designs established brands.

Rainbow will be previewing their brand new The Snowman and The Snowdog My First Christmas collection, this beautiful new collection will be available for Christmas 2016, and includes an endearing plush collection from Rainbow Designs featuring My First Snowman and Snowdog Comfort Blankets, Ring Rattles and Jingle Bell Booties.

This spring will see the launch of a brand new Miffy for Baby collection, available in both pastel pink and denim blue tones and includes 25cm Plush Toys, Ring Rattles, Comfort Blankets and an Activity Cube.

Also launching in spring is a cute new Paddington for Baby range. Rainbow will also be launching brand new Activity Playmats.

Handmade and high-quality PRETEND TO BEE 01159 847 838 www.pretendtobee.co.uk Pretend to Bee will showcase their fantastic licensed costume collection at Spring Fair. In addition to their highquality dress up lines, the company has plans to increase their licensed costume ranges throughout 2016.

Thunderbirds continues to be one of the hottest licenses around. Pretend to Bee has created a Thunderbirds are Go range to delight young fans. Dress up like Scott Tracy, with an authentic costume which also incorporates a brilliant sound chip to recreate sounds from these iconic characters. 2016 will also see the launch of a Virgil Tracy costume.

The wonderfully whimsical Cloudbabies that feature on CBeebies are supremely popular with pre-schoolers. They can now dress up like their favourite characters, choosing from Baba Pink with cute booties, Baba Blue with his hammer, Baba Yellow with booties or Baba Green, which is accompanied by a watering can. The plush onesies are made from quality

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Each plush costume is made from highmaterial with sturdy quality cuddly fabric with great detail.

Buyers will also be able to see the full zips and range of costumes from Pretend to Bee fasteners to that have become the UK’s favourite ensure the handmade children’s dress up costumes. costumes are durable The ranges are complemented by enough for lots of wear. educational toys and accessories from The Natural History their classic collection and are suitable for Museum is boutiques, gift shops and independents. synonymous with all No MOQs. things dinosaur and the Natural History Museum range of Dinosaur Onesies Buyers will also be able from Pretend to to see the full range of Bee are a must for little dinosaur fans. dress up costumes from The range includes Pretend to Bee that have Triceratops, T-Rex and become the UK’s favourite Stegosaurus and each is guaranteed to handmade children’s design inspire costume up costumes envy.

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MAGNETIC ATTRACTION SMART TOYS AND GAMES

Hall 5 Stand J50-K 51

01903 885 669 www.smartgames.eu

Rock solid THINK PINK 01253 831 540 www.flossandrock.co.uk

Hall 5 Stand G27

Think Pink is waving goodbye with excitement as it brings you the fresh brand Floss and Rock!

Launching in 2016, Floss and Rock is a unisex brand of novelty gifts created for both young girls and boys and are exclusively designed. The Floss and Rock catalogue will be arriving to retailers from the end of January to the beginning of February, and will contain the products across categories such as Stationery, Play, Dress Up and Home Sweet Home.

Linking the products across the categories will be strong graphics and packaging. Part of the exciting new brand launch offer from Floss and Rock will include ‘secret’ diaries, scented pens, fragranced cushions, matching pairs, dominoes and giant jigsaws.

All your Think Pink contact and account details remain unchanged but if you have any questions please don’t hesitate to contact Lynda or Denise on 01253 831 540/512. Floss and Rock eagerly anticipates introducing you to the new brand at the Spring Fair.

Part of the exciting new brand launch offer from Floss and Rock will include ‘secret’ diaries, scented pens, fragranced cushions, matching pairs, dominoes and giant jigsaws

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After a great first year, Smart Toys and Games looks to extend its award-winning range in 2016 with a variety of innovative new additions.

SmartMax will see growth with added structures, accessories and playsets.

SmartMax allows children to discover the attraction of magnets through safe play.

The award-winning construction system is durable and made from top quality material with magnets so strong they can take on up to 60 times their own weight.

With the success of the award-winning Three Little Pigs game, SmartGames will focus on a new game – Little Red Riding Hood. Can you help her to find the correct paths and reach grandma’s cottage before the Big Bad Wolf? Watch out for him on the way!

Every SmartGames product comes with an extensive challenge guide and every

SmartMax product comes with a colourful play guide.

A total of 10 new games including IQ games, premium games, a new compact format and new display initiatives will be on show.

SmartGames’ award-winning portfolio ranges from simple to more challenging and complex, each using themes to appeal to both boys and girls.

Hidden gems THAMES & KOSMOS 01580 212 000 www.thamesandkosmos.co.uk

Hall 5 Stand H51

Thames and Kosmos will be exhibiting at Spring Fair for the third year running.

Visitors to the stand can expect to be wowed with new science kits.

Brand new to the UK for 2016, Kids First Physics has been nominated for US Toy of the Year (Educational Category) at the Toy Industry Awards! Other new kits launching at Spring Fair will see the Signature Series bolstered with brand new robotics kits including remote control machines, custom cars and Geckobot which climbs smooth vertical walls! Those looking for pocket money kits will be impressed by the new Prism Force range, with a selection of six kits, each one allowing children to build three different models and including a collectable crystal gem.

Thames and Kosmos will also be launching a selection of unreleased Kosmos board games, come and try your hand at The Rose King or step back in time and become a master Egyptian builder with Imhotep.

If you fancy a faster paced game test your puzzle skills with the popular Ubongo or try spherical puzzle game Dimension!

Make sure to pop by and chat with science demonstrator Brad Gross to see the exciting new kits in action and pick up a catalogue!

Any customers placing an order will receive a special show discount.

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PREVIEW

SPRING FAIR

Egg-ceptional GREAT GIZMOS

Hall 5 Stand E10-F 11

01293 543 221 www.greatgizmos.co.uk Great Gizmos returns to Spring Fair with a bang this year and plenty of new and exciting toys and gifts for 2016. There are additions to 4M, Meadow Kids, Kid O, NICI and more! New brands include Fat Brain Toys, Bead Bazaar, Charm It, Magic Sticky and our own fantastic range of popular wooden toys.

Their own range of multi-functional Great Gizmos wooden toys have been developed and designed to promote learning through play.

Alphabet Blocks feature a colourful collection of lower case letters of the alphabet, numbers, counting dots and a puzzle. The Clown Stacker will keep little ones entertained for hours. Fat Brain Toys offers a range of award-winning toys, games

FUN DOORSTOPS

and brainteasers for kids of all ages!

Peek-A-Doodle Doo is a charming game designed to improve concentration and memory skills. An ‘egg-ceptional’ challenge and fast moving, it’s fun for the whole family.

Charm It! is a fabulously fashionable range of collectable bracelets and comes with many character outlines that interchangeable charms for young girls. can be traced, so kids can draw their Crafty minds will love favourite characters on the pad and colour the jewellery making them in. kits and craft sets from Bead Bazaar.

Draw a picture on Their own range of multithe Magic Sticky Art Pad with the functional wooden toys washable pens have been developed and stick the picture on to and designed to promote any surface. learning through play The Magic Art Pad

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LOCKABLE NOTEBOOKS WITH SCENTED PENS

HEIGHT CHARTS

Introducing from the people that brought you Think Pink back in 1999. A fabulous collection of exclusive gifts for boys and girls designed beside the seaside.

Come and see us at the following shows: Nuremberg Toy Fair 27/01/16 - 01/02/16 (Hall 1 Stand G-05) NEC Spring Fair 07/02/16 - 11/02/16 (Hall 5 Stand G27) Call Denise or Lynda on 01253 831512/540 SKIPPING ROPES

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JIGSAWS

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Discover the quality RAVENSBURGER 01869 363 800 www.ravensburger.com

Confident that consumers will find plenty to attract, amuse and challenge them amongst the more than 70 new

Hot on the heels of a hugely successful 2015, Ravensburger looks forward to welcoming you to its stand at Spring Fair where it will be unveiling brand new ranges for 2016.

Traditional jigsaw puzzles bring genuine educational benefits and lots of fun, all hidden inside magical memories of family togetherness. During 2016 Ravensburger adds 15 exciting new properties to its already superb licence portfolio - Teletubbies, The Good Dinosaur, Finding Dory, Lion Guard, Dora and Friends, Matt Sewell’s Birds, Zootropolis, The Secret Life of Pets, Emoji, Trolls, Moana, Spongebob Squarepants, The BFG, Angry Birds and Historic Royal Palaces. There are also new products within established ranges – Paw Patrol, Bing Bunny, Twirly Woos, Disney Princess, Frozen, Shopkins, TMNT Half Shell Heroes, Avengers Assemble, Spider Man, Thomas and Friends, plus exciting new titles too.

Discover originality, collectability and hours of enjoyment with adult puzzles: inspired and informed by l5 Hal nd years of research and Sta 6 L consumer feedback, Ravensburger understands what consumers both want, and need, from a jigsaw puzzle. Because local tastes and preferences are so important, over 75 per cent of the range is developed in the UK. Confident that consumers will find plenty to attract, amuse and challenge them amongst the more than 70 new titles launching this year – everything is backed by Ravensburger's unrivalled Premium Puzzle soft-click technology.

The market-leading 3D puzzles are hugely popular. Exciting new launches for 2016 include the Big Ben 216 piece with clock, four shaped Minions designs,

”

FARM YOURSELF TRACTOR TED 01373 834 500 www.tractorted.co.uk

Hall 5 Stand F23

Children will adore the gorgeous Tractor Ted onesie with mini Tractor Ted images set against a royal blue background. The full length footless onesie with press stud fastenings, cuffed sleeves and ankles is available in sizes: 2-3yrs, 3-4yrs, 4-5yrs and 5-6yrs.

Tractor Ted Bath Squirters - each pack contains five sensational bath toys which come in a handy see through carry bag and includes a yellow chicken, brown sheep, black and white cow, pink pig and of course Tractor Ted himself!

Tractor Ted Pull Handle Wellies with contrast green sole and matching green handles are made for serious puddle jumping.

With 100 per cent rubber, cosy, and with easy-pull handles available in a lovely bright green and pale blue and

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a 72 piece sphere of Tsum Tsum and, for AW16 - a Night Edition Chrysler Building, an amazing Disney Castle and a range of stylish storage items for girls.

Known as the world’s foremost wooden train system, Brio now offers so much more. Brio World has unique features that create endless play possibilities, regardless of age. Amongst exciting new launches for 2016 are a Magnetic Stacking Train designed to co-ordinate with the My First Railway concept, steerable Farm Tractor and Train sets with removable play figures and animals, Lumber Loading themed vehicles, destinations and play figures compatible with the existing railway set, new additions to the popular My First Railway concept, and a range of impulse packs.

Tractor Ted Pull Handle Wellies with contrast green sole and matching green handles are made for serious puddle jumping

”

covered with Tractor Teds!

The range also includes Tractor Ted Jigsaws – new for 2016, packaged in attractive and colourful presentation boxes, available in four, six or nine pieces.

A Tractor Ted bestseller, kids (and parents) love the traditional play value of the Tractor Ted Wooden Tractor, chunky and robust, this mini wooden replica of the full size Tractor Ted is a must have in young children’s play farms. And the Tractor Ted Trailer (wooden) hitches to the Tractor Ted Wooden Toy and comes complete with three wooden farm animals – cow, sheep and pig. Attractively packaged in Tractor Ted Trailer box.

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Ravensden Plc Ravensden Farm, Bedford Road, Rushden, Northamptonshire NN10 0SQ England.

Telephone +44 (0) 1933 356221 Fax + 44 (0) 1933 410108 Email office@ravensden.co.uk www.ravensdenonline.com www.ravensden.co.uk

Nuremberg International Toy Fair Hall 1 Stand D-04 Spring Fair 2016 Hall 5 Stand F04 / G03

PREVIEW

SPRING FAIR

It’s gotta be… retro!

DKL 01604 678 780 www.dkl.co.uk Hall 5 Stand K72 On the DKL stand will be new products from Hama Beads, Scentco Scented Stationery, Wonderworld Wooden Toys, Breyer Model Horses, Miniland Educational plus new ranges just launching from SmartLab Science Kits, Scratch Traditional Toys, PlayMais Crafts, and Anamalz Wooden Figures.

Scratch’s range of Traditional Toys is ideal for the gift shop and includes new Retro tin toys such as Circus Tin Top and Pinball game! Look out for the Magnetic Darts Games, Puzzles,

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l5 Hal nd Sta 2 K7

Scratch’s range of Traditional Toys is ideal for the gift shop includes new Retro tin toys such as Circus Tin Top and Pinball game

collection of mini wooden vehicles with unique and quirky designs, wind-up Elastic Planes available in a counter display, plus a vast array of Musical Instruments in attractive packaging.

Scentco’s scented stationery range offers the largest collection of pick up fun lines, Smencils, Gel Crayons and Smarkers, Glitter Pens, Note Pads, Pencil Cases and so much more in so many scents. Popular Disney licences such as Finding Dory, Frozen and many more are included in these ranges.

Hama, the number one bead brand, returns with even more quality product

”

for 2016. Look out for the new ‘Small World’ Range of complete sets; Diamond Animals Gift Box featuring brand new pegboard shapes; the Friendship bracelets set, and the exciting Dinosaur Large Gift Box. For ages three plus, Hama is also launching the Maxi Stick collection. Recently launched is the new Hama Beads app to add even more creative play value to this fantastic bead craft range.

Wonderworld Wooden Toys leads the way with Mini Vehicles and Role Play, the fantastic role-play All-in-1 Coffee Shop, complete with cookies and other accessories. Also look out for Miniland Educational products, Breyer Model horses, Anamalz, PlayMais and the SmartLab Science kits.

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The Carat Shop info@thecaratshop.co.uk www.thecaratshop.co.uk Spring Fair Hall 5 G49

PREVIEW

SPRING FAIR

Bouncing into 2016 Ha Sta ll 5 F5 nd 0

GREEN BOARD GAMES 01494 538 999 www.greenboardgames.com GBG is extremely excited by the imminent launch of its new marble run construction range, Q-BA-MAZE. Build fish, dinosaurs, robots, butterflies, towers and more!

GBG is further increasing the breadth of their award winning BrainBox range introducing BrainBox Transport, BrainBox Predators and BrainBox English.

In 2016 new game concept - BrainBox Bounce will introduce Mr Men, Little Miss, Animals and Dinosaur versions.

This rapid recall memory game involves all players studying a different picture card at the same time and play is ‘bounced’ from player to player until they have all answered question one of the card they have studied. Those who answer correctly remain in the game, incorrectly answered cards must be placed in a pile for the winner of the round to collect. The bonus of Bounce is that it includes a spot the difference game as well; can you find six differences in each pair of cards?

Enter a wonderland…

In 2016 new game concept BrainBox Bounce will introduce Mr Men, Little Miss, Animals and Dinosaur versions

”

New product launches for 2016 such as Maths and R.E. Learning Trays join the Green Board Education range - they include 120 BrainBox cards which are perfect for inside and outside of the classroom.

Linked to the National Curriculum and providing multi game play ideas for teachers and parents alike, they support children’s learning in a fun manner.

Snap & Pairs is another popular range from GBG and five more titles are being introduced: 3-D shapes, Irregular shapes, Higher Times Table, Materials and Life Cycles.

After the success of GBG’s Pre-School BrainBoxes in 2015, it is adding First Animals and First Homes to its roster of pre-school product, with new titles aimed to further increase BrainBox appeal to the pre-school market, providing a natural progression into the well-known BrainBox family.

Ha Sta ll 5 K2 nd 6

Animal magnetism

SAMBRO

RAVENSDEN

0845 873 9380 www.sambro.co.uk

01933 356 221 www.ravensden.co.uk

Sambro’s Spring Fair stand is a one-stop shop for buyers looking to create fully licensed ranges for 2016. With some of the hottest properties of 2016, Sambro has one of the widest selections of licensed categories available at multiple price points and the NEC is the perfect platform to launch key lines. Paw Patrol was a fantastic success in 2015 and Sambro introduced a gorgeous new plush bag collection featuring the popular characters. In addition, a range of EVA bags, backpacks and wheeled bags are also available. The Paw Patrol Wheeled Toys range features innovative scooters and bikes, perfect for little fans.

The loveable Dory returns in 2016 with the release of new Disney Pixar animation Finding Dory. Sambro will launch a collection of arts and crafts products based on Dory with products that have brilliant shelf appeal. The cute Finding Dory Shaped Scribbler comes in an array of sizes and is chunky for little hands to hold. All this and lots more, so make sure to stop by the Sambro stand to meet the sales team.

With a new location and stand in Hall 5, Ravensden is looking forward to a successful Spring Fair 2016.

If you are looking for a range of fast selling merchandise that is a little different, visit Ravensden and meet Cedric the giant Sloth and friends #cedricthesloth. Nobody understands animals like Ravensden and nobody has a range like theirs. From Alpacas to Zebras, soft toys to ceramics, at family owned and operated Ravensden has the most comprehensive range of animal-themed merchandise available in Europe.

With over 200 new lines introduced for 2016 including many new styles, Ravensden offers Suma Collection ranges of soft toys and an exciting new range of 3D notebooks, posters and magnets.

Well-established (since 1975) and experienced in sourcing products as well as exporting and importing – Ravensden specialises in Zoo, Aquarium, Leisure and Promotional markets.

Its aim is to supply quality products and to continually develop and introduce new lines enhancing the retail offering of attractions.

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Spring Fair Hall 5 L28 Stand

TNP

AMBASSADORS

Humungous fun for all This month our lucky TnP Ambassadors get their hands on some very exciting products indeed – Vivid’s Fungus Amungus and Jumbo’s Peppa Pig Hide & Seek Game

Putting the fun back in fungus After Harrison (4) and Teddy (3) were shown an embargoed sizzle of Vivid’s Fungus Amungus recently, excitement and expectations were high when they got their little hands on them. Mum Heather tells us how they got on

of surfaces, they ‘come alive’, and that is I’ve never associated the term fungus with the magic of these adorably disgusting much joy, but fun certainly sums up the new additions to our house. Vivid’s Fungus characters. They can also be squished in the hand which is a feeling I’m sure Amungus has brought germs, microbes kids everywhere will enjoy, stretching and bacteria into my life in a very big way! and throwing the sticky figures about After watching my two boys fling the little mites about, I can see how this will become a collectable craze for little men. Having received samples of All the many different creatures the product from Vivid, Harrison (germs, bacteria and microbes) (4) and Teddy (3) were not are colourful, scary and sticky. disappointed – all the many What more could boys possible want! different creatures (germs, bacteria and microbes) are colourful, scary and sticky. the house gave my boys hours of fun.

What more could boys possible want!

Harrison’s reaction was almost immediate, There are over 100 different characters asking: “Are there more? Where do we get that come with an information card and more from?!” With my youngest adding: ‘back story’, and in different sized bags “Look – they’re alive!” ranging from two to 15 pieces.

After throwing them on the windows, The beauty, if I can call it that – of the walls, doors and watching them ‘crawl’ Fungus Amungus – is that as gravity down – it really is a sight to behold. moves them down, or they are peeled off

”

Inclusively interactive It’s the classic game of hide and seek – made more enjoyable with the addition of the adorable Peppa Pig. We hear from two-year-old Ruby’s mum Sonia how much fun can be had with Jumbo Games’ Peppa Pig Hide & Seek…

The benefit of hide and seek is normally that it takes no time to set up, there are no boxes to find or parts to rescue from behind the sofa – but I agreed to suspend this judgement for our good friend Peppa Pig to see how Ruby got on with the game.

The instruction manual is incredibly informative – written in Peppa Pig font it includes suggestions of how to adapt the game for different ages and abilities, and has a particular section dedicated to babies.

You can hide Peppa Pig under a blanket and she will call out, encouraging baby to pull away the cloth in a ‘peekaboo’ style.

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For a more complex game we used the cards with images of things in the house such as a lamp, a ball, etc – and hid Peppa Pig behind them. The first step for us was for Ruby to name the object on the card, and then go to find Peppa Pig. We could then adapt it so that Ruby hid Peppa Pig and I would use the card to find her.

We used the cards as a treasure hunt, where Ruby could turn over a picture of a clock, and when she went to the clock there was another picture of a box, and when she went to the box she found Peppa Pig! As Ruby repeatedly said with delight: “Look! I found her!”

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See you at the Toy Fair.

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FEATURE RIDE ONS

Riding high The ride ons category is rolling into the new year with gusto, bringing new licenses, new products, and new power to the market. TnP looks at the enduring appeal of traditional ride ons and the future of battery powered fun

R

olling into a new year, it’s ScuttleBug and Micky Mouse and time to take a look at one Minnie Mouse for the ScrambleBug of the most popular to push the ranges’ popularity product categories out even higher. there: ride ons. From the classic “The move is a great opportunity bikes and trikes, to scooters, walkers to extend the appeal of the Bug and even products that morph and brands and position them as the transform into multiple modes of must have first ride-on for children,” transport, the ride ons market explains Gemma Lewington, continues to diversify, offering kids Marketing Manager at Mookie. more options for fun, and retailers more options for sales.

Growth across the board By all accounts, the past 12 For MV Sports, the past 12 months months have been buoyant for the have been strong, with Sales and category. In NPD’s Top 10 selling Marketing Director, Phil Ratcliffe toys in GB (Jan - 6 Dec 2015), two saying: “It has been a good year for positions were taken by ride ons, MV and we have posted growth in Hippychick ride ons across the board.” with Mookie’s Smart Trike 4 in 1 Trike coming in fourth and VTech’s First Despite a milder autumn and early Steps Baby Walker in ninth. With winter than in previous years, Phil Mookie’s Smart Trike 4 in 1 Trike isn’t convinced the good coming in at the top of NPD’s weather has had any impact on ride ons category best seller sales, positive or otherwise. But chart (Jan-Nov 15), the he does think the buying company’s ScuttleBug also started later than usual this took the third spot, with Little year, leading to a sharp rise in Tike’s Lt Cozy Coupe 30th the weeks leading up to Anniversary the second best Christmas. seller of the year - a true icon “I think the season started of the category. later than usual but have seen Mookie will continue to an uplift,” Phil says. “Not sure if develop its ScuttleBug and the weather has had much ScrambleBug range in benefit as most purchases will Phil the coming year. be Christmas presents and Ratcliffe, MV Aimed at being little therefore not used as yet.” ones’ first ride on, Tracey Newton, Kiddimoto’s Sports the company has Marketing Manager, agrees, and acquired the license does not believe the milder for Disney Cars and climes have “impacted sales either Disney way”. But the positive movement Princess towards further growth continues for the for the balance bike and ride ons specialist, with new product launches and encouraging uplift in both volume and revenue.

“As a ride on toy specialist and MV innovator, we strive to drive NPD. This year has been a particularly busy one, with a range of new products to be launched in 2016,” explains Tracey. “Our current and existing range has performed very well, with double digit growth in volume and revenue.”

And it’s a similar story at

“

There is a lot of innovation coming through in battery operated ride on’s, in particular lithium powered products -

”

Hippychick, which is experiencing fantastic results across its entire ride on portfolio. Alan Houghton, Sales Manager, says: “Our ride on toys continue to perform well for us and is definitely an area of growth. We sell a varied selection of ride on toys at Hippychick, from our award winning BoiKido, Happy Hopperz, Moover and the famous Wheelybugs.

“This year we have seen a consistent demand for our Happy Hopperz all year. This is the only range of ours not designed to be used indoors too, and we have a Christmas deer option that makes a great gift.”

Ride and learn So what is driving this growth?

Tracey believes that the potential for developmental benefit, and of course the bonus of healthy and positive play patterns, are a big selling point for this category. “It’s becoming increasingly important to encourage the use of toys that aid a child’s development in a positive way,” she says.

It’s a trend that’s a key selling point in many product categories, from opening up the doors to STEM in the construction category, to the creative and imaginative growth of arts and crafts, and for good reason: parents are looking to toys to get kids learning early.

This is an area of great importance to Hippychick, which is bringing new elements to its ride on offering to boost this aspect further.

“There is a big demand for interactive toys in the competitive toy market,” Alan explains, “so it is important to find the right toys to keep little ones stimulated while standing out from the competition.

“We will be launching new interactive toys from our BoiKido collection that will potentially include a mixture of educational construction and number toys.”

And Alan says it is likely this will become a new standard for the

Mattel 248

toysnplaythings.co.uk

TRENDS “Beautiful, clean and classical design” - Tracey Newton, Kiddimoto.

“Battery operated ride ons, particularly lithium powered” Phil Ratcliffe, MV Sports.

“Continued focus on educational toys” - Alan Houghton, Hippychick

wider market: “There will be a continued focus on educational toys highlighting different ways to both keep children learning while most importantly having fun.”

So how can retailers capitalise on this? Tracey says shining a spotlight on these benefits can yield great results.

“Retailers need to ensure all promotional material in relation to such products highlights these benefits,” she explains. “As a supplier of products that offer motor skill development in children, we ensure this benefit is clearly communicated on front of pack.”

It’s electric Traditional, leg-powered products continue to be the backbone of this category, but Phil thinks we’re heading in a new, higher-tech direction that will kick-start this year. “There is a lot of innovation coming through in battery operated ride ons, in particular with lithium powered products,” he explains. “This is a pioneering new segment of the sector offering brand new experiences, and although in its fledgling stages has huge potential for the future.”

These new battery powered ride ons will offer new experiences, but as the technology is in its early days, this does bring with it a premium price tag.

“These tend to be expensive and sometimes a bit left-field,” Phil continues. “But prices will reduce as technology gets cheaper and more suppliers come on board.”

So how is MV Sports preparing for a bright, new, lithium-powered off shoot in ride ons? Visitors to Toy Fair

JANUARY 2016

later this month will be able to see for themselves. “We are looking at some lithium

“

As a supplier of products that offer motor skill development in children, we ensure this benefit is clearly communicated on front of pack Tracey Newton, Kiddimoto Tracey Newton, Kiddimoto

”

powered products as well as some more traditional battery operated products, and have created a brand called Electrick as an umbrella for these items,” Phil says. But despite the impact new technology could have on the future of the category, Phil says MV will continue to refresh and expand its current range: “We also have some new innovations in traditional scooters launching at Toy Fair under our new Twista brand.”

Kiddimoto’s vision of 2016 is simple: “Beautiful, clean and classical design that is relevant and synonymous with the Kiddimoto brand,” says Tracey.

With such variety in this booming category, ride ons are heading into the new year on a high.

Round and about LITTLE TIKES 0800 521 558 www.littletikes.co.uk Building on a fantastic 2015, Little Tikes will continue to dominate the Ride On category this year.

Trikes remain a significant part of the portfolio and an important new area of growth.

The brand will be looking to build on the award-winning 2015 Little Trikers campaign that saw substantial multi-platform investment through a partnership with Olympic gold medallist and World Champion Greg Rutherford to encourage parents to get active.

The Lean to Turn Scooters further enhanced their ride on portfolio, and remain popular with bright colours and clever features – with additional fantastic colourways of orange/blue, red/yellow, blue/pink and green/blue coming soon. The iconic Cozy Coupe family continues to grow, with the most recent arrival of Fairy (launched in Tesco) proving a popular addition.

2016 will see these cute and cool ride ons ready for even more action!

The year ahead will see the brand continue to invest heavily in this category with the release of new Perfect Fit and Ride & Relax Recliner Trikes.

Both bring unique features that parents will love. They are designed to build momentum into spring, which is a key season, and enhance the current offering.

Top 5 Ride ons Jan-Nov 2015 - NPD • Smart Trike 4 in 1 Trike Asst - Mookie Toys • Lt Cozy Coupe 30th Anniversary - MGA Entertainment • Scuttlebug Asst - Mookie Toys • Real Rescue Police Car LT - MGA Entertainment • Smart Trike 3 in 1 Trike Asst - Mookie Toys

Prince Lionheart

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FEATURE RIDE ONS

Ride and tested Prince Lionheart 020 8997 7054 www.princelionheart.com

On the moover Hippychick

01278 434 440 www.hippychick.com If you want to stock a wide variety of high quality ride on toys to be cherished by children for years to come – look no further than Hippychick.

When it comes to maximum fun, Wheelybugs are the perfect children’s toy. Unlike other ride ons, and thanks to their unique caster design, Wheelybugs provide multi directional movement – helping children ride wherever they please. With two different sizes available (1-3 years and 2-5 years) and eight striking animal designs to choose from, there is a Wheelybug for everyone!

Putting a modern twist on a classic - Happy Hopperz take bouncing to a whole new level. These ride on toys are not only brilliant fun, they also serve as great exercise for children. Designs from pink dogs, to police bikes to green dinosaurs – the police bike has proved to be popular, winning at the Dad’s Choice Awards earlier this year.

Nothing can beat Moover on quality, both modern and classic these ride on toys can be run around the garden and will still look great in the corner of a nursery. Put together with a simple unique ‘click key’ system, the toys can be built and rebuilt with no tools required, giving the Moover range another element of education and excitement – a delight to the eye for everyone.

Built to last Robbie Toys Ltd 01843 604 448 www.robbietoys.co.uk Robbie Toys offer a convoy of tough JCB ride ons perfect for young drivers of all ages. For the youngest of all drivers (1 years+) comes the JCB Mini Trac Dumper, a foot to floor ride on with tipping dumper, steering wheel and squeaky horn.

Its blow moulded plastic design has a knee indentation to help children scoot along as fast as their legs allow!

Next up is the JCB Dumper and also the JCB Tractor Trailer and Loader. For the ultimate set of JCB wheels, the JCB 8250 V-Tronic Tractor with Frontloader is ideal.

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An adventure awaits the intrepid traveler with the yetiZOO! A fabulous ride on, perfect for little ones who are keen to get moving! The brightly coloured toy and ride on has a secret compartment for little ones to hide and carry their favourite things on the adventure. Each traveller can enjoy the YetiZOO’s manoeuvrability and d comfort to make the trip, with a steering g handlebar constructed to ensure maximum mum safety for the child while riding and turning. ning.

For little racers in the making, the Prince e Lionheart yoMOTO is a fabulously funky y motorbike style ride-on; sleek, modern and very stable with a clever steering mechanism that can be easily controlled d by leaning on the handlebars.

They like to think of it as the bike before ore bikes: easy steering, by leaning on the handle bars, means it can be effortlessly powered by little feet; lean ‘n learn design teaches balance; the big button wheels give maximum stability and easy maneuverability as well as looking very stylish and wheels realign when going over bumps to keep it stable. The yoMOTO is suitable for intrepid little ones from 18 months and available in white with either red or blue flash.

Feel the power Re:Creation 01189 736 222 www.recreationltd.co.uk

Luxury!

Flying Gadgets 0844 209 2626 www.flyinggadgets.com Flying Gadgets range of ride on products is leading the way in innovation for the category. Adding to the everpopular entry-level range of licensed products including Ferrari, Bentley, BMW and Range Rover models, the success of their premium product – the Broon F830 – has fueled an increase in demand. The new Broon T870 uses twin 12V batteries bringing unparalleled performance to the ride on sector.

Re:creation’s Razor portfolio is set to raise the bar in ride ons once again in 2016 as the brand powers up for a year of innovation. 2015 saw Razor continue to make its mark in electric scooters, with the everpopular E90 and E100 holding the category top spots, while the unbeatable Crazy Cart remained in the headlines year round. With an unprecedented line-up of incredible new products to come, this year is set to deliver more high octane Razor magic than ever before.

The successful ‘Electrify your Ride’ marketing campaign delivered outstanding results and this year rides are amped up further still with the launch of Razor’s in-house developed Power Core technology. The Razor Power Core E90 and Power Core E100 electric scooters are driven by hub motor which offers doubled riding time and higher speed.

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Learn… Grow… Go! Steer your sales with our Trikes range Our trikes: • Are designed to develop physical, balancing, and steering skills.

• Adapt from a parent guided stroller to infant powered trike.

AWARD WINNING

ge of styles n a r l l u f C h o o s e f ro m o u r

t gh i e w ia n y av ed paig e H Mm Ca

Visit www.littletikes.co.uk to find out more Call us: 0845 0533 333 | Email us: Uklittle.tikes@mgae.com MGA Entertainment UK Ltd, 50 Presley Way, Crownhill, Milton Keynes, MK8 0ES

FEATURE RIDE ONS

Ramped up MV Sports 01217 488 000 www.mvsports.co.uk MV has posted sensational sector busting growth in ride on toys in 2015 thanks to a great line up of licensed, branded and own label solutions. Its ride on range is packed with great new models, exciting innovative designs and awesome award-winning products.

MV Sports has recently added several exciting licenses to the portfolio with classics such as Noddy, Teletubbies, and Bob the Builder lining up against hot new properties such as Paw Patrol.

These fantastic new additions bolster a formidable array of existing licensed ranges that combine to provide a ‘one stop’ solution within the pre-school wheeled sector.

Disney Princess and the re-designed, evergreen Peppa Pig champion the preschool girl’s ranges.

This delightful range is complemented perfectly by pretty pink, duck egg blue and yellow colourways across all three ride ons; My First Ride-On, My First Sit ‘n’ Scoot and the exciting 6V Electronic Ride-on Car. MV’s pioneering pre-school classic Thomas and Friends has also been refreshed and will continue to dominate the pre-school boys market with a range of exciting wheeled toys, including the famously popular Engine Ride-on and the fantastic Train and Track Set. Both ride ons facilitate imaginative roleplay with MV’s dependable quality and durability built in.

In addition to Thomas MV also has the irrepressible Fireman Sam with two red hot emergency ride ons to choose from.

For older boys, Batman is still flying high with two awe inspiring battery powered vehicles; the Bat Bike and Batmobile both equipped with authentic lights and sounds.

E-Moto leads the own brand ride-on range with selection of marvellous mini-freeways and electric scooters that come in bright, vivid colourways to speed in style and a deluxe-edition with optional seat.

Kiddimoto 01749 871 175

One for the road Great Gizmos 01293 543 221 www.greatgizmos.co.uk Ride ons and pedal cars make for traditional outdoor play and Great Gizmos’ latest models allow little ones from the age of one to zoom about and have fun!

The Classic Pedal Cars and Ride On collection brings a touch of vintage to traditional play with retro designed bodies and authentic detailing such as big spotlights and padded cushioned seats.

The Pedal Cars are available in popular red, green and yellow colours, with a new addition in powder pink that is ideal for girls aged three to five. This authentic looking vintage car is hand built in strong steel and very sturdy.

The Ride On collection features Classic Racers in a variety of vibrant colours and a Ride On Tractor and Trailer, with the addition of the Ride On Aeroplane, Ride On Rocket and Ride On Retro Racers in green and red for something a little bit different.

Solid foundations Mookie 01525 722 722 www.mookie-toys.co.uk ScuttleBug and ScrambleBug has acquired Disney licenses as the brands look set to grow even further.

ScuttleBug will be licensed to Disney Princess and Disney Cars while ScrambleBug will be licensed to Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse. The new licensed ScuttleBug and ScrambleBug will be launched in SS16 and will be supported with TV advertising and online marketing throughout 2016. ScuttleBug is a unique ride on with three wheels for added stability and ideal for toddlers.

Hape days!

www.kiddimoto.co.uk

Marbel

The perfectly formed and simply designed Kurve is the fantastic range of toddler balance bikes from Kiddimoto.

In a variety of colours and designs that will appeal to girls and boys alike, these sturdy ride ons are manufactured from birch ply sourced from managed forests and are completely recyclable. Each of the colourful styles - including the Pastel Dotty Kurve, the Union Jack Kurve and the Police Kurve - have matching helmets and gloves and are suitable from the age of 3 years upwards. The Kurve gives an upright posture similar to that of a regular bike and the seats are adjustable to offer longevity of use. Designed with safety in mind, the Kiddimoto Kurve is CE marked and meets safety standard EN71.

Also launching from Kiddimoto are the u-Zoom, the London Bus and Super Junior Max Decals – which have had a design makeover. The u-Zoom features everything needed in a scooter including a funky design, flashing wheels and with a folding handle. Kiddimoto’s first ever ride-on walker, the London Bus, will join the award-winning brand to excite retailers in 2016.

0845 6000 286 www.marbel.co.uk

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Amongst well-known wooden toy manufacturer Hape’s many new product releases for 2016, the Hape’s ride on range sees the launch of a lovely friendly ride on bug.

Designed for toddlers to get them moving around on their very own is the Bug About.

With trusty antennae handles to hold onto and a neat storage compartment in the bug’s belly, it’s ideal for youngsters to take their toys and books along with them for the trip.

Available from Marbel in January this little Red Bug is sure to be loved by all toddlers.

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Great products that move themselves

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LOOK BACK 2015 WITH MALCOLM NAISH

The year that was…

TnP’s Founder Malcolm Naish looks back at 2015 The Character group, pictured in our February issue, with the Toy of the Year Award

JANUARY 2015 We start the year with a bumper Toy Fair edition of 266 pages that also incorporates on the flip side a preview to Nuremberg with an in-depth look at American toy company Toy State whose die-cast and radio control products are making a big impact outside of the USA including the UK. Hamleys announce the opening of a new 9,000sq ft store in the spring in Lakeside and LEGO open new offices in central London.

Mirella our Group Editor spends a day with Gary Grant – Founder of The Entertainer - that heralds a regular page in Toys ‘n’ Playthings as they pass the 100 mark in their store openings.

Toy Fair at Olympia gives us all a most welcome glimpse of good times to come. The show exudes excitement and our new TV service – TnP TV – is one of the major talking points of the fair.

Not for us just the publication of a monthly toy magazine, but the chance for toy companies to show us their products and share their thoughts on our very own TV channel.

The Character Group won four of the category awards at the Toy of the Year awards at the Science Museum including Toy of the Year for Teksta.

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We take an in-depth look at American toy company Toy State whose die-cast and radio control products are making a big impact outside of the USA including the UK

”

FEBRUARY 2015 Toymaster announce changes at the top of their management structure. Ian Edmunds is appointed MD with Yogi Parmar taking over the reins of Operations Director. Ian takes over the role from Roger Dyson who has guided the group over the last 16 years and becomes Vice-Chairman.

Hasbro top the TV spend league for 2014 with a reported spend in excess of £17 million. A number of consumer reports are telling us that consumer confidence is running high and our talks with both retailers and suppliers seems to bear this out, so everyone is looking forward to a bumper Easter.

Character Group are the biggest spenders on TV for the month of January and Hasbro top the spend charts for February. Top spenders this month are Mattel with a reported spend of £1,473,874.

MARCH 2015 TnP TV continues to attract plenty of publicity, giving toy companies the opportunity to show off their products both on their online activity and our own website.

Mega Brands celebrates 30 years in the industry.

Now part of Mattel they continue to thrive, no doubt for at least the next 30 years.

I am saddened to report the passing of Keith Bass, an industry legend who had spent most of his career with top toy companies.

The BTHA confirms toy dates for 2016 opening on Mookie Toys Sunday 24 until Tuesday the owners of TP 26 January. A date Toys announce change forced on them

by Nuremberg’s date that they will be change to an opening day running a TV of 27 January. campaign this Mookie Toys the owners Easter as the of TP Toys announce that they will be running a TV brand celebrates campaign this Easter as 50 years in the the brand celebrates 50 business years in the business.

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Toy Galaxy’s Bhav Patel featured in our retail interview for May

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TnP interviewed Martin Grossman

APRIl 2015 We feature H. Grossman Ltd – a family business for 70 years – Martin Grossman tells us about his family business of which he has been a part for 45 years. Martin is an industry character with plenty of successes behind him, Loom The AIS team Bands and Alien Eggs to quote but two.

April is the toy month for the AIS show, growing bigger every year and led by Miles Penhallow. It is growing year on year and is enjoyed for its friendly atmosphere with 80 exhibitors taking part.

Hasbro’s first quarter results are published, up five per cent at $713 million with pre-school and boys toys the drivers at 10 per cent and 22 per cent respectively.

This month marked the 20th anniversary of Toymaster’s Victoria House offices in Northampton. Lovely to see June Collinson in our pic with chairman Ciaran Fitzpatrick (pictured right).

Famosa’s Feber Ferrari is featured on TV on Ant and Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway with their mini-counterparts Little Ant and Dec. LEGO seems to be selling well across the board and the Irish Fairy Door Company is given its first mention as selling well.

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LEGO seems to be selling well across the board and the Irish Fairy Door Company is given its first mention as selling well

JANUARY 2016

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We publish by far the biggest and the best Toymaster preview – 51 pages of essential reading for visitors to the show

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MAY 2015

Pictured at the 20th anniversary of Toymaster’s Victoria House offices in Northampton was June Collinson with Chairman Ciaran Fitzpatrick

We look towards Christmas and what might be driving sales. Star Wars publicity is in full swing. Toy Fair reports that by the beginning of May, 160 companies have already booked stand space – most encouraging – in what is going to be a tough situation with the clash of dates.

Our retail interview is with Bhav Patel owner of Toy Galaxy who owns four toy outlets in Barnet, Witney, Harrow and Ealing. His philosophy is simple “If you like it and there is demand, we will make space for it within our inventory.”

How refreshing. Hamleys continue to grow with a store opening in Moscow. We publish by far the biggest and the best Toymaster preview – 51 pages of essential reading for visitors to the show. Mattel top the reported TV spend chart with £1,119,142 this month.

JUNE 2015 Toy retailers start compiling and publishing their Top Ten Christmas must haves. Argos and Hamleys both publish theirs six months early.

Just a few months after celebrating 70 years in the business, Martin This is it were Grossman sells his family business to interviewed for Mark Wells and Danny McLoughlin. our June issue The Toy Trust raises a whopping £205,000 with their bike ride – bloody fantastic!

I drive up to Oldham to help celebrate Mike Rowe’s retirement from Character Group. A thoroughly nice guy who will be greatly missed.

I travel down to Newton Abbot to interview Marcello Rossi – head of retail at This is It, a group of six variety stores. A born wheeler dealer, Marcello admits that he loves trading and doing deals and why not indeed – it’s what makes the world go round! LEGO are top the TV spend charts with a reported £689,417 spend.

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LOOK BACK 2015 WITH MALCOLM NAISH

Argos’ Linzi Walker has fun with Pie Face!

JULY 2015 Heading into August, Disney have a 53 per cent share of the UK Box Office with Inside Out and Ant-man with Inside Out grossing £7 million alone on its first weekend.

Two toy trade stalwarts pass into the great toy store in the sky with the passing of Derek Morris and Mike Seary. Their two companies MV Sports and Peterkin continue to thrive. I shall miss Derek’s fantastic parties, I had just a month earlier helped him celebrate his 85th birthday.

Our retail interview is with Vicky Brown of Just Williams. Their first store opened in 2007 and now they have four stores to their name. Her top tip for a new buyer is: “Go with your gut feel and listen to your customers.”

Gary Grant (pictured right) receives a Lifetime Achievement award on the BTHA’s Industry Day. July top TV spender is LEGO with a reported £689,417 leading the way.

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Our retail interview is with Vicky Brown of Just Williams. Their first store opened in 2007 and now they have four stores to their name Martin Grossman and his wife Elinor along with Caroline Brotherton were pictured in our July issue handing over the reigns to new owners of HGL, Marks Wells and Danny McLoughlin

”

AUGUST 2015 We interview Argos trading manager for toys and nursery – Linzi Walker. Her two stand out ‘Craze’ lines are Loom Bands and Frozen. Of Loom Bands Linzi said: “What an amazing learning curve for me, the speed and the sales and then Toys R Us announce the opening of ten stores in Ireland with ex Smyth’s operations officer Brian Donoghue at the helm.

Gary Grant BBC Worldwide host a receives a press event to highlight all of Lifetime the toys from their various Achievement Award licensees. A most impressive collection with long-term licensees Golden Bear and Character Group leading the way.

Dave Martin having left Kurio is appointed U.K. director of American toy company Funrise.

We highlight a new game ‘Who’s Got Ron’.

Combining football with gambling a little cash, makes for a highly entertaining game. I hope it succeeds as it is a totally different angle on a football game. Hasbro top the TV charts with a reported spend of £1,629.472.

TnP Tv celebrates 50 episodes

SEPTEMBER 2015

Mike Rowe’s retirement from Character was pictured in our July issue

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Chis Spalding leaves HTI for pastures new.

Disney showcase the Disney Dozen and heading the list is Frozen’s Anna and Elsa Doll set.

Our retail interview highlights a garden centre for the first time. Not just any old garden centre, but Bents Garden & Home in Cheshire. Nicola Harradine gives her insight into their success. This illustrates our commitment to widen our scope with both our circulation and buyer profiles.

BTHA announce the Greenhouse section at London Toy Fair is not only expanded for 2016, but is also sold out.

TnP TV celebrates its 50th interview of top toy trade professionals.

If one is ever to recognise the value of a top brand then Mattel’s Hot Wheels is testament to this, it is number one vehicle property and number one vehicle category July 2015 – NPD.

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LOOK BACK 2015

WITH MALCOLM NAISH

“

Following plenty of hype a new Oxford Street store in the heart of London’s West End is opened. The Toy Store might be the ‘New Kid on the block’, but in our opinion it will certainly give Hamleys a run for its money

OCTOBER 2015

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The Brand Licensing show continues to be a must visit for all key toy personnel and management. It certainly lived up to its reputation and we were represented with a stand at the show where we introduced our first LTW TV. LTW being our sister title to Toys ‘n’ Playthings.

TnP interviewed key licensing personnel, giving the licensing industry another avenue with which to promote their characters and brands.

We highlight Chicco, with their MD Mitch Levene telling us that the Chicco brand is enjoying a 50 per cent increase in its toy sales this year.

Following plenty of hype a new Oxford Street store in the heart of London’s West End is opened. The Toy Store might be the new kid on the block, but in our opinion it will certainly give Hamleys a run for its money. With a rental per square foot rumoured to be the highest in this part of London.

Richard Keel becomes Chair of The Fence Club

NOVEMBER 2015 The Dream Toys event was once again a great experience for the country’s consumer media. Plenty of coverage in the national press and the country’s TV stations proved what a great event this is. The top 12 toys ticked all the right boxes, so lets see how the ‘Toy of the Year’ awards in January compare to these twelve selections.

Black Friday has been and gone and seems to be vastly over-rated as a big shifter of toy product with many consumers preferring to buy on-line.

Richard Keel becomes the new Chairman of the Fence Club and there are three new Honourary memberships for outstanding services to the Fence Club for Peter Brennan, Paul Cassidy and Roger Dyson.

Ben Redhead of Firebox is interviewed this month. Social Media has been a big influence on their success and leading their product charge for Christmas is Star Wars Sphero BB-8 with Game of Thrones Monopoly also selling well.

JANUARY 2016

DECEMBER C 201 2015 Hasbro’s Andrew Brown, not content with rowing the Atlantic single-handed four years ago, now takes on yet another mammoth challenge.

From the 23 December, Andrew intends to take a solo bike ride the length of New Zealand. Tip to tip the distance is 1,300 miles. His aim to raise £10,000 for the Toy Trust.

Enesco, that well-known gift supplier, has been acquired by Balmoral Funds – a Los Angeles based private equity fund.

Nice to see the new Construction toy Magformers (pictured) receiving a positive sales response from one of our toy retailers in our monthly Toy Talk feature.

Our retail interview highlights Ian Edmunds of Toymaster. Ian’s top four products are LEGO, Shopkins, Paw Patrol and Frozen. Our congratulations to Gary Wyatt (pictured) and Green Board Games on their 25th year of trading. As one of my favourite companies they continue to innovate and successfully compete.

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Our congratulations to Gary Wyatt and Green Board Games on their 25th year of trading

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AGENCY SPOTLIGHT

Do you know Those Licensing People?

Four years ago, Russell Dever established Those Licensing People. The MD sits down with us to explain how the company has developed and he even reveals they are looking to take on new staff!

I Russell Dever, MD, Those Licensing People

Russell on…

Direct to Retail Direct to Retail is a powerful tool for the right property but it does not work across the board and should be treated as a marketing tool with the greatest of respect.

Retail relationships are very important for licensors. In a consumerist society the most important person next to the consumer is the retail buyer. In the same way that parents are the gatekeepers for children, retail buyers act in the same way. Moderating IP into the market - successful licensing starts here.

Retail buyers should be treated with respect and indeed be allowed to feedback to licensees via an agent.

Contact: E: info@thoselicensingpeople.com Tel: +44(0)845 901 1657

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“

n 2011, tragedy hit Those Licensing I have been People’s MD Russell involved with the Dever when his licensing industry 25-year-old son Joel died in tragic since 1995 and I circumstances. “It was have seen it grow sink or swim time,” says into a Russell. “And I decided sophisticated to swim.”

That fighting spirit is marketing tool. one which permeates The idea that you through Russell and can harness Those Licensing People personal desire, (TLP). Russell had already had success emotional after developing the content, and BBC broadcast peer group animation Little Monsters – and after pressure Joel’s passing, he fascinates me decided to return to production with Boy and the Dinosaur which he had originally planned to work on with his son.

“Somehow,” Russell explains, “Those Licensing People grew from there and Boy and the Dinosaur is now scheduled for delivery on Disney in autumn 2016 with Disney Australia leading the way.”

”

next project was to help a nascent company develop ‘JCKSCRWN’ which is now an established streetwear brand.

We built TLP initially around this and then added more third-party rights. Four years on we have two series in production, and one in development for which we are the exclusive master agents worldwide.

We also have a range of third party IP across a number of nonconflicting markets.”

Maintaining diversity After four years of building the company behind the scenes, Those Licensing People is now firmly established and it represents a range of properties and own IP from food brands like Duke of Delhi and 5 Oil, animation like Little Monsters and Boy and the Dinosaur, to character Zuma the Dog and more. The point being, they are not a one-trick pony and this is important to the company.

Developing the brand Those Licensing People began organically, Russell admits. After many years of working in the animation and licensing industries, Russell had no concrete plans to establish the company as a licensor, or as an agent – but that is just what happened – and now they are looking to hire staff!

“I hadn’t actually planned to come back into licensing at first but our

toysnplaythings.co.uk

Boys Vs Girls

Boy and the Dinosaur, which has been picked up by Disney

Rollie & Friends

top-end, mid-market property demands. That is exciting I think. To find the niche into which the right property will fit and then to build the network of connections that weaves a raft of support under the IP.”

Those Licensing People’s ideal employee is...

Personable, dedicated, entrepreneurial, enthusiastic and creative.

“I have been involved with the licensing industry since 1995 and I have seen it grow into a sophisticated marketing tool. The idea that you can harness personal desire, emotional content, and peer group pressure fascinates me. That the same rules apply across a broad range of intellectual property rights has enabled us to expand out of character licensing and children’s properties into adult luxury goods.”

Given the diversity in the brands TLP represents, does Russell feel children’s properties should be treated differently to adult ones?

“That’s a very interesting question.

You would think so wouldn’t you?

Although the audience is much younger and sometimes the property does not appeal to an adult audience, but let’s face it children are not the gate keepers to the bank account. The decision to buy into a brand is complicated in the children’s market, because you have to find the appropriate balance of adult pathos for the brand and pester power from the kids.”

Russell argues that “too much of one will cancel out the other”, and says: “it is easier to place the desire for a brand into the mind of an adult and expect a result than it is with a child. Just because a property has the approbation of an adult does not make it cool for kids. Just because kids nag the life out of parents does not mean that parents will give in to a child’s demands.”

JANUARY 2016

Company ethos Russell describes Those Licensing The personal touch People as a “boutique licensor with Given the amount of agencies in the global connections”. licensing industry, one such as Regardless of whether the Those Licensing People stands out company is dealing with their because of “the personal own IP such as Little Monsters connection” says Russell.

We are a or Boy and the Dinosaur or “We have a small but focused boutique working with third party IP, team of people. The most important licensor with Russell says the approach is thing for me is that there is a strong the same. global personal connection, service is “Licensees are our clients everything.” Russell also prides connections too,” he enthuses. “The same himself on transparency, explaining: rules apply. But one thing that “I have done away with the industry our licensees find out quickly practice of quarterly accounting. My about TLP is that third party rights principals get paid as soon as the are handled in exactly the same way cash hits the bank. I trust them. I as our own in-house IP. Building a hope that kind of service level strategy for the property with our means that they can trust me. We licensees is therefore paramount. still report on the quarter, but that is We need to be able to measure after funds have already been results against forecast.” disbursed. I do not use my clients’ Quality brands and IP is what funds as cash flow.” makes the company tick. Those As Those Licensing People embark Licensing People is ambivalent on a new year, watch this space! toward the mass market which appeals only to a common denominator, We hear Those Licensing People is looking to recruit in the says Russell. next year? You must be pleased!

“This is fine for Terrified, actually! But there are only so many hours in the day and the properties we are at the point where we are going to need to bring in some new that have that faces. It’s exciting of course, but it’s also a responsibility. With some certain kind of 14 properties in our line-up for 2016 it would be irresponsible of me appeal but it is not not to consider expansion which is why we have just increased our sophisticated and studio capacity from January. In addition to which we have a very does not require close contracted relationship with Weird Lime the Leicester based the same degree advertising and marketing agency. We share resources. I have a great of planning that a belief in co-operative agreements which benefit multiple parties.

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We asked…

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LICENSING

NEWS

Let’s find Dory Three new card games from Cartamundi will swim into stores once spring hits. The new card game sets are for Disney Pixar’s Finding Dory, the eagerly awaited follow-up to the 2003 Disney Pixar hit Finding Nemo, which arrives in cinemas on 29 July 2016.

The games include a snap game, a two-in-one game and a game box, all starring Nemo’s forgetful friend and her fellow stars from the new film.

Trudi Bishop, Head of Marketing and Licensing, Cartamundi Group, said: “It’s been a long time coming but the characters from Finding Nemo are back at last — with some wonderful new friends. Finding Dory again boasts superb designs, charm, humour and colour — perfect for this range of card games which we are certain will be a hit with fans and families everywhere.”

New licensees for The BFG Ravensburger and Winning Moves are just two of the names who have signed on for Steven Spielberg’s adaptation of The BFG. Entertainment One (eOne), who handle pan-European rights for the film, recently announced that it has secured a raft of new licensing deals for the big screen adaptation of Roald Dahl’s classic children’s book, which is slated for release in July 2016. New licensing partners signed to the consumer products programme include Blues for a range of leisurewear, Winning Moves is on board for a Monopoly board game, C&M Licensing will produce a line of nightwear, underwear and socks and Kinnerton will be releasing chocolate confectionery. These new licensees join the aforementioned Ravensburger, Fashion UK, William Lamb, Bazooka Candy, Gemma International, Pyramid International and Danilo.

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Premier shelf space Topps has launched the official Merlin Premier League Sticker Collection.

The new collection is the second to be launched

by Topps under the Merlin brand since the leading collectables company reinstated the cult trademark last year. It is the 23rd edition dedicated to the Barclays Premier League since the very first official sticker album launched under the Merlin brand back in 1994.

The 2015/2016 season’s mega bumper album features all 20 Barclays Premier League teams, with new look portraits and infographics for players.

Rod Pearson, Marketing Director for Topps, says: “The new Merlin Official Premier League Sticker Collection offers something for football fans young and old, with the nostalgia of Merlin appealing to those who remember the brand from their childhood, and new design features and stats giving the collection a fresh feel for our newer supporters. We love the idea of generations coming together, with dads and grandparents collecting stickers alongside their children.

Funrise and Hasbro expand Tonka deal Funrise Inc and Hasbro has announced an extension of the Tonka license agreement to include the UK and Middle East markets, beginning second half 2016.

This extension includes pre-school product from the My First Tonka series to boys vehicles including die cast and Lights and Sounds range as well as the Classic Tonka Steel Vehicles. Later introductions will include the new Tonka Climbovers segment.

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LICENSING

NEWS

Golden n Bear gets messy

Making history!

Historic Royal Palaces has teamed up with Ravensburger to produced three puzzles.

The Tower of London adult puzzle contains 1,000 pieces for puzzle enthusiasts to recreate key areas of the palace including the iconic Crown Jewels, the Yeoman Warder uniform which has become a symbol of Great Britain, and the world renowned White Tower. The tower has also provided inspiration for a children’s puzzle designed by Jason Cockcroft which includes illustrations of the Royal Menagerie, a collection of exotic animals including an elephant, a lion, a tiger and a polar bear. Guy Fawkes and the dastardly thief Colonel Blood also feature in this educational game.

A second adult puzzle takes elements from the 500 years of Hampton Court Palace, ranging from Henry VIII’s astronomical clock and iconic red-bricked Tudor palace to the more exuberant ceilings, gardens and ironwork of King William III’s and Queen Mary II’s Baroque palace.

Pre-school specialists ecialists Golden ounced a new Bear has announced d range for plush licensed n the CBeebies 2016 based on es from Doodle animated series Productions.

The soft toy,, talking and feature plush is based on the ar Messy goes to hugely popular es.

Okido TV series. mme The programme derives from the O original OKIDO d magazine and depicts a hostt of colourful science-based d by inquisitive loveable monster adventures led i d Messy and his ffriends.

“The creativity and characterisation explored within the TV series has given us the opportunity to develop a themed plush range, which will enable children to bring the cute and curious Messy to life in tactile and huggable form,” comments Katherine Pierce, Senior Licensing and Marketing Manager at Golden Bear. “With fantastic stories, engaging concepts and programme content, Messy goes to Okido will form a natural extension to our expanding portfolio for 2016.”

Shopkins keeps on racking up store points Blueprint and Danilo have both signed as Shopkins licensees.

Licensing agent Bulldog announced the deals recently with Bulldog Licensing Manager, Vicky Hill saying: “We’ve signed two more top licensees to add to an incredibly strong licensing programme. We are receiving a constant stream of enquiries and it’s no surprise as the reaction to the brand both online and at retail is simply phenomenal.”

Danilo has signed a deal to produce calendars, greetings cards (including print-on-demand), gift wrap, roll wrap and gift bags, while Blueprint will produce an extensive stationery range that includes files, writing sets, pencils, art sets, scrapbooks, binders and accessories.

JANUARY 2016

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LICENSING OPINION KELVYN GARDNER

Licensing with real Seoul After visiting the Seoul character and Licensing Fair, LIMA MD Kelvyn Gardner is back in Blighty. He gives us the lowdown on his Korean adventure

M

y first big trade look forward to 2016 this year came about in December just gone. I was fortunate to be invited to the Seoul Character and Licensing Fair in Korea, which took place just two weeks before Christmas. I gave an introduction to licensing presentation at the conference, took in the show and spent one day holding pre-booked mentoring sessions with Korean businesses looking to develop licensing for themselves. The whole event was extremely well organised, for which extra praise is due owing to the timing. The show normally takes place in July, but an outbreak of the respiratory disease, SARS, forced the move to later in the year, and so found us all there is a very Christmassy atmosphere. They even managed to get some K-Pop stars to take part in an elaborate opening ceremony, also graced by the presence of government ministers. You may have noticed that members of the UK Cabinet are conspicuous by their permanent absence from Brand Licensing Europe, by way of contrast. I was told in advance that Christmas is a pretty big thing in Korea, but, even so, it was surprising to hear Christmas songs and carols in the hotel lobby, breakfast room, restaurants and shopping malls everywhere, and even in the exhibition centre, where a separate ‘Winter Festival’ was going on, looking exactly as a Father Christmas grotto would in the UK. I even heard

Kelvyn at the Seoul Character and Licensing Fair

one of my all-time favourites, The In fact, even looked at domestically, Boar’s Head Carol, at one point. Back the future is bright for them. LIMA research shows that the licensed to the business of the show, do I merchandise market in South Korea have any hot tips for you for Korean last year was worth less than US$ 2 characters headed to the UK? Sadly, billion at retail compared to the UK not really. The show is very Korean, figure almost six times that amount, and the country has yet to have a at $11.9 billion. Given that their large major breakthrough character in the and prosperous consumer base in international markets. A few years a population of almost 50 million ago you may have come across is quite close to our own 60 million Pukka, a cute lifestyle character that people, they clearly have huge did enjoy some success in the UK potential for development. While I – though much greater in southern was there Star Wars Episode VII, The Europe, but that’s about it. The Force Awakens, opened in cinemas company behind Pukka, Vooz, is still and was clearly going strong doing very good and producing business, as I tried to a plethora of get a ticket on the The fact that new characters, Thursday night at a but none of their industry’s efforts nearby multiplex, but them has yet are backed so solidly they were sold out. reached the by government shows Not coincidentally, European market in any just how seriously they much Star Wars merchandise was major way. This are committed to visible at retail, but is not to be licensing then, so was our pessimistic for very own Thomas their chances – & Friends, and I just ask Japan’s was told that Beatrix Potter and Sanrio what a difficult act to follow Paddington are also local Brit Hello Kitty is – and the fact that favourites there. It did feel so their industry’s efforts are backed much like Christmas, including so solidly by government shows just the clear blue skies and sub-zero how seriously they are committed to temperatures which we so rarely get licensing. Their kids’ TV shows do sell in a typical UK ‘festive season’. Well, internationally already, so it’s only a it set me up nicely for 2016. matter of time.

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LIMA the trade association for the licensing business www.licensing.org/uk email rbeaird@licensing.org

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TNP T

LOOKS S BAC BACK

Step back in time TnP MD Malcolm Naish looks back at some of the events and news stories that made the pages back in January 1986, 1996, 2006 and 2011 January 2011 Volume 30 Number 4

JANUARY 2011

JANUARY 1996

• Off the back of a very snowy December where late deliveries of on-line orders spoilt quite a few Christmases due to delivery after the 25th, we are looking to a Toy Fair this month that sees a full show, but a fair amount of retail apathy. However a retail report recently published cites over £2 billion being spent on Boxing Day – so obviously there is plenty of money about.

• Mondo, who until now were known as primarily play-ball specialists, return to toy fair with a range of die-cast cars, based on the Top Gear TV programme.

Philip Harrison MD says: “This is effectively the relaunch of Mondo UK”.

• Channel 4’s ‘100 Greatest Toys’ show made for interesting reading. Surprising that Barbie only made position 47, whilst Dungeons and Dragons reached number three. The top ten was dominated by games consoles, but at least the top two slots went to LEGO and Monopoly respectively, ultimately triumphing over the nerd vote.

• One interesting fact to emerge was that a 1970’s Chopper bike from Rayleigh cost the equivalent in today’s money of £360.

• It’s good to see Hasbro back at Toy Fair.

• I have a rant at the many young buyers now making the big decisions at the majors, whom almost on a whim destock a supplier who has been loyal to them. I asked: “What happened to the good old days when relationships were the most important thing in business?”

• Torquil Norman announces that he will be stepping down as chairman of Bluebird Toys in May. This I believe will herald the sale of the company, that company eventually being Mattel.

• Our WH Smith top 40 games chart shows Jenga top by sales value with Waddington’s Pog-hanging pack second with the two products reversed for the Compiled by Contribution top 40.

• Love the Vivid advertisement for Toy Fair showing their latest fashion doll sensation Boyzone.

• I wonder how they did with this product, and I bet there are a few being sold on eBay today?

JANUARY 2006

• Toy Fair is over for this year and I muse on the possible successes of the products that caught the eye at the show.

• Hasbro’s fashion doll offering Jem was one, another was Coleco’s Cabbage Patch dolls and how many of you remember Acorn Green from Tomy?

• I note that more and more companies are making use of voice synthesizers, micro-chips and cassettes – talk about being in the vanguard of technology!

• How little did we know then how much the trade would change in just 20 years?

• The Shop Bill is due a second reading in the House of Commons and whilst the Keep Sunday Special campaign is gaining momentum, I speculate that myself for one can see Sunday trading as becoming inevitable – at least I got that one right.

• There has been a lot of discussion in our columns on the future of Toymaster, where various regional groups that seem to have their own private agenda to keep power for themselves are slowing up the establishment of a national buying group. Most of the suppliers to Toymaster agree with my assumptions 100 per cent.

• Teddy Ruxpin is a new introduction from Mattel with sales to date in the USA at $70 million, so great expectations for the U.K. sales wise.

• Transformers takes the Toy of the Year award for 1985.

• I am sorry to record that Greens Toymaster are in administration with debts of £3 million. Fortunately for suppliers the debt is paid in full to suppliers via Toymaster.

• Another popular retailer, Tom and Valerie Graham whose toy shop in Harrow has survived 30 years decide to retire, but at least the store will continue to operate in toys and nursery.

• I congratulate Norman Walker on his 100th ‘Letter from America’ in Toys ‘n’ Playthings – one of my better decisions to ask Norman to write for us before he moved to the USA to run K’Nex. • We finally announce that Kevin Jones has sold FEVA to Spin Master with Kevin appointed MD to run the UK company.

• One of the nicest ladies in the toy trade – Anna Chapman leaves Hasbro to take up the role of Director for Girls Toys, Europe for Disney. We all enjoyed dealing with Anna during her years at Hasbro and are sorry to see her leaving.

• Barbie’s Pegasus styling head is cited as one of the best sellers for Christmas 2010 by the retailers we spoke to in our Toy Talk section.

• Online buying makes huge strides with the Argos site crashing in mid-December, no doubt due to the volume of traffic.

JANUARY 2016

JANUARY 1986

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016 ARY 2 U N A J 4 5 No. Vol. 3

Independently audited ABC circulation of 5,123 1 July 2014 to 30 June 2015

Š 2016 Mattel, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Helping everyone sell more

CONTENTS 56

16 ry 20 Janua No.4 5 Vol. 3

Range in focus – Plum Products MD, Mark Wilson looks at the company’s phenomenal growth and plans for the future. Plus, Plum reveals its beautiful range of outdoor toys for 2016.

TEAM TnP Group Editor Mirella Anstey mirella@lemapublishing.co.uk

Editor Mairead Wilmot mairead@lemapublishing.co.uk

Writer Rhys Thomas rhys@lemapublishing.co.uk

Group Advertisement Manager Ryan Horwood ryan@lemapublishing.co.uk

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Leader – with Mirella Anstey

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Cover story – Mattel’s UK leadership sat down with TnP to discuss the developments coming in 2016 for the company’s pioneering and world famous brands.

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Nuremberg Toy Fair 2016 – Plan your trip and get ahead of the crowds with our in-depth show guide, including a snapshot of the top exhibitors, what they will be showcasing and where to find them.

Media Solutions Manager Bradley Mason bradley@lemapublishing.co.uk

Publisher Mark Naish mark@lemapublishing.co.uk

Production Director Paul Naish paul@lemapublishing.co.uk

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

PG 12

PG 6

Managing Director Malcolm Naish malcolm@lemapublishing.co.uk

PG 20

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 5,123 1 July 2014 to 30 June 2015

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Helping everyone sell more

FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT 01628 500 303 © 2016 Mattel, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

LEADER Mirella Anstey

A member of the Audit Bureau of Circulation

Independently audited ABC circulation of 5,123 1 July 2014 to 30 June 2015

PUBLISHING

At the heart of retail Also published by Lema Publishing

licensing T O D A Y

W O R L D W I D E

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Of course the big brands will be there. Mattel is elcome back to another edition of a stalwart of the show, and we caught up with our special Nuremberg Toy Fair the leadership team here in the UK before the flip cover. I know it has become a show. You can find out what we learned over bit of a tradition for many of you the page, including some very honest and frank now - flipping over the January issue to dig into discussion on how they will be rejuvenating and our Nuremberg preview after reading through our backing some of their best known brands in the comprehensive London Toy Fair guide - and this year ahead. It’s always incredibly exciting to sit year we’ve packed in more information about the down and discover all the exciting things that show than ever before. the toy suppliers have been If you’ve already booked your cooking up for the new year flight and are heading to the Nuremberg Toy behind closed doors. We got the Spielwarenmesse in January, then chance to do just that with Plum this will be your best friend for Fair can really give Products, as the company gets planning ahead and ensuring that you the scope and creative with quality swings, you spend your time wisely. We breadth of the slides, wooden playlets and roleall know how huge the show is, industry play and everything that makes and although the organisers do imaginative and active play a a superb job of making it easy to true joy. navigate and find exactly what Plum MD, Mark Wilson spoke to us about the you’re after, going in with a game plan is company’s growth, plans for its product range always best. in 2016, and how it I’m always asked by independent retailers at will be supporting this time of year whether they should take the retailers to make plunge and head to Nuremberg. If you’ve not yet the most of all these made up your mind about attending or not this developments. year, then consider this: 2,800 exhibitors will be waiting there to greet you, and they’ve got around There are some truly beautiful 75,000 new toys for you to discover.

The majors, chains and grocers will of course be products coming sending their buying teams, but I think Nuremberg through from Plum in 2016, so to get gives retailers of all sizes an opportunity to find the low down on all that extra special something to give you the of that and more, competitive edge. You might discover something head to page 56. unique from a new Indian outfit in the Indian So dive in and get a head start before the Pavilion, or perhaps toy fair season really kicks off. And if you are you’ll discover the latest heading to London Toy Fair - and let’s face it, trends in the TrendGallery. you almost certainly are - you’ll find much and Whatever it is, no two trips more afterwards by flipping your issue around. to Nuremberg are ever the You’ll find Team TnP in both Nuremberg and same, but they’re always full London come the end of the month - so auf of discovery. wiedersehen, we’ll see you there!

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If you would like to subscribe to any of our other market leading titles please call Robert Thomas on 01442 289930 or email your request to robert@lemapublishing.co.uk

FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT 01628 500 303 © 2016 Mattel, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

COVER FEATURE MATTEL

Making Mattel epic Mattel is a company who don’t shy away from the facts. With a mammoth portfolio of brands under its remit, the company is straight-talking about what is performing well and where they plan to pick up the pace. As we broach 2016, the company’s UK leadership sit down with TnP to give an overview of the year ahead

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hen you are working for a company as iconic as Mattel – there is undoubtedly a weight on your shoulders.

This is a company whose name resonates globally; a company responsible for some of the most treasured, respected and loved IPs in the world.

And that is not over-egging the pudding for the sake of it – it is a fact.

Thomas & Friends, Barbie, Fireman Sam, Fisher-Price, Hot Wheels, they are all under Mattel’s remit and as Voltaire once said; with great power comes great responsibility.

TnP caught up with Dominic Geddes, Mattel’s VP and Country Manager for UK, Ireland and Nordics, Wendy Hill, Brand Activation Director and Simon Price, Director of Consumer Products, who all know the company’s brands inside out, and the weight each carries within the toy industry.

Strength in numbers Dominic is incredibly open and frank about the company’s highs and lows, where they are doing well and where things need to change.

“We’re pleased, in overall terms,” Dominic tells TnP at the company’s headquarters in Berkshire. “Our boys, infant and pre-school portfolios are ahead but in fashion dolls we’ve been

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plans and with Barbie strengthening its position, there is a lot of positivity.”

In fact, Barbie is tracking doubledigit growth in the US and Mattel is starting to see significant improvement in the local markets too, not just in the UK but Europe wide. Different marketing initiatives have helped propel Barbie back into the consumer limelight – Mattel recently teamed up with girl band Little Mix on a campaign called ‘Raise Your Voice’ that ran on Nickelodeon and encouraged selfexpression through music.

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The strength of Mattel lies in our portfolio of brands… we have very strong plans for 2016, there is a lot of positivity Dominic Geddes, VP and Country Manager, UK, Ireland and Nordics

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challenged and of course, this is where we get a lot of our publicity.”

This is true given that Mattel boast of girls’ brands such as Barbie, Monster High and Ever After High. These are all names the consumer recognises easily so if one brand has a tricky year, the man on the street may assume Mattel is having a tricky year.

But this is not the case, as Dominic tells us: “The strength of Mattel lies in our portfolio of brands but yes, we have had some challenges in the fashion doll area. In saying that, we’ve had a very strong last eight weeks with Barbie which is now back to growth.

Monster High had a difficult year but we have very strong plans for 2016 with some really exciting

NPD stats show Hot Wheels riding high in the top three bestsellers list for the United States, Canada, Russia, Mexico and Poland

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COVER FEATURE MATTEL

Barbie is tracking double-digit growth in the US with growth also seen in the UK over the past two months

Spreading the brand message Mattel is working hard to change the way it communicates with consumers. They are engaging more with parents and spreading the brand message in clever and inventive ways. And it’s working, Fisher-Price is just one example – a recent vlogging and social media campaign with Tom Fletcher from popular band McBusted and his wife Giovanna saw over half a million YouTube hits driving positive conversations around the brand message in a way today’s parents relate to and understand.

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We’re very excited about DC Super Hero Girls and we recognise that mums and girls want a choice. We want girls to imagine and be that super hero Wendy Hill, Brand Activation Director

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Fisher-Price is also bouncing back to growth as Mattel delivers fresh product to market. Take BeatBo, the all singing and dancing little robot who is now a firm favourite with mums and kids. It is such a favourite that Wendy tells us its “one of the most in-demand toys in the FisherPrice range”.

A mega year ahead As Mattel works to shape the future of the company with innovative and forward thinking product Dominic says he feels “optimistic about our portfolio of brands”.

“The reaction we are seeing to the breadth and innovation is what people expect from Mattel,” he adds.

The company is now applying this innovation to the Mega Brands portfolio after its acquisition of the company in 2014.

Admittedly, the first half of 2015 was a challenging one following Mattel’s integration.

“It was always going to be a challenge,” Dominic admits. “There were some operational issues but those are behind us now and we see a big opportunity to improve the distribution of Mega and a big opportunity to grow the brand, particularly with the First Builders range and the older collectors ranges.”

The products in the Mega portfolio for 2016 will whet the appetite of any retailer. Along with the classic First Builders range, there are licensed lines with Thomas, Monster High, Minions, Blaze, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Half Shell Heroes, Call of Duty and Halo to name a few.

Things are about to get super Along with its own classic IP, Mattel has a strong licensed line-up for 2016 with Acamar Films’ Bing “a phenomenal success”, BBC’s Go Jetters “really well

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Dream big Mattel and Barbie will celebrate girls’ imaginations in 2016, empowering them to dream big and believe in their dreams.

Through captivating content and real life experiences, Barbie will engage and inspire girls of all ages along their journey of self-discovery, unlocking their imagination and letting them know that ‘With Barbie You Can Be Anything’.

Barbie will remind girls, mums and society that ‘Barbie is the only brand that allows girls to imagine themselves as a mermaid to a movie star, a fairy to a fashionista and a princess to a president’.

Barbie will play with purpose and create a connection with mums by demonstrating and showcasing the benefits of open-ended play.

Look out for new reimagined content, exciting fashion news with halo collaborations as well as high street brand partnerships. And get ready for girl power as Barbie takes on more bold and disruptive entertainment themes. received”, Nickelodeon’s Blaze and the Monster Machines “very strong”, and then there is Mattel’s relationship with Warner that sees exciting product hit retail in time for the highly anticipated Batman V Superman film which is due for release in March.

Mattel is also very excited about is its latest collaboration with Warner that will see DC Super Hero Girls take the shops by storm.

The range takes everything girls think they know about action figures and turns it on its head. It is all about empowerment, promoting the inner super hero and inspiring girls to think big.

In a sense, it harks back to Mattel’s old adage of empowering girls. After all, Barbie was the original super hero, she had over 150 careers over her 56-year history, including a stint as President, so if she doesn’t emoby a super hero, we don’t know what does!

Mattel turned the market on its head when Monster High first came to retail too – they brought something different, something fresh, something unique. Now, they are doing it all over again with DC Super Hero Girls, which will be arriving at retail around July.

“It’s a real highlight for us,” explains Wendy. “We’re very excited about it and we recognise that mums and girls want a choice. We want girls to imagine and be that super hero.”

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COVER FEATURE MATTEL

Super Hero Girls is due to launch at retail in July

Full steam ahead Given Mattel has such a vast portfolio you might be forgiven for thinking that some things slip through the net – they don’t.

Look at Thomas for example; he’s been around for longer than a lot of us, having celebrated his 70th anniversary this past year. With such an evergreen brand, do Mattel still invest in it? By heck they do!

Thomas & Friends is more of a fixture in the Mattel portfolio now than ever before.

The company understand that Thomas & Friends is key in the pre-school market and the brand is treated with as much reverence now as ever before with the TV series broadcast on Milkshake and Nick Junior.

“We’re custodians of Thomas & Friends,” says Wendy. “People have such strong emotional ties to the brand, they care about it and we have a real sense of pride in the brand. It has grown by 20 per

cent this year and there is huge potential”.

Simon Price, Director of Consumer Products, explains that the consumer products team is also an important part of the mix to make sure Mattel gives a franchise offering to consumers. He explains: “We are working hard with our retailers to demonstrate the potential our brands have as a franchise offering, giving retailers better margins, so it is good for the consumer, it is good for the retailer and it is good for us. We all win.”

Is it hot in here?

Hot Wheels is another heritage brand having a cracker of a year, recent stats released by NPD show Hot Wheels

Feel the Fisher-Price beat As the number one in infant and pre-school, Fisher-Price continues to lead the way in early childhood development in 2016 with exciting product launches, hot new licenses and impactful marketing campaigns.

With its strong heritage and powerful brand philosophy encouraging natural discovery, imagination and learning, Fisher-Price awakens the wonder that comes from joyful play. FisherPrice products let children be children and help parents succeed at the most important job in the world, nurturing their child’s development.

This year sees the evolution of the brand campaign with a marketing initiative that will connect with today’s parents through a break frame digital and social programme putting real mums and dads at the heart of the brand. Innovation and play value lead product development with exciting new launches including new toys featuring innovative Smart Stages™ technology adding a unique proposition to Fisher-Price infant toys.

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riding high in the top three bestsellers list for the United States, Canada, Russia, Mexico and Poland.

“Hot Wheels has never gone away,” says Wendy. “In the UK by unit it is in the top one or two and by volume it is in the top ten, the track sets and the single car units have done very well and we have a strong licensed application too, so all those factors come into play.”

And in keeping with Hot Wheels’ promise to make play epic, the brand will be supported in 2016 with a multiplatform campaign along with the launch of the Split Speeders range.

Retailers are a priority Regardless of what a toy company has in its portfolio, it is going nowhere if it doesn’t have a strong relationship with retailers. Mattel operates a channel distribution strategy. No two retailers are the same, each has different needs and Mattel want to recognise that.

“We pride ourselves on our strong relationships with retailers,” says Dominic. “We don’t treat all retailers the same, the key to our successful retail relationships is the channel strategy where we respond to each retailer’s needs and that has worked for us.”

There is a distinct feeling of optimism about Mattel as they head into 2016.

This is an iconic toy company, a company who strive to bring the best quality, the best innovation and the best service. This is a company who won’t ever rest on its laurels; they are too busy making it epic.

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w o Sh iness s u b Europe’s biggest toy fair is here, and with it the chance to get ahead of the curve with the latest products, trends and innovations from across the globe

Key details What: Nuremberg Toy Fair When: 27 January - 1 February Where: Nuremberg, Germany Info: www.spielwarenmesse.de

Nuremberg in numbers: • 2,800 exhibitors from 60 countries • Visitors from 120 countries • 75,000 new products

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rothy wheat beer, blue and white check, Bayern Munich football club the German state of Bavaria is known around the world for its iconic culture, food and drink. But for those in the industry, the region’s second largest city will always be associated with one thing: toys. Every year for one busy week Nuremberg becomes the meeting point for the global toy industry as the sharpest minds, most innovative toys and biggest names in the business decend on the vast Nuremberg Exhibition Centre.

Taking place this year from 27 January to 1 February, more than 70,000 visitors are expected to walk the show floor, making it the largest toy event of its kind in Europe.

For some retailers, particularly smaller independents, making the trip to Germany isn’t always the easiest thing to accomplish.

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There is always such a buzz at Nuremberg and the atmosphere is great. It makes you proud to be part of the toy industry - Wendy Hill, Mattel

The scale can at first be daunting, and taking time away from the shop back at home isn’t always possible. But any reservations are assuaged on arrival when they arrive and finding all there is to discover and learn to put them ahead of the competition.

As ever, the show is a great place to see and get hands-on with the year’s new bounty of toys - and with 12 core product categories represented across the show ground’s 170,000 sq m, whatever you’re after, chances are you’ll find it. From traditional dolls and soft toys in Hall 1, to model construction and hobbies in Hall 7

and Hall 12’s multi-product group, the 18-hall honeycomb that is Nuremberg has it all.

More than 2,700 exhibitors take to the show floor with stands of all shapes and sizes, running the full spectrum from the world’s biggest toy brands to the freshest and most agile start-ups - some of which will be making their debut this year. This scale sets the stage for thousands of intimate and personal connections between visitors and exhibitors, and the show’s organisers go to great lengths to ensure those meetings are simple to make.

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of the toy industry’s biggest players, and is an event where Mattel likes to make an impact. “As Europe’s largest Toy Fair it is extremely important for us to exhibit at the event,” says Wendy Hill, Director of Brand Activation at Mattel. “It is a key opportunity to make a statement and showcase the Mattel portfolio. There is always such a buzz at Nuremberg and the atmosphere is great.

It makes you proud to be part of the toy industry.” Visitors to the Mattel stand will be among the first to see its latest innovations for the Gathering the brightest talent year ahead. “We have from nations around the world collaborated with in one place, the International Google to launch the Pavilions are incredibly popular. new View-Master More than a dozen nations toy – a virtual reality from as far afield as Australia, to experience for India, China and even Britain - are children. The product represented in their own pavilion. will be on the stand It gives visitors and buyers the to test out,” Wendy best conditions us the best reveals. “We will also possible for opportunity Big brands are back y be launching the targeting the to showcase Headquartered in nearby Zirndorf, se first ever action dolls product from new Playmobil has long been a strong supporter at the event. The individual launches.” of Nuremberg Toy Fair, and a familiar face new Barbie Made to markets On top off on the show floor, attending the fair every Move dolls feature showcasing year with a revitalised offering and a new g 22 ‘joints’ mimicking the new stand to explore. realistic action.” products “Being a German company, it is vitally Oh and if you see a doll with two heads that buyers can get their hands on for the important to be present at the Nuremberg on the stand, you’re not dreaming. coming 12 months, Playmobil also uses the fair,” explains Jamie Dickinson, Marketing Mattel will be launching its first ever twoshow as a platform to give its retail partners and Display Manager. “We have a headed doll in the Monster High range for a sneak peak at the developments coming permanent stand, which is refreshed twice the fun. further down the road. Jamie explains: every year with the new products to give “Due to the nature Going global of our global For some exhibitors, Nuremberg represents launching strategy, a special time of year: the one and only we will have the Keeping up with the latest consumer trends toy fair they attend. Describing the Silverlit new 2016 launches is a full time job, but it can pay dividends. stand as “12,000 sq ft of magic”, General for the UK market, The TrendGallery combines live events, Manager Tom Mullen says it’s the ideal as well as the new presentations and talks to explore this year’s place to capture the attention of the toy products that trends, arming you with the knowledge too. community at large. customers can Trends to look out for in 2016 are: Train you “Silverlit is represented in all the major expect to see in Brain, Everyday Hero, Design to Play European territories. Nuremberg allows us 2017.” to showcase our entire range of new and He sees the existing products,” he says. “What makes show as “allthe show so unique is that you can capture encompassing” existing and new customers not just from for Plamobil’s Europe but from around the world.” expansive brands, The aim for Silverlit is quite simple: “To and believes “there consolidate our business with existing UK is nowhere else retailers and offer some great new ranges that can offer the for 2016 and beyond.” amount of space But the show is just as much about that each sector tha connecting with people from across and supplier industry as it is displaying stock. deserves.” de “As this is the only show that we exhibit This scale at, Nuremberg affords us the opportunity makes to show not only the depth and breadth Nuremberg of our company’s product portfolio, but an attractive also our full Hong Kong staff are present event for many

International Pavilion

Trend spotting

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Knowledge is power!

to meet inventors, licensors and other professionals that are key to the industry.”

To prove that it’s not all work and no play, Tom adds: “We also do a great lunch each day!”

First time for some Nuremberg is an incredibly important and successful show for the majority of exhibitors, and this means many return year after year. But it’s not just returning exhibitors; each year a new wave of exciting and creative toy companies make their Nuremberg debut, and this year West Design joins the ranks.

“We were awarded the European distribution of Creativity for Kids (CFK) at the beginning of 2015 and therefore feel that Nuremberg is the obvious place

The gold standard Winners of Spielwarenmesse’s seal of excellence, the prestigious ToyAward, will be presented to products that stand out from the crowd.

Representing the best in innovation, concept, creativity and play patten, winners will display their awards on stand.

Keep your eyes peeled for the gold!

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Integrated into the TrendGallery, the Toy Business Forum gives visitors the opportunity to hear from top-class speakers on a number of topics, including current marketing developments and trends, arming them with the knowledge to tackle future challenges. Each daily topic is broken down into several short presentations in both English and German to showcase our comprehensive range of products. Unfortunately we were not organised enough to be there in 2015,” explains Jo Bray, Sales and Marketing Director, West Design. “Nuremberg Toy Fair is the toy fair to be seen at!”

So what are West Design’s expectations? “High!” says Jo. “We have visited the show on a number of occasions and it has always been packed - both with people and great toys. We are very fortunate that we do not fall into just the one category. We manufacture, distribute and wholesale art, craft, toy and stationery products enabling lots of different retailers our products. It is not unusual for us to have three or more buyers from the one organisation looking after different products that we supply.”

Depth and diversity Nuremberg prides itself on bringing visitors not just toys, but products and learning opportunities across a wide variety of contiguous product categories, ensuring retailers and buyers have a real of product to choose from. Party depth p o supplies make up a good portion sup p of o this, and bringing the party to Nuremberg each year is another show stalwart, Pioneer Europe.

“We’ve been exhibiting at the Nuremberg Toy Fair for about 20 years now, and it’s

an important part of o our export sales marketing. This is where we meet all our European customers - distributors, retailers, event organisers, as well as make new contacts and open new markets,” explains Marketing and Communications Manager, Anna Hickman.

Renowned for its incredible stand decor, Anna says picking out the colours for the displays each year has become an annual tradition for the team.

“Our favourite part of preparing for the exhibitions is choosing the colours,” she says. “We are very excited about this year’s colour combination, it is going to be very on trend! Our stand is usually quite easy to find thanks to the amazing decor that is created by one of our designers from Belgium, Luc Bertrand.

“Nuremberg is the first event of the year where our customers get the opportunity to see all the new collections and place their orders to receive show discount,” Anna adds, but it’s not just products on display on the Pioneer stand. “We also have a product demonstration area at the stand, which usually gets very crowded.”

With less than a month to go until Nuremberg Toy Fair 2016, now is the time to start triple checking flights and preparing to be amazed. You can begin planning your trip with a look at some of the top companies and the product they will be exhibiting at the show this year beginning on the next year.

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Interactive Flowers That Sing & Dance

Seamlessly Connect Between Flowers

Record Your Voice

Touch Me, I will Giggle, Sing & Sway

Interact With Magic Bugs, Sing & Move Together

Please Visit Us: Hall 6, C-11

Head Office : 17 Floor, World Trade Centre, 280 Gloucester Road, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong Website : www.silverlit.com Tel no : (852) 2834-4168

UK SALES Email: tommullen@silverlit.com Tel: 01923 606147

NPD UK License Tracker June 2015 Š 2016 Hasbro. All Rights Reserved.

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p m Ju

y o j r o f

PLUM PRODUCTS LTD www.plumplay.co.uk 03448 805 302 Plum will be showcasing products from its wide range of categories spanning outdoor trampolines, wooden swings, climbing frames, metal play equipment, sand and water play as well as wooden roleplay kitchens, dolls houses and playsets.

Plum has re-engineered the traditional trampoline to launch the latest addition to its strongest category.

The Latitude Trampoline has curved enclosure uprights, a contemporary black and white design and a unique, easy to assemble construction. With its thickest grade steel, longest springs, Springsafe enclosure and zipless entry door, the Latitude Trampoline is Plum’s best trampoline yet.

Plum’s popular Toddlers Tower Climbing Frame has been revamped for 2016. The Toddlers Tower is specifically designed for pre-schoolers, with lower climbing platforms, curved edges and hand grips.

The updated tower has a revamped baby swing seat with soft polyhemp ropes and an adjustable lap belt, as well as updated accessories including a postbox, ringing

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Hall 8 Stand C0

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bell and beeping steering wheel.

Also new for 2016 is the Plum Wooden Growing Swing. The innovative swing can be extended from baby height to a full height frame and back again, simply by adding or removing the leg extensions. Plum’s Growing Swing Plum has re-engineered the traditional trampoline to includes a 3-in-1 launch the latest addition to its strongest category. The animal themed Latitude Trampoline has curved enclosure uprights, a swing seat contemporary black and white design and a unique, easy to that can be assemble construction adapted from baby As part of its recent marketing and brand stage to toddler and child stage as a child’s development, Plum has ambitiously been confidence grows. updating all of its content for 2016 and can Plum’s Metal Climbing Dome is an now offer retailers updated, higher quality exciting addition to its existing range of cut-out photography, stunning lifestyle metal play equipment. The feature-packed photography and new product video. dome has a climbing rope, rungs and play Plum will be showcasing all new additions platform and is compatible with a number to its ranges as well as its latest brand and of up sell options, including fabric packs content developments at Nuremberg Toy and slide.

Fair, Hall 8, stand C09.

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COME AND VISIT TOMY AT NUREMBERG TOY FAIR Hall 12.2 • Stand 11 • Messezentrum 1

© Disney/Pixar

© Disney

© Disney/Pixar

© 2015 Pokemon

© SEGA / OuiDo !

© Disney

TO FIND OUT MORE CONTACT THE SALES DEPARTMENT ON 01392 281 928 OR UKCUSTOMERSERVICES@TOMY.COM

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d l o e Ag eal p p a ERLIT

SILV 47 606 1

3 0192 lverlit.com .si w w w

Hall 6 Stand C11-B 10

Another year is over and so it all begins again. The years seem to be flying by faster!

The year 2015 was an outstanding year for the toy industry, hopefully this will continue into 2016 and beyond.

Silverlit has developed some exciting new concepts, which will be on show at Nuremberg for the first time. Blooms is a major launch for the company, this range is retro at its best. A huge TV and promotional campaign will be behind this launch and running throughout the year.

Silverlit add to its premium flying range with some innovative designs and unique features. The RC aeroplane range is completely redesigned and now comes in 2.4G

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Blooms is a major launch for us, this range is retro at its best. A huge TV and promotional campaign will be behind this launch and running throughout the year which will allow multiple planes to be flown at the same time.

Its line of flying products starts with basic three channel items through to flybarless copters to Bluetooth drones.

It’s a complete one stop shop.

A new range of interactive kittens and puppies with great age appeal lends itself to gifts and well as toys. In addition to the new I kitty and I puppy range are the interactive bathtime ducks.

Building on the strengths of 2015 Silverlit is looking forward to another outstanding year.

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NEW

NEW

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Nurturing motor skills FIESTA CRAFTS 020 8804 0563 www.ďŹ estacrafts.co.uk

Hall 1 Stand B09

Colourful, sturdy and beautifully crafted, the Push N Roll Along toys are designed to be the perfect play toy for small children supporting and encouraging them as they develop from sitting, to crawling, to walking.

Best of all for retailers, the Push N Roll toys are presented in a beautiful box â&#x20AC;&#x201C; which protects it in store and makes it very easy to wrap and gift. Demo samples will also be available for your shop.

It comes with a detachable wooden rod that inserts easily into the back of the toy.

Full house!

CASDON

The Push N Roll toy can be rolled or pushed via the wooden rod with an easy-to-grip ball shaped handle. This 2-in-1 toy with its moving parts and sounds will keep little ones greatly entertained and they will enjoy the clacking sound as the fun spiral painted wheels roll around the floor, they can even spin the rolling eyes for even more fun.

The bright colours and attention to detail are sure to make this toy a much-loved addition to any toy collection while helping younger children to improve fine and gross motor skills as well as becoming familiar with new sounds, shapes and animals.

Fiesta Crafts adds two new

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Threading sets: Vehicles and People. No activity is better placed to help develop fine motor skills than threading, a task that not only helps to improve concentration, but hand-eye coordination too. Teaching children to carefully thread laces through the correct holes to finish off a picture, or combining various pieces to make their own creations is not only fun but educational too. Figuring out how to follow the correct line and completing the right picture will also encourage them to see tasks through from beginning to end, while the bright colours and shapes will also help to develop their foundation years learning.

Gadgets galore!

KD UK

Casdon will continue to build on its roleplay collections for 2016 with further new additions to tempt retailers, while heightened consumer marketing and social media will ensure shoppers are equally inspired.

Launching in January 2016 is the brand new Dyson Hand Held from the award-winning Dyson collection. The hand held vacuum features real suction and the same cyclonic action as with a real Dyson. A further addition to the Little Helpers collection of roleplay toys is the new Hetty and Henry Household Cleaning Sets. These robust sets include everything needed to help tidy up at home. The striking red Henry and pale pink Hetty sets feature a dustpan and brush, mop, sweeping brush and more. New to the Little Cooks range is the exceedingly good Mr Kipling Birthday Cake Set, which allows little ones to treat friends and family to cake.This brightly coloured cake is easily sliceable and includes candles, plates and cutlery.

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01727 827194 www.kdplanet.com/uk www.kurioworld.com/uk

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Nuremberg gives KD Group the opportunity to showcase its new own brand ranges, as well as licensed ranges including Paw Patrol, Fireman Sam, Thomas & Friends, Disney Princess and much more.

For the increasingly popular Paw Patrol, there will be several new products that will vastly extend the range from the existing Walkie Talkies. All of which are interactive to encourage learning of colours, numbers, letters with fun music and Paw Patrol sounds.

Be ready to help Fireman Sam on his missions with his Smart Gadget. Learn fun facts about Fireman Sam and his friends with this cool smart watch shaped gadget, personified with Jupiter, two game modes and a motion sensor.

The own brand range will see KD diversifying into new categories including board games and lighting. There are also playful animal themed electronic learning aids such as keys, remote control and phone which all have additional features to help babies along the way.

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Strength to super strength HAUCK TOYS 07770 608 858 www.hauck-toys.com

Lots of hits HTI 01253 778 888 www.htigroup.com

Hall 1 Palace. The TeaPot New in Nuremberg 2 Palace comes with from HTI for 2016 are Stand .2 P09 two cups and saucers exciting new brands and four Cutie Mark and extensions to Biscuits that all pack popular existing ranges. away into the teapot. New In 2016, HTI are set to to the character case offering launch Teletubbies roleplay and for 2016 is the Fluttershy Pet musical instrument toys. New Care Carry Case – uniquely roleplay lines include beautiful designed to portray the popular unique tooled design features pink-haired pony. in the First Kitchen, Tubby Teamsterz is HTI’s own dieToaster and Tea Sets with fun cast vehicle range available sounds and light effects. The worldwide. Following the launch new musical range comprises a of six new 1:64 scaled vehicle guitar, xylophone and keyboard.

As a leading manufacturer in the packs for SS16, a further eight all new die-cast designs and UK Dolls Prams and Pushchairs vehicle types speed into the Market, HTI has secured the range from AW16 to keep the internationally renowned line-up fresh.

Chicco baby care brand and Also new to the Teamsterz launch a targeted range of 2016 starting grid are a number dolls prams and strollers for of new exciting track sets and 2016. HTI’s toy designs are garage play sets for 2016. inspired by the contemporary The firm’s own Smart toys models available in the real life range covering key roleplay Chicco nursery range. Having themes of home, shopping and secured a selection of high tools has been completely profile Disney license brands refreshed for 2016 with a vibrant for roleplay cases across several new colour palette across all international territories, HTI products, eye-catching clean showcases new case designs and contemporary packaging featuring Avengers, Spiderman, Star Wars, Disney Princess Belle, artwork and logo redesign. The range is bolstered for 2016 with Frozen (Elsa) and Minnie Mouse.

There will also be a new case for some innovative and exciting new product developments.

Thomas the Tank Engine.

The new Smart ‘360 Kitchen’, A multi-territory license for example, is a compact, fully partnership with Hasbro for My Little Pony roleplay toys enables functioning play kitchen that offers 360 degree play.

HTI to continue offering an There is plenty more to exciting range and new designs discover at HTI's stand. such as the beautiful Teapot

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This awesome machine, for kids age 4 to 10, carries up to four Nerf blasters and a seemingly endless supply of Nerf darts

With leading character brands such as My Little Pony, Nerf, Batman and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles joining established top sellers like the Classic Pram, i’coo, Lightning Go-Kart and EZ Rider balance bikes, Hauck’s 2016 range is their strongest ever.

Hauck’s delightful new My Little Pony range is extensive, offering something for all young girls regardless of age. Everything from doll buggies and strollers to prams, playsets and more. In addition are many new and appealing non-licensed toys for girls, all designed to deliver maximum playtime fun.

A major force in ride-on toys, Hauck is also launching a host of new and exciting go-karts. Hauck’s ride-on selection covers all ages and features both licensed and non-licensed trikes, balance bikes, go-karts and a wagon too - great for playtime whilst adults can use it for shopping, picnics, and concerts too.

Creating a stir worldwide is the Nerf Battle Racer. This awesome machine, for kids age four to 10, carries up to four Nerf blasters and a seemingly endless supply of Nerf darts. This must-have go-kart has it all - great styling, ball bearing hubs for friction-free running, forward and reverse gears, automatic freewheel, handbrake and tool-free adjustable seat.

2016 promises to be an explosive year for Batman, and to celebrate the caped crusader’s two major film releases, Hauck are unveiling their brand new Batmobile.

Joining Batman with a new movie out next year are the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. These half-shell megastars feature on four Hauck ride-on toys - two go-karts for ages four to eight, a big wheel trike and a brand new child’s first go-kart for ages two and over. This super little go-kart also comes in a non-license version too.

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Nuremberg Toy Fair 2016 will see the official launch of the Qualatex 2016 Everyday Catalogue with fabulous new products including exciting new licenses and the brand new Qualatex party range!

Qualatex Stand is a ‘must visit’ stand for any Toy, Party, Greeting Cards and Gifts retailer as well as Events and Party organisers.

Situated in Hall 9, the stand will surely impress you with its large scale balloon décor, designed by world famous balloon artist Luc Bertrand CBA. Make sure to allocate enough time to walk the Qualatex stand, it has a lot to offer! Inspirational Balloon Displays; retail solutions for different types of businesses;

product demonstrations; and a knowledgeable sales team, who will be advising on the suitable product offers and the right balloon training.

Michelle Comerford, Head of Sales and Marketing at Pioneer Europe Ltd, said: “We will be showcasing our new 2016 products along with the exciting additions to our licensed balloons and partyware ranges,

Sky is the limit Dragon-i Toys www.dragon-itoys.com Earlier this year, Dragon-i Toys acquired one of the oldest slot car racing brands in the world – Artin.

Traditionally, is a big y, Dragon-i g g boys y toy y company and has been expanding its growth at a tremendous rate, seeing the addition of Artin as a perfect fit within its already extensive toy portfolio.

Dragon-i is now the global supplier of all

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Make sure to allocate enough time to walk the Qualatex stand, it has a lot to offer!

Artin brands and will be working to expand its licenses and bestselling ranges into 2016 and beyond by providing its growing customer base in over 60 countries worldwide.

With over 3.1 billion app downloads under its belt, Hall 7 Outfit7’s flagship brand Talking Tom and Friends is Stand moving at a ferocious pace.

D43 Five years since launching the app, it is as popular as ever. Released in April 2015, Talking Tom and Friends features 52 x 11-minute episodes chronicling the gang as they shoot their own reality television show from the comfort of Tom’s garage-turned-app studio.

Garnering a social media presence of over 33.5 million Facebook ‘likes’ and 550,000 followers on Twitter, Talking Tom and Friends is here to stay. Outfit7 is expanding their social media and localised content across the globe, reflecting the

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with inspiring product demonstrations and special ‘trade show only’ product offers, we hope to see you all at our stand!”

For over 90 years Pioneer - the leading balloon manufacturer, most known for Qualatex brand of balloons - has provided quality products and services worldwide.

The Qualatex range includes an extensive selection of latex, foil and exclusive Bubble balloons, featuring the most popular licenses such as Disney, Marvel, Nickelodeon, Me to You, Hello Kitty, Lalaloopsy and more. Recent additions to Pioneer’s portfolio are party products, including tableware, candles, badges, banners and confetti.

diversity of the 13 languages into which the apps are translated worldwide. Fans can’t get enough of Talking Tom, Talking Angela, Talking Hank, Talking Ben, and Talking Ginger.

The licensing industry is listening like never before. Outfit7 now works with over 50 licensing partners, 20 of which were signed this year alone, to produce a growing range of products including plush toys, school supplies and apparel.

Dragon-i holds the worldwide toy license to Talking Tom and Friends.

The Talking Back plush toys in small, medium, and king-size have proved enormously successful with its global distribution.

Dragon-i and Outfit7 will be leveraging the success of the animated plush line through a Christmas TV ad that will boost awareness among UK consumers.

Licensees from around the world recognize the universal appeal in harnessing and developing commercial opportunities for the Talking Tom and Friends brand. Who knows what innovative fun the future will bring for Outfit7 and for Dragon-i – as for now, the sky’s the limit.

toysnplaythings.co.uk

Visit the Animals at the New Zoo! Enjoy a visit to the city zoo! There are large enclosures, with a wide variety of animals to see, feed and learn about. The animals in the Petting Zoo are very friendly, but be careful of the lions and tigers, they have very loud roars. At the end of your visit, don‘t forget to pick up a souvenir or a balloon!

For more info: www.playmobil.uk 6GN

6634 Large City Zoo

6635 Children‘s Petting Zoo

6636 Zookeeper‘s Cart

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MATTEL +49 697 953 300 www.mattel.com

Mattel’s powerful brand portfolio continues to go from strength to strength, as another exciting year lies ahead.

Bringing innovation to the infant and preschool category, Fisher-Price continues to lead the way in early childhood development with exciting product launches, hot new licenses and impactful marketing campaigns.

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Thomas & Friends builds on its busy 70th anniversary with an exciting new brand campaign based on themes of racing, teamwork and friendship With its strong heritage and powerful brand philosophy encouraging natural discovery and learning, Fisher-Price awakens the wonder that comes from joyful play.

This year sees the evolution of the brand campaign with a marketing initiative that will connect with today’s parents through a break frame digital and social programme.

Innovation and play value continue to lead Fisher-Price product development with the expansion of the babygear and toddler ranges including the new Fold ‘n Go Bouncer and newly refreshed Rainforest Jumperoo. Exciting new launches in the Laugh & Learn ranges in the summer include new toys featuring innovative Smart Stages technology, adding a unique proposition to Fisher-Price infant toys.

Thomas & Friends builds on its busy 70th anniversary with an exciting

new brand campaign based on themes of racing, teamwork and friendship. New spring launches in the popular toy lines include the Fisher-Price My First Rolling Melodies Thomas, the Take-n-Play Jungle Quest Set and the TrackMaster Close Calls Cliff playset as well as new engines based on characters from new content.

Building on the successful launch of the new look Bob the Builder on Channel 5’s Milkshake! - 2016 sees the introduction of the second phase of enhanced new content with a brand new season of 52 x 11 minute episodes. This will be followed by the highly anticipated launch of the new FisherPrice toy range bringing

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NEW PRODUCT AND RANGES TO BE PREVIEWED AT THE SHOW

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VOLT 150 © ZINC 2009-2015

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COME SEE US at nuremberg TOYFAIR

HALL 7 STAND C25 TO VIEW OUR RANGES AND BOOK AN APPOINTMENT

CONTACT SALES@HY-PRO.CO.UK

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Barbie makes 2016 the year of the Girls with products to celebrate girls’ creativity, empowering them to imagine big and believe in their dreams. Barbie will remind girls, mums and society that Barbie is the only brand that allows girls to imagine themselves as a mermaid to a movie star, a fairy to a fashionista and a princess to a president construction and teamwork to life for pre-schoolers through exciting vehicle play, action figures and roleplay toys.

Zooming onto the scene in Q1 is the new FisherPrice toy range based on the Nickelodeon series Blaze and the Monster Machines including hero item The Transforming Blaze Jet. The range delivers a fresh take on a category boys love as well as championing STEM learning and focuses on vehicles driving collectability alongside speed, stunts and storytelling. This will be followed by the arrival of the Fisher-Price Go

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Jetters licensed range in the second half of the year.

Fisher-Price’s Bing range saw phenomenal success at launch and this is set to continue with the expansion of playset and figures as well as the launch of roleplay items such as Bing’s Phone and Brenda the Blender Shape Sorter.

Imaginext continues to put thrilling action into the hands of preschoolers with the new launches in the DC Super Friends range including the Batman and Superman Battle Armour Figures and Batwing vehicle in spring.

Barbie makes 2016 the year of the Girls with products to celebrate girls’ creativity, empowering them to imagine big and believe in their dreams. Barbie will remind girls, mums and society that Barbie is the only brand that allows girls to imagine themselves as a mermaid to a movie star, a fairy to a fashionista and a princess to a president.

Barbie will play with purpose and create a connection with mums by demonstrating and showcasing the

benefits of open-ended play with reimagined content, exciting fashion news with halo collaborations as well as high street brand partnerships.

And get ready for girl power as Barbie takes on more bold and disruptive entertainment themes.

Building on the Be Super campaign Barbie will take a bold approach in 2016. Talking directly to girls the ‘With Barbie You Can Be Anything’ campaign is designed to inspire girls by unlocking their imaginations.

Barbie will kick off the year with an exciting new fantasy range - ‘You can be a dreamer’. Barbie fairytale launches the magical world of Barbie Dreamtopia, supported with an exciting toy range including a new hair segment which will feature Barbie Twist ‘N Style Princess, Barbie Unicorn and Long Hair Chelsea Dolls, plus an iconic mermaid doll Rainbow Light Mermaid.

This will be followed by another bold and disruptive entertainment theme: ‘You can be a secret agent’.

Barbie and her best friends Teresa and Renee transform from gymnasts to undercover secret agents in the all new action-packed adventure Barbie Spy Squad, supported by a fantastic toy line, including the Secret Agent Lead doll.

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toysnplaythings.co.uk

Blade products are available from all good model shops. For details of your nearest dealer look on our website horizonhobby.co.uk, contact us by telephone: 44(0)1279 641097, or by email: sales@horizonhobby.co.uk. Š2015 Horizon Hobby, LLC. Blade, Inductrix, SAFE, the SAFE logo, Serious Fun and the Horizon Hobby logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Horizon Hobby, LLC. All other trademarks, service marks and logos are property of their respective owners. Actual product may vary slightly from photos shown. 50153

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Exciting innovations in the fashion and family range with ‘You can be limitless’ introduces Barbie Made to Move dolls with 22 ‘joints’. These dolls can mimic realistic action for an incredible range HOT of movement! Barbie WHEELS IS SET Fashionista continues TO HAVE A to excite in everTOTALLY EPIC evolving ways remaining committed to its focus YEAR IN 2016 AS on diversity and up-toTHE BRAND date trends.

EMPOWERS KIDS And that’s not all, as TO MAKE IT EPIC Barbie breaks the glass

BY CHALLENGING ceiling by launching an THEM TO GO exciting new Career of the Year with Barbie EVEN BIGGER, Game Developer.

FASTER, HIGHER Monster High continues AND COOLER to be a brand that celebrates the individual, while inspiring girls to be themselves.

To heighten brand awareness the new brand message 'How Do You Boo?' will be launched.

In spring Monster High will also focus on strengthening girls connections with the core characters encouraging girls to Meet the Students and through new DVD tentpoles.

The first DVD of the year follows the core ghouls on a trip down under in: The Great Scarrier Reef!

All leading characters will be brought to life with Mattel’s

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Fashion Doll line.

The second part of the year will see the continuation of Mattel’s super collaboration with Warner Brothers with the launch of DC Super Hero Girls! Mattel, the Master Toy Licensee, will introduce three categories at launch to make a super statement at retail; action dolls, action figures and roleplay items.

Ever After High has a new consumer message empowering girls to take a lead in their own stories, by changing what it means to be a princess with Ever After High, Where Princesses are Powerful.

This new messaging will be brought to life with the continuation of retold classic stories featuring the sons and daughters of famous fairytale characters in the hexciting new content Dragon Games, which will be launched on Netflix in spring with further support through webisodes, new apps and social media initiatives.

The highly acclaimed new ViewMaster will be launched in spring, including collaboration with Google to reimagine the iconic toy.

A technology-advanced range includes the View-Master Virtual Reality Starter Pack and three Experience Packs.

Hot Wheels is set to have a totally epic year in 2016 as the brand empowers kids to 'Make It Epic' by challenging them to go even bigger, faster, higher and cooler with Hot Wheels. An innovative launch of the Split Speeders range will include a

Vehicle Assortment and Blade Raid Trackset. Other popular lines include the Track Builder Starter Kit and Hot Wheels Star Wars range and a range of impressive, large-scale tracksets to follow in autumn/winter.

Mega Bloks will be supported with an extensive brand campaign throughout 2016 that will build an emotional connection with mum.

A fantastic toy range for preschoolers will drive children to create their own collection of rolling friends with the fun and colourful Lil’ Vehicles Assortments.

Thomas & Friends introduces young engine drivers to a world of numbers with the 1-2-3 Count with Thomas Train, with more buildable fun to follow in AW16.

For older builders, Mega Bloks sees the launch of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles construction range ahead of the feature film release. The impressive movie range features the Turtle Van and Sewer Hideout.

Other lines include Half Shell Heroes featuring the Roll and Destroy Villain Assortment, Junior Small Vehicles Assortment, and Turtles Chopper. The Junior range sees the launch of the Mikey Pizzeria Showdown, Donnie Turtle Racer, Party Van and Turtle Sewer Lair with further figure assortments and playsets to follow in autumn/winter.

WWE introduces new scales to the portfolio and the Defining Moments Figure Assortment launches new limited edition figures.

The popular Create a Superstar range also continues with exciting new additions.

New from Disney Pixar’s Cars is the Drop and Jump Gray Transporter, allowing children to recreate stunt magic from the Disney Cars movies.

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TRAMPOLINES | SWING SETS | CLIMBING FRAMES SAND & WATER PLAY | OUTDOOR TOYS | ROLE PLAY

Discover more at Nuremberg Spielwarenmesse 27 Jan – 1 Feb 2016 | Hall 8, Stand C- 09

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HY-PRO INTERNATIONAL LTD www.hy-pro.co.uk 01582 670 100 Zinc will be soaring into 2016 with the exciting Flyte case scooter.

Boasting worldwide patents and design rights, Zinc plan to shake up the travel toys market.

Both practical and playful, Flyte is a safe sturdy scooter, a swift pull-along trolley and a compact piece of cabin luggage all in one.

Underneath each colourful design is a PU foam case that has a mighty capacity of 25 litres, making it ideal for storing any child’s travel essentials. The soft bouncy surface makes Flyte impact resistant and easy to keep clean, so parents can worry less about their little adventurers’ antics. Flyte can also

be used as a pull-along trolley with soft rubber grips – ideal for when families are navigating through crowds and boarding queues. One of Flyte’s best features is the easy-to-fold footplate, which fits neatly into the back of the case.

For 2016, Zinc will launch new Flyte range, Mini Flyte, which will appeal to a younger audience. The range will include fun, themed designs which are perfect for little travellers. The first preview of the new designs will be at Nuremberg.

Following a successful year from Zinc’s Volt range, new electric products will be launched for 2016.

All of the new Zinc electric ranges

Hop on, hop off KIDDIMOTO K 01 01749 871 175 www.kiddimoto.co.uk w Kiddimoto is launching three new products produc in 2016.

Everything a child could want Everythin from a scoo scooter is found in the u-Zoom with wit features including a funky des design, flashing wheels and with a folding handle.

Plus the sen sensitive ‘easy lean’ mechanism, mechanism comfy rubber grip handle handles and Super Grippy footplate m makes steering delightfully simple.

Kiddimoto’s first ever ride-on walker, the London

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Both practical and playful, Flyte is a safe sturdy scooter, a swift pullalong trolley and a compact piece of cabin luggage all in one

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will feature new lithium batteries, extending the battery life of the products and saving on the weight.

The line extension will include an adult electric commuter scooter that is one of the lightest electric scooters in the world, weighing only 7.5kgs. It also has maintenance-free tyres and can be folded away for easy storage. Another addition to the range is the Volt Junior, which is a two-in-one ride-on with removable saddle, designed for toddlers on the go.

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Bus, will join the award-winning brand to excite retailers in 2016. The beautiful wooden bus doubles as a walker for little cruisers, bringing a touch of retro design to any toy collection. Bright and enticing, with built-in storage to take favourite toys along for the ride, it’s perfect to keep toddlers from 12 months entertained, and encourage them as they start to move, developing motor skills and balance. Kiddimoto’s popular Super Junior Max Decals have had an eyecatching makeover with three new designs based on their bestselling

styles: Skullz, Dotty and Jack. With the same fantastic features as the original, it is the perfect lightweight metal bike for kids from 18 months.

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just like the real thing

The Sales Partnership Distributors Ltd Ancastle House Gravel Hill Henley on Thames RG9 1TP Tel: 01491 412415 Fax: 01491 412915 Contact Name - James Triptree

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Sally added: “The 2015 Nuremberg 2016 will see LeapFrog marketing campaigns were celebrate a new direction into whole just the start of the new role child development as they reveal their we play in the lives of millennial new brand positioning and product ial families, next comes product, development strategy, set to help children and some of what we’ll be sharing ‘LeapFrog Ahead’ in 2016 and beyond. aring in i Nuremberg for 2016 is absolutely The AW 15 season saw the company tely game changing. I have absolutely no reveal its ‘LeapFrog Ahead’ positioning in o doubt it will be a seminal year on our journey to help a host of multi-channel campaigns across children ‘LeapFrog Ahead’, here’s to the all of their product categories. Born out next 20 years!” of consumer research, the campaign This new mind-set saw insightful was created to address the evolution in testimonials from parents being brought needs and wants of millennial parents, to the forefront of the company’s digital and is the dawn of a new age of LeapFrog communications, ensuring conversation marketing communications and product with millennial parents more relevant in development. content and in format than ever before.

Sally Plumridge, VP of International National TV across Toys, Reading, Marketing at LeapFrog said: “It’s important that we start to talk not only about the things we make but LeapFrog’s heritage remains a key the experiences that families can driver in the company’s quest for get from our brand. For millennial resonance with millennials parents, children finding their own path and being the best that they can be is more important than getting the top grades.

Multimedia and Gaming continues to “Parents want brands that can offer engage children and parents alike. whole child development, and products Founded by a father looking for ways to that teach more than just ABCs and 123s. help his son develop, LeapFrog’s heritage They’ve already told us that to them, this is remains a key driver in the company’s what LeapFrog stands for, so it’s time for quest for resonance with millennials, and us to start living up to it, and what better the 2015 20th anniversary celebrations way than to live up to our namesake?” were kicked off with a campaign which nodded to this heritage.

With the help of educational expert and editor of The Good Schools Guide, Janette Wallis, LeapFrog launched its ‘30 Ways in 30 Days’ guide, which offered parents

playful playf full solutions to tackle reading with their child at home as part of their everyday family routine.

2015 was also a pioneering year for LeapFrog in the world of product development with the launch of its first Android based tablet – Epic - a one of a kind tablet that grows with each child.

Its ELA counterpart LeapPad remains as relevant as ever as the number one tablet range for children, whose safe, tough, smart credentials continue to make it the perfect first tablet for kids.

The family of preschool tablets was expanded in 2015 with the launch of the 7” LeapPad Platinum, and three Imagicard games - a first of its kind digital and physical learning experience that magically brings characters, including PAW Patrol and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles to life with the snap of a camera.

Exciting new toys were also added to LeapFrog’s growing collection of early childhood experiences. Number Loving Oven and Scout’s Build & Discover Tool Box round out the company’s family of roleplay toys, and Word Whammer helps to encourage important word building skills to help get four year olds ready for school.

To celebrate the launch of Number Loving Oven, LeapFrog partnered with family favourite food guru, Annabel Karmel, for its ‘Kitchen Kids’ campaign. Through PR and social media, LeapFrog helped parents bring cooking roleplay to life throughout September, offering tips on how and what to cook with little ones at home.

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DRAGON-I TOYS LAUNCHES ARTIN 2016

One of the oldest slot car racing brands in the world, ARTIN, has been acquired by Dragon-I toys earlier this year.

Dragon-I Toys, traditionally a Big-boys toy company has been expanding and growing at a tremendous rate and saw Artin as the perfect fit to its already extensive toy portfolio.

Dragon-I is now the global supplier of all Artin brands and will be working to expand its licenses and bestselling ranges into 2016 and beyond by providing its growing customer base in over 60 countries worldwide.

Throughout it’s time; Artin has conducted a variety of market research and focus groups with its findings suggesting that kids love the challenge of loops, crossovers, jumps, etc. With this in mind we have worked our bestselling lines into the recommended 19.99 to 39.99 retail price points.

With such a rich history the Artin Brand is set for a refresh under the Dragon-I influence and ready for its next chapter of growth.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE COMPLETE RANGE, PLEASE SEND ALL ENQUIRIES TO – contact@dragonitoys.com

Garnering a social media presence of over 33.5 million Facebook ‘likes’ and 550,000 followers on Twitter, Talking Tom and Friends are here to stay. Outfit7 is expanding their social media and localized content across the globe, reflecting the diversity of the 13 languages into which the apps are translated worldwide. Fans can’t get enough of Talking Tom, Talking Angela, Talking Hank, Talking Ben, and Talking Ginger - they are consistently charmed by the silly adventures and adorable antics of these global superstars.

The licensing industry is listening like never before. Outfit7 now works with over 50 licensing partners, 20 of which were signed this year alone, to produce a growing range of products including plush toys, school supplies and apparel.

With over 3.1 billion app downloads under its belt, Outfit7’s flagship brand “Talking Tom and Friends” is moving at a ferocious pace. Five years since launching the first Talking Tom app, the apps are as popular as ever.

Talking Tom and Friends apps have been downloaded in over 230 territories, and boast over 250 million monthly active users. It is clear that consumer demand remains strong for these lovable and high-spirited characters, and the whimsical world that they inhabit.

The “Talking Tom and Friends” animated series, released in April 2015, features 52 x 11-minute episodes chronicling the gang as they shoot their own reality television show from the comfort of Tom’s garage-turned-app studio.

Airing on YouTube, this form of entertainment gives millions of users access to Talking Friends content with the click of a button, as well as the ability to interact with other fans through social media. User-uploaded videos on YouTube have surpassed over 1 billion views, catching up to the 2.2 billion views amassed over the Talking Tom and Friends channels. User engagement is at an all-time high, and consumer demand is reflecting this success.

Dragon-i holds the worldwide toy license to Talking Tom and Friends. Its Talking Back plush toys in small, medium, and king-size have proved enormously successful with it’s Global distribution. Dragon-i and Outfit7 will be leveraging the success of the animated plush line through a Christmas TV ad that will boost awareness among UK consumers.

Licensees from around the world recognize the universal appeal in harnessing and developing commercial opportunities for the Talking Tom and Friends brand. Who knows what innovative fun the future will bring for Outfit7 and for Dragon-i - right now, the sky’s the limit.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE COMPLETE TALKING FRIENDS ANIMATED PLUSH LINE, PLEASE SEND ALL ENQUIRIES TO – contact@dragon-itoys.com

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Make learning fun by beginning young with Green Board Education, which will continue to focus on producing games in line with the National Curriculum as well as providing multi game play ideas for teachers and parents alike.

Helping children to learn in a fun manner, 2016 will see new product launches such as Maths and R.E. Learning Trays that include 120 BrainBox cards - idea for in the classroom and out! Snap & Pairs is another popular range from GBG and five more titles are being introduced; 3D shapes, Irregular shapes, Higher Times Table, Materials and Life Cycles.

Development in the BrainBox range will see the new BrainBox Transport, BrainBox Predators and BrainBox English – GBG are further increasing the breadth of their award

Two by two…

LE TOY VAN 020 8979 2036 www.letoyvan.com Le Toy Van is taking a bigger stand at Toy Fair Nuremberg this year.

As part of the further expansion into toys for under threes, a Balancing Ark will make its debut.

A classic wooden toy theme, this colourful rocking ark comes with 10 animals.

Find the pairs, build and balance.

It can be played alone or as part of a game and is great for manual dexterity and social play, coming packaged in a stylish colour box. In addition to this is the Noah’s Ark Puzzle: seven chunky pieces set in a robust printed baseboard.

Petilou Toddler Collection builds on the success of last year’s launch and 2016 sees the launch of 20 new lines. Woodland creatures provide a unifying theme to the collection, which offers an ideal choice for that special gift. Natural, safe and educational - Petilou toys are made of solid wood and ethically made.

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winning BrainBox range!

Introduced in 2016 will be new game concept BrainBox Bounce. Mr Men, Little Miss, Animals and Dinosaur versions appear in this rapid recall memory game where all players study different picture cards at the same time and play is ‘bounced’ from player to player until they have all answered questions. Correct answers keep you in the game; incorrect answer cards must be placed in a pile for the winner of the round to collect.

The bonus of Bounce is that it includes a spot the difference game as well; can you find six differences in each pair of cards?

GBG are extremely excited by the imminent launch of their new construction range, Q-BA-MAZE: a unique marble run that meets the world of construction toys.

Build fish, dinosaurs, robots, butterflies, towers and more!

First editions - after the success of GBG’s pre-school BrainBox’s in 2015, they now are adding First Animals and First Homes to their roster of pre-school product! These new titles are aimed to further increase BrainBox appeal to the pre-school market, providing a natural progression into the well-known BrainBox family.

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Designed especially for children from 12 months.

Daisylane Doll’s House Collection welcomes two new Doll’s house kitchen accessory packs to further enhance this expansive collection.

The sets include mini replicas of some of the HoneyBake roleplay toys including a mini café machine and mixer.

Motors, planes and garages welcome new vehicle sets - a Car Transporter and stacking sets offer a host of toys in this popular theme.

New to the Honeybake collection is a new style and size kitchen plus a cake set as fresh additions to this multi-award winning roleplay category.

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Introducing the Cat Mini excavator and Cat Mini excavator with worker. Not really mini, but giant in its category, with Hall 4 compact dimensions it feels most at S 2 090 5 t home in confined spaces. The excavator 7 a 1 n 1 d +49 9 ruder.de arm can swivel, making it indispensable C b .

1 9-E20 www for landscaping and gardening as well as general building work where the vehicle efficiently moves small quantities of earth.

Thanks to its tracked Exciting off-road races are guaranteed, chassis, it can although you should not be afraid to get also cope with dirty - actively playing in the garden is challenging the intended purpose of this item terrain. The chassis blade gives the vehicle more stability on loose ground, making it more suitable for simple levelling activities.

In addition to its realistic playing functions, the model comes with ample accessories: the excavator bucket is detachable, the bonnet to the rear opens, the cab is glazed and its door opens. The excavator body rotates by 360 degrees and the bucket arm by an additional 180 – just like the real thing. The Cat Mini excavator is available with or without worker. Recommended for ages four and up, this is ideal for play both indoors and outside as it is made from high-quality plastics such as ABS. The Jeep Cross country racer with driver comes in blue and orange, and is a symbol of the popular USA pastime of mud racing. Off-road vehicles are fitted with impressive, largescale tyres and a massive anti-roll bar is installed to protect drivers with the windscreen replaced by a protective shield.

In a final step,

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the engine and chassis are overhauled to complete the mud racer! Exciting offroad races are guaranteed, although you should not be afraid to get dirty - actively playing in the garden is the intended purpose of this item.

The two available colours guarantee exciting races between the blue and the orange team. Also recommended for ages four and above for indoor and outdoor play, with durable plastics such as ABS in the construction.

The fire service must respond quickly in the event of fires and send out an engine. With the Land Rover Defender Station Wagon Fire Department Vehicle with Fireman, the command vehicle manages incidents and fire engines with extinguishing agents, ladders and equipment to follow. The responsible manager coordinates efforts to save lives and fight fires from the command vehicle.

The Land Rover Defender is almost unstoppable on its way to an incident, its off-road capabilities legendary. Just like the original, the Bruder model features off-road axle suspension and axle steering with steering rod extension through the vehicle’s roof to enable a realistic imitation of incident scenarios. The fire fighter figure can be equipped with the enclosed accessories, the incident light module including siren on the roof clears the way to the scene of the incident. In addition to three different siren sounds, the module can also output the vehicle’s engine sound. Recommended for ages four and above, and also made by Bruder from high-quality materials such as ABS plastic – this is suitable for play indoors and out.

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Smashing NEW BrainBoxes for 2016!

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Call: 01494 538999 See our full range at: www.greenboardgames.com sales@greenboardgames.com

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27 Jan – 1 Feb 2016

Hall 9, Stand D76

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Balloon dress by: Nandor Schreiter, CBA, in Budapest, Hungary Photo by: Laszlo Muhari Model: Bianka Volgyi

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Always stay up to date with the My First Gadgets Toy Box - the wooden toy box that contains everything today’s child needs. A foil-covered tablet is ideal for taking notes and the chalk can be easily wiped off with the sponge. The wooden toy cell phone is essential to receiving important calls, front door and car keys are naturally also included and all these great items are made of wood and contained in a great wooden case to be taken anywhere you go.

The Wooden Till for Shops with attractive ornaments is versatile and practical, and the decorative buttons make this cash till extremely authentic. The four supplied cards can be fitted into the “display”, and the

Branching out MAPS TOYS 01483 776 006 www.mapstoys.com Maps Toys is renowned for introducing innovative lines, never seen before in the UK. As well as distributing unique toys, Maps has now begun to design its own ranges in-house. Building upon their experience within the arts and crafts sector, they have developed a

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scanner connected to the cash till registers all articles in a flash.

The supplied roll of blank paper can be written on to make receipts and the moving drawer provides lots of space for the play notes and coins.

Wooden Construction Bricks Neon show children that imagination knows no bounds.

The bright blocks can be used to make a funny ship, your own house or a tall tower - anything your heart desires.

They naturally train concentration, patience and dexterity - even if everything falls down again!

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range of Pop Badges under the Maps Toys banner that are at a brilliant impulse price point that can be sold via multiple retail channels.

Maps Toys unveils several brilliantly innovative new ranges in 2016 and will use Nuremberg to showcase them for the first time.

Micro-Fuelers are quite simply the world’s smallest powered boats.

A fantastic collectable line that uses no electronics, just a drop of SuperFuel, these highly detailed miniature boats can be played with in shallow water and each boat performs completely differently and requires skill to master. The Ann Williams craft collection is ideal for wannabe crafters.

Loopdedoo is a totally unique way of quickly crafting cool accessories using the patented Loopdedoo Spinning Loom. The Loopdeloom is unlike any other spinning loom you have seen and is a great way for kids to get creative. The Craft-Tastic Yarn Tree Kit allows you to create a stunning tree made of colourful yarn on which to display and store all of your jewellery. Shopkins Radz aren’t all about candy! The cute characters come with a clip so they can be used to decorate backpacks or as a fun keychain. With the brand new Bo-Po Digi-Nail Studio, girls can be the envy of all their friends. Download the free Digi-Nails Studio App - then create unique designs using the drawing tools, lift images from the internet or use your own photos. Then just print your unique nail design on the vinyl sheets, stick on to nails and have the most original nail-art around.

Unlike other badge making kits, the Pop Badge DIY Kit doesn’t feature any pins – so no pricked fingers.

Simply pop the badges onto any piece of clothing! The kit includes stickers, crayons and 20 brightly coloured Pop Badges.

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Hall 5, stand K07

Hall A, Stand A554

Wooden toys and more!

Shipping costs lowered

Discover your advantages as a trader at our stand: Over 400 novelties New Colourful packaging

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NEW BEGINNINGS THINK PINK 01253 831 540 www.flossandrock.co.uk

Hall 1 Stand G05 Floss and Rock is the exciting new brand from the people who brought you Think Pink! It’s a unisex brand targeting young boys and girls with an exclusively designed collection of novelty gifts in the categories of Home Sweet Home, Stationery and Play and Dressing Up. Packaging is an important element of the offer with strong graphics linking products across all categories. Fragranced cushions, secret diaries with scented pens, dominoes, matching pairs, giant jigsaws are all part of this exciting new brand’s launch offer. The Floss and Rock catalogue will be mailed out at the end of January as well as a brand new website that will also go live at the same time, after which all navigation to thinkpinkblue2.com will divert to flossandrock.co.uk

Captivating kids TTS 01623 887 068

www.tts-group.co.uk

Floss and Rock will be officially launching at the Nuremberg Toy Fair, all of your Think Pink contact and account details remain unchanged but if you have any questions please don’t hesitate to contact Lynda or Denise on 01253 831 540/512.

In the meantime, they look forward to introducing you to Floss and Rock at one of the shows above, via their catalogue or your existing Think Pink agent.

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additions to the Discover & Explore Nuremberg Toy Fair 2016 sees TTS Early Years range and muchmore. return with their largest ever range of Over 30 years’ experience in teaching resources. supplying schools has given This year, their TTS invaluable insight expert product This year, their into understanding what’s development team expert product important to schools. have been busy All of their products have working closely development been researched, developed witheducationalists team have been and tested with close to develop over busy working involvement from teachers.

137 brand They aim to inspire teachers new resources. closely with and engage children, giving Products include: educationalists every child, every day, a InO-Bot - an to develop over reason to love learning. exciting new Focusing on key areas of addition to their 137 brand new the school curriculum and award-winning resources specific stages in child floor robot family; development, they have an a new Outdoor outstanding range of high Classroom range quality resources available. for the European market; brilliant

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toysnplaythings.co.uk

On the fast Hall 3 track Sta BIGJIGS

01303 254 000 www.bigjigstoys.com

The railway range now welcomes two fantastic new themes; Fire & Rescue and Pirates, after the success of Dinosaurs and Farm themes launched in 2015

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JANUARY 2016

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At Nuremberg Toy Fair 2016, Bigjigs Toys will be displaying many of the hundreds of new products that they have in the 2016 range. There are lots of new items to see and discounts exclusive to this show. Bigjigs has fantastic displays of the new products for 2016, with many new Bigjigs toys including new pull-along, stacking toys and games.

The railway range now welcomes two fantastic new themes; Fire & Rescue and Pirates, after the success of Dinosaurs and Farm themes launched in 2015, the decision was made to integrate more exciting and popular themes into the railway range.

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Hasbro is heading to Nuremberg Toy Fair this year with lots of incredible new products from some of its best-loved brands. From family boardgames, and creative play, to adrenaline-packed blaster action, this is just the tip of the iceberg.

In the Monopoly Empire game, players can own the world’s top brands. After choosing one of the uniquely branded tokens, players move around the board and start building their empires. The game is a race to the top as players buy their favourite brands one by one and fill their towers. Players can own famous brands, including Nerf, Transformers, Levi’s and more. Opponents collect rent from their rivals, and the higher their tower, the more they can charge!

For two to four players, the first player to fill their tower with billboards wins!

New from Play-Doh comes the Play-Doh Town Firehouse and Play-Doh Cake Party.

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Create a colourful world full of uncanny Fire Truck (sold separately). The truck fits adventures and unexpected imagination. right in the Firehouse garage!

In Play-Doh Town, kids make the rules with To create and celebrate, it’s Play-Doh customisable figures, vehicles, and playsets, Cake Party time! Make the most outrageous all powered by hands-on Play-Doh fun. With pretend cakes imaginable for any occasion. a new story to create each time, there’s no Shape some crazy cakes, cover them in telling what kinds of surprising, creative, and make-believe frosting, and top them off with silly things will happen next.

Hurry, chief - there’s a Also on show at Nuremberg will be the fire in Playnew Nerf Rebelle Wingspeed bow, and the Doh Town.

Equestria Girls Minis dolls Luckily the Firehouse is right around all kinds of topsy-turvy toppings. For even the corner, and it’s full of the right tools for more festive fun, this creative bakeshop the job. Build an emergency rescue scene comes with colourful confetti compound. by making a burning house with the fire When they’re ready, display and share the stamper, roof, and building-themed bakery masterpieces with friends.

Play-Doh cans. Help the firefighter Making stacks and stacks of superrush to the scene by pressing out a colourful Play-Doh cakes is easy and fun silly escape pole. Squeeze pretend with this bakeshop set. Shape tiered, crazy water out of the fire hydrant and cakes in the oven, or flatten some Play-Doh removable water cannon for compound and use the cutters to create super Play-Doh soakage! more fun shapes.

Try stacking lots of shapes Use the half-moulds into a pretend cake tower.

Next, move over to decorate the to the frosting station to add swirls of makeFirehouse and create believe frosting.

The frosting tool is fun accessories removable to use as a hand tool, and like an axe, a fire the turntable helps cover every part of the crazy cake. Keep exploring more ways to make any occasion into a Play-Doh celebration. Creativity never looked so sweet!

With the Nerf Modulus Recon MKII from Hasbro, kids can build their own blaster for each mission or battle!

Customise the blaster with the stock and barrel extension to create four different versions of the blaster. Whether it’s a stealth operation, close quarters battle, or longrange targeting, the Recon MKII blaster can extinguisher, be configured for the next Nerf mission.

Load the blaster with the six-dart clip and and animal head into action. The Recon MKII blaster friends. For fires darts up to 90 feet (27 meters). even more Expand the customising options with emergency Nerf Modulus Upgrade Kits, which are rescue action, sold separately.

With the full Nerf Modulus team up with the system, over 1000 different combinations other firefighter and are possible! the Play-Doh Town

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NEW LOOK

NEW

ME079 Tea - Time accessory pack

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NEW LOOK

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Come and see us...

HONG KONG 1D E-38 BTHA OLYMPIA E10 INTERNATIONAL TOY FAIR HALL 3 D-34 SPRING FAIR 5K08

info@letoyvan.com

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n g i s e D w o b

0208 979 2036

Show Preview eview S Sho in Hong Kong by appointm ntm appointment only Jan. 04 – 10, 2016 Nuremberg Toy Fair Hall 2/B05-C 2/B05-C04 Jan. 27 – Feb Feb. 01, 2016 Contact: Co Contac act: Malcolm alcolm Cook Co malcolm@m ma malcolm@mc-international.co.uk Mobile: +44 7770 60 88 58 Mobile: www www.hauck ha k h www.hauck-toys.com

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FUNRISE 01908 555 640 www.funrise.com

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With the return of Tonka to Funrise for 2016 and a Gazillion options for outdoor fun, the Funrise stand at Nuremberg is a must see for all retailers.

The Funrise team are taking Tonka to a new level with a choice of tough vehicle options for retailers to choose from.

High on the agenda will be the launch of the new Tonka Climb-overs: 4x4 motorized off-road vehicles that climb over almost anything, with a number of playsets to choose from which all interconnect using a Click N’ Climb track system to configure countless obstacles.

Vehicles can be taken off-road, and the TV advertised new Climbover series has many fun sets for tough kids to get to grips with such as the Snake Pit Pass

Playing their hand CARTAMUNDI 01268 515 522 www.cartamundi.com Cartamundi’s presence at the International Toy Fair Nuremberg is going to be bigger than ever this year.

Inspired by Disney·Pixar’s eagerly anticipated follow up to Finding Nemo, Cartamundi will be previewing a Finding Dory game box with waterproof cards. The two-in-one game box offers a Pairs & Donkey game and four puzzles, illustrated with the stars of the film, which can be played in the bath. Also to be released will be colourful new card decks for Snap, the UK’s best-known children’s card game. Carta Magic – the exciting Cartamundi range highlighting the popularity of card tricks will also welcome updated card decks.

Shuffle Disney MONOPOLY and

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The Funrise team are taking Tonka to a new level with a choice of tough vehicle options for retailers to choose from

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and Ripsaw Summit.

Also added to the line-up will be a full range of Tonka Metal; miniature die-cast vehicles with many to collect, that make the perfect entry level purchase and offer all Tonka quality at a pocket money price. Of course, all the renowned Tonka collections will also be available including the Tonka Steel and Lights and Sounds series all of which come with the parental endorsement that has been built over generations.

Gazillion Bubbles will continue to be the bubble brand of choice for kids, with its superior solution and many blasters machines and more to choose from in 2016. New gadgets to unveil include the “Bump N Go” Robot. Also available will be handheld blasters such as the Handheld Hurricane, which will add to mega bubble blowers such as the Gazillion Tornado and 3D Bubble Blaster. This year Gazillion will benefit from TV advertising and a full marketing plan of digital and kids press, ensuring brand awareness is at its height as the warmer months approach.

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Shuffle Disney·Pixar’s Cars bring together Cartamundi’s card-making expertise with some of Disney’s most famous characters, combining compelling card games based on incredibly popular brands with an optional free app adding a whole new dimension.

There’s also a brand new Disney Princess game box, which includes six perfumed Princess cards for its delightful guessing game and a

Disney·Pixar’s Cars game box, which includes four buildable cards so characters can be created for the racing game.

Another eagerly awaited Disney release, Zootropolis, has inspired a two-game deck of cards. The Zootropolis card deck includes rules for both a Happy Families and an action game, and features characters and scenes from this hilarious animated adventure comedy.

Stands B6/C11 will also be highlighting a strong existing Cartamundi range across the Shuffle line.

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Get the party started CHEATWELL GAMES 0845 226 6516 www.cheatwell.com Cheatwell Games return to Nuremberg with brand new products, refreshed lines and firmly established bestsellers.

New children’s games include Wonder Trumps: a brilliant twist on a classic - never before have you been able to compare a Shark with a Superbike - but now you can! Packed with 54 cards detailing awesome facts are the bestselling Trumps stable of Plop Trumps and Plop Trumps Extreme.

The Family Fun Range has had a refresh with both Chattabox and Kids Charades sporting a fresh and exciting new look. More play value, a bigger box and more shelf appeal make this range stand out from the crowd - strengthening our already impressive selection of children’s games.

For the family, new board game Get The Picture involves communicating the picture on your card by miming, posing or describing it - it’s up to everyone else to work out which picture it

Let’s jam JAZWARES 07711 080 866 www.jazwares.com Tapping into the hottest kids’ crazes for 2016, Jazwares is poised to unleash a raft of highly sought-after playthings at Nuremburg. From the number one TV show for boys in the UK right now – Danger Mouse – to the craze that’s set to sweep British playgrounds in 2016 – Animal Jam – along with rapidly-growing brands Tube Heroes and Terraria, Jazwares is all set to thrill visitors to Nuremburg.

Jazwares' Danger Mouse features a stunning new collection of figures, vehicles, plush and roleplay. Kids big and small can immerse themselves in the international secret agent’s world with Danger Mouse’s Mark IV Vehicle – featuring pop-out wings, functioning boot as well as an exclusive 3” figure, plus lots more. Animal Jam, a digital playground for kids who love animals and the outdoors, is the number one online social game for kids. Jazwares brings the adorable and colourful world of Animal Jam to life this summer with an extensive range of

JANUARY 2016

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is and grab it before anyone else!

There is no language dependence, making for a quick and easy localisation.

The Adult Fun Range has been reworked with refreshed graphics and new content. Consistent bestsellers, these three titles have been brought bang up to date with added play value and new challenges.

It’s time to party as our old friend Keel Over is back in town. The original ‘remove and replace’ building game has a twist - each brick has a hidden forfeit. Sporting new retro inspired packaging, the new version includes a gift-inspired set of shot glasses.

For essential pick up lines; come and try the games in a tin. Nine themed games in a prestocked 36 item CDU, this year sees Table Top Teasers and Drinking Games added to the collection that already includes the bitesize Games for Kids, After Dinner Games and Festive Fun.

New board game Get The Picture involves communicating the picture on your card by miming, posing or describing it - it’s up to everyone else to work out which picture it is and grab it before anyone else

” Hall 6 Stand C39

customisable animal figures, pets and destinations representative of the game. Each Animal Jam toy will further enhance the game play, coming with secret codes to unlock exclusive in-game features. Jazwares will grow its already popular Tube Heroes range in 2016. Collectables are being added to the figures and plush that emulate the biggest YouTube stars, such as DanTDM, Ali-A, LittleLizardGaming, CaptainSparklez and AtlanticCraft. The Terraria toy collection heads into 2016 with an even more extensive offering for fans. Helping to bring that virtual world to life are new armoured figures with accessories, additional roleplay items including the Terrablade sword and Paladin’s Hammer, and new pixel-decorated plush.

Education with Innovation

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Nürnberg Toy Fair 27th Jan to 1st Feb 2016 Hall 12, stand A-04-1 Tel: +44 1623 887068 Email: trade@tts-group.co.uk www.tts-group.co.uk/trade TTS is proud to be part of

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NIN R A E L CES R U O R5E53S819 386resources.co.uk

Hall Stand5 B06-C 05

01 ing .learn www

Designed especially for little hands, this colourful range allows children to discover, explore and experiment with chunky hands-on science tools, encouraging an early love of science and aiding the development of STEM skills

At Nuremberg Toy Fair Learning Resources will be unveiling its new 2016 collection along with its highly anticipated new brand look.

Learning Resources develop award-winning educational products, designed to meet the needs of teachers, providing endless opportunities to inspire a child’s learning through hands-on active play. 2016 will see the strengthening of existing lines with over 100 new products, covering all the key areas of the curriculum from pre-school through to age 12.

Three new additions in 2016 will join the company’s popular Primary Science range.

Designed especially for little hands, this colourful range allows children to discover, explore and experiment with chunky hands-on science tools,

Conjuring success MARVIN’S MAGIC 01582 849 000 www.marvinsmagic.com Marvin’s Magic is steeped in magical heritage and is at the forefront of innovation. Having constantly inspired the next generation of magicians through its quality products, it’s no wonder that Marvin’s Magic is recognised as the trusted brand leader.

It has been another remarkable year for Marvin and the Marvin’s Magic team. They have won a string of awards from two separate industries including the British Magical Society's Cup for Outstanding Contribution, the British Toy and Hobby Association’s top honour for Outstanding Contribution and the celebrated Magic Circle

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Maskelyne Award for services to British Magic, the most respected award in The Magic Circle.

The latest addition to the range - Marvin’s iMagic is smart magic for smart devices and has been a great success in both the toy and hobby and magic industries. It has been awarded the gold medal in the Electronic Toys category at the Independent Toy Awards and the Toy Verdict Winner in the Magic Sets category.

Speaking of the success, Marvin said: “We are extremely happy to have won all these awards. It is the result of a lot of very hard work in developing a completely unique and high quality product that crosses the lines of contemporary magic and digital

encouraging an early love of science and aiding the development of STEM skills. The new Shining Stars Projector beams images of space onto any surface for a close-up view of stars and planets.

The compact size, easy-carry handle and stand means it can be used at home or on the go and with 16 images to choose from the fun never ends! The range will also see the addition of the WOW & Wonder set and Outdoor Discovery set, containing everything young learners need to identify colours and discover living things.

Learning Resources is also extending their range of games with eight new hands-on additions.

Following the success of The Sneaky, Snacky Squirrel Game – welcome aboard to Sophie the Otter who hunts for yummy seashells in Sophie’s Seashell Scramble. With jumbo character themed tweezers, the game supports the development of fine motor skills, pattern matching and hand-eye co-ordination.

Also new for 2016, Ready, Set, Woof! and Wave of the Wand: A Cinderella Game provide hours of colour identification and attribute matching fun! An additional variation to Robot Face Race, Ready, Set, Woof! is suitable for younger learners with a reduced number of attributes to match.

Hall 1 2 Stand B04-4

technologies.”

Receiving these awards is not only an indicator of how strong the Marvin’s iMagic series is but also an indication of how respected the Marvin’s Magic brand is within the industry.

Approaching its 30th year, Marvin’s Magic continues to run successful magic shops within some of the world’s most prestigious stores, as well as having great high street presence and expansion internationally. Recognising the importance of investing in people, its committed sales and marketing team is also expanding and will help you to create the best magical instore theatre around.

toysnplaythings.co.uk

Building fun, inside and out JNH EUROPE

Hall Stand 5 D16

01617 371 881 www.jnheurope.com JnH Europe Ltd has a wide range of new and exclusive products and designs to launch in 2016.

Committed to creating unique, high quality and vibrant designs in all toys and furniture, JnH Europe’s new products include Practical Shelving Units and Drawers, Pull along Toy Boxes, Coat and Bag stands, Work Desks and Storage Benches. All of these products feature new and current licenses, including Star Wars, Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Princess, Masha and the Bear, Avengers, Cars and many more.

Existing collections include Winnie the Pooh, Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Princess and Cars, featured throughout the range of indoor and outdoor products. The Pull out Sofa, Table and Chair Sets, Moon Chairs, Gazebo tent, Folding Chairs and more combine well made furniture with beloved characters.

JnH products come flat In 2016, huge family film packed and are easy releases will dominate the to assemble, and consumer market and JnH there is a UK helpline aim to further their number for people to position in the call should they market by experience any continuing to difficulties. demonstrate a JNH Europe’s core commitment to our focus is primarily on customers, retailers design, children’s safety and licensors by and sheer enjoyment, subsequently developing which will be evident at their exciting and up to date vibrant and informative stand - Hall products in order to keep 5, Stand D16. increasing sales through new licensing deals. They will be JnH Europe Ltd has a wide range of new releasing and exclusive products and designs to more launch in 2016 information and exciting news on this at the show.

Helping imagination bloom ORCHARD TOYS 01953 859525 www.orchardtoys.com

Hall 1 0 Stand H13

Orchard Toys is pleased to be back at Nuremberg for another year, showcasing six new lines plus a completely new product range.

Following on from the successful launch of the now bestselling Giant Road Jigsaw in 2012, Orchard Toys has extended the range to include Giant Railway Jigsaw, plus extension packs Junctions, Station and Airport. All of the products are compatible with the Giant Road System, allowing children to mix and match the jigsaws to inspire creative play and learning.

Orchard Toys has also created two completely new lines; Woodland Party, a beautiful and intricate 70-piece jigsaw featuring cheerful woodland animals and Where Do I Live? an animals of the world habitats lotto game.

Orchard Toys have extended their much-loved characters and illustrations to a fun range of six educational colouring, sticker and activity books. Great for learning on the go or indoors, the colouring book range is a practical, travel-friendly addition to Orchard Toys’ educational games and jigsaws.

Having opened new accounts in a number of export markets and with these exciting product launches on the way, Orchard Toys have a promising outlook for the year ahead.

Orchard Toys have also created two completely new lines; Woodland Party, a beautiful and intricate 70-piece jigsaw featuring cheerful woodland animals and Where Do I Live? an animals of the world habitats lotto game

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Bespoke offering RAVENSDEN PLC 01933 356 221 www.ravensden.co.uk Nobody understands ands animals like Ravensden and nobody has a range like theirs..

From Alpacas to Zebras, soft toys to ceramics, Ravensden has the most comprehensive range of animal-themed merchandise available in Europe.

Ravensden is a well-established ed company experienced in product ct sourcing, importing and exporting. Specialising in the Zoo, Aquarium, Leisure and Promotional markets, it is a family owned and operated company. Ravensden pride themselves in the belief that the quality of their products, levels of service and order turnaround are second to none. Products can be created based on customisation of existing designs or a complete development of a product or character to suit your particular requirements. Many of Ravensden's standard products can be branded for your attraction - options include embroidery on soft toys, dressing of soft toys with personalised t-shirts, bespoke swing tags promoting your brand and message or pad printing onto a number of stock items.

Their designers and production team carry out all artwork origination and printing on Ravenden’s own site. Over 200 new lines are introduced for 2016 including many new styles in the Ravensden and Suma Collection ranges of soft toys and an exciting new range of 3D notebooks, posters and magnets.

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W FAIR E Y I O V T PREEMBERG

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Revell returns to Nuremberg Toy Fair next year with two supersized stands.

The Revell stand in Hall 12.2, Stand P13 showcases all their ranges for the toy market; the Hobbico stand in Hall 7A, Stand D160 specialises in the fastgrowing hobby RC sector.

Revell Control’s position as a major player in the radio controlled sector is ramped up with the Quadcopter Steady Quad Cam, featuring an automatic height setting function and an on-board camera for steady, high definition pictures and video; the Quadcopter Pure is perfect for beginners, with a height setting function and crash-proof frame; the Quadcopter Nano Quad Cam is the latest evolution of the award-winning Nano Quad, featuring an on-board camera. On the ground, there is an awesome range of off-road RC cars, pick-up trucks, rock crawlers and buggies.

Plus a licensed range of 1:24 scale RC

This range of detailed, simple to assemble construction toys is as easy as child’s play…once completed, each Race Car or Fire Truck becomes a durable, fully functioning toy

cars including the Porsche 918, Audi R8 and BMW Police Car. The Revell Junior Kit is a new concept for children aged four and over that bridges the gap between Playsets and Model Kits.

This range of detailed, simple to assemble construction toys is as easy as child’s play - large parts simply snap together and connect by screws and child-friendly tools. Once completed, each Race Car or Fire Truck becomes a durable, fully functioning toy.

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It’s alive!

WEST DESIGN PRODUCTS 01303 297 888 www.westdesignproducts.co.uk West Design is elated to be travelling across the waters to the beautiful land of Germany for the Nuremberg Toy Fair, and with it, they proudly bring the award winning Creativity For Kids kits.

Children need the opportunity to be creative and these kits provide that, offering the chance for innovation, invention and

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Hall 12.2 Stand P13

The newly packaged Revell model kit range, featuring informative, colourcoordinated packaging and colour manuals. Structured into five different skill levels from beginners to professional modellers, the range comprises Build & Play, Easykits and newly tooled Model Kits.

This new concept is spearheaded with a Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens range. Other iconic model kit releases include the Citroen 2CV, Porsche Boxter and VW T-1 Samba Bus, all in 1:24 scale.

Brand new aircraft model kits include the BAe Hawk T.1, Boeing 777 and a newly tooled Avro Shackleton.

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Creativity For Kids not only teaches children how to play and have fun, but also how to adapt to everyday life challenges, changes and more

development. Creativity For Kids teaches children how to play and have fun, and how to adapt to everyday life challenges, changes and more.

West Design provide children with experiences that stimulate and encourage their natural creativity, and with these kits, mission accomplished.

The kits vary from creating their very own beautifully handmade and personally designed Flower Crown - perfect for any fancy gathering, to the car loving speed demons new favourite kit: the Cardboard Race Cars.

Or maybe there is a budding engineer/mad scientist looking to take their first steps - then the Wind Up Workshop is the answer. Choose from five wind up mechanisms to make your own moving creation.

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In a twirl GOLDEN BEAR 01952 608 308 www.goldenbeartoys.co.uk

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Musical Pinky Ponk, Golden Bear is heading into 2016 with which offers a whole exciting new additions to its Twirlywoos host of features for collection, inspired by the popular pre-schoolers to TV programme. enjoy. Heading up The hilarious Run-Along Fun Sounds the plush collection Twirlywoos mimick their iconic run sequence is My Best Friend from the unique TV show, and the adorable Igglepiggle which Run-Along Twirlywoos will be available in all has two modes four characters; Great BigHoo, Toodloo, for day and night Chickedy and Chick, with each character play with special saying their signature sounds as they run feature open/close along. The line will launch in January and will eyes. Igglepiggle’s be supported with an extensive campaign Bedtime Boat offers across TV and digital platforms as well as PR an array of features including music, stories, activity. The Twirlywoos range will also see light show and a soothing night light. The new introductions in the form of the Quacky fantastic Super Bird Soft Toy Duggee joins the and the The adorable Run-Along Twirlywoos AW collection; mischievous will be available in all four dressed in his Fun Sounds characters; Great BigHoo, Toodloo, superhero PeekaBoo Chickedy and Chick, with each outfit and complete with character saying their signature sounds cape, he cute warbling as they run along features sounds and fun textured superhero fabrics. sounds, just like in the show! A further The company’s In the Night Garden range Duggee Talking Soft Toy is being introduced will continue to expand with some fantastic and also a very cute small sized Duggee new products including the Explore & Learn

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along with Enid the Cat. New items for AW include the Push and Go Fire Engine, which comes complete with Duggee figure; push along to see Duggee wobble up and down and the Squirrel Club Activity Set featuring all five Squirrels, Duggee, work benches and a playmat. The Go MINI range will see the launch of the Light Up Twin Turbo Raceway designed to appeal to children from three to eight years old. The massive loop lights up from the cars as they go upside down and race around the track in the dark. New vehicles will also be introduced to the range in the form of the Key Racers and the Stunt Racers Twin Pack.

collection of arts and crafts too. Frozen continues to be one of Sambro’s mostpopular licenses. The Frozen Mould your Own Light Up Creation Dressing Table and Frozen Colouring Wheels are just two of the new products added for 2016.

The ever-popular Minions 0845 873 9380 range will now feature a www.sambro.co.uk Canvas Painting Set and a 3D Minions Puzzle Eraser Spielwarenmesse is a key event in the Sambro trade calendar 10 pack. Pokemon returns in and this year the toy company will showcase their brand 2016 and Sambro will introduce a wide selection of products new licensed offering. With many Pan-European licensing designed to attract a legion of new fans. partnerships, Sambro introduce some of their hottest new Finding Dory will dominate 2016 and Sambro has a collection licensed ranges for the dedicated to the popular Disney first time at the show.

Pixar character. The range will feature Finding Dory will dominate 2016 and Sambro The Bratz are a Shaped Finding Dory Magnetic has a collection dedicated to the popular back with a Scribbler in different sizes, shaped Disney Pixar character. bang and the just like Dory, as well as a cool popularity is EVA trolley bag, novelty items and set to be bigger much more. Paw Patrol will continue to be a favourite with than ever before. The range comprises a Bratz Electronic pre-schoolers and the 2016 range will include a selection Secret Book, a Bratz Hair Beader and a cool Hair Braider, of bags including plush character bags. Also expect to see which sit perfectly alongside other Bratz lines. The enchanting Little Tikes, Play-Doh, Star Wars, Batman V Superman as well Alice in Wonderland collection will launch for the first time as Spiderman, Captain America and the awesome Avengers in 2016 and enters into Sambro’s ever-successful Disney products, along with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

Princess portfolio. Sambro will launch a brand new Tsum Tsum

Getting crafty SAMBRO INTERNATIONAL LTD Hall 1 2 Stand G12

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RANGE IN FOCUS PLUM PRODUCTS

Plum for you Mark Wilson, MD of Plum Products sits down with TnP to chat about the company’s growth and plans for their product range How would you sum up 2015 for Plum Products?

2015 has been a year of change and growth for Plum and we have now laid the foundations for a very successful 2016, both in the UK market and across our growing international sales channels.

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It is important that we are regarded by our customers as authoritative in every category that we trade in

Operationally, our warehouse and customer service teams have performed well and are now better equipped than ever before to manage our peak outdoor season demand. Our recently appointed Operations Manager will be instrumental in delivering an outstanding consumer experience, which our retailers can take advantage of through our dropship program.

We have also restructured and expanded our sales teams both in the UK and internationally, ensuring that we retain our position as the number one active play specialist whilst also pursuing our global growth strategy.

Significantly we have appointed a new Head of Brand Development, Elaine Welch, who brings with her a wealth of experience in creative design, marketing and brand management.

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Elaine has been instrumental in accelerating our evolution from a specialist supplier of outdoor toys to a recognised family brand, which is reflected in our new content, visuals and marketing growth strategy. That’s not forgetting the launch of our new website, plumplay. co.uk, which is the showcase of our brand and content development and the springboard from which we will launch the next stage of the Plum strategy.

Talk to us about the company’s ethos – how do you approach your business?

The business has always possessed an entrepreneurial spirit and product innovation is at the heart of everything we do. It is important that we are regarded by our customers as authoritative in every category that we trade in. We are developing even closer strategic partnerships with our customers and seek to be regarded as the go to supplier of choice.

We have now built a strong team within our business with the key skills and talent to achieve this objective

toysnplaythings.co.uk

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We know that lots of our outdoor toys are a significant investment for consumers and it’s essential that we offer them the most feature rich and long-lasting toys for them to receive the best value

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and therefore the challenge is now to communicate this to our customers and target audiences.

More and more we are thinking globally – we started from small beginnings but now have offices in the UK, Australia and Hong Kong which are set up to support a network of agents, distributors and retailers in more than 20 countries across the world.

We are now also focusing more on marketing Plum to the consumer and have already developed the strategy that will allow us to concentrate more of our time and budget on this area in 2016. It is important that we create more customer pull for our brand. This has led to us reestablishing some of our core brand values – as well as offering value, quality and safety; we’re also about fun, family and capturing play experiences from a young age. Of course it’s all supported by the customer journey – outstanding customer service, seamless operations and offering toys that parents trust and kids love.

You’ve really got some beautiful products in your range – design is a key focus for you, isn’t it?

In an increasingly crowded market it’s important for us to stand out from the competition and our in-house product development team work very closely with our suppliers and factories to deliver unique designs and concepts.

We design with our toughest audience in mind – the kids! It’s not all about beautiful designs –

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we know that lots of our outdoor toys are a significant investment for consumers and it’s essential that we offer them the most feature rich and long-lasting toys for them to receive the best value. And of course, we’re passionate about product safety and it’s a key consideration to our toys.

Recently we have been working hard to bring more flair to our product designs and our customers will begin to see a signature style for Plum toys, as well as a more structured range creation in the design of our roleplay products.

Tell us about your categories for 2016 – what can retailers expect from Plum Products?

Trampolines remain a core category for us and we’re introducing an innovative new line, the Latitude Trampoline. This pioneering trampoline design does away with the traditional W leg and exposed steel frame and has a unique take on assembly. It’s also the first trampoline with a solid steel enclosure top rim that can be dropped without removing the enclosure – absolutely perfect for the windy weather!

We’ve added to our core range of swing sets with a versatile wooden swing – offering outstanding value to the consumer, the Growing Swing can be converted from a baby swing to a full height swing set and back again, and is supplied with a threestage seat.

Has anything changed within your range for the coming year?

In addition to the new product launches we have been focusing on a makeover for many existing products as well as breathing new life into many of our existing products with our new content – each line now has crisp, clean cut-outs to sell the product and its features; lifestyle images to capture the consumer imagination and some provoking videos. We’ve rewritten and streamlined our product copy and our retailers can take advantage of all of these developments.

Jonathan Schaffer, Chairman of Plum Products says...

“It was about fifteen years ago when we realised that we were not going to see anything new in our core categories by running around the trade shows, as everyone else was doing the same thing.

We hired our own designers, product development experts and marketing team and started creating our own unique range of feature rich, quality products. Now, the customer comes to us if they want to see an innovation. It takes a long time to hone and develop a powerful range and today we are proud that we have probably the broadest range of product in our category in the world.”

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RANGE IN FOCUS PLUM PRODUCTS

Plum ones to watch!

When you think of beautiful, quality outdoor toys – you have to think of Plum Products. The company’s outstanding ranges for 2016 are an absolute must for any retailer worth their salt. TnP highlights just some of Plum’s gorgeous range. Visit them in Nuremberg to learn more!

Jumping for joy!

Latitude Trampoline: Fluid shapes, innovative engineering and a contemporary colour scheme… The new Latitude Trampoline redefines bounce. Plum has redeveloped the traditional W leg, enclosure uprights and shape for a trampoline that not only looks great but is easy to assemble, too. The Latitude trampoline has an entirely enhanced jumping experience – longer springs, thicker grade steel, a steel top rim… they are confident that this will become their new flagship line.

Magnitude Trampoline: The Magnitude Trampoline has been a hit with customers ever since it launched in 2012. The patented bubble enclosure fits inside of the springs and frame to provide protection from the parts, then curves to give maximum bouncing space.

Junior Trampolines:

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The Junior Trampolines have been specifically designed for little bouncers, helping little jumpers to build confidence on a smaller trampoline before they move on to the bigger version.

Each has a lower height frame, soft padding and is available in a range of sizes and colours. The Junior Jumper Trampoline features a plastic leg design and a Springsafe® enclosure, where the trampoline mat and pad are sewn together to provide complete protection from contact with the springs and frame.

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to e v o l u o y n e Wooda kid again? be Toddlers Tower

a bit of ower a – it has T s r le dd lers ular To r todd nd its pop designed fo d lots of ha n n e iv g n y s a ll s a s a d h c ep an -o specifi ntle st 16 Plum new h t box, For 20 The tower is latforms, ge also added d pos gp ver. y’ve bell an cheme. g in makeo eight climbin tability. The g s in h ds heel, r colour ion lower nce an ering w updated the e latest vers la e a t s b r g o h a f in t d p s h n – e it a ip t e r y g ab sea ess w rolepla ories; swing lt harn e b access urage more new baby r. p easie d a la o a to enc also added mp ropes an d out much n e s a h a Plum h er-soft poly ing babies in Cubertant p g n i e lift k b a has su m impo d Clim clip, to n so it’s , a t n d e i m an investm s as possible. Tyhe– a r y P are ture ing h pla ClimCblimbing Framceks in as many feaare packed wwitalls and id m pa ck Plum’s bing g Pyra igners des, ro eir des and Climbin ms, dens, sli hilst the Clim h t t a th w be for s. y bars ing Cu g nets, plat swing Climb monke tion to add in s b e m d li c p inclu cargo s the o Cube sumer s. The n r o e c d s d la offer Cube

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RANGE IN FOCUS PLUM PRODUCTS

Inspired to be me…

Since entering the roleplay market in 2012, Plum’s range has gone from strength to strength. They are now gaining momentum internationally with their wooden kitchens, dolls houses and play sets

and the fun – twice h e it n o w it in ah two proving use cept of y n d o a c e e lr h a o T is wnh space – mint To kitchen on half the Pepper y e h la T p . le s ro er the consum contemporary dolls house on a y re for features four sto rd roof e, with a halkboa c a o one sid ls a . There’s bling. reverse ib r c s d n a drawing ive: itional Interact ive range brings trayodu insert your nce blet ract The Inte oking to life. O m app, your ta an o lu c P s y k coo c ad the rolepla e, where they downlo v a d n w a ro t . If table s a mic d cakes imulate eans an b ing up to e ip screen s k w a f b ame o pcorn, g o i p in p m o p ’s a h k, there ked wit overcoo they go again! still pac re e a h re t s n fo d e e n h s, a Kitc do b ractive y feature on’t have The inte ditional rolepla d u o y if f tra ered plenty o ent can be cov tm compar . t le b a ta

2 in 1:

Wooden Play Sets: For dinosaur obsessives, the Roar a Saur Table is packed with prehistoric play. The wooden table includes over 20 dinosaur themed pieces and has castors for pushing under the bed.

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toysnplaythings.co.uk

Just in’ g n i sw d! n u o r a

redibly ains inc m , re s g win e trunks nge of s hole tre ey retain all ra w le m o o p fr h und ade so t Plum’s ro e swings are m immed to size, f h r t T range o r. d a n la a h u pop baby ed wit ir bark d x e n fi h a t is s f h g o c al swin n er stripped tural charm. Ea io id it p d S the m tra na ries, fro more – of their o cessful. d s c s n u e a s c s y c r e ve ce a pez differen pe ladders, tra at and it’s been which can be ro ing, st se k seats to has a ne en Growing Sw frame and bac g in w s d t y o h e o k ig n e W o h M ll the 2016 is ht to a fu can by heig he legs.

New for a b m at that o d fr wing se s nding t as e d te e x g extende e a m t y s al the ply b child im im d n s n a , a , in r -1 a ag ddle 3-in g has a age to to The swin d from baby st te ws. nce gro be adap confide ’s n re d chil

The great outdoors Plum’s traditional wooden football goals are a great alternative to metal versions and will be perfect for replicating some Euro 16 matches this year! They have two sizes of goals to suit different gardens, although each has a professional grade net and timber frame.

They also have five garden games in the range of outdoor toys, which have been incredibly popular. The portability is a big selling factor – for bringing outdoor play to the park, beach or back garden.

Customers can choose from quoits, rounders, Junior Croquet, Boules or Dominoes.

Metal Play Equipment: The Metal Climbing Dome is the latest addition to the metal range.

The metal dome has a climbing platform, ladder, cargo climbing rope and football target, but parents can choose to add additional fabric packs or a giant 10ft wavy slide.

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’s has d pit - it n a s d e rents to inspir c for pa seaside ri e b th fa d is e Plum’s Beach al inspir the sun. in The Palm opy in a nautic d e ce d a nd sh t for spa can n cool a bles are perfec a fabric re nd a d il y h la c eir y ta ter p keep th pits, wa n activit t e d a d n o a th s o s s w d f tion en li range o ing varia les have wood ng. combin b , ta g sco eati e y in fr v it l a v s a ti r c a fo e s h ble .T storage picnic ta them to rt e v n o c

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