Toys n Playthings July August 2020

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20 ug 20 July/A No. 7 9 Vol. 3

Independently audited ABC circulation of 4,768 1 July 2018 to 30 June 2019

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CONTENTS

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

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10 People News – all the movers and shakers 12

News timeline – looking back over the past few months

14 Media and Licensing News – licensed products and the latest on multimedia

Chairman Malcolm Naish malcolm@lemapublishing.co.uk

Managing Director Mark Naish mark@lemapublishing.co.uk

Editor Georgie Dobie georgie@lemapublishing.co.uk

Advertisement Manager Athee Waran athee@lemapublishing.co.uk

Sales Simon Davis simon@lemapublishing.co.uk

Writer Naomi MacKay naomi@lemapublishing.co.uk

Digital Publisher Mirella Anstey mirella@ltw.media

Digital Editor Rhys Thomas rhys@ltw.media

Production Director Paul Naish paul@lemapublishing.co.uk

Circulation Manager Robert Thomas robert@lemapublishing.co.uk

Lema Publishing Ltd

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

At the heart of retail

22 Retail News – the latest from the retail landscape 24 TnP Ambassadors – our tiny testers try out products from Down Under 30 Toy Talk – retailers talk about how lockdown has changed their businesses for the better 36 What’s New – new products that you need to get your hands on 40 Trade Talk – toy makers discuss their plans post-pandemic 72 Step Back in Time – a slice of toy history from the industry’s longest-running magazine

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74 Don’t Miss – unmissable products for all buyers and retailers

Features 42 The Value of Play – from games and puzzles and outdoor toys, to the arts and crafts, educational, and construction categories, we look at the toys that have helped the lockdown generation and their parents

Special Report 7 Spielwarenmesse eG Update – Ernst Kick says plans are in full swing for the 2021 show and here’s what you can expect

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9 BTHA Briefing – Rebecca Deeming offers an update on business amid the pandemic 20 Retail Interview – The Entertainer’s Gary Grant discusses the company’s role during lockdown and what’s ahead for the toy retailer 28 Media Marketing – PR expert Susannah Morgan offers advice on comms post-Covid 29 Spotlight – on the Character Kidz Big Weekend 72 Social Purpose – Expert Debra Sobel says having a social purpose can help your bottom line 73 Digital Marketing – Rob Lough at KidsKnowBest explains why TikTok is the place to be

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Columnists 18 Media Analysis - Generation Media’s Alex Taylor-Smith says companies must be flexible to stay afloat 24 Trends - US Toy Association experts talk about the toy trends post-pandemic

A member of the Audit Bureau of Circulation

Independently audited ABC circulation of 4,768

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26 Gaining Insight – Kids Insights looks at how lockdown has affected kids’ spending habits 32 Retail Opinion – John Ryan is feeling confident about the future 33 The Independent/Secret Supplier – Our dynamic duo talk about life after lockdown

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LEADER A A member of the Audit Bureau of Circulation

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s the world pivots on its axis, the doom-mongers predict the end of the world, while the vast majority prepare for a time when they can get back to some semblance of the old normal (with some large caveats), rather than the ‘new normal’ as espoused by the mainstream media.

For many, there have been some terrible losses – both personally and for numerous businesses – and I feel for every single one. The NHS has worked tirelessly to help protect us at a time when we were all safely isolating in our homes, and we are all grateful for their hard work and dedication.

In the UK, companies from across the sector have rallied to support the NHS and recognise the efforts of frontline workers, who have been going beyond the call of duty to help those affected

by Covid-19 and prevent the virus from spreading. There are so many initiatives and activities that when I look back on that time it makes me feel proud to work in this sector.

As many of you know, TnP has a number of stablemates in the gift, nursery, greetings and tableware markets, which has offered a lens into a number of other retail focused sectors throughout this challenging period. The one solace that the toy industry can take is that it has been far more resilient than those other industries, with the exception perhaps of nursery. Afterall, babies don’t stop appearing because of a pandemic!

This may seem obvious when a large chunk of parents are working from home and looking for ways to keep their little darlings entertained. And, of course, with school and nursery closures, toys offered parents a tool to support their children’s learning at home. A scented candle or picture frame may not seem so critical in such times; though their time may be yet to come with all of the wonderful home renovations that people have found time for!

I don’t mean to be reductive – there are of course many other factors – but you get the gist.

Sadly, for some in the trade, the pandemic has had a terrible impact. Many brick-and-mortar

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PUBLISHING

At the heart of retail Also by Lema Publishing

TableWare INTERNATIONAL

retailers without a web presence have worked hard Mark over the past few months Naish to quickly rectify that. For those that think, “What’s the point, when the likes of Amazon are so dominant?” are missing an opportunity. I would strongly encourage these retailers to consider setting-up a website to help support their regular business.

Mattel Meanwhile, suppliers have also been affected by store closures, as reflected in some of the financial results that have been published this year. And, for many, factory closures have also impacted supply. From speaking with suppliers, we understand that there is a lot of hard work going on behind the scenes to minimise supply chain disruptions. The present focus for many is to recover some of the Q1/Q2 Covid-related losses in the third and final quarters. And we have confidence that toy companies will be able to do this with their exciting new launches, bolstered marketing activities, as well as the retail support that they have planned for the second half of the year.

Ultimately, some have done well, while many have faced struggles of one kind or another. Who knows what will happen over the next five months? One thing is for sure; this is a resilient industry that is made up of strong-minded people who will continue to adapt and make the best of a challenging situation. Good luck to all as we move forward in these less than certain times!

There are so many initiatives and activities that I look back on that make me feel proud to work in this sector

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Playmobil

Remembering Les Nurse and Phil Green...

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Since we last published, we have had to record two sad passings.

Les Nurse spent almost his entire career in the toy trade.

Known for his friendly manner and sartorial elegance Les was a partner in licensed bag manufacturer Frankel & Roth for many years, selling the company to Mike Redfearn in the mid-nineties.

Les then set up a Far Eastern agency representing a number of top names, working alongside Joe Brewer and his nephew Jonathan Nurse. A member of the Fence Club for many years, and a past chairman, he was also responsible for making the Fence Club golf day the key calendar event that it is today.

Phil Green was one of the most popular buyers in the toy trade.

He spent many years with F.W. Woolworth, firstly as confectionery buyer, and from 1993 as trading controller for toys. In 1998, he joined United Overseas as its MD. Phil was also an active Fence Club member and also a past chairman.

We highlight these gentlemen’s careers in more detail on P10.

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NEWS

Asmodee £2,000 prize up for grabs

Tandem Group announces changes to the board After more than 30 years with the business, Stephen Grant has stepped down from his role as CEO of Tandem Group (the owner of MV Sports). Grant remains with the Group as nonexecutive chairman, following the retirement of Mervyn Keene.

Effective from 1 August, Jim Shears has taken up the position of CEO of the Group and Phil Ratcliffe and Jim have become joint managing directors of MV Sports.

Stephen Grant says: “I would like to thank Mervyn for the tremendous support he has given me since the acquisition of MV by Tandem in 2003.

“The company is in great shape for the future and I leave it in the very capable hands of Phil and Jim to take it forward in the coming years.

“I am delighted that I can stay involved with you all in my new role from 1 August 2020.”

Bandtock leaves Epoch Epoch Making Toys has announced that Neil Bandtock, its managing director for the past three years, is leaving the company.

Shu Yamagata, who was vice president and chairman at Epoch (USA), will assume the role of interim managing director.

During his tenure at Epoch, Neil successfully relocated the company from Huntingdon to Uxbridge, and significantly helped build the UK and Irish business. The directors of Epoch would like to thank Neil for all his hard work and wish him all the best for his future.

What’s next for Neil?

MGA Entertainment has announced the appointment of Neil Bandtock as its new managing director for the UK and Ireland. Neil worked for MGA between 2004 and 2008, as UK general manager.

He returns to the company in October, taking over from current MD, Andrew Laughton, who resigned earlier this year.

Asmodee has launched a huge summer competition with its new #PlayItOutdoors campaign. The campaign, which encourages games fans to take their favourite board games outside to enjoy the Great British Summer together, offers the chance to win a £2,000 prize every single week.

Asmodee is seeking to promote board games as the perfect activity to keep any household and social bubble entertained, with a focus on the joys of taking great games out into the garden or the park.

Retailers are encouraged to stock up on the featured products - Dobble, Ticket to Ride, Rory’s Story Cubes, Catan, Bananagrams, Dixit, Just One and Codenames - and to share Asmodee’s weekly posts to give their customers a shot at winning the weekly jackpot!

Happy Puzzle’s Star wins award The Happy Puzzle Company’s Genius Star has been named best Puzzle/Brainteaser by the American Specialty Toy Retailing Association (Astra).

Judged by hundreds of specialist toy retailers, Astra’s 2020 Best Toys for Kids names 14 top toys in 14 categories.

“This is, by a million miles, the biggest award in The Happy Puzzle Company’s 27-year history, because the choice is made by the toy industry itself in the US,” says Gavin Ucko, managing director of The Happy Puzzle Company.

The game launched at London Toy Fair in January and is available now to UK trade.”

Fisher-Price turns 90!

Fisher-Price, the baby and infant pre-school brand, is celebrating its 90th anniversary.

A staple in millions of happy childhoods, Fisher-Price has a rich history of innovation, and was the first to use and term the phrase ‘Preschool Toys’ in 1934. It was also the first company to create licensed toys, and one of the first to make coding available to pre-school kids, with the introduction of the award-winning Code-A-Pillar in 2016.

TRENDS: KID POWERED TOYS With more families playing and learning together amid the global crisis, Kristin Morency Goldman reviews the rise in popularity of toys that put the power of play in kids’ hands The US Toy Association’s Kid Powered trend, announced at Toy Fair New York in February, has gained significant momentum over the past few months, as families have been focused on buying practical products to help with learning and engage kids in hands-on play while spending more time at home.

Kid Powered toys put the power of play in kids’ hands, helping them build creativity, leadership, discipline,

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Families have been focused on buying practical products to help with learning and engage kids in hands-on play

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confidence, and critical-thinking skills.

Examples range from STEAM toys (toys that teach subjects like science, maths, and engineering) to open-ended toys (for example, simple building blocks, crafting kits, customisable dolls, and action figures).

“If we can find a silver lining to the Covid-19 crisis, it’s that more families than ever are playing and learning together amid stay-at-home orders and school closures,” said Adrienne Appell, trend specialist at The Toy Association.

“Notably, sales increases were seen in several toy categories, from educational toys and games to arts and crafts and outdoor toys. We expect sales to

stay strong as we approach back-toschool season – especially with so many uncertainties surrounding whether inperson classroom learning will resume.”

Mega Cyborg Hand (Thames & Kosmos): Allowing kids to build their own hydraulic hand and slip it on like a glove to operate the mechanical fingers. The kit includes 200 plastic pieces and piston tubes that are filled with water, enabling the fingers to open, close and grip objects with enough force to lift them. It teaches kids how pneumatic and hydraulic systems are used in industrial robots to manipulate heavy objects, such as automobile components.

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Fact!

Lagoon joins forces with University Games

Lagoon has 175 different lines and specialises in supplying gift shops, book stores and garden centres.

In June, University Games announced that it had purchased The Lagoon Group from Asmodee. This acquisition is the 14th for University Games and its third in the UK. Richard Wells, managing director of University Games UK, said: “There is a great synergy between University Games and the Lagoon Group and this acquisition will open avenues for both businesses across both the toy and gift sectors.

“At University Games, we have an extremely strong and successful sales team supporting our independent retailers across the whole of the UK. This is not something that has been part of the Lagoon sales strategy in the past and is something that I am certain will be a huge benefit for this specific product range. The businesses also have some common and complimentary licences that are certain to strength both brands including The World of David Walliams, Professor Rubik, Einstein2 and Question of Sport.”

University Games UK plans to commence shipping orders no later than 16 June for Lagoon from its fulfilment partner, Import Services.

Skip Hop jumps on board with Toynamics Toynamics has announced its appointment as exclusive distributor of Skip Hop branded products in the UK, Ireland, Germany, and Austria, effective from September 2020.

Andrew Knight, vice president of international at Skip Hop, said: “We’re excited to partner with Toynamics to continue our growth in Europe and bring Skip Hop products to even more families.”

Dennis Gies, CEO of Toynamics Europe GmbH, added: “Skip Hop is the perfect brand for Toynamics, completing our product range with its very special baby assortment – high quality products with innovative components and a high-class design approach. We are more than happy to welcome Skip Hop within the Toynamics brand family.”

Junkbots (Innovation First): These collectable robots can be taken apart and combined with other Junk Bots to create unique figures. Characters include static figures, bots that vibrate with a rumble unit, bots that light up with an energy core, and bots that come to life with a motion pack. The more kids collect, the more options they have in building their own unique creations.

Breyer Mane Breyer, DKL Beauty Styling Heads (Breyer): Showcasing the beauty of horses, the Styling Heads invite kids to create and bring to life their own vision of horse beauty by styling, grooming, and creating magnificent braids. The Heads

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Muddle It bags Epoch deal Epoch making toys is continuing to support small independent retailers by appointing Muddle It as a new distributor for Families and Aquabeads.

Muddle It is an established distributor within the industry, also stocking the latest, top-selling toy ranges for Disney’s Frozen II and the Harry Potter franchise.

The company became an official stockist for EPOCH’s entire Aquabeads portfolio, while also stocking a large proportion of the 2500+ Sylvanian Families SKUs, including the new Family Adventure range, in April.

Benefits to small retailers include Muddle It’s nimble, next-day delivery service and ability to handle singlefigure orders.

are realistically sculpted and decorated with diverse colourways and long, silky, no-tangle manes.

Botley 2.0 (Learning Resources): This screen-free coding robot is designed to help kids explore coding challenges right out of the box without the need for a phone or tablet. Kids can code a light show, play an interactive game of Botley Says, or use the six-direction remote programmer to build coding sequences of up to 150 steps. Turn off the lights and watch as Botley’s built-in sensor detects the dark and lights up the night, or watch as Botley transforms into a train, ghost, police car, and other fun impressions!

Stick-O Forest Friends 16 Piece Building Toy Set (Magformers): For ages 18 months and older, this set allows little creators to build everything from bunny ears to flowers using the included magnetic pieces. Great for encouraging

The show must go on Plans are in full swing for the 2021 Spielwarenmesse in Nuremberg, with adaptations for the coronavirus pandemic When it comes to organising face-to-face meetings and making sound buying decisions, trade fairs are more important now than ever before.

They are an indispensable driver for growth, also in the toy industry. As the world’s leading industry event, the Spielwarenmesse in Nuremberg creates opportunities to forge new customer contacts and to reinforce long-standing business relationships. It also offers a memorable experience as well as a unique diversity of products that can only really be appreciated in the flesh.

“That’s why we’ll do all we can to stage the Spielwarenmesse in 2021,” says CEO Ernst Kick. The fair’s main priority remains the health and safety of all participants. The exhibition organiser is working in close co-operation with NürnbergMesse and the health authorities. Together they have drawn up a concept for the Exhibition Centre in Nuremberg.

“Our team of trade fair professionals is currently working on the fine detail, specifically for the Spielwarenmesse. We will inform everyone involved

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Sales increases were seen in several toy categories, from educational toys and games to arts and crafts and outdoor toys

in the fair as soon as the first draft is completed by the end of July,” explains Ernst.

Exhibitors are already receiving important information about the next event.

The stand confirmation, for example, will be sent out in the autumn after which cancellations will no longer be possible.

This move will give the Spielwarenmesse the security it needs to plan the event properly.

Should travel restrictions be imposed on a specific country, preventing an exhibitor from taking part, the participant concerned will not be charged the usual compensation fee. If the fair is cancelled because of the coronavirus, exhibitors will have their exhibition fee refunded in full.

Mr Kick does not, however, believe that this is likely to happen. His teams are planning the Spielwarenmesse with the same energy and enthusiasm as in previous years. They have assured the sector that they will continue to monitor the situation, adapt their plans to reflect any new developments and inform participants of any changes to the concept as quickly as possible.

open-ended construction play at a young age.

These are just a few examples of what’s trending. Be sure to participate in The Toy Association’s Toy Fair Everywhere virtual market weeks taking place 17-23 August and 14-20 September.

More than 130 exhibiting toy companies will be showcasing their latest innovations to global buyers and media looking for the hottest toys for Q4. Visit www.

ToyFairEverywhere.info to learn more.

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NEWS The Crew wins Kennerspiel des Jahres Last month, Thames and Kosmos UK announced that The Crew – Quest for Planet 9 had won the coveted Kennerspiel des Jahres Award 2020.

The Crew has garnered rave reviews since its debut at Essen 2019. Initially a sleeper hit, word of the innovative co-operative trick-taking game spread throughout the gaming world and led to Kosmos UK selling out of the English language version within less than nine days of its arrival in February. Since being reprinted and arriving back in the UK in mid-April it has sold more than 8,500 copies in the UK alone.

Mattel launches #unowhoyouare campaign Over the last weekend of June, Mattel launched its digital campaign for UNO, celebrating all the different types of player and highlighting four fun UNO player personalities.

The #unowhoyouare campaign harnessed the power of TikTok and tapped into the rise in popularity of games during lockdown, as a way to bring people together. UNO is enjoying a strong 2020, with POS sales up by 116 per cent YTD (NPD May 2020) and a spot at number 16 in the Total Toys Market.

Having identified four different types of UNO players, millennial and Gen Z influencers, and people across TikTok and Instagram came together to celebrate the game and create content to show the different gameplay reactions.

Mums Choice Awards: Now open!

The UKMums.TV Choice Awards are now open for entry. Designed to give parents a clear insight into what products in the market are favoured by their peers, the awards programme is organised and published by parenting website UKMums.TV. Achieving a Mums Choice Award offers entrants an opportunity to highlight products to a targeted consumer audience via the UKMums.tv website and social platforms. The results will be published on www.UKMums.tv for 30 days, starting from 16 November 2020, with each category having its own dedicated page, social media push and newsletter.

Entries close on 28 September. For more information, please contact sarah@ukmums.tv.

5 The number of categories that the

Mums Choice Awards are split into.

Toymaster’s chairman changes

Toymaster, the independent buying group, has announced changes to the board.

In a statement shared with group members, Ciaran Fitzpatrick, said: “As of 1 August 2020, I am stepping down as chairman having served 13 years in the role. I have been asked to carry on as a non-executive director and chairman of the merchandise committee, which I am most happy to do.

“I am pleased to announce that our new chairman is Chris Blatcher from JAC Stores, who has shops on the Isle of Man. JAC joined Toymaster in 1995, Chris became a director of Toymaster in 2016 and will also continue as chairman of the marketing committee.

“I also want to take this opportunity to personally thank Andy Taylor who is stepping down as a non-executive director from 1 August 2020.

He added: “These changes have been in the pipeline for the past year and are all about ensuring the proper succession for the continued success of Toymaster.”

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Spin Master appoints Stripe as retained PR agency Spin Master UK has appointed Stripe Communications London as its retained PR agency.

Phil Hooper, Spin Master’s The number of commercial director of marketing, awards that Stripe said: “We are excited to welcome Communications has won in recognition of Stripe to work on Spin Master’s their work, including a portfolio of toys in the UK market. coveted Cannes Lion With their expertise, experience for creativity. and creativity, we are looking forward to developing industry-leading PR campaigns to support the innovative brands for which Spin Master is renowned.”

Chris Stevenson, Stripe London MD, said: “From the outset it was clear that we shared a culture of creativity, partnership, and passion with Spin Master.

Their product innovation and appetite to disrupt the traditional toy market, coupled with our own ambition to wow consumers with award-winning creativity will allow us to form a strong partnership and achieve great things together.”

Stripe will work alongside Jo Thompson, Spin Master’s PR manager, and the marketing team.

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TOTY award nominations now open!

Administered by The Toy Association, the annual Toy of the Year (TOTY) Awards are now accepting submissions for toy, game, and property nominations across 16 categories.

Finalists will be revealed in the week of 26 October 2020 and one winner in each category, as well as the coveted Toy of the Year award winner and the People’s Choice winner, will be announced at a TOTY Awards gala on 12 February 2021. The celebration will kick off the 119th North American International Toy Fair.

SnapDragon’s crowning glory Online brand protection company, SnapDragon Monitoring, has received a Queen’s Award for Innovation.

The award recognises SnapDragon Monitoring’s success in giving companies the tools and confidence needed to monitor and fight fakes on the world’s busiest online marketplaces and social media stores.

Head Dragon Rachel Jones says: “My humble but heartfelt thanks go to our extraordinary team for working tirelessly with the ever fluid international marketplaces in the fight against fakes. Developing technology is no mean feat but the fact that we now have something which empowers brands of all shapes and sizes to use intellectual property as their first line of defence online is fantastic.”

Sad fact of the matter…

In 2017, the European Commission reported seizure of approximately 3.5m fake toys at EU borders, equating to a value of over €21m. Despite such efforts, the industry is still estimated to lose €1.4bn each year from counterfeits that slip through the net.

(Source: EUIPO).

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Hasbro extends toy recycling programme i

Hasbro has announced that it has expanded its toy and games recycling programme to the UK. Having partnered with TerraCycle, Hasbro will offer a free, nationwide recycling programme for all of its toys and games.

“At Hasbro, we know kids and families everywhere share our passion for protecting our planet,” said Kay Green, TerraCycle will recycle Hasbro country manager at Hasbro UK and toys and games into reusable raw Ireland. “Since launching the Hasbro materials, which can be used to Recycling Programme in the US in make new products such as outdoor 2018, we’ve successfully expanded to furniture, planters and similar items. additional markets throughout the world, to offer more consumers a sustainable solution for giving new life to their well-loved toys and games and we’re proud to further extend the programme, in partnership with TerraCycle, to the UK.

Fact!

Schleich harnesses the power of imagination!

Schleich launched its Power of Imagination Photo Contest in May. Encouraging children to bring their imaginations to life through their own original photography, the competition saw kids around the world use their time at home to create photographs with their Schleich figurines and playsets.

“There has been a truly amazing response to the competition, which reminds us just how spectacular and vivid a child’s experience can be when engaged in openended, imaginative playtime,” said Paul Dearlove, marketing manager at Schleich UK. Schleich’s year-long celebration of imagination kicked off at Toy Fair New York, where acclaimed toy photographer Mitchel Wu unveiled a series of photographs bringing to life imaginative stories shared by kids.

1,500 The number of UK entries from which the winning image was selected. The winning image features a group of Schleich elephant figurines shot from below, giving the illusion of a far greater scale.

Vivid makes a splash Vivid has entered into a new charity partnership with Sea Life Trust to launch Vet Squad – the company’s latest vet-themed brand for girls. The range of figures, vehicles and playsets focuses on perennial nurture and care play patterns with added adventure. Products include animals with magical colour-change injuries, four vet characters and a fleet of rescue vehicles.

Chloe Burrowes, assistant brand manager at Vivid, said: “With a love for animals at the heart of the Vet Squad brand, we are delighted to be partnering with the Sea Life Trust to support A £20,000 donation their mission in helping endangered marine from the proceeds of Vet Squad will be wildlife globally. It is great for us to know that given to the Sea by encouraging children to become animalLife Trust. saving adventurers in the world of Vet Squad, our donation can also make a real difference globally in rehabilitating and caring for animals in reality.”

Guess what…

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BTHA Briefing It’s been a busy time for BTHA members, even if all the events, including the AGM and Industry day, have been taking place online, as Rebecca Deeming, BTHA’s PR Manager, explains We had a busy schedule of events for members of the BTHA, starting off with our first-ever virtual AGM and Industry Day, which welcomed more than 90 participants joining the call.

It was certainly strange to have this usual sunny day of networking online, but still a lovely opportunity to catch up with everyone face to face on the screen.

During the AGM, a summary of the work the BTHA has done over the past year was given and thanks was also given to members for their continuous support of the Association. Also on the virtual call, Don Williams, retail partner from KMPG, shared a presentation on the current retail climate titled ‘Retail: from reaction to the new reality - some reflections and thoughts’.

BTHA members should get in touch if they would like to receive a copy of the presentation.

The BTHA also held a free webinar exclusive for members on the six-month countdown to the end of the Brexit transition period. Members heard from BTHA experts on the UK and Global perspectives as well as what this means from a toy safety and technical side.

Presentations were also given by representatives from Vulcan Consulting, who provided updates from a European point of view, and informed members about the Authorised Representative scheme that the organisation runs, and which members can be a part of. If members wish to learn more about this scheme, please contact Natasha@btha.co.uk.

Through our Make Time 2 Play campaign, we have released our latest guidance document, How to make play educational

for three to five-year-olds.

Inspired by many parents having to home school their children during the Covid-19 pandemic, the guidance document outlines various play activities that children can take part in to stimulate learning - all in line with the early years curriculum. All play ideas are featured on the Make Time 2 Play app too, which is free to download. We’d be grateful if our members could share this guidance document on their own social media channels.

The document can be downloaded on the Make Time 2 Play website at www.maketime2play.co.uk under Resources and Research.

On the Public Affairs side, all members must make sure they are aware of the age appropriate design code laid before Parliament in June. If members see any huge issue with the code then they should let us know asap as there will be little chance of changing it once it is implemented.

Elsewhere, we have launched a series of operations guides to help companies operate safely during Covid-19.

These cover how to keep warehouse facilities safe, how to keep toys clean, and how to operate in the office environment safely.

In addition, we have a Covid-19 Business Advice page with various business guides and government announcements outlined.

This is available for the whole toy industry to access – not just our members.

For more information on how we can help our members during this time please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

In the meantime, I hope everyone is keeping safe!

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PEOPLE NEWS

Remembering industry friends

Promotion at Wilton Bradley In the past couple of months, there has been ample cause for celebration within the marketing team at Wilton Bradley, with the announcement of Tom Ellyatt’s promotion to marketing & ecommerce director. In addition, Ben Stanbury has been promoted to content marketing & social media manager. This is a key role to help the company grow its brands by planning, creating and delivering compelling brand and product content and communications. Ben will be responsible for developing and executing the company’s social media and content strategy alongside Alice Hayes, who has a new title of digital marketing executive.

New faces at IMC In a move to strengthen its presence in the UK market, IMC Toys has announced two new appointments to its team, as well as a new, more centrally located office in Banbury, Oxfordshire.

John Gray joins IMC Toys as operations and logistics manager. He brings a wealth of toy sector experience to the role, having previously held positions with Mattel, Mega Brands, Spin Master and MGA. Katie Petitt also joins IMC Toys as account manager after previously working in buying roles for both Debenhams and Toys “R” Us.

Penhallow retires from plaY-room Miles Penhallow, head of toys and children’s gift, plaY-room AIS, will be taking an early retirement at the end of September.

Speaking of his decision to retire, Miles Penhallow says: “After 12 happy years at AIS, I have decided to take early retirement at the end of September this year to manage a small property portfolio and pursue other personal interests.’’

Aimee Hill, assistant selector, plaY-room AIS, says: “Miles has been pivotal in the growth and success of plaY-room’s 12-year history. His charisma and dedication will be missed not only within AIS but also within the wider toy industry, where he has made many close friendships.’’

Foreshaw starts at University University Games has welcomed Lagoon’s Jessica Foreshew as national account manager following the acquisition of The Lagoon Group last month.

Jessica has a wealth of experience in the gift sector, having joined The Lagoon Group in 2017 where she focused on national and major accounts in the UK as well as working with international distributors. Prior to her time at Lagoon, Jessica also gained extensive experience in both the technology and cosmetic industries.

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News USE August.indd 5

Sabine joins Siso Joining the team as senior national account manager, Sabine Dix will drive growth in the online and grocery channels, and support Siso Toys UK’s national accounts.

Sabine brings with her a wealth of experience with almost two decades in toy industry sales. These include positions with Spin Master, Tomy, MGA and Trends and most recently with Theo Klein.

Craft Buddy welcomes Lisa Moving from the fashion industry into crafting, Lisa Rayner joins the Craft Buddy team as trade account manager, reporting to Dan Ward, head of sales.

Bringing with her a wealth of experience as both a buyer and trade account operator, Lisa will be looking to help grow Craft Buddy’s UK and international footprint.

Gaskin moves to Toynamics Toynamics has announced the appointment of Sharon Gaskin as national accounts manager.

Sharon has many years of experience in the sales management of large key accounts. In her new role, she will look after all of Toynamics’ key customers.

She will also help support the growth of the business, looking for new retailers and new business.

Toys ‘n’ Playthings is sad to report the passing of several popular industry figures over the past few months The highly respected and popular industry veteran Les Nurse died on Monday 6 July at the age of 79.

Clive Jones, honorary secretary of the Fence Club, said: “Les was a colourful character, well-known for his vibrant jackets, bright ties and effervescent personality.

His use of cockney rhyming slang always made us laugh. And he always had a lovely welcome for any of his friends, wherever he met them in the world. Les was a real effervescent personality.’’

Les worked as a far east agent working with a number of companies including Hong Kong Toy Centre, Super Toys, the Chad Valley brand, and Mothercare. In the UK he looked after major accounts for MV Toys & Sports until his retriument in 2013.

Phil Green, the former trading manager for toys at Woolworth, died on 13 July 2020, aged just 66.

The former trading manager for toys at Woolworth, and Fence Club member since 1997, had many friends in the toy trade.

Phil raised many thousands of pounds for the Fence Club through fundraising events. including climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, parachute jumping, walking 100 miles and cycling from London to Paris. In 2004 he was awarded a certificate of appreciation by the club for his fundraising efforts.

Industry stalwart Tom Graham died on 12 March this year. He began in the toy retail trade in 1970, right through to 2005, when he and the family decided to sell their retail business, Grahams Toys.

Tom will be remembered as a great supporter of the many toy trade golf days, in particular the Youngsters golf day, which eventually found its permanent home at Goring & Streatley.

Tom and his wife Valerie retired in 2005, maintaining friendships that had been forged over 35 years in the toy trade.

Former toy agent Roy Gray passed away on 15 June 2020, aged 77, following a short illness.

He started his career in the toy industry in the mid-sixties, having previously worked as a DJ for a number of years – a job that saw him befriended by a new, up-and-coming band called The Beatles!

Roy founded a successful agency business covering Yorkshire and the North East of England, ably supported by his wife Greer.

He represented Britains, Browns of Leicester (now Peterkin), Adam Leisure, and Cheryl Playthings. And, more recently, he worked for a number of years with Lindam and Cosatto.

tnp.media 10/08/2020 08:50

TIMELINE OF EVENTS

Covid-19 timeline: TnP looks back 6 March Bira calls on Chancellor Rishi Sunak to take “immediate action” to help indies affected by the coronavirus outbreak.

13 March May’s Licensing Expo is postponed until 11-13 August.

17 March UK Games Expo postponed until August.

It is later announced that it will be a virtual event.

19 March Distoy show is cancelled.

20 March Government first announces the job retention scheme, saying it will end on May 31.

23 March The AIS Group’s Independent Toy and Gift show, due to take place in Solihull on 21-22 April, is cancelled and then rescheduled for 28-29 September. The Entertainer closes all its stores, while Smyths limits visitors to a maximum of 20 per store with one child allowed per adult.

24 March Government orders all non-essential retailers to close. Hasbro is seeing demand rise for its games and arts and crafts products.

In Canada, where Toys R Us stores have been closed for a week, the retailer is offering Stayat-Home Play Packs of toys online. Meanwhile, Generation Media reports that kids’ commercial TV viewing is up 70 per cent during lockdown.

25 March The Toy Trust’s big fundraiser Activity Day is cancelled, with plans for a relaunch in 2021, and the US company that makes Crazy Aaron’s Putty switches to producing hand sanitiser. Bira launches coronavirus hub to help independent retailers.

26 March Lego says it is on track to open 80 new China stores in 2020. MGA launches Operation: Pac-Man to help support hospitals and healthcare workers, and Playmobil releases an animation to explain the virus to kids. Intu tenants refuse to pay rent.

27 March The Orb Factory, the toy company behind Soft ‘N Slo Squishies, pivots production to focus on its Cyber Clean Anti-Bacterial and Hand Sanitizing products.

30 March LEGO donates $50m to help kids affected by Covid-19, and Mattel is making face masks from fabric sourced for Barbie and Fisher-Price toys.

1 April Hasbro launches online #BringHomeTheFun campaign, while Mattel reveals its online play resource, Mattel Playroom.

The NPD Group reports that games and puzzle sales up 240 per cent with games such as Monopoly, Cluedo, and Dobble bestsellers.

2 April Alpha Group UK’s award-winning Super Wings pre-school in-school learning initiative is made available for families who are home schooling.

6 April Asmodee offers free print and play versions of games including Dobble.

7 April Footfall on high streets, retail parks and shopping centres plummets 81 per cent, while kids at home are turning to games, traditional toys and reading to pass the time according to The Insights People.

8 April The Harrogate Home and Gift Buyers’ Festival is postponed until July 2021.

9 April Wilton Bradley donates Bestway Inflatable Beds and pumps to NHS workers on the front line, and Acamar Films launches the ‘Staying at home together... it’s a Bing thing’ digital campaign.

14 April Tomy launches virtual Articulate after designers at Drumond notice a trend for playing the game on video calls, while Lego, in conjunction with charity Fairy Bricks, plans to donate 30,000 Lego sets NHS workers’ kids.

16 April Spin Master produces more than 10,000 face shields a day for healthcare workers, with plans to ship them globally.

17 April Government extends furlough scheme to end of June, Playmobil launches new toys to celebrate key workers and raise funds for NHS, and Thames & Kosmos allows retailers to sell on third-party websites.

20 April The Entertainer works with charities the Trussell Trust and FareShare to help distribute food to food banks and other community charities.

22 April Ravensburger launches At Home with Ravensburger initiative offering free resources and activity ideas for children.

23 April Lockdown continues as Health Secretary Matt Hancock says the UK has reached the peak of the coronavirus outbreak.

28 April The Princess Royal marks the end of Save the Children’s Save With Stories initiative by reading a Thomas the Tank Engine tale on Instagram.

29 April Government says non-essential retailers can run click-and-collect service.

1 May Amazon reports $75bn Q1 revenues but profits are down.

5 May Save The High Street launches Covid-19 Recovery and Resilience campaign for UKbased independent retailers.

6 May Mattel’s Q1 figures show net revenues are down 14 per cent YoY. 11 May Spin Master Q1 figures are down but sales increase in the Activities, games and puzzles, and plush categories.

12 May Government extends furlough scheme until 31 October.

13 May New safety guidance is issued for retailers reopening stores, garden centres are able to reopen, and furlough scheme extended until October.

26 May 13-year-old Klara Hinze’s teddy design wins a John Lewis Partnership’s competition raising money for the NHS. 27 May Latest figures spark optimism for retail reopening as bank holiday footfall shoots up.

28 May Character Group unveils half-year figures, which show a dip in turnover, but the company is confident it will have a strong second half.

29 May Rishi Sunak announces that the job retention scheme will be tapered from August.

11 June Shops in Northern Ireland are allowed to open from 12 June. And Gary Grant of The Entertainer is named among the 100 most influential people in retail.

12 June B&M preliminary results show a 16.5 per cent growth in revenue, and The Entertainer offers customers five ways to shop, including In-queue shopping. The Postponed Toy & Edu China, Baby & Stroller China and Licensing China fairs to take place from 6–8 August 2020.

15 June Retail footfall is down, but better than April according to BRC. 18 June Lego Group transforms its annual employee Play Day into a week-long Virtual Play Week extravaganza.

22 June Spielwarenmesse survey crisis reveals that there are some positives among the negatives as firms modify business models and launch digital offerings. And Bira welcomes decision to extend government protection scheme.

23 June PM announces relaxation of lockdown rules; some leisure facilities to open from 4 July.

24 June Shopworkers’ trade union Usdaw welcomes reports that the Government has set aside plans to deregulate Sunday trading hours.

And Boris Johnson revises 2m social distance rule, allowing 1m in shops were necessary.

30 June All ‘non-essential’ retail stores have to close as part of a local lockdown in Leicester.

And Golden Bear reveals the new Trapped: Escape Room Game Packs, to bring the fun of escape room into the home.

6 July Toy Aid raises over £140,000, while Autumn Fair 2020 plans to offer a virtual forum this September 7 July Toymaster’s 2020 show, and Kind + Jugend 2020 are both cancelled.

14 July BRC says retail footfall is recovering ground.

14 May WH Smith publishes good first half figures, but the retailer’s sales fell dramatically YOY in April.

20 July Government says business conferences and events should be able to resume from 1 October.

15 May Little Tikes hosts the second annual World’s Biggest Playdate at home and online.

21 July Toy Industry charity fundraiser the Fence Club cancels all of its 2020 events.

19 May The Entertainer and Smyths Toys reintroduce a click-and-collect service.

23 July Hammerson reveals app that helps shoppers avoid the crowds.

20 May Mattel expands its #ThankYouHeroes toy collection, designed to honour frontline staff and the everyday heroes keeping communities running.

24 July Face coverings become mandatory in shops and non-essential retail in Leicester is allowed to reopen. Meanwhile, Mattel posts better-than-expected Q2 results thanks to growth in Barbie and UNO.

23 May Toy companies including tonies, Ravensburger, Tomy, and Gibsons Games take part in Play at Home Fest, organised by Dr Amanda Gummer’s Good Play Guide.

29 July Hasbro Q2 figures show net revenue down, but second quarter consumer demand was up for Hasbro brands, led by games.

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11/08/2020 15:31

Brought to you by

LICENSING

NEWS

2,900 Brand Licensing Europe transitions to an all-virtual event Brand Licensing Europe (BLE) 2020 will be an all-virtual event called the Festival of Licensing.

The Global Licensing Group at Informa Markets, the organisers behind BLE, says the event will be a celebration of the business of brand licensing, in partnership with industry trade association Licensing International.

Running from 6-29 October 2020, the Festival of Licensing will be a four-week, large-scale virtual gathering bringing together the licensing industry to connect, learn, strike deals and do business on an international stage.

There will be four regionally tailored Dates of the virtual events in key licensing Festival of Licensing. territories, each powered by the Global Licensing Group’s world-leading event brands: Week 1: Europe, powered by Brand Licensing Europe; Week 2: Asia, powered by Licensing Expo China and Licensing Expo Japan; Week 3: North America and Latin America, powered by Licensing Expo; and Week 4: Global C-suite virtual conference - Licensing Leadership Summit Details at: www.festivaloflicensing.com

6-29 Oct 2020

Learning Resources teams up with Numberblocks Learning Resources has partnered with BAFTA award-winning animated children’s educational TV series Numberblocks and is launching a new MathLink Cubes Numberblocks Activity based on the top-selling MathLink Cubes brand.

MathLink Cubes is a linkable construction toy developed for hands-on maths learning through play. The new licensed Numberblocks Activity Set will allow children to play along with episodes and engage in further learning opportunities.

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The number of digital meetings that took place over the first-ever Licensing Week Virtual, organised by the Global Licensing Group in partnership with industry trade association Licensing International, from June 1519. The virtual conference and exhibition secured 4,477 visitors from around the world.

David Walliams goes to University

The acquisition of The Lagoon Group by games and puzzles specialist, University Games this summer, has brought a consolidated The World of David Walliams licence range together.

Following on from the success of the Gangsta Granny Stash the Swag board game, earlier this year University Games launched the new Grandpa’s Great Escape Twilight Towers Amazing Breakout board game and Puzzle to complement the range.

Another licence added to the games portfolio this year is A Question of Sport, the iconic British television sports quiz presented by Sue Barker.

Coffee break TnP catches up with Jazwares’ Sam Ferguson to talk about Fortnite, Minecraft, Pokémon and more in its licensed gaming product portfolio What products does Jazwares offer for the gaming arena?

We work with some of the biggest brands in the gaming industry, including Roblox and Fortnite. The Fortnite line features 4in, 6in and 12in action figures, playsets, vehicles, drones, plush and more. We are well into our third year with Roblox and continue to expand the range with new playsets, vehicles and figures. Later this year we’ll also be launching a range of toys for Halo, the most iconic sci-fi series in video game history, with all new World Of and Collectors action figure lines along with roleplay items that tap directly into the highly-anticipated Halo Infinite global release.

When did you realise that this arena had so much potential and how have you grown your presence in this area?

We have been aware of the popularity of game IPs for a long time and have been actively involved in the space for the past two decades. Jazwares has worked with properties ranging from Mega Man and Sonic, to Minecraft and Pokémon, as well as Fortnite, Roblox and Halo. We have grown our presence by producing products that resonate with the fans. As a company, we pride ourselves on bringing the digital to the physical in a way that really speaks to fans. We know that gamers are consuming content constantly. Whether physically playing or participating on social media and the ever-popular streaming platforms - these people are passionate, and so are we.

How does the popularity of a game translate into licensed product sales?

Strong IP will have depth of characters, and narrative to get fans really engaged, be visually amazing and accessible across multiple platforms. The key is that all the manufactured products are true-to-game and keep the fans in mind.

Anything with this level of seamless interaction between game and product will translate into sales.

What factors are important when it comes to marketing?

We ensure that the marketing content we produce appeals to the players. For example, we’ve run above-the-line marketing campaigns using real Fortnite players, like the FaZe Clan, one of the biggest esports teams in the world. This adds real authenticity to our content and keeps the true voice of the game brand. Ultimately, you really have to understand who the audience is and what they aspire towards.

In Roblox, we take this one step further. Roblox is a social game, where players are invested in self expression and players want to upgrade their avatar and their look. Our toys come with a unique code that can be redeemed on the Roblox platform.

The kids love it. We have an astonishing redemption rate. We’ve even experimented with hiding redeemable digital codes in our TV adverts. We never talked about it, but the kids figured it out and the code was redeemed more than one million times.

Where do you currently see there to be most opportunity?

There are always opportunities within the video games space.

The community is exceptionally passionate, but they can also be very vocal. At the end of the day, the most important thing is to create products that really resonate and reflect the latest trends within each individual game.

Moving forward, I expect to see even more gaming ranges that are gender neutral. It’s been a common misconception that games are just for boys. Roblox’s audience skews more equally, and in fact, we made a conscious decision to create products that were geared towards girls.

Partners are doing some really incredible things. Fortnite for example hosted a Travis Scott Concert in April that broke all records for a live concert. Jazwares created an exclusive Travis Scott Fortnite figure, which sold out within minutes.

tnp.media 10/08/2020 17:01

Place mini characters on the PlayZone™ location to hear phrases, music and sound effects

F O R M O R E D E TA I L S C O N TA C T 0 1 2 3 5 5 5 5 5 4 5 O R E M A I L T R A D E _ S A L E S @ V T E C H .C O M

Brought to you by

LICENSING

NEWS

Thomas makes friends Thomas & friends unveiled a new digital artwork by renowned artist Nathan Wyburn to celebrate this year’s International Friendship Day on 30 July. The interactive mosaic image is made up of 400 pictures made by children from around the UK of themselves with their friends, which they drew on their return to nursery and pre-school earlier this month.

A zoom function allows viewers to look up close at each individual picture that collectively make up a gigantic image of Thomas, The Fat Controller and Royal engine Duchess based on a poster image of ‘Thomas & Friends: The Royal Engine’, the episode which aired earlier this year as part of the brand’s 75th anniversary celebrations.

Children from around the country shared their drawings of themselves with their best friends. Plus, some exciting friends of the brand including Peter Andre, whose son, Theo and daughter, Millie also joined in the fun.

The picture also includes some wellknown celebrity friendships, including Ant and Dec, Ed Sheeran and Stomzy, Geri Horner and Emma Bunton and Idris Elba and Dwayne Johnson. These images were drawn by Thomas & Friends book illustrator, Daniel Crisp and included in the digital artwork for people to hunt for at www.thomasfriendshipday.com

Peppa Pig joins Team GB Hasbro’s Peppa Pig is set to join the British Olympic team as a special children’s ambassador to get kids excited for the summer Olympics in Tokyo – rescheduled from 2020 to 2021.

Big Inspiration for Little Piggies is a new campaign designed to get the nation’s kids moving and into the spirit of the Olympics by cheering on their favourite national athletes. The campaign will be underpinned by a busy roster of live events, retail activations, digital content and bespoke merchandise.

Partners are lining up to produce exclusive new consumer products across categories including toys, apparel and accessories, stationery, home gifting and publishing.

Throughout summer 2021, Hasbro will be readying a packed calendar of interactive marketing activities that will see Peppa Pig model her very own Team GB kit at various events across the country.

8.8m+

The number of children across the UK that have turned to video gaming as the go-to hobby of the lockdown period, according to industry analyst Kids Insights.

Bandai UK bags sweet CoComelon deal Bandai UK is distributing the CoComelon licensed toy range for the UK market as well as for France, Italy, Spain and Portugal.

CoComelon, a YouTube channel for pre-schoolers, currently boasts the largest kids’ audience in YouTube’s history. The animated channel follows JJ and his family, learning through themes and nursery rhymes. With more than 85 million subscribers and 66 billion views, CoComelon is currently the most watched YouTube channel in the world.

Did you know?

CoComelon is a YouTube channel for pre-schoolers, with the largest kids’ audience in YouTube’s history.

Bandai UK will be launching the initial CoComelon line for autumn, which will include plush, bath play, role-play, character figures, vehicles, and playsets.

Asgard Media relaunches Twenty-two years after its foundation in 1998, Kelvyn Gardner has relaunched his licensing consultancy business, Asgard Media.

Asgard’s goal for the coming year is to connect with some of the businesses that are not yet using brand licensing as part of their marketing mix and to bring them into the world of licensing.

Over more than two decades, Asgard has advised companies as diverse as Yoplait and Topps, and has consulted in many sectors of licensing, food and drink, toys, promotions, consumer electronics, sport, video games, collectables and even theatrical productions.

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tnp.media 10/08/2020 17:01

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09/08/2020 15:25

MEDIA

ANALYSIS

Stay flexible to stay afloat Generation Media’s Alex Taylor-Smith looks at why, in uncertain times, it is important to be both proactive and reactive if you want to stay in the market

W

ith non-essential retail open and companies staging returns to their places of work, we are having to navigate another ‘new normal’. For marketers across the industry, there are a number of uncertainties that lie ahead. With numerous questions to answer, let's outline 10 ways to triumph with your AW20 ad strategy during these challenging times.

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than ever before – approximately three billion users!

That’s not to mention TikTok, which was ranked as the most downloaded app in almost every country in Q1! As parents and gift givers continue to use these platforms, it’s vital that you consider them for your brands.

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Be brave – test new social platforms, safely Advertising on each social channel is unique; each channel has its own distinct audience, bespoke advertising formats and targeting mechanisms in place. Therefore, when running paid social outside of Facebook and Instagram, it is important to make most of these nuances and test, measure, reflect and refine.

Be ready for ‘Christmas to come early’ With toilet rolls back in stock but the toilet roll mentality still weighing in consumers’ mind, will Christmas come early this year? A question all marketers have no doubt recently discussed over consumer fears that top toy products may become unavailable as we get closer to Christmas, and the possibility of a winter wave of Covid-19.

With the The industry faces a scenario of selling possibility out earlier than ever before. While this of stores remains unlikely, consider building your advertising campaigns early, investing closing their over the back-to-school period. doors with

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Nail your ecommerce strategy Online retail sales have increased dramatically in recent weeks, with a reported +74 per cent growth in average transaction volumes compared with the same period last year, according to ACI Worldwide data. This demonstrates the extent to which people’s shopping habits have changed as a result of the pandemic. With the possibility of stores closing their doors with any upcoming second wave, ensuring you have a watertight ecommerce strategy has never been so important.

Generation Media's GM Checkout team can help build a successful ecommerce strategy.

any upcoming Are you sufficiently communicating second wave, your products’ playtime value?

For parents that have spent more than a watertight three months with their children at ecommerce home, the perceived playtime value of strategy has a toy has never been more important.

It is therefore imperative that brands never been so showcase all of the key features of their Create more for less with global connectivity important products. To get this right, think about Reaching international audiences is often your advertising messages. Do they crucial to driving growth and expanding a demonstrate all the features your product has to offer? business' footprint. Thinking globally and acting locally has never been more important. Each year, 130 million children are born globally. That is 130 million additional Build awareness by using the right tools opportunities every year to reach a new audience.

Building awareness of your product/brand will remain However, a one-size-fits-all approach, will simply not cut a vital part of any marketing strategy. We saw a significant it. Getting it right takes careful preparation and planning. increase in children’s TV viewing as lockdown began.

However, with full year declines in children’s linear TV viewing expected, the need for children’s advertisers Create content now for longevity into 2021 to expand onto digital channels is apparent. Not Due to enforced isolation, audiences are hungry for only is there now a greater selection of viable content. Think about using content to connect with your digital channels, Covid-19 has and will directly audience, beyond the TVC format. There are real-time, impact on media behaviours. To get the cost-effective content solutions for brands who want to balance right and ensure total AV coverage maximise their visibility and audience engagement. levels remain competitive, use relative insights and proprietary tools (such as our Media Plan for short term opportunities Aggregator tool) to guide the optimum Press, cinema, out-of-home and even radio media mix. media saleshouses have all seen significant declines in advertiser demand. As such, opportunities are available for advertisers that can be reactive with their Think carefully about your social investments. Keeping some investment as reactive ‘pots’ media strategy to take advantage of these offers is a sensible move.

As the world has become less physically social, we have naturally experienced an explosion of online And finally, contact Generation Media social activity. In April alone more To discuss how to strengthen your marketing people logged onto a Facebook service ‘battle plans’, contact the Generation Media team.

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

tnp.media Generation Media Aug.indd 1

10/08/2020 06:51

COVER STORY

SPIN MASTER

Go with the flow TnP catches up with Ella Newman, Senior Brand Manager – Activities & Construction at Spin Master, to find out what’s new in the hugely successful Kinetic Sand range Tell us about Kinetic Sand Sandwhirlz: Kinetic Sand Sandwhirlz is the only compound playset that lets you reveal a surprise shape and flow of sand.

This set has everything you need for amazing sand transformations: 2lb of Kinetic Sand, six shape shifters, two extruder tubes, a scoop and more.

Inspired by the drop-and-squish play pattern on social media, the Sandwhirlz Playset makes it easy to customise your sand effects with the shape shifters and tools.

What are some of the benefits of playing with Kinetic Sand Sandwhirlz?

Sandwhirlz lets you mix and match to customise your sand effects. The extruder tubes can be reloaded again and again for endless play. It also comes in a case, which doubles up as a play space and storage case for when you’ve finished playing.

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Our Kinetic Sand Sandisfying Set is the very first Kinetic Sand item that brought the social media phenomena of satisfying videos right to your fingertips

Tell us about some of the ways that kids can enjoy Kinetic Sand Sandwhirlz?

Our Rainbow Mix Set launched earlier this year, introducing a basic form of mixing colours.

The new Sandwhirlz set not only allows for colour mixing but adds new shapes, and with the help of the special extruder tubes and shape shifters, users can re-create the transformations they’ve seen from the ASMR (autonomous sensory meridian response) videos that have become popular on social media.

Did you know?

The Kinetic Sand Sandisfying Set includes a phone holder so you can film and share your creations on social media using #Sandisfying @KineticSand JULY/AUG 2020 Cover Story Spin Master.indd 1

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What have been this year’s best-selling Kinetic Sand products?

Our Kinetic Sand Sandisfying Set has been our best-selling product this year! This was the very first Kinetic Sand item that brought the social media phenomena of satisfying videos right to your fingertips.

The Sandisfying Set includes everything you need to create your own #Sandisfying videos. With 2lb of coloured sand and more than 10 tools, you can flow, mix, cut, squish and mould your sand to create mesmerising motions. The set includes a phone holder to allow you to film and share your creations on social media using #Sandisfying @KineticSand.

We’ve also seen great success with our 2lb Colour Bag Assortment – as the brand grows and our playset line expands we’re finding that consumers are looking for bulk sand to enhance their play experience. This is encouraging as it indicates that Kinetic Sand is a brand that kids are consistently playing with and keep returning to.

Are there any other new-for-2020 products in the range?

There are two new products in our construction segment that build on the success of the ‘Dig N Demolish’ line we launched in 2019.

The first item is the Mega Construction Box. This construction-themed folding sandbox playset has everything you need to create your own construction site: 2lbs of brown Kinetic Sand, a dump truck, and a working crane with wrecking ball and bucket attachments!

There’s also the Construction Paver, a low price point, themed sand kit that includes 8oz of black Kinetic Sand that mimics asphalt, a construction paver vehicle and accessories to use in your construction play.

We have also refreshed the recently introduced Scented Sand line. Kids have been enjoying new Kinetic Sand that smells like cupcakes, cherries, sour apples or chocolate cakes! From autumn, they can also discover new scents: banana, blue raspberry, watermelon and cookie dough.

How can retailers support sales of Kinetic Sand both in-store and online?

We’re encouraging our retailers to ensure they are maximising Kinetic Sand’s USP – the mesmerising flow of sand!

2020’s in-store experiential plans have had to be postponed, so we have focused our efforts on our digital communications and our e-com retailers, ensuring they leverage all of our amazing digital assets to drive consumer engagement.

For 2021 we are hopeful of reinstating our in-store experiential activity so that consumers can get their hands in the sand once again! In 2021 we’ll also be launching a new national schools programme targeting Key Stage 1 children aged four to six.

What Kinetic Sand marketing activity is planned for the remainder of 2020?

We’ll be focusing on a host of activities including heavyweight TV and sponsorship.

Alongside this, we’ll be activating parenttargeted social activities, as well as kidtargeted digital (YouTube), plus we’ll be running a full PR and influencer programme throughout the second half of the year.

This month also sees the first-ever Global Kinetic Sand Day (11 August) which we will celebrate with our PR and influencer campaign. Given the Kinetic Sand fanbase and the incredible appetite for Sandisfying videos online, we expect this celebration to resonate all around the world.

What other Spin Master brands sit well alongside the Kinetic Sand range?

Our Activities portfolio is strong and we have an amazing range of complementary brands and products in the category. Our Cool Maker range continues to perform extremely well and we are excited about the recent acquisition of Orbeez, which we will be launching in the UK in 2021.

Do you want to add anything else?

2020 has been challenging in many respects but it’s amazing to be looking after one of the brands that has emerged stronger than ever. We’re looking forward to the upcoming launches and planned marketing and retail activities to drive further momentum and growth on Kinetic Sand.

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10/08/2020 17:39

RETAIL

THE ENTERTAINER

Keeping children

(and parents sane) Gary Grant, Founder and Chairman of The Entertainer, speaks to Toys ‘n’ Playthings about business in lockdown, being a force for good in challenging times, and pulling together at all levels to secure the future of toy retail What processes did you have in place to respond to the ever-evolving retail situation amid the outbreak?

While the guidelines have been really helpful, just doing the basics isn’t enough.

Our Chief Operating Officer, Nick Hargreaves and his team have written a manual covering all aspects of cleaning, work planning, and creating a safe working environment.

I don’t just want my people to come back to work, I want them to come back and feel confident they are working in a safe environment.

Our shops in Jersey and the Isle of Man were able to reopen on 18 May, so we learned a lot from those stores. We received good feedback from the managers and good feedback from the public.

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The toy industry has played a vital role in keeping parents sane

Have you been impressed by the level of support offered by the Government to UK retailers?

I’ve spoken publicly about it – the Government saved our business. I’m talking about the beginning of March – we were looking at potentially 12 weeks of no income, which looked bleak for a business that is successful, well-funded and well organised. But the Government’s rates holiday and furlough scheme has helped cash flow and profitability. And then we’ve qualified for a government loan, which has also benefited cash flow.

All the things we needed to do for this year are now in place and we are well ahead of our March plan. A lot now depends on the next set of assumptions we made about how quickly our retail business

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Retail InterviewThe Entertainer.indd 1

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will embrace the new normal, because, in the end, it will come down to consumer confidence. As a business that takes half its turnover in the last 12 weeks of the year, if social distancing is still in place in October-December I think our industry and retailers have a problem.

Were you successful in negotiating rent holidays with landlords?

We’ve had detailed conversations with our landlords; a good proportion have signed up to our plan and rent is now flowing at a reduced rate to those landlords. Others have buried their heads in the sand and think the problem will go away. If they don’t negotiate and come to a satisfactory agreement, they will be hurt as much as the retailer. This is the time for partnership.

How have you found the Government’s messaging about retail across the UK? I think it’s been a challenge for retailers who run shops across the UK because some shops were able to reopen at different stages. Overall, I think the UK Government was initially decisive. People knew where they stood. But in the couple of weeks ahead of retail reopening, it was a little bit more off-piste. I think we found out 24 hours before it happened that we could reopen in Northern Ireland.

How has footfall been since reopening?

Overall, since reopening, footfall has been erratic. It has varied based on location and the type of shop. In Scotland, our shopping centre stores couldn’t reopen until 15 July, so that’s had a negative effect on retail sales. But some of the community stores have done fantastically well,

with many people not at work going out with the children. Small shops are also doing well but larger shopping centre stores have traded down.

How did your team arrive at their ‘five ways to shop’?

Primarily, we thought about how people would be feeling towards shopping. Would they be coming out to browse? Probably not. So then we had to think about how we could make that shopping experience quick and easy, and keep the queues to a minimum. We wanted to organise people in an orderly way, process people quickly, while offering a good shopping experience, where everyone felt safe in our stores. And all five ways worked.

What products have been selling well?

The profile of toys sold on the internet changed for us during lockdown. There has been a significant increase in our sales of all outdoor products throughout lockdown. And we’ve seen huge growth in games, puzzles, arts and crafts, and educational toys – anything that had the word writing, spelling, numbers, we’ve done really well with those.

Parents have been under a lot of stress; keeping children amused has been a challenge for most parents and the toy industry has played a vital role in keeping parents sane! We’ve given the tools for parents to be able to entertain and educate their children, who in many cases can’t go out, which isn’t what children’s lives should be like. They should be in parks, playgrounds and outside.

You speak of the industry needing to pull together at all levels to secure the future of toy retail. In an ideal world, what would this look like for you?

Retailers need to work with suppliers,

tnp.media 10/08/2020 12:59

ren entertained and retailers and suppliers need to work with factories. If ever there’s a need for partnership, it’s now.

Suppliers are all engaging with us.

Many have brought forward marketing campaigns; we’re all going to have to work extra hard to kickstart the business.

Over the last few months you have appeared quite a lot in the media – what have you hoped to achieve through the coverage?

Over the last few months, some businesses have traded very well, while other companies have limped along, and some may not survive. My plea via the media has been to use local businesses.

Those businesses won’t survive if they don’t have public support. Local shops have kept communities operating. They have remained open when everything else closed and kept people supplied when there were shortages.

You recently said that shops would need to learn to embrace the concept of being experimental in a much different way than before. In this vein, what can we expect from The Entertainer?

The challenge is that we can’t have demonstrations going on – battery operated toys, Nerf Blaster displays or character visits. The things that the Entertainer has embraced to bring fun into the store – those have all been curtailed in the short term, but they will be back.

Shopping for toys is a life experience.

Children will always remember visiting their local toy shop. So we’ve got to deliver that fun and enjoyment in a new way, in the short-term, until we can go back to reintroducing some of the things that The Entertainer is known for.

Can you tell us about the revamped Bullring store?

It’s the most amazing store – but unfortunately, the indoor slide and touchscreens have had to be closed off, as we can’t wash them down in between each child. A lot of the features that we included to make it a fun place for children, can’t be

JULY/AUG 2020 Retail InterviewThe Entertainer.indd 2

used at the moment. So our brand new store has a lot of its experiential features hidden behind black wrapping – but the store still looks stunning!

Looking ahead, will you be investing in growing your online market share?

All of our future investments are going to be based on how business continues after this, but we will continue to reinvest in all aspects. This has been a bit of a blip but we do plan to continue to expand our business both online and in our shops.

In June, The Entertainer introduced Geoff Sheffield as its new Buying Director, with Stuart taking up his new role of Group Sourcing Director.

With these changes designed to help support the business’ future growth, where will their initial focus be directed?

In a way, the changes came to help refocus Stuart – he’s been in the company for 20 years. Stuart’s main role is to see products ahead of time.

Pricing is also his domain and he also works closely with licensors and suppliers. In addition, Stuart helps develop products for Addo Play.

Meanwhile, Geoff brings an unrivalled wealth of experience in the toy world. And he is so 'us' – his manner, the way he operates.

Geoff was brought on board just before lockdown, so he’s been working behind the scenes, but we officially announced his appointment in June and we are so excited to have him on the team as Buying Director.

“

Amid the pandemic, alongside the Trussell Trust, The Entertainer helped distribute food to people most in need.

How successful has this been?

Our inroads into the foodbank was through the Trussel Trust. We've always supported our local foodbank and I know the CEO of Trussel. When they first approached us, they said it’s the speed and volume we can’t cope with and I said we could support distribution for food

We’ve seen huge growth in games, puzzles, arts and crafts, and educational toys

”

because our lorries weren’t being used to go to shops.

Business can be a force for good – and that doesn’t always mean just writing the cheques. Businesses can encourage generosity and kindness, which comes in many ways. So to be able to deliver to real hotspots of need, and in 10 weeks deliver nine million meals, was phenomenal.

And finally, you were recently named among Retail 100’s most influential leaders of 2020 – recognition for your efforts to be 'a force for good' in retail.

What have you been most proud of over the last few months?

All I’ve done is my day job. I love what I do and I love the toy industry. It’s difficult when the company deserves the award – not just me. I am just a figurehead; there’s all the teams that work beneath me and with me. I couldn’t achieve what I achieve without them. I’m so happy to receive the award but without recognising their contribution would be wrong.

Over the past four months, I’ve been doing little video messages to the team.

I’ve done about half a dozen now, which the staff say have encouraged them.

If I’ve had a role in the last 12 weeks, it was to encourage the staff and help deal with their concerns and look after them as best as I could from a distance.

People describe The Entertainer as a family business and if you’re a family you look out for each other and care for each other and that’s what we try to do as a business.

21

10/08/2020 13:00

RETAIL

NEWS

OnBuy named UK’s fastest-growing company Online marketplace OnBuy has been named fastest-growing company in the UK by an independent report.

SimilarWeb’s report said that OnBuy. com’s 3m-plus visitors in April alone made it the fastest-growing company in the UK. The report only considered companies with more than 250,000 monthly visitors.

The site, which this year raised £3m investment in just 11 days, ranks fourth in terms of visitor volume growth, coming behind the likes of Apple, Etsy, and Halfords.

OnBuy.com was launched in 2016, and doubled its workforce in April as it prepared for launch into 42 new countries this month.

Harrods opens outlet store Upmarket department store Harrods has opened an outlet store in Westfield London.

The new two-storey Harrods Outlet, based at Westfield shopping centre in Shepherd’s Bush, stocks a selection of Harrods’ discounted ranges, which will also be available online.

Harrods said the new Outlet store will help to prevent overcrowding and better enable social distancing when its summer sale starts. The store has been designed to support social distancing, allowing more space for customers, and enabling a wider selection of new-season product in its Knightsbridge store.

More Debenhams store to close The number of Debenhams stores closing permanently has now risen to 20.

The latest round of closures comes after the department store group failed to agree new rental terms with its landlord Intu, which has since gone into receivership.

The retailer has said that ‘hundreds’ of jobs have also been cut at the company head office, although it has not confirmed how many.

Another 28 store closures are planned for 2021.

Debenhams believed to have cut hundreds of head office jobs Reuters said it had spoken to sources who said that jobs have been lost in buying, merchandising, design and human resources Reuters has reported that Debenhams has cut hundreds of head office jobs in a bid to streamline its administrative functions as it looks to reopen in line with Government guidelines. The move, Reuters says, will support a smaller business in the future. The initial report was apparently informed by two people with knowledge of the situation.

One of the sources told Reuters about 160 jobs had gone from Debenhams’ merchandising department and a similar number from buying. Jobs in design and human resources are also believed to have been cut.

Debenhams fell into administration last month for the second time in a year.

Intu enters administration Boots UK axes 4,000 jobs Boots UK is slashing 4,000 jobs in a restructure across its head office, store teams and Opticians teams.

The decisive action has been taken to mitigate the significant impact that Covid-19 has had on the business and to accelerate the next phase of the Boots

Transformation Plan. The health, pharmacy and beauty business says it will ensure a long-term and healthy future for the company.

The consultation process is now under way for the restructure, which will see the closure of 48 Boots Opticians stores.

Shopping centre owner intu has entered administration, after failing to secure an agreement with its creditors, but its centres will continue to trade.

Intu, which owns 17 shopping centres in the UK, as well as a shopping centre and development site in Spain, has been struggling for some time and its difficulties have been compounded by the coronavirus pandemic.

To protect the interests of its stakeholders, intu has appointed James Robert Tucker, Michael Robert Pink and David John Pike of KPMG as joint administrators to intu and several other key central entities in the intu Group. The London Stock Exchange has also suspended the listing and trading of intu’s ordinary shares.

However, intu has said that its shopping centres, which are held in separate operating companies, will continue to trade. The company’s statement said that the intu Group’s relationships with its tenants are with these operating companies, not the companies entering administration.

Intu CEO Matthew Roberts and deputy chair John Whittaker have both since stepped down.

22

Retail News.indd 1

10/08/2020 17:38

New buying director for The Entertainer The Entertainer has further expanded its international presence with its first store in the Far East.

Working with Kim Hin Joo (Malaysia) Bhd as its franchise partner for the territory, The Entertainer has opened its first store near Kuala Lumpur The Entertainer has appointed Geoff Sheffield as its Buying Director.

Sheffield has a wealth of experience that will be hugely valuable in supporting the growth agenda of the business in an ever-more complex and changing global market.

Sheffield spent 15 years at Russ Berrie UK, a global leader in plush/ gifts, with five years as director of international sales. From there he moved to Dubai and joined the Board of RM Retail (owners of Hallmark franchise and The Toy Store retail chain), as buying director, helping to develop The Toy Store brand and curating an extensive private label programme. Returning to the UK he set up HeyBear Consulting to support companies with their international sales and buying strategies and worked as VP of sales for UK, Eire and the Middle East for MTW Toys, exclusive distributors of Thinkway Toys.

The move comes as Stuart Grant takes up his new role of Group Sourcing Director. Geoff will lead the buying function and coordinate the buying activities for all UK and International stores, partners and channels and work closely with Stuart on the Group Sourcing agenda and support The Entertainer’s own-label sister company, Addo.

Fact!

The Entertainer has opened its first store in the Far East.

The store is based near Kuala Lumpur, with plans to expand across Malaysia before Christmas

Call to tackle ‘unsafe’ sellers Toy Industries of Europe is calling for laws to tackle unreputable online sellers.

The call comes as a test exercise by TIE, which represents the interests of its members to EU policymakers in Brussels and further afield, found that 97 per cent of toys bought online from third-party sellers were non-compliant with EU law, and 76 per cent of those safety-tested were deemed dangerous for children.

The report ‘EU Toy Safety: the problem of unreputable sellers on online marketplaces’ is based on almost 200 toys bought from third-party sellers on four online marketplaces (Amazon, eBay, AliExpress, Wish) in Europe.

These toys were non-branded or brands not commonly recognised in the EU. Issues with the toys varied – including risk of choking from small toy parts, harmful chemical levels, and risk of injury from sharp points.

TIE says that this is further proof that the obligations of online marketplaces need to be written into law.

More consumers shop local A recent survey has shown that British consumers have been supporting local retailers during local.

The survey, by Deloitte Digital, reveals that 59 per cent of consumers turned to local stores and services during lockdown, and that one-fifth had stopped using a business if they didn’t like their responses to the crisis.

Consumers were also more likely to spend in shops that clearly showed they were taking the safety of staff and shoppers seriously, while 57 per cent reckon they are more likely, after lockdown, to buy from a shop that stocks products that are made locally.

AUGUST 2020 Retail News.indd 2

John Lewis closes stores As retailers came out of lockdown, the John Lewis Partnership announced that it would be closing 50 department stores, including major shops in Watford and Birmingham.

The move will see around 1,300 jobs lost. The four smaller At Home stores are also closing, along with outlets at St Pancras Station and Heathrow.

In a statement, the company made it clear it would be looking online for sales, stating: “Before the virus struck, 40 per cent of John Lewis sales were online.

This could now be closer to 60 to 70 per cent of total sales this year and next,” the company said in a statement.

Mothercare transformation on track

The interim CEO of Mothercare, Glyn Hughes, has left the company as part of the ongoing transformation plans.

The plans include downsizing its head offices and sub-letting warehouse space this summer, but the retailer has said that it is still on track to become a profitable international franchise operation, generating revenues through an asset-light model, operating in around 40 international territories.

At the end of June, the group estimated that around two-thirds of partners’ global retail locations were open according to local guidelines and that discussions were ongoing with Mothercare’s existing franchise partners.

However, the UK franchise deal with Boots has been delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Mothercare has provided an update on its transformation plan.

As set out in its announcement on 30 March 2020, Mothercare has said that it remains on track to become a profitable international franchise operation, generating revenues through an asset-light model, operating in around 40 international territories. The company continues to make significant progress with those plans and has now substantially completed its transition to refocus the group on its core competencies of brand management and the design, development and sourcing of product to help grow the Mothercare business with its global franchise partners.

As with all businesses, the impact of Covid-19 has had direct consequences for the group. Mothercare has said that discussions are ongoing with existing franchise partners (to establish a more sustainable and less capital-intensive business going forward) and with Boots (to finalise the contractual arrangements for their appointment as its UK franchise partner).

Innovative indies up for awards Innovative indie retailers who adapt their business to combat the impact of Covid-19 are to be recognised in a special category in Britain’s Best Small Shops competition 2020.

The competition relaunched post lockdown on Independents’ Day, Saturday 4 July, celebrating the return of Indie Retail to UK high streets and shopping parades. The judges will be seeking entries from independents that are demonstrating specific innovation to combat the impact of Covid-19 in a new award category sponsored by booost, the loyalty, gifting and promotions app.

Previous winners have included Bristol-based delicatessen Papadeli, the 2019 winner, and The Mainstreet Trading Company, a combined bookshop, café, deli & homeware shop based in St Boswells, in the rural Scottish Borders, which won in 2018.

Entries for all award categories in this year’s competition close on September 11. Enter at https://bira.co.uk/event/bssc-2020 Retailers are also encouraged to add themselves free of charge to ‘We Are Open’, the IRC’s online map and directory of independent shops at weareopen.uk/register.

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10/08/2020 17:38

MEDIA

ANALYSIS

The pandemic effect TnP talks to Kristin Morency Goldman, Toy Trends Specialist at the US Toy Association, about the impact the Covid-19 pandemic has had on toy sales

What unexpected trends have you been seeing during this period?

STEM/STEAM and other educational toys have been popular for several years, with a growing number of parents seeking playthings that are both educational and practical in terms.

However, this trend skyrocketed with school closures. This was something we simply could not have predicted before the pandemic but it’s certainly a welcome surprise. There was also a huge uptick in sales of outdoor toys and various types of playground equipment, with millions of children stuck at home and unable to visit parks or play facilities.

Edx Education

We’ve been seeing an increase in online sales, do you think that this has had an impact on the types of toys and products that have proved popular?

Parents purchased toys, arts and crafts, and other at-home learning supplies wherever they could – and with brick-and-mortar businesses closed, that happened to be online in most cases. Impulse purchases tend to occur when parents are shopping with kids or standing in the checkout line, so products such as collectables,

24

Column Covid?.indd 1

novelty toys, licensed toys, and so on were not purchased as frequently as they would have been under ordinary circumstances.

Character Options

Great Gizmos

Have there been any other factors that have influenced toy trends and purchasing patterns?

Money has been tight for many, so parents are focusing on practicality and functionality rather than frivolity. This has translated into well thought-out purchases for toys and games to keep kids occupied for longer and engage them in educational/hands-on creative play.

With stores closed and parents shopping solo online, they are in the driver’s seat when it comes to picking out toys.

“

As a trend expert in the toy industry, how have you been investing your time and efforts over the past few months?

Our trends team has been busy tracking trends, speaking with our members, and promoting their playthings in national broadcast segments (all filmed from the safety of our homes).

As retail begins to reopen, what are you expecting to see in terms of toy trends for the remainder of the year?

Heading into back-to-school season, parents will continue to drive purchases for educational playthings. As we move into autumn, we expect brisk sales online as well as at retail, and predict that kids’ holiday wish lists will begin to have an impact on purchases, translating into a resurgence of popular categories including collectables, plush, action figures, and dolls.

What advice would you give to manufacturers, suppliers, distributors and retailers for the remainder of the year?

Even with the reopening of stores, consumers will continue shopping online and e-commerce will grow. Retailers should keep applying what they have learned about consumers’ online shopping habits, needs, and expectations in the months to come. Many people have taken the pandemic as an opportunity to explore personal growth, at-home fitness, emotional wellbeing, and connectedness, all of which will impact toys and trends well into 2021. The Black Lives Matters movement and the global dialogue it has sparked on racism, inclusion, and diversity will likewise impact the toy community.

There was also a huge uptick in sales of outdoor toys and various types of playground equipment, with millions of children stuck at home and unable to visit local parks or other play facilities

Since the outbreak, do you think there have been any changes at a consumer level when it comes to toys, games and playthings?

It’s been interesting to see how impactful play has been in helping families cope while at home together, keeping kids learning, and relieving stress for older generations during what has been a very scary and unprecedented time in history. Play is beneficial on so many levels and this is something we talk about constantly at The Toy Association. But recently we have really seen these benefits come to life for so many people who maybe wouldn’t have carved out the time to play before the pandemic.

The global shutdown has given all of us a chance to take a breath, slow down, and simply enjoy the little things in life… play being one of them.

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What impact has the crisis had on toy trends?

Some of the 2020 trends our team announced at Toy Fair New York in February have become even more popular throughout the pandemic, especially our ‘Generations of Play’ trend.

With more families playing together amid stay-at-home orders, school closures, camp cancellations, and general anxieties related to Covid-19, parents are increasingly turning their homes into play centres, and their backyards into mini aquatic parks and playgrounds. Even adults without kids are using play as a diversion, stress-reliever, and to socialise with friends from afar (Zoom game nights, for example). Toys that fall under this trend include games and puzzles and outdoor and sports toys – both of which showed strong gains in the first quarter, according to The NPD Group, As stay-at-home orders lift we expect the ‘Generations of Play’ trend to continue to grow, with many having experienced first-hand how playing together can unite family members of all ages and bring happiness into the home.

Is there anything else that you would like to add?

The Toy Association trends team will provide the industry with a mid-year trends update in August during one of the upcoming Toy Fair Everywhere virtual market weeks (there are also market weeks in September). The team will be using products from the virtual show floor to discuss the top line trends for Q4. To learn more and find out how to attend one or more of the Toy Fair Everywhere market weeks, visit www.ToyFairEverywhere.com.

tnp.media 10/08/2020 12:28

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CONSUMER

INSIGHT

Kids in control Lockdown has seen kids take more of an active role in family spending decisions, and they have more cash to spend, too

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ith the introduction of who are spending more online (44 per lockdown restrictions, cent) which has increased by 20 per we have seen many cent compared with the previous year. changes to family Moreover, kids are now more likely to life, and how parents and children’s spend money electronically with a 15 lifestyle has adapted. per cent increase in the proportion With families having to spend more spending their money by cash card time together we have also seen the (nine per cent), 13 per cent increase positive effects of lockdown restrictions via PayPal (12 per cent), and a seven in the rebirth and redefinition of family per cent increase by debit card (29 time and how that has affected their per cent) showing a move away from attitudes, behaviour, and consumption. the traditional cash method. This new Across the financial independence 20 household offers brands more In addition expenditures we opportunity to tap into track, the number of to growing influence kids’ spending habits. kids who influence Since lockdown we have within the family their parents ‘a seen an increase in the decision-making lot’ has increased proportion of kids spending process, we have across 90 per cent their money on toys and seen kids continuing games that will help of them. We have seen the biggest keep them entertained at to gain more increase with items home and help with home financial that have helped schooling. For example, independence to keep the family we have seen a 25 per cent entertained; there growth in the proportion has been an 18 per of three-to-five-year-olds cent increase in the proportion who spending their money on crafts kits, and have ‘a lot’ of influence over board we have seen a 39 per cent increase in games purchased (26 per cent), a spend on puzzles, 19 per cent on magic 17 per cent increase over arts and kits, nine per cent on outdoor toys and crafts (25 per cent) and a 10 per cent eight per cent on fun stationery for increase over video game games kids aged six to nine. Products that purchased (30 per cent). Children are creative and help with schooling are even having more influence have become more popular over this over bigger-ticket items such as time. Teens have turned more to apps, new cars, where we have seen an with an increase in the proportion increase of 5 per cent (15 per cent). downloading two or more apps per This trend shows that since lockdown parents are more likely to take their children’s opinions and preferences into consideration when buying items for the household, providing an opportunity with brands that appeal to kids to now become part of parent’s purchases.

In addition to growing influence within the family decision-making process, we have seen kids continuing to gain more financial independence.

Four in 10 kids currently receive pocket money from their parents, which has increased by five per cent over the past nine months.

With many shops having to close their doors, we have seen a growth in the proportion

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month (24 per cent) and a 17 per cent increase in the proportion paying £1 or more per month. TikTok, Zoom and Netflix are the most downloaded new apps over the past three months with teens, showing an opportunity with teens to increase spend on and in apps.

We have observed the significant changes to how their lives have evolved as they have happened. The pillars on which a lot of their ecosystems exist have essentially disintegrated and as we start to enter elements of normality they are slowly being rebuilt.

However, it is very unlikely that kids’ ecosystems will return to what they were, especially when it comes to their media consumption. Over the past two years British kids’ media consumption has changed significantly, seeing a 52 per cent growth in the proportion of kids watching more Netflix in the first three months of 2020 vs 2018 (32 per cent now vs 21 per cent 2018) and a 50 per cent drop in the proportion watching more linear TV (16 per cent now vs 31 per cent 2018), we have also seen how they use different platforms to engage with brands that they love, meaning it has never been more critical to understand your audience.

We are working with our clients to help them define and understand their audiences, plan their Christmas media campaigns, as well as tracking, measuring, and evaluating their campaigns through our Brand Uplift solution.

“

Kids Insights, the global leader in kids’ market intelligence, surveys more than 3,000 children between the ages of three and 18 every week, across four continents and nine countries, or more than 150,000 children a year. Please note, we have issued a complimentary report that identifies five things that we think might happen as a result of COVID-19. To download the report, head to: http://kidsinsights.com/toysnplaythings

Insight People.indd 1

10/08/2020 06:56

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MEDIA

MARKETING

Make your comms

Covid-ready

88%

The number of journalists who actively want people to pitch feature ideas to them

N

othing has tested business resilience like Covid-19. We have had to dig deep to adapt, to survive, and to find a way forward. Deciding what to do has been half the battle. The other half has been to effectively communicate it and bring your customers along with you.

After months of lockdown, the reopening of nonessential business’ doors is the latest significant step in getting back to some resemblance of a pre-Covid world.

So, what does this mean for your communications?

business spectrum, and consumers don’t need any more. Families and kids need to be uplifted. Reflect the reality you know they are experiencing, but be positive, make them laugh and smile in the process.

This is especially important in store, where social distancing Be considerate of your audience measures might make the First, consider the mindset of your audience. environment feel more Remember that for some people stores opening does sterile than engaging. There is a real danger that stores not make a lot of difference. Many families are still can simply become a collection point for products juggling working from home with looking after their bought online, and that would be very sad. kids. For many people, emerging from Video works well for product demonstrations lockdown will take time. There will be and could form part of screened-off display Remember lots of questions and potential anxiety areas so products can be compared side by that above all so customers will need expectations side, and the quality seen more clearly. else, toys are managed carefully, as well as reassurance that coming to stores will Don’t change too much fun. And we all be a safe and positive experience.

How have you fared through the Covid storm? need more fun If people have become comfortable is rubbish to say we are all in the same in our lives right Itboat shopping online during lockdown, - we are in the same storm, but in totally now. So, don’t what benefit does a bricks and different boats. But if you have fared OK, become worthy, ask yourself why. Look at what is going well mortar store offer? Are there more barriers to purchase now than there and keep going with that. Add more layers especially in were before? Should they shop to what you are doing, to accommodate the your comms with their kids? Are they worried stores opening again, but don’t stop the good about wearing masks? Any kind of uncertainty stuff you got going through lockdown. can create anxiety, and this will lose sales. We There’s an awful marketing jargon word that has been are lazy creatures at heart, especially after forced bandied about recently: pivot. However, it does a good job confinement. It will be easy to find excuses not to go of describing the level of change in comms that is needed to the high street again, so you need to nip them in now. Not a complete step-change, or new positioning, but the bud as early as possible. a minor adjustment to accommodate a shift.

When raising awareness of stores opening, video If you have ecommerce, driving traffic to that will remain content is an excellent way to reassure customers of the a crucial part of your comms strategy. Use the channels changes and safety measures being made. Create a walk you have built up. Send out customer newsletters from the around of the store, demonstrating the new shopping CEO explaining how you are accommodating the change, experience, showcasing products, to make it clear you what it means for customers and their engagement with can welcome customers back and it is worth a visit. you. Use targeted promoted social media posts to those Use these across your customer touch points in the vicinity of retailers you need to support. social channels, newsletter, website - and with local online media outlets.

Use the media Video will also help to bring to life The media is more open to good news stories than before, the efforts of staff making stores a but brands are still hesitant to take the opportunities safe environment, connecting with open to them. Our research shows that more than half customers on a human level. of journalists are struggling to get hold of spokespeople or marketing teams. 56 per cent of journalists think Stay fun companies have cut their activity and 53 per cent are Remember that above all else, toys receiving fewer pitches from brands and their agencies. are fun. And we all need more fun In fact, 88 per cent of journalists actively want people to in our lives right now. So, don’t pitch feature ideas to them. So, what are you waiting for? become worthy, especially in your For more information about media relations in a postcomms. There are heaps of ‘we’re Covid world, visit www.energypr.co.uk/expertise/ here for you’ messages from across the media-relations-in-a-post-covid-world

“

“

Susannah Morgan, deputy managing director at Energy PR, offers her top tips for adapting your communications as non-essential businesses reopen their doors

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Column Energy PR.indd 1

tnp.media 10/08/2020 06:48

SPOTLIGHT

CHARACTER OPTIONS

Character’s festival feeling!

Mark Hunt, Character Options’ Marketing Manager, talks about the Character Kidz Big Weekend – an event that has become a cornerstone of the company’s marketing calandar

C

haracter Options is looking forward to the autumn season with its biggest range to date, packed with innovation and lots of fun, interactive product.

To showcase its diverse portfolio and kickstart the awareness, the team launched its groundbreaking virtual event, the Character Kidz Big Weekend. Held over the last weekend of July and perfectly timed for the new season of product launches, we caught up with Character Option’s Mark Hunt so he could tell us all about it.

Mark, what was the Character Kidz Big Weekend?

In one sentence - 15 Character Option’s brands meet head-on with more than 50 influencers, leading mums and celebrities to create a weekend packed full of fun and creative content.

Sounds fun, and we know there was a lot going on, but what was the inspiration?

Last year, we held our first Character Kidz event. Over the following five months, this generated 300 pieces of content on YouTube and drove more than 22 million UK views. For 2020, we wanted to generate something bigger and even more interactive. Then lockdown happened, so we took the event virtual, creating an at home experience where influencers could really engage with our brands.

More than 50 channels unboxed Character products from the upcoming season – innovative toys such as Shimmer ‘N’ Sparkle InstaGlam, Laser Battle Hunters, Squeakee The Balloon Dog and Gotta Go Flamingo from Little Live Pets, and wacky game Pensilly. We encouraged continual participation with a host of activities, driving engagement and interaction across the channels and between the influencers.

What were the highlights?

Squeakee The Balloon Dog was bursting with personality all weekend and it was hilarious to see the influencers replicate the now infamous, Gotta Go Flamingo song across multiple social channels.

We also had all-channel activities. The presenters getting all glammed up with Instaglam was a big event on TikTok. And everyone experienced the surprises to be unravelled with Ravel Tales. We unleashed some great Laser Battle Hunter challenges and kids enjoyed a full Trivia Hour with our new Pokémon Trivia Game.

Collectables had a big part to play too, with the bounty from Treasure X Sunken Gold being revealed, and the new Heroes of Goo Jit Zu making an appearance.

How has the event been received at retail?

We had such positive feedback from last year’s event and we really wanted to drive as much activity at retail as possible. We had influencers taking over certain retailers’ social channels and posts and stories drove activity directly to others, with the aim of increasing sales over the weekend and building demand for Character’s products over the coming months. This was certainly an event for all retailers to benefit from!

Was YouTube a main focus?

YouTube was important, and it will become vital over the coming months when Influencers load their dedicated branded content in line with our overall marketing campaigns. But as this year’s event was virtual, we gained more live activity. We let the kids take the lead on this as they know what works well with their audience! TikTok came into its own, together with Instagram stories and video too.

Character Kidz Big Weekend goes viral!

■ ■ ■ ■

6m+ minutes viewed in just one week 3.5m impressions made on Instagram 300k views on TikTok 80 videos created with more to come!

JULY/AUG 2020 Spotlight Character v2.indd 1

So where do you go from here?

The event itself is just the start; we still have about 80 per cent of our influencer activity to come! Character Kidz is designed to grasp the attention of the viewer and tease them so they are excited to see more later in the season.

I’d like to thank the team at Evolution PR for all of their hard work in executing this event, it’s become a cornerstone of Character’s marketing calendar.

TnP asked some of the channels what they thought of the event…

“The Character Kidz event always ensures we are excited for the new season of activities with Character Options.”

Karen, mother of Chelsy – AKA Little Lady C

“The Character Kidz Big Weekend officially started 2020 for us. After all the uncertainty of lockdown it was a super cool event to restart the year, with some special toys and lots of fun. We look forward to the new season with Character Options and supporting this great brand.”

Ryan, father of Zachary from Zachary Toys and Fun

“I had a blast at the #CharacterKidz Big Weekend!

I joined the UK’s littlest influencers to reveal cool toy unboxings, funny TikToks, and savvy stories showcasing the best from Character Toys this year! Christmas has come early in our household!”

Seven-year-old Bella, from Dear Mummy Blog

“Wow! What an incredible event!

YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok were on fire with Character Kidz!

It was the best!”

Jimmy, father of Amigo James

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10/08/2020 07:14

After a challenging few months for all, we catch up with some of our retailers to find out how things have been, how they’re adapting to the ‘new normal’, and what their plans are moving forward…

RETAIL

OPINION Matt Kirby, co-owner Crocodile Stores online

Talking retail

Were you able to find a route to market during lockdown?

We've been working on changing our business model for some time. So, we were prepared for lockdown when it came. We have temporarily closed the toy shop and focused on our online business and also our relatively new order fulfilment business.

Thankfully we're in the minority of businesses who have thrived throughout what has been a challenging period, as the brands we have partnered with on our order fulfilment business have kept us rather busy!

And how have the first few weeks of reopening been for you?

We are now starting to get back to a normal level of demand as more people are going back to shops, so our workload has started to decrease.

What safety measures have you put in place to adjust to the new normal?

We had to make some quick decisions early on, as we never stopped trading, so we are very proud to have kept everyone safe and well. We closed our shop and remodelled the adjoining online business to allow more space in the warehouse, as well as introducing a one-way system. We also stepped up handwashing and have restricted access to the building. It has made it tough keeping up with demand, as to allow social distancing we had to keep a small team and not employ temporary staff.

What are your plans for moving forward?

Our focus will mainly be on partnering with brands who wish to sell online directly to the customer, rather than through third-party sellers using our fulfilment service. We will continue to work closely with key brands on a retail basis as well.

Vicky Brown Just Williams Toys, London Did you continue trading during lockdown?

We literally built our website overnight and gradually added more items, offering free local delivery over £10. Customers loved the fact that they could get same-day delivery if they ordered in time, which helped build customer loyalty. I tried to post on social media most days, which helped to generate sales. Facebook recommendations proved to be powerful.

Were you involved in any lockdown initiatives?

One of our customers organised a raffle to support local businesses; all prizes were vouchers for local shops. Shops were given the full price for the prizes. In the first raffle more than 40,000 tickets were sold.

And how have the first few weeks of reopening been for you?

So far, so good! Customers have been coming back. We've found that we are much busier during the week and our weekends have not been as manic!

What measures have you put in place to adjust to the new normal?

We are limiting the amount of people in our stores and have introduced a oneway system. We created space by taking out a few stands and counters and we created a new work station to process orders and answer customer queries. On the downside, we have taken away demo items and play tables.

How busy are you and what sort of spend are you experiencing?

Surprisingly our footfall is up and the basket value is up by about £3. Comparing the three weeks we have been open with last year, the number of transactions is up about 20 per cent and we have sold 28 per cent more in terms of items.

What are your plans for moving forward?

We're definitely going to keep going with our website and we're continuing to build on our customer relationships, through push notifications and more offers through our loyalty scheme.

Katherine Rhodes, co-founder PomPom Toys, plastic-free online toy retailer Did you change your route to market during lockdown?

We were lucky enough to stay open. We are such a small business, we could operate safely. We spent more time on social media, supporting our followers, sharing new activities and free ideas during lockdown.

Were you involved in any lockdown events/initiatives?

Online events were a lifesaver. We participated in a couple through the lockdown that were brilliant at bringing new customers to us and for raising the profile of the brand.

Have things changed since the real-world shops opened?

We feel spending habits have changed and although customers are able to be out and about, online retail is a safe and convenient option. We had our best online footfall in May and June – so long may it continue! And we have certainly noticed that the average spend of our customers has increased since the lockdown. They are also buying a more varied assortment of products.

What are your plans for moving forward?

We want to continue striving to reduce our carbon footprint, ultimately ensuring that we are as green as we can be. With that in mind, we are looking for more UK-based suppliers and manufacturers.

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Retail Corner.indd 1

tnp.media 10/08/2020 15:16

Liz Amphlett, owner Toytastik, Chepstow, Wales What did you do over lockdown?

We did sell during lockdown, but sales were through email, not the website. We’ve got a very small website – it isn’t great! Lockdown has made us realise we need to develop that. But because we have a personal relationship with about 80 per cent of our customers, they were emailing us. That’s the beauty of being an independent, they felt able to contact us and say: “Hi, we’re looking for such and such a game.”

Are people coming into the shop?

Yes, it’s about the same. It’s been quite noticeable that our regular customers have come back, but we haven’t really seen any new faces. We wondered if people’s mindset would change after lockdown. We already had very good support locally – we were curious to know if that would increase after lockdown. I guess people who already shop local, will continue, but I’m yet to see the masses who didn’t trying it out. I guess people stick to what they know.

We can probably get about eight to 10 people comfortably social distancing.

I think only once I’ve had to say we’ve had enough in the shop. It would only be at Christmas that we would have more people in. As for spending, we know that some people came in and bought something they didn’t need or want just to say glad you’re back. We are very grateful and appreciative.

What about social distancing measures?

We have sanitiser at the door and everyone has been very good. And I’ve managed to source some beautiful stickers and posters with children on.

You don’t want kids to come in and find it looks angry. It worries me that everywhere they go it looks like don’t come here, stop there. We have nice things that say keep your friends safe.

Liam O'Shea, buyer

Wicked Uncle, online retailer Tell us about lockdown - what effect did it have on your sales, basket totals and so on?

Sales numbers trebled at the peak with a lot of new customers, noticeably grandparents. It has now settled down to about double what it was this time last year.

We specialise in birthday and Christmas presents with the full service including gift wrap and handwritten cards. In the past we haven't done well for other occasions such as Easter, Halloween, back to school etc.

But the early stages of lockdown resulted in a surge of Easter presents and little gifts to grandchildren in particular, all seen from the gift messages. We often saw deliveries to children in the same village as the customer – clearly relatives unable to see the grandkids just around the corner.

The basket totals were lower, but we got lots of positive feedback from new customers who perhaps were not familiar with how easy online shopping is – or should be.

What sort of feedback were you getting from customers?

Very much grandparents missing the kids. Lots of messages about that and often several purchases, almost weekly from the same grandparents.

We also noticed several orders to different addresses all in the same postcode; nine parcels were being delivered to different children living within 100 yards – all sent from an old couple who live in the same street, just to cheer up the local kids!

We have a lot of reviews on Feefo and Google, more than 40,000 with 99 per cent positive rating. It is extremely useful to get this feedback; we read every review, looking for what we can improve or what problems anyone is having. A lot of newbies were surprised at how easy it is to shop online and how quick delivery is.

How are you finding it since brick-and-mortar shops reopened?

We are very different from a toy shop; we serve a different purpose and a different market. We don't sell pocket money collectables, we don't sell licensed brands, and you can’t see before you buy or just wander down the aisles having a nose.

The excitement of entering a toy shop and choosing something as a treat is half the fun and can’t be replicated online. So sales have settled down, and a gradual return to the toy shops will happen – and rightly so. There's business for all in the toy business - it is not toy shop versus online, a point not always appreciated in the toy world.

JULY/AUG 2020 Retail Corner.indd 2

Dan Lovett, manager Toy Box, Beccles, Suffolk

So, what happened to the shop over lockdown?

The boss mothballed the shop, turned the lights and electric off to save as much money as possible. We were all furloughed; we don’t have an online presence at all. And I came down with coronavirus two days later!

And how has business been since you opened?

It’s hard to say because our town council shut the town off with barriers, so no one can park in the town centre, or outside the shop, and people from the villages around Beccles can’t drive into the town. It’s all part of master plan to pedestrianise Beccles but it couldn’t have come at a worse time.

Luckily, having been shut for three months, lots of children have had birthdays in that time and they have been in spending their birthday money. So that has been a big help.

I took a picture of one person in Beccles in on a Saturday morning, whereas Southwold has been packed – they have put social distancing measures in place, but none of these cones.

What have you got in place for social distancing?

When we first opened, I didn’t let anyone in for the first couple of days but had a table at the door.

Near the counter it was a bit tight, so I removed a whole shelving unit, moved a wooden stand and now we have a two-metre gap by the counter. I opened up the bottom of the stairs and tried to take the middle shelf out, but the boss said that was an RSJ holding up the building!

We’re currently limiting entry to two or three families. Everyone’s been pretty good; they all use common sense. We have hand sanitiser at the door, so they can use that, and we use it with every transaction. And I’ve put the social distance stripes down, so now it looks like a racetrack and we’re thinking of having an RC night! It’s nice and spacious and the customers like it.

Are you feeling reasonably optimistic about the summer holidays?

The holidaymakers have already started to arrive.

We had a family from Leicester turn up – they said they were 10 miles away from the localised lockdown border. I did say: “Do I need to do a temperature check?” But we’ve also had families from London and Scotland. A lot of people are holidaying on the boats.

I’m feeling optimistic, we’re really working on our social media presence and we’ve had a lot of support from customers. In fact, we’ve had such a lot of support – it has brought a tear to my eye!

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10/08/2020 15:17

Talking retail

Ann-Marie Edwards, category manager – toys The Very Group

Sam Walker, manager Wally’s Toymaster, Thame, Oxon Were you able to find a route to market during lockdown?

We were able to offer a local delivery service for Thame and the surrounding villages, with no set minimum amount. Due to the rules of furlough, only our owners could do this, but it meant we were able to keep some sort of service going.

Our Facebook page gained around 200 likes as word got around and it proved worthwhile as any money made during the lockdown was useful! Thame has a very active network on Facebook and so recommendations were finding a new bigger audience.

Were you involved in any lockdown events/initiatives?

Someone from Thame was offering local businesses a free listing on their directory over this period which was regularly updated and gave an upto-date record of what you could offer and the best way to contact and purchase something.

And how have the first few weeks of reopening been for you?

We have really enjoyed getting back to work. We were itching to get back as we missed the everyday life in the shop – whether that was ordering or catching up with customers!

It has been a busy three weeks and we have been very grateful for the support our customers have offered. A lot of people have come in just to say they're glad to see us open again.

What measures have you put in place for social distancing, etc?

As customers come in, we have a hand sanitiser to use before browsing. We have put arrows on the floor to keep the flow going one way – although try telling a three-year-old they can't run immediately to their favourite toy! There is tape on the floor to keep people who are queuing spread out. And a screen on the counter provides a barrier between us and the customer when paying.

How busy are you and what sort of spend are you experiencing?

We have noticed that customers are coming in maybe a bit less per week than normal, but footfall has now increased with the pubs and restaurants back open and we've found that has given customers increased confidence coming out!

I think average spend has gone up, with a few parents saying they're trying to catch up with missed birthdays and a lot of kids having saved up pocket money because they had nowhere to spend it. It's been really nice seeing them come in and enjoy browsing after so long away – I think the excitement has led to a few bigger LEGO sets being bought! Once things have settled down, I imagine the average spend will drop a bit, but we're hoping the footfall will remain consistent.

What are your plans for moving forward?

We've decided to keep offering the local delivery service, as we understand there will be a lot of people still unsure about coming out to shops for a while.

It means those that want to stay home can still feel included and supportive of local businesses.

We will be cautious when ordering for now, as although sales have been steady so far it's still a very uncertain time and we don't want to find ourselves overstocked on some things. It's been nice to see a lot of suppliers offering reduced minimum orders allowing us to get in the things we want a bit more frequently and at smaller costs.

How was lockdown for you with regard to toy sales?

We started SS20 strongly and were delighted to win Toy Retailer of the Year for the second year running. The closure of schools was a catalyst for greater demand for toys, and we’ve seen this growth across the category – both in terms of sales and new customers. Outdoor toys, construction and family games have been the standout performers.

Have you faced any challenges in terms of supply and delivery?

Keeping up with demand has been a challenge in toys. We’ve seen a real uptick in new customers throughout the pandemic. But it’s hard enough during peak when we have the benefit of planning.

The pandemic was unexpected.

We’ve got strong relationships with our strategic partners, who see the value in our model. It allows brands to access a new customer that uses flexible ways to pay, and gives our customer easier access to toys for their family. These relationships have allowed us to secure the stock to support our customers at this hugely challenging time. Our strategic partners’ support has been outstanding. Times like this strengthen relationships and we’re in a strong position as we enter AW20.

Were you involved in any other lockdown initiatives?

We’ve worked closely with our amazing NHS hospitals to build support packages for key workers. From clothing for front-line workers, to hand cream and other essentials, we have supplied some of the things that our key workers need most.

We’ve also held a series of storytime sessions on our social media channels to help keep the little ones entertained and inspired during lockdown.

Held alongside reading charity Coram Beanstalk, the programme has seen a range of celebrities reading aloud some of their favourite stories in illustrated videos.

Our team has also been calling up some of our longest-serving customers who are in isolation for a chat and sending them postbox-friendly afternoon tea sets to brighten up their days.

How are you finding it since the bricks and mortar shops reopened?

We haven’t seen a dip in demand since stores have reopened, but it’s early days. We’re staying focused on ensuring availability of great new toys for our loyal customers, as well as all the new customers who have started shopping with us during the pandemic.

As things move forward, will you be making any changes to the way in which you sell toys?

More and more people have shopped online due to Covid-19 – and we believe this shift will be permanent. At the same time, families increasingly see value in spreading the cost of purchases. We already have a large share of the online toy market and a loyal customer base that benefits from flexible ways to pay.

tnp.media Retail Corner.indd 3

10/08/2020 15:17

RETAIL

OPINION

Things can only get better A

f igure in a soldier’s outfit pirouettes endlessly and at one of the effects of lockdown had been to shrink shoppers’ speed. Loud disco music pumps out and he doesn’t world view of ‘going out’. This will change. ‘Local’ may miss a beat, other than to flash a smile at you. be good, but ultimately it will probably prove insufficient, at which point the tourists may still be absent, but UK Yes, it’s the greeter outside Hamleys doing his ‘thang’. In consumers will tire of another box to return as a result of the normal world, he would be just one of several people a failed online shopping expedition and will head to the employed to provide an eye-catching introduction to one of physical shops instead.

Regent Street’s landmarks, but today he’s on his own.

Meanwhile, retailers will have to work harder. It’s one thing He proffers a money-off voucher as a lone shopper heads for to open the doors, quite another to get shoppers who may the entrance and, once inside, it is apparent that the reason for the be reluctant to do so to walk through them. Here, Hamleys toy soldier’s solitary splendour is simple. There are about four or and most other large retailers in London’s West five customers on the whole of the ground floor.

Writing this a few weeks on from the ‘reopening If you are a End are on the right track. With the advent of mobile commerce and shoppers staring of retail’ as it was billed in mid-June, Regent Street toyshop incessantly at their phones it had seemed, from itself felt a little as it does on a Sunday evening proprietor, the time to time, as if visual merchandising might be once the stores have closed. There were very few on the way out. people about, in spite of the sun beating down. This shop window Yet if we are going to be forced to stand in line was the reality of the ‘new normal’ of which we’ve will be the only for the foreseeable future, in order to get into heard so much over the past few months. tool at your a store, then it seems probable that looks and All of which does sound pretty bad. But is it? disposal to particularly windows will count. The fact of the Looking at one of the many sets of figures that tempt the matter is that if you are a toyshop proprietor, the seem to be floating around at the moment, if you happened to be in London your chances of shopper across shop window will be the only tool at your disposal to tempt the shopper across your threshold. contracting Covid-19 are around 1 in 1800. Not your threshold Where windows have become secondary to bad? Well look at it this way. How many raffles or the experience that lies within, now they may be tombolas have you taken part in during your life? about to undergo a renaissance. If we have to It’s probably a lot and the pool of those taking part queue, as shopper numbers partially recover, then retailers is usually pretty small (typically close to 50 or thereabouts). Yet will find that they have to offer something to look at if can you remember winning? It’s a racing certainty you can’t, which potential shoppers are to take the plunge and head indoors. does rather mean catching Covid-19 in London could be viewed as It’s a tricky situation all round. Much has been lost, but a considerable slice of bad luck. there is still time to recover and shoppers will return.

Retailers therefore have got it right. They too have looked at When they do so, there will undoubtedly be the figures, and as the lockdown was lifted they did the maths fewer stores all round than there were before, and worked out that walking into a shop was not perhaps as risky but the chances are that those that have as many have been thinking. Couple this with social distancing, weathered the storm will be better. And masks and hygiene of the kind seen at the entrance of Hamleys hats off to those who staff the emporiums and the chances of being caught out diminish still further. that are waiting for the new dawn.

Yet as an American President once remarked in his inaugural As mentioned, with proper address: “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself”. The real precautions the risks are there, but may question is will we refrain from heading into the shops because be rather less than stated. That said, it we’re afraid, whatever the stats say? It’s a distinct possibility that has taken considerable bravery to stand we may and after the initial rush in June many shops were feeling in a store as shoppers wearing face the breeze as far as shopper numbers were concerned. masks (which have recently become The message, however, must be don’t despair. Hamleys’ bread compulsory) head towards you. There and butter is the tourist trade and at present tourists still remain will come a time when most of this is a little reluctant to head to the UK, although the situation is fluid, a thing in the past, but in the meantime, as travel corridors and quarantine rules change. Bad news for for retailers of every kind, change Hamleys therefore, but even it will find that the positive move it may have been forced upon you, but has made in reopening will bear fruit. things will get better.

At first we were told that people were ‘shopping local’ and that

“

The pandemic is the latest challenge for retailers, but John Ryan believes they will get through this, with some careful window dressing

”

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.

John Ryan.indd 1

10/08/2020 07:16

THE INDEPENDENT

OPINION

Looking on the bright side The indie has quite enjoyed lockdown – he’s come out the other side fitter, suntanned, refreshed and raring to get selling, and he says the customers are definitely out there

Best-sellers

“

We all feel like this is the boom before things settle down again, but I feel that we may continue to see a higher level of sales for a while

“

A

in this manner, I should be very professional, business focused and so disappointed that we couldn’t continue as normal. And before people start hating my lack of compassion for people who are suffering, my heart truly does go out to all of those people who have been affected either directly or VOLUME: indirectly by coronavirus.

1. Pokémon Sword & Shield Cards It is horrible that we Asmodee have had to go through 2. Classic Minifigures - LEGO the last number of months 3. Ryan’s World Mystery Figures - Vivid in such unprecedented times, but in my own VALUE: little bubble of friends 1. L.O.L. Sparkle Dolls - MGA and family we have been 2. L.O.L. Hair Dolls - MGA 3. L.O.L. OMG Dolls - MGA extremely lucky in all of this, and no one I know

s I write this we have been back trading again in all of our stores for slightly more than three weeks, and what a weird and wonderful time it has been.

I know I shouldn’t be writing

has had to go through anything serious, and for that I count myself very lucky. I would like to say that this is down to me and my chums being extremely lawabiding and following all of the rules, but even with this being mostly true, I still do count us very lucky as a group of people to have been able to avoid the bad side of the lockdown.

As a business owner it has been extremely tough, mainly because I have felt, since the beginning, that there wasn’t any real information or clear procedures for businesses reopening, so I felt very much alone in determining what plans I had to put in place to protect

THE SECRET SUPPLIER

The challenge of the new normal The Secret Supplier wonders if Covid-19 has finally ended the age of the traditional retailer, or if there is light at the end of the tunnel

W

e have been living in such extraordinary times that it is difficult even to ask the right question! What is clear is that ‘experience’ is of no help as this is all new territory for all of us.

What questions do cross our minds are as follows: ■ ■

Will there be a second wave of this horrible virus?

Will the Chinese decide to

34

The Independent.indd 1

■ ■

■

impose new tariffs on toys?

What will happen if Trump gets re-elected?

And thanks for all the cash benefits, but since it is our money the government is throwing at us when do we get to start paying it back?

What are we going to do for the unemployed?

To these questions many more could be added as we ponder the best way forward. What is clear is that we, retailers and suppliers, together face a new normal that will be a challenge for us all.

Many consumers will have used the internet for the first time during lockdown and they may well have wondered why they ever bothered to shop in the old-fashioned way as they may have found it a highly

tnp.media 10/08/2020 07:24

positive experience.

It’s interesting to note that John Lewis claims that nearly half its retail business is now done via the internet. It reminds me of Argos in the early years when the catalogue was the source of all product knowledge.

With the John Lewis Partnership, consumers can touch and try out product and then have it delivered the next day. Is this the future of retailing?

And if the product is not quite up to standard, returning the item is simplicity itself.

Is this the new normal?

The winners for this model are those retailers who can grind out the cost of getting product

JULY/AUG 2020 The Independent.indd 2

about and them caving, or getting multiple toys when they had said ‘you're only getting one!’. This all feeds into my opinion that we should be in a position to maximise this and, provided we keep on buying and can manage our cash flow to allow us to be in stock of what is selling and to keep on working our promotions, we could be in for a strong year despite everything.

We were lucky enough to have got in our summer/outdoor stock just before lockdown started, so our first job was to get this out of the door and onto shelf, which was great, as sales have been booming on all outdoor items.

Since we re-opened I have been working my way through the supplier listing and making sure that, as I feel it is so important, we have orders placed on new ranges and current strong ranges. I can only assume this puts us in a minority position as I know a lot of retailers are not buying at the moment, but we as a business were on such a strong growth curve before lockdown that we are keen to keep driving this, and making sure we get things right.

I also have been drinking whisky and smoking cigars far too much during those lovely evenings, so I have a fair bill to get wiped out and need to make sure we are selling as many toys as we can!

I hope everyone continues to stay well, and that you are all able to get things moving again and try to make this year a good one by the time we get through it.

“

Children want immediate gratification and are not prepared to wait, so toy retailers can benefit from kids’ impatience

“

my staff and customers when I did reopen the business. This wasn't ideal as it can take me most of the morning to decide whether I want coffee or tea, but we got there in the end and I feel what we have put in place is well thought out, and everyone is happy.

I chose to look at the lockdown as a positive, which was mainly helped by the beautiful weather and our ability to go outside and be active, so I decided to take up cycling again and in the past few weeks have covered a good few hundred miles and definitely feel better for it! I tend to be quite an introvert anyway, so spending time by myself and not having contact with people suits me. On the other hand my wife was tearing her hair

out, and if I had any she would have had a go at mine too!

Anyway, we have rested, reflected, sunbathed and exercised our way through the past four months. Now we are back, and I am very thankful to say that trade has been going very well for the first few weeks.

I have been having a lot of talks with various people both in toys and other industries, and we all feel like this is the boom before things settle down again, but to be honest, I feel like we may continue to see a higher level of sales for a while.

When my kids were younger and we weren’t going away on a holiday, we tended to spoil them a bit more during the summer months in order to keep a smile on their faces, and from what I have seen when I have been on the shop floor this is definitely the case. I can see kids asking for a more expensive item than the parents were happy

to the consumer as cheaply as possible - as the process is in itself expensive.

For this to work efficiently the consumer must be prepared to wait for a short while before delivery. Fortunately, children want immediate gratification and are not prepared to wait for their favourite toy, so toy retailers can benefit from kids’ impatience If any of this is true it does make you wonder if the age

of the traditional retailer has passed? Is this the new normal?

Perhaps the greedy high street landlords are best able to answer this question.

But the good news is that The Independent and his family are safe and well and all suppliers hope this is equally true of their well-rested retailers. However, sadly there will be many who have lost friends and family and our thoughts are with them.

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10/08/2020 07:24

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01491 412415 | sales@thesalespartnrship.com www.bruder.de

New to the PMS portfolio are some great plush ranges at pocket money prices, with creative packaging and design to set the collections apart from the competition.

Squishimi is the fast-selling, slo-rise squishy-filled plush. With hundreds of different versions across 28 SKUs, 2020 sees the addition of new sizes and positions, including 3D models and a two-in-one reversible version.

Scentsations tap into the up-and-coming scented plush trend. The Enchanted Forest collection features four woodland animals. Each has its own fruity scent and comes in three sizes, including a 10cm carded version.

Also new are SoundPets – three assortments of plush with different sound chips inside. The material quality, cute designs, and striking display packaging make this a no-brainer impulse line.

Meanwhile, Hugglers bring together two classic products: a snap bracelet, covered in plush. Designed to look like the animal is hugging the wearer, the collection includes numerous designs at several price points.

A best-seller online is the Worry Monster – a cuddly monster plush toy that eats a child’s worries while they sleep. 2020 sees refreshed packaging and three new monsters added to the range.

AW20 sees the launch of Cuddle Cups. Designed to look like cups of ice cream, the 10cm furry plush scoop of ice-cream flips inside out to reveal a surprise plush animal. Each pack also comes with a keychain and collector’s card. There are six designs to collect, with a Christmas edition to come.

Thank you beary much!

Also new is the Thank You collection: five plush toys, including frontline bears and a plush Rainbow with the Thank You message. PMS will be making charitable donations to NHS Charities Together for every piece sold.

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What's New.indd 1

Fact!

The matching transport kennel is included in Bruder introduces its Land Rover Defender this great set to safely Station Wagon with forester and dog. transport the dog.

Forest rangers’ work is particularly important as part of conservation and preserving healthy forests. The Bruder forester comes equipped with rifle, binoculars and hunting knife. His loyal Alsatian is always by his side during his day-to-day activities.

As the Bruder forester often works in challenging terrain, he must rely on a reliable vehicle. The Land Rover Defender Station Wagon combines fascinating off-road capability with durable design. Like all Bruder vehicles this model was also based on the original in great detail.

Thanks to its surprising details, such as the raised structure panel on the bonnet and the numerous functions, it’s not just Land Rover aficionados who will be convinced by the developed model. In addition to the opening rear door as well as side doors, the bonnet opens to show off the detailed engine block. The rear seat and the drawbar coupling can also be removed. Suspension on both axles means there are no terrain boundaries during play time. The front axle can also be steered using the additional steering column, familiar from Bruder tractors, to give you a more natural playing experience.

Illuminating the doll’s aisle Funrise

01908 555640 | salesuk@funrise.com www.funrise.com An illuminating new property that brings with it a magical light-up experience and lots of hidden surprises. Each beautiful 6in BFF doll has light-up wings and is packaged in an on-trend mason jar, which doubles as her fairy home, becoming part of the play pattern and leaving no packaging waste. What’s more, the jar magically lights up when motion is detected and can be switched from motion sensor mode, to magical room light mode which stays lit for 20 minutes.

Marketing support for BFF includes global influencer activity backed up with animated preroll and filmstrips, along with a YouTube channel with animated shorts set up by Wildbrain.

tnp.media 10/08/2020 07:30

NEW More to Marvel at…

Funko

0203 957 7018 | inquiriesuk@funko.com www.funko.com Bringing innovation and play to kids and families, Marvel Battleworld: Mystery of the Thanostones is a micro collectable, tabletop gaming system.

The new adventure game, based on the Marvel Universe, combines micro collectable characters, cards and gaming, allowing kids to battle against Thanos in gameplay unleashed through a Battle Ball. Each Battle Ball contains a surprise of two Marvel collectable characters, Hero Cards, Battle Cards and pair of dice, all for a highly accessible price point. Players can collect Marvel micro heroes ranging from icons like Iron Man, Captain Marvel and Groot, as well as characters like Valkyrie Gamora and Throg.

In addition to two micro-collectable characters inside the Battle Ball, the child can battle independently or team up with friends to defeat Thanos through game play.

Planet pleasers

Keel Toys 01233 506363 | sales@keeltoys.com | www.keeltoys.com The Keeleco range, a soft toy collection manufactured from plastic Economically waste, has been selling well for & eco friendly! retailers and venues such as zoo’s and Both the consumer and wildlife parks since they have been environment can rest able to reopen amid the outbreak. assured that this range September will see the arrival of will not cost the earth! four new British woodland animals: a deer, an owl, a fox and a squirrel, enhancing the current range of wild animals and sea life creatures.

The new additions highlight Keel Toys’ commitment to developing more eco-friendly toys for now and for the future.

JULY/AUG 2020 What's New.indd 2

Fun never goes extinct!

Mattel

01628 500000 www.mattel.com Cave Club is Mattel’s newest franchise and the first fashion doll brand set in prehistoric times, with modern themes that girls will relate to. Cave Club features the timeless bonds of friendship, fun outdoor adventures, and cute dinosaurs.

Cave Club will reach girls across multiple touchpoints and is Mattel’s first digital launch driven by content. Debuting July 2020, the new and exclusive online content series will bring the Cave Club world to life on YouTube, with over 140 minutes of owned content for 2020, including an animated series.

Cave Club transports imaginations to the dawn of time, inspiring children to explore the world’s firsts with prehistoric characters, hair play and girl-friendly dinosaur pets. The fashion doll range is designed to spark storytelling with neon soft fashion, colourful hair, ferocious mini pets and accessories.

Mattel will launch the new dolls with a 360-degree marketing plan, including TV and BVOD advertising, a YouTube plan and content with top UK influencers.

5

The number of best friends in the Cave Club core fashion doll range: Emberly, Fernessa, Roaralai, Tella and Slate.

Little Treasures Character Options 0161 633 9800 sales@charactergroup.plc.uk www.character-online.com

Fun Fact

The Treasure X Sunken Gold Treasure Ship offers 25 levels of adventure.

Fans of Treasure X will take their adventure on the high seas with the introduction of the Sunken Gold collection.

Hero of the range is the Treasure Ship with its hidden features and 25 levels of adventure, but around the launch comes two very different pocket money items to collect – each presented in its own innovative Treasure X bottle.

With the Sunken Gold single packs, kids must smash the bottle and squeeze the squid to save the hunter and treasure chest hidden within the squid’s ink. Once found it’s time to release the treasure by dropping the chest into water to open. The question is: will they find real gold-dipped treasure?

Children can also take on the quest to find the Shark’s Treasure through 16 levels of adventure. Crack open the bottle to release the shark and save the exclusive hunter from its jaws. Then they must dissect the shark and slice the guts to find the loot and treasure chest hidden in his slimy insides.

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10/08/2020 07:30

CIAL E P S S R ADO S S A B M A

g n i p p o h A

! e m i t d o go

e oducts. W r p o o r a Kang izzie The M f o le bund nds on a ie brand… a h y in t Auss eeny ot their t f this cherished g s r o d a o Mairead, mum to Rose (aged three) and Sadie (18-months-old), said: ss thought st amba “The Music Box was an enormous smash with both the 18-month-old and the Our little arents what they p three-year-old – to the point that they ended up fighting over it. ask their

Amy, mum to Ronnie (23-monthsold), said: “My son Ronnie has been having a tough time of teething and I’ve just had a second baby, so I’m grateful for every minute of undisturbed sleep that I can get! So, consider me a satisfied Mizzie customer!

“Ronnie loves chewing on Mizzie’s tail and nose! He’s reluctant to put her down… that is until we get the Mizzie Music Box out. The Music Box has been a huge hit. He loves cranking the handle and starts dancing when Pop Goes the Weasel begins to play. And he thinks it's the best thing ever when Mizzie pops out!

“No doubt we'll be buying more products from the collection in the near future – for both Ronnie and his new baby brother. I’ll also be recommending Mizzie The Kangaroo to all my friends and family!”

“Besides the Music Box, we also got to try out the Sound Book Sing with Mizzie - Nursery Rhymes) and the Mizzie Puzzle Box Set - Hopping Around Australia. The audio from the music book is impressively clear, noticeably so over the other music books that we have. The girls have enjoyed sitting on the bed performing Row, Row, Row the Boat and laughing! And the puzzle is of great quality; I appreciated the fact that the pieces were colour coded.

“From a parent’s perspective, I love the fact that the products are not only fun, but that they also pack a whole host of developmental benefits. It really feels like you’re getting good value for money, because children will continue get so much out of each Mizzie product as they progress through the different stages of development.”

Mizzie The Kangaroo 07917 063 677 | info@mizziethekangaroo.com https://mizziethekangaroo.co.uk

Rebecca, mum to five-month-old Charlie and five-year-old Harry, says: “Charlie has been difficult to soothe since his teeth started coming through. But the mini Mizzie teething toy has been a big hit! Not only does he seem to really like the Mizzie character, it’s also easy for him to hold, and he hasn’t stopped chewing on it since we received it.

“I also love the fact that it has been created with natural, safe materials.

“But perhaps the best thing about Mizzie is that both my boys can enjoy toys from the range. Harry thought that the Mizzie Music Box – or as he likes to call it, the fox in the box – was hilarious. Perhaps a few more trips to the zoo are required! But ultimately, we love Mizzie; she’s a big hit in our family! I couldn’t recommend the products more to other parents!”

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Ambassadors August-2.indd 1

Sadie on the nursery rhymes book:

“More please” Sarah, mum to Benjamin (eight-months-old), says: “The teething stage has been tough for everyone in our household – Benjamin has been suffering badly with his sore gums, but his crying has lessened and the amount of sleep we’ve been able to get has increased thanks to the Mizzie The Kangaroo Baby Teething Toy. It’s been fantastic! He’s spent pretty much all weekend chewing on it; he seems to really like it. The squeak never fails to make him laugh!

“Paired with the fact that the product is 100 per cent natural and reassuringly safe, it’s a win-win for me.

“Knowing that there are plenty more Mizzie products out there, I’m sure this cute little character will have a big part to play in his early years!”

tnp.media 10/08/2020 14:36

JUMP INTO THE WORLD OF MIZZIE FOR MORE INFO CALL 07917 063 677

& - +# -$ 31 20 * ' _1 - 0' %' , * , 23 0 * 2## 2& ' ,% 2-7 ," #"3 ! 2 '- , * 2-7 1

Helping little ones develop through fun - from the teething stage to the toddler years! www.mizziethekangaroo.co.uk

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TRADE

OPINION

Trade talk

TnP loves to hear from suppliers.

To be included in next month’s issue, please email georgie@lemapublishing.co.uk

We speak to suppliers from across the industry about their experiences through the lockdown period. They talk about the challenges that they are facing, and we hear how they’re planning to ensure GAVIN UCKO

NIC ALDRIDGE

Managing director, The Happy Puzzle Company

Managing director, Bandai UK

What's your proudest achievement amid the crisis?

What has been your proudest achievement amid the crisis?

Bandai has been affected in many of our operating countries. As such, the company has made charitable donations to help respond to the pandemic. We are proud of how we have all come together..

From the start we realised that we had a major responsibility to do what we could to help. We donated 750 puzzles and games to give to recovering Covid-19 patients and children’s wards. We also set up two toy libraries for underprivileged families to make use of – that was almost 1,000 puzzles and games.

We also donated puzzles to old people's homes and a blind & disabled charity.

What currently poses the biggest challenge?

Our biggest challenge is to ensure that products launch on time and successfully with our retailers. We have been working closely with suppliers to make sure that there is minimal impact on our portfolio. There is a weakness in the supply chain at the moment, with many vendors quoting capacity issues. But we are working tirelessly to keep on top of these issues.

How will you continue to ensure demand for your products?

We have been communicating openly with suppliers and retailers over the lockdown period.

On our evergreen properties such as National Geographic, Dragon Ball, Timber Tots and Sea Monkeys we have reviewed our demand plans regularly to ensure that we are in stock for the remainder of the year. On new launches this has been more challenging, but we are working closely with retailers to support where we need to.

What currently poses the biggest challenge for the company?

It’s really the fact that we don’t know how to best plan for Christmas. Nobody knows what's around the corner. There's no precedent for this. We just have to plough on and hope!

Hopefully the positive attitude towards puzzles and games will keep going!

Have you made any adjustments to your marketing plans?

There is a definite focus on digital and the importance of online assets moving forward for Q3 and Q4. We have exciting plans for new brands, which will benefit from TV advertising social media support, digital campaigns and influencer campaigns.

ANIL BOODHOO Sales and marketing director, Asmodee What have you been most proud of over the past few months?

We’ve been delighted to share free print-and-play editions of our most popular games to anyone who’s needed a distraction during lockdown. In April, we introduced our dedicated website, print-and-play.asmodee.fun. Since launching we’ve had nearly 400k UK downloads and over 3.2m worldwide.

What currently poses the biggest challenge?

The internal one is to ensure that our office is a safe working environment so that we can get everyone under one roof again.

Externally, we are working with bricks-and-mortar customers to establish how we can support them. Many of our stores are community hubs as well as retail outlets. We want to help them maintain their consumer connections.

How will you continue to ensure demand?

We’re lucky enough that the likes of Dobble and the Pokémon Trading Card Game are well known and will continue to perform well over peak, but we'll also continue to support key lines. Dobble 360 is to receive a strong, dedicated marketing campaign in Q4 and Pokémon is adapting to support retailers with a one-off double booster pack for its third Sword & Shield set, Darkness Ablaze.

Offering two boosters for the price of one.

Have you adjusted your marketing plans?

While demand for games remains high, we’ve adapted to reflect the circumstances. This summer, we’ve launched a #PlayItOutdoors campaign, offering a weekly £2,000 prize draw.

SARAH DAYUS National sales and brand manager, Great Gizmos What has been your proudest achievement over the past few months?

To support our customers, we have reduced our carriage paid orders to £150 (usually £250) and offered extra discount where possible. We are a small team and demand has been high. We are proud of our team for managing orders and queries, and keeping everything in stock.

What currently poses the biggest challenge?

We feel positive now shops are starting to reopen; customer feedback has been great. We hope footfall will increase over the summer as life returns to more of a normal state. The biggest challenge so far is the lack of confidence in retailers buying as times ahead are still very uncertain. However, many customers are sticking with our tried-and-tested popular ranges to guarantee sales. We are offering as much support as possible to see our customers through this challenging transition stage.

How will you continue to ensure demand for your products?

We continue to support customers as much as possible, with promotions, giveaways, discounts and more. Demand for our products is always high in Q3 and Q4, so our strategy remains the same, with more support than ever for our customers.

Have you made any adjustments to your marketing plans?

We're not exhibiting at Autumn Fair so we have decided to use the budget to create a virtual showroom and video presentations to send to our customers.

tnp.media Trade Talk2.indd 1

10/08/2020 15:38

SIMON TOMLINSON Head of marketing EMEA, Learning Resources What have you been most proud of amid the crisis?

When it became clear earlier this year that UK schools would likely close and parents would need to teach their children at home, Learning Resources rapidly adapted to the demand for home learning support. We made a host of free worksheets, activities, and advice available to help keep children busy, playing and learning at home.

What currently poses the biggest challenge?

SANDRA EBBOTT Founder and MD, Mizzie The Kangaroo What has been your proudest achievement over the past few months?

We have supported retailers as much as we can to help them get more digital, as well as with promotions. Plus, from a company perspective, we have reviewed how we can minimise our environmental impact. With the increase of online orders, and therefore packaging, we have researched and found recyclable materials for our packaging.

At the beginning of the year, we launched 100+ new products. The lockdown and the resulting global supply chain challenges meant we had to reschedule some launch dates, but we’ve been able to stay on course to meet customer demand, especially as we head into Q4.

What currently poses the biggest challenge?

How will you continue to ensure demand for your products?

How will you continue to ensure demand for Mizzie?

The lockdown changed the way consumers shop and connect with brands. We are keen to see retailers recover from store closures, and our focus will be on helping retailers create attractive, engaging brand interaction points in the new retail operating environment.

Throughout the pandemic, we have seen high interest in our toys. To ensure that we continue to grow, we have partnered with trusted influencers and platforms and created a global community of brand ambassadors so that our customers can see the benefits of Mizzie toys in an organic, relatable way!

We design our products internally, which also means we can respond proactively to customer and retailer demands.

Have you made any adjustments to your marketing plans?

Consumers spent a lot more time online during lockdown and were engaged with our content. We had to pause our in-store marketing during this time but scaled up our digital marketing and PR activity to ensure Learning Resources remained front of mind for consumers.

For the time being, our activities have switched back to include retail support. Focus will be on home learning, coding, and gifting.

EMMA WEBER International licensing director, Vivid What has been your proudest achievement over the past few months?

During lockdown, we were humbled by the amount of requests we were receiving from our Crayola UK community pages and proud to be able to respond by setting up a charity division to review every request that came through to us. The requests varied from local communities making up packs for children who desperately needed arts and crafts for home schooling, through to hospitals who requested colouring pencils for patients in the geriatric wards. In total, more than 1,000 Crayola parcels being distributed across the country.

What currently poses the biggest challenge?

Vivid fared well over the lockdown period as we operate in all the keyperforming categories across arts and crafts, outdoor, and games. Games was particularly strong; by Easter it felt like Christmas in terms of the volume of sales we were achieving in family games. The challenge will be working through whether or not the consumer will repeat this level of purchasing in the games category as we lead into Christmas. We will be pressing ahead with investment across TV advertising and digital campaigns to support new games launches and existing strong sellers.

How will you continue to ensure demand for your products?

We have lots of exciting brand launches for AW20 including Vet Squad and Fantasticats as well as new games and innovations to support Crayola ranges Washimals and Glitter Dots. We are working across multiple platforms to support our AW20 ranges, ensuring we reach kids wherever they are viewing content. For Fantasticats, this means as well as TV advertising, we are also placing adverts across Ryan’s World on YouTube. For Vet Squad, as well as TV advertising, we have sponsorship on Pop TV and webisodes created for YouTube. We will also be targeting parents to promote our partnership with Sea Life.

Have you made any adjustments to your marketing plans?

Our marketing plans and investment levels are like-for-like YoY. But specific to games, we will be layering adult-targeted campaigns on top of our kids’ TV advertising plans to capture the key purchasing decision maker.

JULY/AUG 2020 Trade Talk2.indd 2

In the UK, we want to have a bigger in-store presence across the country. We have a lot of retail interest but our retailers are often happier to start with an online presence.

Have you made any adjustments to your marketing plans?

Oh yes, we have completely changed our marketing plans!

With no trade fairs, we are focusing on digital, and making some clever partnerships and activations where we can.

MARK JONES Head of sales, University Games What has been your proudest achievement over the past few months?

It has been a challenging time for all but as a business we have had as good a few months as we could have hoped for. We have worked hard to ensure that our staff have been well supported to enable them to support our retailers. It is due to their hard work in keeping the wheels turning that we managed to secure our biggest achievement over lockdown, the acquisition of The Lagoon Group. The purchase was negotiated via the phone and online meetings and completed in 14 weeks.

What currently poses the biggest challenge?

Our focus for the next few months is to support our sales team as they get back on the road and begin visiting our retailers in person again. We have worked closely with our suppliers over lockdown to bring in every new line we had promised for this year, so retailers have plenty of choice.

Following the regrettable news of the cancelled trade events, we have also supported retailers with a range of postcard promotional activities, which are still ongoing.

What marketing activity can we expect for Q3 and Q4?

A big focus for the second half of the year is Subbuteo.

In May we relaunched our Subbuteo Main Game and introduced an Official England Subbuteo Main Game and Player Set. This summer, we will launch a heavyweight media campaign. The TV campaign will commence this month, with ongoing TV, social media and print coverage throughout October – December.

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10/08/2020 15:38

TRADE

OPINION

Trade talk

STEVE COX UK sales director, Keel Toys What has been your proudest achievement over the past few months?

At the start of lockdown I challenged myself to write daily posts on LinkedIn – hints, tips and motivation for life in the pandemic. More than 100 posts later, and quite a few comments back, I hope to have helped others in these challenging times.

As we ease out of lockdown, what currently poses the biggest challenge?

MICHAEL HICK VP & country manager UK & Ireland What has been your proudest achievement over the past few months?

I am proud of my team. We have been able to help many consumers. Early in the crisis we invited families to #KeepPlaying with the launch of the Mattel Playroom, a free online platform that offers parents and caregivers a centralised resource for activities, expert advice, games, and content from our brands.

Mattel has been leveraging its expertise, products and resources to support communities, those in need, and frontline heroes. Our design teams have partnered with Mattel’s manufacturing facilities to make PPE for donation to medical professionals. Globally, Mattel has given grants to Feed the Children and Save the Children, and in the UK, we have made donations to support local charities.

What currently poses the biggest challenge?

The past four months have been a challenging and rewarding time for Mattel. From a stuttering start in March and April to what has now turned out to be another demonstration that the toy industry is one of the most resilient of categories. We are delighted to say that Mattel has outpaced the toy market with many of our core brands such as Barbie, Fisher-Price, as well as our games with Scrabble and Uno, plus MEGA all growing in the past four months.

The challenge is to build consumer confidence and make the shopper comfortable with shopping again and the early indications show that toy retailers are doing better than most and we can assist with this by having great brands and demand creation initiatives to help drive consumers back into stores.

How will you continue to ensure demand?

If there's a second wave it could stop the momentum of rebuilding the business.

How will you continue to ensure demand for your products?

We are delighted that our Keeleco range is now in stores and selling extremely well. We will continue the momentum with the new British Wildlife Keeleco launch.

Have you made any adjustments to your marketing plans?

The biggest adjustment to our marketing plans is no trade shows. With a large showroom in Ashford we will create a safe environment for visitors to preview the Christmas ranges and the development of our 2021 ranges.

JULIA LOESER Marketing & PR administrator, Thames & Kosmos UK What has been your proudest achievement over the past few months?

We have connections at one of our local hospitals. At the beginning of the outbreak, they were unable to source visors. Our printer happened to be making medical grade visors; we just had to step in. We donated 600 visors (and lots of games). More recently, having seen a spike in sales of our educational kits, it seemed unfair that less fortunate families couldn’t afford home learning aids, so we donated more than £2,000 of stock to local food banks.

As we ease out of lockdown, what currently poses the biggest challenge?

Credit insurance is our biggest challenge. We have found our credit insurers have protected themselves from risk by cutting the credit limits of the bigger retailers to ridiculously low numbers. Just when retailers are hoping for a break, they have another hurdle put in their way. We have also had some minor supply issues, but it has thankfully only delayed a couple of new products by a few weeks.

How will you continue to support retailers and ensure product demand?

We have extended special offers to our bricks and mortar shops to celebrate their reopening. We always extend offers around the time of shows, even when they haven’t happened. This will be also be the case for Autumn Fair.

Two of our games were nominated for the SdJ awards, with The Crew winning the Kennerspiel award. This has created a huge end-user interest in our games.

HEATHER WELCH International brand manager, Edx Education What have you been most proud of over the last few months?

Edx Education has been supporting the communities in Taiwan through teacher initiatives and re-fitting orphanages. We believe it is important for everyone to have access to education.

Very early on in the lockdown we pivoted our focus to support the consumer. Working closely with our retail partners, sharing our joint insights, we were able to continue to supply the right toy range to individual retailers as required. Working in partnership we were able to keep up with the increased demand and we will continue this strategy driving this momentum into the second half of the year.

What currently poses the biggest challenge?

Our partners and distributors are competing with many brands online, so we need to help with content creation, advertising materials and sharing of knowledge for best digital marketing practices. The company is also increasing its consumer marketing, promoting awareness of the need for educational toys and their benefits. Plus, we continue to host webinars with educational experts for parents, caregivers and teachers on teaching Maths. We also developed a podcast, Education Tips from the Experts with Edx Education, talking about home learning, school readiness, and more.

Have you adjusted your marketing plans?

We will be making sure our products are supporting the current needs for consumers.

We are providing marketing support and advocacy support on play-based learning, as well as continuing to work with educational experts on the development and delivery of products. And we will partner with our retailers for marketing campaigns and PR. To support retailers, we also launched a new website www.edxeducation.com with downloadable resources in the teachers and parents’ section.

With minimal trade shows, we have refocused budgets to develop home educational toys, produce more video content for games, and develop digital and social strategies, PR, and communicate to consumers the importance of learning through play.

We have reinvested our budgets into the second half of the year, enabling us to have heavyweight demand creation plans along with exciting marketing and consumer initiatives. We still have new brands to launch and product introductions across all of our brands; we are well placed for the second half.

42

Trade Talk2.indd 3

How will you continue to ensure demand for your products?

tnp.media 10/08/2020 15:38

SPECIAL

FEATURE

The value of play Toys have perhaps never been more important than they have been over the past few months. TnP focuses on the benefits that toy categories such as educational, arts and crafts, construction and outdoor toys have for children

T

he value of toys and play has never been more clear to parents than it has over the past few months when they have needed them to help to comfort, educate and entertain their children while they juggled being at home all day, working from home and having no external ways to keep their kids busy.

And this has been apparent in sales figures for the various categories.

Consumers have turned to games and puzzles more than any other category, resulting in a whopping 240 per cent

fits Mental health bene psychologist

Baker, a TnP talks to Maryhan en who lack ldr chi h wit rks who wo with anxiety. gle ug confidence or str u to help children?

How do toys help yo s a useful medium to I have always found toy g them to talk more blin ena n, engage childre ges. Toys are also a llen openly about their cha ent te children’s developm critical tool to promo nal otio em and ial soc y across all areas, not onl cognition. but also language and rents will want help What do you think pa s be used to help? toy with, and how can ges parents face are The common challen understand and en helping their childr s and increasing on oti em ir the e manag fidence. Toys, in my con their resilience and st way for parents to view, are the single be I always recommend en. ldr support their chi h least 30 minutes eac that parents spend at the time it as en, ldr chi ir the day playing with st open and likely to when children are mo t they face. It is vital tha s ge reveal any challen red ctu tru uns n ir ow children engage in the o serves as a way for play each day as it als their days and make them to deconstruct rld experience. wo n sense of their ow d useful in your work?

Which toys do you fin a company and have I love Orchard Toys as to support younger pre adapted their games en. ldr chi d age rsschool, and early yea

Development timeline Clare Stead, founder of Oliiki – an app designed to help parents find the learning in everyday play to help their bump or baby reach their full potential – takes us through the development and play/ learning opportunities at each age stage...

Play Feature gd NEW.indd 1

increase in UK sales in the week before lockdown (the week ending 21 March 2020), according to NPD figures.

Children have changed their habits too.

Research by Kids Insights found that board games have doubled in popularity, and for kids between the ages of three and 12, board games have become the third favourite choice of toy behind LEGO and LEGO Friends.

Children (aged three to 18) have more ready cash – adding up to an extra £5.8m a month – and are spending more of their money online than offline.

“The Covid crisis has amplified a trend towards increased take up of games and puzzles”

week, games accounted for half of the UK’s 10 best-selling toys that week.

Hasbro classics such as Monopoly and Cluedo, along with modern favourites such Emma Weber, as Asmodee’s international Dobble, saw the licensing director category take a 21 at Vivid per cent share of weekly spend across the entire toy sector.

Amid the outbreak, Kids insights has witnessed an increase in engagement with games and toys that facilitate familytime with the number of kids playing card games increasing to 7.8 per cent from 4.3 per cent, and two per cent naming board games as their favourite toy or game (up from 1.2 per cent).

“This early upsurge in games comes before we head into the final quarter Mattel, of the year, which has always been Inky’s Fortune a strong time for sales of games and puzzles,” says puzzle specialist Parents’ habits are changing, Ravensburger’s Katy Fletcher, head of too. Claire Roach at Money Saving Central marketing & product development. blog says that she has seen a 60 per cent Emma Weber, international licensing rise in ‘toy sale date’ requests over the past director at Vivid, also reported strong couple of months, suggesting that parents fall into two groups: the ones who were fortunate sales of games during the lockdown period. So why have people turned to to keep earning through lockdown, now the games and puzzles sector? “They have surplus cash and are shopping early bring focus to the here and now, which is for Christmas, and those who have been fantastic for mental wellbeing, and also adversely affected and need to do Christmas provide an opportunity for connection and on a budget so are forward planning and shared experience away from screens.” banking on cut-priced bargains.

Gavin Ucko, MD, The Happy Puzzle Company, agrees: “It has kept people Lifting spirits sane, especially those who are shielding.”

Games and Puzzles Family time is the key, says Simon Prest, Games and puzzles experienced a massive sales director, Orchard Toys: “Lockdown upsurge in the week preceding lockdown, gave families a unique opportunity to with sales growing 240 per cent year-onspend time with each other, and games year in the week ending 21 March. That

6-9 months • Babies really enjoy exploring textures at this stage, so toys that have different textures, within textures are brilliant.

• Playing with puppets will help this stage with language development, communication and their social and emotional development.

• Use soft cushions or toys to build things for baby to crawl over and under and around to develop gross motor control and risk assessment. It will also develop their understanding of where they are in space and their confidence in their own body.

9-12 months • Babies at this stage want to use their thumb and first finger to make a pincer grip. Give them things that are easy to pick up and show them how to put things into a container.

• Babies are developing their object permanence at this stage - understanding that when something is out of view it hasn’t actually gone completely. Games that take advantage of this are lots of fun.

• Simple puzzles with easy-to-hold handles are also fabulous at this early stage.

1-1.5 years • At this age they love to pick things up and put them in to containers, helping to develop hand muscles, hand-eye coordination, focus and concentration.

• Musical instruments are so much fun now. Babies will be coordinated enough to really begin to play with shakers, and all sorts of different instruments.

• Help to develop fine motor control with toys that encourage them to put shapes on a stick or lids on boxes.

1.5-2 years • Toddlers love putting things in and taking things out and having a chat about them. Toys that encourage chat are great for this activity.

• They will enjoy exploring mark making with a variety of pens, pencils, crayons and paints.

• They also love make-believe and copying you around the home.

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SPECIAL FEATURE

Tales from retail “Games were huge even for older kids.

Big Potato is very clever in the games they choose.”

Liz Amphlett, Toytastik, Chepstow,Wales

“At the moment, jigsaws are like gold. I almost feel like a drug dealer! A couple of weeks ago, I got here at half nine and there was a lady waiting. She said are you opening? And I said, come on in.

She literally ran down to the jigsaws and piled up 10 puzzles at the counter. I said, have you seen the weather? It’s going to be lovely! And she said, oh no, I need my puzzle fix!”

Dan Lovett, The Toy Box, Beccles, Suffolk

“We received a large order of 1,000pc puzzles the day after lockdown and we literally built our website overnight to sell the puzzles and then gradually added more items every day.”

to get the balance between luck and skill.”

When it comes to puzzles, Ravensburger’s Katy Fletcher believes it’s not all about the picture: “Every element of the experience plays its part in making a fantastic jigsaw, from the quality of the individual pieces to the layout of the image and even the size of the image on the box can make or break a puzzle.’

It’s a busy sector, with lots of demand, so what are companies doing to make themselves stand out? For Big Potato it’s about community. Becky McKinlay, head of marketing, explains: “We felt that our role in society, as a board games company, was to provide entertainment and bring people together. We created three free games that anyone could download from our website.”

For Vivid, Emma Weber says: “We will be pressing ahead with investment across TV advertising and digital campaigns. Plus,

Vicky Brown, Just Williams Toys, Beckenham and Dulwich, London

planning for the future?

“At the beginning of lockdown, we started an online Gibsons Puzzleathon on our puzzle social media pages,” recalls Rebecca Hersee. “We hope that people who may have discovered puzzling for the first time during lockdown will have found a new “Parents are hobby that they love and seeking toys and games that will continue. enrich their We have our biggest sumchildren’s minds, mer launch and sit alongside yet coming in what they are August and learning at September.” school” Mattel is also planning Sarah Dayus, Great some new Gizmos launches for the last quarter, explains Kelly Philp: “We are introducing new games such as Inky’s Fortune, Scrabble Duplicate and Pictionary Card Game for AW20, which is great for people who want to introduce variety into their board game collection!”

and jigsaws are conducive to family fun.”

David Mordecai at Tobar adds: “The ‘can I do it’ factor coupled with the ‘can I beat them’ factor – friendly Bringing learning home competitiveness is Educational Toys fun as is completing As we mentioned, educational toys have Amelie (aged four) tries out a challenge.” never been in such demand. As Alan the Aquabeads Star Friends set Nicola Jenkins, Dadswell at Southend retailer Toys n from Epoch making toys. head of global Tuck tells us: “Anything that had maths or specific to games, we have taken the brands, Tomy, thinks it’s reading in the title was flying out!” about quality time: “Lockdown has enabled decision to layer adult targeted campaigns As the schools closed, parents were on top of our kids’ TV advertising plans us to spend quality time with our loved keen to find different and fun ways to to ensure we capture the key purchasing ones, and games and puzzles can also be a help with their children’s education, decision maker.” great way to occupy children while parents and the trend looks like it is continuing.

So, while 2020 has been an unusual year As Heather Welch, international brand try to work from home.” to say the least, it has been a positive one Rebecca Hersee, marketing executive at manager, at EDX says: “A good prein many ways for the games and puzzles puzzle favourites Gibson Games, says: “We school toy sparks a child’s imagination sector, but how can the industry maintain have been extremely fortunate to have had and allows them to explore and this momentum?

Christmas sales in in Q2. Puzzles bring the experiment, developing problem-solving “It’s vital that suppliers support family together but also keep people who retailers, especially bricks and mortar may live on their own occupied. Taking and independents. Lowering MOQs and time out to do something that allows you extending terms will help.” says Gavin Ucko. to relax and have a ‘digital detox’ has been Anil Boodhoo at Asmodee believes we so important.”

So what does make a great game/puzzle? should be “carefully considering what we can do to support retail. This year we are “I always think that games with simple having to look at alternative marketing instructions are more likely to engage the methods and have a number of initiatives for whole family,” says Gavin Ucko. ‘ both independent and national customers.”

Anil Boodhoo, Asmodee UK, says: “A So, with this in mind, what simple idea with a twist to add depth is a are games and puzzle makers great way to create interest. You also need Edx Education

2-3 years • At this stage toddlers will love threading games, which is great for fine motor control, but also makes a great mathematical activity if you use the things that you are threading for shape and colour sorting.

• Exploring sand play is lots of fun at this stage.

• Outside play is fun too. What about setting up a gardening station or creating an outside cooking space and using mud, water and flowers to make cakes? Balance bikes and mini ride on toys help develop balance and special awareness.

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3-4 years • Imagination is really developing and pre-schoolers will love make-believe games. Dress-up games help to practise getting dressed/undressed – helping fine motor skills.

• Craft that involves cutting, sticking, sorting and making is fabulous fun.

• At this stage, words, letters and books are really fun. These should all have been part of the play from birth, but by now, children should be exploring books and words for themselves.

• Playing with dolls, teddies and toys, letting children explore and play independently teaches cause & effect.

5-6 years • Cars, trains, things with wheels are top hits at this stage. Toys where things can be put in and pushed around are a favourite. Children are deep into real world play at this stage and are happy to spend a lot of time playing farms or trains etc.

• They also love make-believe play.

Children at this stage are really developing their social skills and seek out the company of others to play with.

• Kids at this age will love exploring all things physical outside. They will love playing on trampolines,

climbing frames, bikes and trikes.

They will enjoy gardening and pottering about. This is so good for giving your child the exercise they need as well as getting them off screens and out into the natural world, which is fabulous for children’s wellbeing.

6-7 years • Kids will get a real kick out of making something scrummy to eat.

They will love working alongside parents learning these real-life skills. Cooking is also a great way to put reading, language skills and maths knowledge and language into a real-life setting.

• Children at this stage also love challenges. This helps develop a competitive streak but also helps them develop the ability to win and lose.

tnp.media 11/08/2020 08:21

Layla (aged six) grows some crystal trees with the help of Bandai’s National Geographic Crystal Garden Set.

and critical-thinking skills.” Open-ended toys that grow with the child are popular – such as Edx Education Rainbow Pebbles and Junior Geostix.

Fun is at the forefront of learning for Fisher-Price, says Kelly Philp, Mattel UK marketing director: “Fisher-Price has made it our mission to put the fun back into functional baby gear and the play back into playtime. We have so many exciting new launches, but the one standout will be Rollin’ Rovee.”

“Children are expected to learn so many skills before they start school that sometimes as parents it can be difficult to know where to start! Having ELAs based on the child’s favourite characters can help,” says Lindsay Hardy, marketing director, Trends UK. Over at Tobar, Leanne Jennings, head of buying, says that traditional learning toys are consistent good sellers: “Classics like shape sorters and pull-alongs and our learning clock have timeless appeal.”

For older children, the education sector is definitely expanding, as Nicola Jenkins, head of global brands at Tomy explains: “Experiential and project-based learning are hot terms in education today and, in addition to science, many schools are incorporating ‘maker space’ or ‘tinkering’ time dedicated to STEM activities such as coding and robotics.”

Orchard Toys products have been selling well with many of the retailers we have spoken to, and sales director Simon Prest knows why: “Our products strike the perfect balance between education and fun. And they’re designed with simplicity in mind, which means that there’s always time for a quick game.”

Simon adds: “For many parents who found themselves becoming teachers

overnight, our Mega Bloks, Meccano, products were a “Construction toys help Gravitrax, Magformers, great way to take with learning, creativity, and K’Nex continuing the pressure out prove popular year growth and development so to of home learning.” after year.

STEAM is also the they are great for providing Online marketplace, key for Sarah Dayus parents with multiple ways OnBuy.com, conducted of keeping their children at Great Gizmos, a study of 2,000 which saw a huge members of the public, busy and entertained” surge in demand finding that the average Kelly Philp, Mattel for its science British person spends and craft kits £755 on LEGO during over lockdown: “Parents are much more their lifetime and the average household is aware of educational toys and the huge currently housing £160 worth of it. part they play in children’s development, With a host of suppliers bringing newness alongside their school work and projects.” to the category, 2020 sees retailers well The surge in demand for educational supported with plenty of toys to entice toys has been witnessed by EDX builders of all ages and abilities!

Education too. Heather Welch says: And, it seems to be a good time to stock “Schools have always sought the bestup on construction lines, with the category available, affordable products to aid seeing more people flocking to it amid teachers in the classroom. In the past the lockdown period. In the week before couple of years, this lockdown, the NPD has gone beyond the Group said that classroom, beyond sales of building schools and into the sets had risen What brands/products are proving homes of children.

59 per cent YoY popular in this arena?

Parents are now compared with the “LEGO, always LEGO. But also the no becoming capable same period in 2019. glue, no nails, wooden construction teachers-at-home.”

David Mordecai, kits are becoming very popular.

Bandai UK’s head CEO, Tobar, reports: “I think construction toys are the of marketing Kirsty “As a category, modern version of traditional jigsaws; they take a bit of thought and Mackenzie, says National construction has stimulate some interesting questions Geographic Kits and really held its own while being built, can be done Sea Monkeys have been over the past few together and give a very satisfying perfect for keeping months.” result in the form of an end product, little ones smiling and And Mattel’s Mega often with moving parts. There’s learning while they has also proved nothing like hands-on experience for remain indoors. a hit. Kelly Philp, helping to drive home concepts.”

The company has Mattel UK marketing Dr Wendy Hamilton, Grasshopper Toys in seen a spike in sales director, says: “2020 Helensburgh & CuriousMinds.co.uk, online retailer of the two brands, has got off to a fast Construction did ok during lockdown, MacKenzie explains: start with Mega but not significantly better. On the “The science and the number two ‘cheer up’ front, construction toys may nature category is manufacturer in keep you quiet for a while but it’s the proving a strong, solid building sets and up same fun element and keeping kids part of our overall double-digit YTD.” active that seemed important. business portfolio.”

Meanwhile, Liam O’Shea, Wicked Uncle, online retailer And what of Lindsay Hardy, the future for the marketing director educational toys sector? at Trends UK, tells Orchard Toys’ Simon Prest says: TnP: “As well as our best-selling science “Consumers have looked to the toy industry toys we’ve seen an enormous surge in sales in this time of need. We believe that of our Machine Works Build Your Own demand for educational toys will continue Engine Kits. Sales levels were similar to the to grow, while Heather at EDX goes further: Christmas rush!”

“2025 will be a So why are we seeing a surge in sales of world where parents construction toys amid the outbreak? are empowered to David Mordecai says: “One of the obvious feel just as capable attractions during lockdown was that they as teachers for can be done indoors and involve others.”

EYFS, thanks to Kelly Philp, goes further: “Construction educational toys.” toys help with learning, creativity, growth and development so they are great for providing parents with multiple ways of Build me up keeping their children busy and entertained.”

Construction Similarly, Julia Loeser, marketing and PR Toys administrator, Thames & Kosmos, thinks Construction and that the increased demand was due to a building toys are change of pace in family’ lives: “During an evergreen lockdown, life slowed down for many category, with Zac (aged eight) of us. Construction kits were and are a the likes sits down to construct the Meccano Ducati Desmosedici fantastic way for parents to spend time of LEGO,

Tales from retail

GP model motorcycle kit from Spin Master.

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Sebastian (aged five) and Felicity (aged three) get crafty with the Paint Your Own sets from Wilton Bradley’s Made It! range.

mix-and-match components allow a degree the toughest building sets available. We’re of creativity.” seeing a clear ‘kidult’ and adult trend here.”

And licensing, too, has its part to play.

So, can we expect to see strong demand Kelly Philp says: “For the older builders we for these products in the months to come? are constantly looking for great licences Zuru’s Renee Lee thinks we will. “We to partner with expect this “Parents were looking for that appeal across demand to the ages.” remain and for creative tools to inspire and consumers to be entertain children having to hunting for more stay at home” Getting value driven, creative lower price point Lindsay Hardy, Trends UK Arts & Crafts toys heading into Arts and crafts Q3 and Q4.” activities are often cited as mindfulness Julia Loeser agrees: “We feel that exercises, helping to support emotional increased demand will continue over wellbeing. These kinds of products also the next few months, due to parents not encourage creativity and skill development. wanting to expose their children to risky In the week before lockdown, the NPD environments.”

Group reported that sales in the arts and A key selling-point of the category, which crafts category Nora, Aoife helps to ensure year-round interest, is the almost doubled (both aged seven) and educational benefits offered by these types in the UK Millie (aged 10) create some of toys. compared crystal art with Craft Buddy’s Tobar’s David Mordecai is clued-up on with the same Frameables kits. the benefits of construction toys: “Logical period last thinking, dexterity, co-ordination, tenacity, patience – all good things!”

Dr “In the Easter holidays […] crafting and Amanda art kits [were] up 186 per cent.”

Gummer, Rachel Larkman, John Lewis with their offspring, while founder & learning about the fascinating CEO, Good During lockdown everyone wanted world of STEM.” Play Guide, paints, craft card, Play-Doh, and Over at Trends UK, Lindsay says: “Not playground chalk Hardy thinks that a surge only are Vicky Brown, Just Williams Toys, Beckenham in demand for its Machine construction and Dulwich, London Works kits is coming from an toys fun, older audience. “We think it’s they have year, with slime, due to grown-ups looking for a substantial a traditional element and tick off all sorts dough and craft model to build during lockdown. We feel of development benefits by encouraging kits all making it there has been a wave of nostalgia for children to think logically and creatively into shopping baskets. familiar and reassuring brands.” and developing their spatial awareness.”

Great Gizmos’ sales director Sarah Dayus And it seems many British adults are Endorsed by the Good Play notes this upward trend: “We turning to construction toys. In a report Guide, Magformers is a leader in “During have seen a huge increase in published by the NPD Group, relating to magnetic educational toys, used lockdown, demand over the past few toy sales in lockdown, Frederique Tutt, in schools and kindergartens months, particularly across the much of the global toy market expert, noted: “Where around the globe.

Mould & Paint range.” nation took up Brits buck the trend is in the sale of some of Having recently introduced The Aquabeads brand has arts and crafts also a new collection for younger been popular. Kim Nicholls, as a children, David Kelly, MD, Aquabeads brand manager, therapeutic Magformers UK, says: “The says: “Epoch has seen huge Stick-O’s launch follows direct sales growth with Aquabeads. hobby” feedback from retailers for a During lockdown, much of Kim Nicholls, Magformers-quality magnetic the nation took up arts and Epoch making toys crafts as a therapeutic hobby. toy that can sit in the baby and toddler and pre-school aisles.”

The company expects this to Julia Loeser says: “Our construction kits continue over the summer as many families offer a great way of teaching children from opt for a staycation this year.” an early age onwards about the science of Meanwhile, Gary Wadhwani, co-founder, physics and engineering.”

Craft Buddy, told TnP he feels fortunate that So what qualities make for a great business has “continued relatively normally” construction toy? with increased demand for the Crystal Art “A kit which is well thought-out and and Frameables ranges. well-made will always be a bestseller,” says Gary says: “I think people have turned Thames & Kosmos’ Julia Loeser. “Durability to arts and crafts as not only do they offer and easy-to-follow instructions are also great therapeutic benefits, but they also a must!” allow you to have something to hold on to Tobar’s David Mordecai, after it is completed.”

Albie (aged adds: “Construction toys And Trends UK’s Lindsay Hardy was 3) gets creative with must be age appropriate pleased to report that the company had the Crayola Glitter Dots to encourage success, seen “a huge spike in sales” of its Paint Sparkle Friends Keychain

Tales from retail

Set from Vivid.

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Mitch (aged three) and Eve (aged six) play with the Wooden Skittles Set from Wilton Bradley’s Traditional Garden Games range.

Sticks range.

“Parents were looking for creative tools to inspire and entertain children having to stay at home,” says Lindsay.

But as we look ahead to a new normal, how are suppliers planning to maintain sales momentum?

“With some exciting plans for Q3 and Q4, including TV advertising, influencer campaigns and bespoke brand projects,” says Epoch’s Kim Nicholls. “Families are still opting to spend more time at home.

We therefore anticipate the second half of 2020 to be just as strong in terms of demand for “We have seen a significant rise in the sale children’s activities.” of our Climbing Triangle – it is the ultimate lockdown saviour! Can be used inside and Sarah Dayus, says: “In don’t take up much space.” from The NPD outside, tuck behind a sofa at the end of a the coming months, we So what kind of demand can we expect Group, said: day and keeps kids entertained for hours!” will continue to pursue to see for the outdoor toys category over “During Katherine Rhodes, PomPom Toys, plastic-free the channels we already summer and into the final quarter? lockdown, leisure online toy retailer sell to and also target Tom Ellyatt, marketing & Ecommerce and play activities new accounts. We feel director, Wilton Bradley, says: “With the warm have taken a “We sold a lot of badminton sets and that the proven demand summer that we’re expecting in the UK, central place in hula hoops.”

Vicky Brown, Just Williams Toys, Beckenham and will give new customers combined with the phased exit that will see family life.”

Dulwich, London the confidence to stock families continue to spend a lot more time at One such brand new products.” home, we expect the outdoor toy category to that has seen an “The Easter holidays saw a spike in Meanwhile for Craft uplift in demand is remain strong over the coming months.” demand from parents looking for ways to Buddy’s Gary Wadhwani, And Tobar’s David Mordecai also has Gazillion Bubbles keep the kids engaged, we saw a flurry the focus will be on confidence in the category’s performance from Funrise, of sales for outdoor toys including sales extending its customer later in the year: “Outdoor toys are always which saw more of trampolines which were up five times base and licensing: a great Christmas gift purchase and that than 100 per cent more than usual.”

“We continue to grow won’t change. We expect the demand uplift in sales in Rachel Larkman, John Lewis our consumer base in to remain high as people have become certain accounts both the B2B and B2C accustomed to getting outside and cycling, during April. sectors. We also have an exciting new scooting and skating together.”

James Dixon, commercial director UK & licence deal with Thomas Kinkade, and Helping the category continue to thrive is Ireland, says: “It is really heart-warming to see those products will launch in September an expansive offering of outdoor products. our bubble machines and premium solution alongside the expanded range of our A popular choice in the outdoor toys bringing fun and laughter to the children of popular Anne Stokes licence.” category is MV Sports, with its extensive the UK at this time.” collection of wheeled and outdoor toys With its strong portfolio of outdoor toys, Fresh-air fun across both own-brand and licensed including splash pools, scooters, electric Outdoor Toys categories. 2020 sees MV’s premium scooter ride-ons, garden games, and more, Wilton For most of the lockdown period, the UK has Bradley also witnessed the surge in demand range uMoVe expand to include new prints been blessed with good weather. Albeit with and products in more categories. Meanwhile, for these types of products. limited social contact, the Government has the Li-Fe entry-level lithium scooter, the Tom Ellyatt, marketing and ecommerce continued to encourage the public to spend Hedstrom collection of metal play equipment, director, Wilton Bradley, says: “Since the UK time outdoors amid the outbreak. Supporting and the Kickmaster brand will also see kids went into lockdown, we’ve continued to see both physical and emotional wellbeing, and take the fun strong orders for our outdoor toy Herbie (aged eight) and Poppy offering a way to pass the time, physical outside this ranges, including Xootz. The range (aged 11) prepare for the ultimate exercise offered an outlet for both young summer! is great value for parents looking for water fight with Zuru’s X-Shot range. and old. And this trend was observed in the ways to keep kids occupied, offering sale of outdoor toys, thanks to the category’s kids endless hours of fun. ability to facilitate fun in the fresh air.

“Children may have not been able to A report from play with their friends – at least not initially the NPD Group during lockdown – but products like Xootz revealed that allow for independent play outdoors, and while board have helped to keep kids entertained, as game sales had well as healthy and active.” dominated during But with many shops having to reduce the week pretheir stock on the shop floor to facilitate lockdown, the social distancing, what are suppliers doing to outdoor category support retailers who wish to stock their toys? had become a David Mordecai says: “A lot of thought goes frontrunner since into our HGL packaging; our folding scooters then, with 29.3 take up limited space allowing retailers to per cent of sales utilise shelf space, and we do drop shipping.” and a spend of Trends UK’s Lindsay Hardy, also has a £7.7m between good option for shops short on shelf space: 12–18 April.

“Our new NERF Bunkr items are inflatable Frédérique obstacles to enhance NERF games. That Tutt, means they come in small boxes, which

Tales from retail

Amberley (aged five) and dad Luke play a game of Connect 4 from Wilton Bradley’s Traditional Garden Games range.

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2,500+ The number of schools signed up to the Bananagrams Schools Club

Quick on the draw Character Options 0161 633 9800 sales@charactergroup.plc.uk www.character-online.com

Dobble twists again Asmodee

01420 593593 | sales@asmodee.co.uk www.asmodee.co.uk Another big year for Asmodee’s flagship Dobble range is set to continue this Christmas! Following the successful launch of the giant-sized Dobble XXL for summer fun, the holiday period is to see a major focus on Dobble 360, which adds a 360-degree twist to the smash-hit game of speedy observation. Featuring a mechanised display system that rotates two cards while players try to spot the matching image between them, it adds a memory challenge to Dobble’s already-addictive family fun!

The UK’s number one game of 2018 and 2019 has launched an exciting new licensed edition in the form of The Gruffalo Dobble earlier this year, with another – Dobble L.O.L. Surprise, partnering with the huge-selling toy brand – about to make its debut. The Dobble brand will continue to grow into 2021 with plans for more environmentally friendly packaging and new licensed editions.

Some of Asmodee’s Modern Classics have been making significant gains during lockdown, particularly iconic titles Catan, Ticket to Ride and Pandemic. A wide-reaching digital campaign will be put behind all these games in Q4 to support listings at retail.

New games have also made an impression, including recently-released party game Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza. This riotously funny card game sees players reciting silly words as they take turns playing cards and frantically rushing to perform actions when a matching or special card is revealed.

Asmodee has also enjoyed a great launch in 2020 for Bananagrams Duel, a two-player-only edition of the big-selling word game that has proved ideal for those stuck at home.

Meanwhile, the classic Bananagrams game continues to go from strength to strength, with more than 2,500 schools signed up to the Bananagrams Schools Club, which rewards educators for using the game in class.

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Character Options is shaking things up with a new name for its family games portfolio plus a triumph in trivia for Pokémon fans.

With PenSilly, drawing games have never been so silly! This raucous new drawing and guessing game is perfect for all the family. At the centre of each game is the crazy characterised shaking pen, PenSilly. To play, simply choose one of the 75 description cards and 75 subject cards, switch on your PenSilly and try your best to draw the image The number of facts the cards describe before the timer runs out. players can be challenged There are two levels of play and more than with in Pokémon Trainer 5,500 drawing combinations – and whether you’re drawing a wobbly giraffe or a frightened Trivia Game spider, the skill is in controlling this super-shaky pen long enough for your team to guess the answer before the time runs out!

Pokémon fans will also be scratching their heads as they test their knowledge of Pikachu and his pals with the Pokémon Trainer Trivia Game. Play alone to test your knowledge or with up to four players to compete and become the Pokémon master!

With more than 1,000 facts to be tested on, would-be-trainers must be quick and know their stuff if they are to succeed in this game.

1,000+

Feel the fear!

Tobar 01603 397 105 | sales@tobar.co.uk www.tobar.co.uk

This year sees Tobar storm into the interactive games sector with the launch of the revamped Atmosfear.

Atmosfear is not just a board game, but an amplified experience in home entertainment with an interactive app that works across a mobile, tablet and home entertainment system. It’s a game of skill, strategy and suspense wrapped up in a race against time. Once you press Play you have a limited time to collect six different keys and make your way to the centre of the board where the Well of Fears awaits!

Fill your pants with family fun Tomy 01392 281928 | www.tomy.com ukcustomerservices@tomy.com July saw Drumond Park introduce the second edition of its LOGO Board Game featuring some fun updated elements.

Also new is Fill Your Pants, a unique take on a scavenger hunt. With 50 different possible categories, each game offers a new and hysterical combination.

Another new addition is Sketchy. This drawing game requires one team to draw pictures onto the included screen, which will appear on the reverse side for the opposing team to guess.

Tomy Games’ Screwball Scramble Level 2 launches in AW20. Kids will love steering the ball through the tabletop board.

And new this month is Tomy Games’ The Harry Potter Wizarding Quiz board game.

tnp.media 10/08/2020 17:56

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Screen-free fun Ravensburger 01869 363 800 | sales@ravensburger.com www.ravensburger.com Families are increasingly turning to games to create time to connect away from screens and autumn’s games offering from Ravensburger won’t disappoint. Already named a Toy Fair Hero Toy, Big Money is the game of risky rolls and big investments, which sees players take their chances with three throws of the dice to grow their fortunes and then invest in exciting businesses in a bid to become a zillionaire.

Classic game Labyrinth is reset with 3D Labyrinth joining the range and taking the gameplay to new dimensions. For younger children, the action game Slimy Joe combines edgeof-the-seat fun with gooey slime.

Ravensburger continues to grow its immersive games portfolio with high-profile partnerships. Recent launch, Back to the Future: Dice Through Time, offers a dive into the world of the popular movie franchise in the form of a cooperative dice game. With half a million Villainous games sold to date, new launch Marvel Villainous: Infinite Power, is much anticipated. It features villains Thanos, Hela, Taskmaster, Killmonger and Ultron. Reaching out to a slightly younger audience, quick-to-play, cooperative

Fact!

Ravensburger will support new and evergreen products with major marketing investment game Hocus Pocus challenges players to including TV, PR and beat the Sanderson Sisters before the sun digital activations. comes up.

With the festive season fast-approaching, Ravensburger is set to launch the 24th in a series of limited edition 1,000-piece Christmas puzzles, as well as the We Wish Moo a Merry Christmas 500-piece animal selfie puzzle.

Ravensburger continues to dominate the licensed puzzle category, and the company has recently welcomed Hey Duggee, Elmer, Ricky Zoom and 44 Cats and more exciting licenses to its portfolio. The company also builds on the solid performance of its Gruffalo range, with new introductions showcasing further characters from Julia Donaldson’s popular titles.

In 3D puzzles, the latest data reflects strong double-digit growth for Ravensburger. Among the new introductions for autumn are a lightup Gingerbread House and a 3D puzzle incarnation of the Lamborghini Huracán.

Goliath goes big on games

Help for Rainbow Heroes Gibsons Games

Vivid Toy Group

020 8661 8866 sales@gibsonsgames.co.uk www.gibsonsgames.co.uk

01483 449944 | www.vividtoysandgames.co.uk Goliath Games has lots of exciting launches in AW20.

For younger kids, the new game Banana Blast sees Banana Joe sit atop his monkey hill guarding his bananas all day. Can you steal them from him? Watch out - one of the bananas will make him jump!

Kids will love the stinking hippo game Burping Bobby. Feed Bobby with food tokens, turning the handle to watch him eat. But if you’re the one who overfeeds him, be prepared for his terrible green belch!

An exciting introduction to the adult and family games portfolio is BBC Earth: Animals, the interactive trivia challenge based on the BBC Earth series.

Don’t forget top-selling kids games such as Shark Bite and Don’t Wake Dad! Plus classic family games such as Sequence, Catchphrase and On Your Marks,

It’s a dog’s life Hasbro 020 8569 1234 | www.hasbro.com Hasbro brings new life to two classic games.

In Operation: Pet Scan Edition, Cavity Sam’s dog, Rex-Ray, has eaten a bunch of things he shouldn’t have! Players need to help him feel better by removing them. Drop an ailment into the dog’s mouth and use the magnetic dogo-scope to guide it along his belly. But if the buzzer sounds, the ailment drops. If it falls out of his belly, your turn is over.

In Cluedo Liars Edition you have to lie to get to the truth! Use investigation cards to figure out who killed Mr Boddy. Players pick a card and read it out loud, trying to convince others that they’re telling the truth…even if they’re not. If a player suspects they’re lying they can call that player out by hitting the liar button.

An evidence card is revealed and players move one step closer to cracking the case.

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Gibsons has its biggest-ever summer launch this year. This August and September sees the release of a wide range of Christmas gifts, contemporary and traditional puzzles and some family games.

We will all remember 2020 as a challenging year. Those who kept us safe, fed, cared for and delivered the things we need became our heroes.

Rainbow Heroes is a 500-piece circular puzzle that celebrates those who helped during this time.

Gibsons will donate £2 from every Rainbow Heroes puzzle sold to the Samaritans – chosen because of the emotional support they provide to anyone who is in distress, struggling to cope, or at risk of suicide. The Covid-19 crisis is the biggest challenge they have ever faced, so the donation will help them continue to provide aid.

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Calling all sports fans!

University Games 020 7254 0100 | sales@ugames.uk.com www.university-games.co.uk

Couch potatoes Spin Master

01628 535000 | UK_ sales@spinmaster.com www.spinmaster.com

Did you know?

New Harry Potter 3D Puzzles include Hogwarts Castle, buildings from Diagon Alley and the Hogwarts Express.

University Games and Lagoon now offer a combined portfolio of more than 750 products, ensuring that there is something to suit every member of the family.

TV sports quiz A Question of Sport commemorates its 50th anniversary this year and to celebrate, Lagoon has launched a fun-packed Question of Sport range. There are three fun games - Mystery Guest, Home or Away and Sprint Finish as well as three packs of Sports Trivia, each containing 100 unusual, fascinating facts. The ultimate game for sports fans is the brilliantly entertaining Question of Sport board game.

Continuing on a sporting theme, the new Subbuteo Main Game and Official England Subbuteo Main Game are now available. The iconic table football game has been entertaining football fans for generations and the new product launch will be supported in Q4 by a substantial media campaign including TV and social media advertising.

Puzzles have been a hugely popular and saviour for many across the past few months and the 3D puzzle range from University Games has been no exception. The hugely successful 3D Football Stadiums and Game of Thrones series have now been joined by a National Geographic 3D puzzle series including Big Ben, Tower Bridge and Buckingham Palace. Also, now available is the highly-anticipated Harry Potter 3D Puzzle series featuring Hogwarts Castle, buildings from Diagon Alley and the Hogwarts Express.

Lagoon also has a fantastic range of Games in a Tin available, all at a great price point, making them a perfect gift for birthdays, Christmas or even as secret Santa present. New for 2020 are Guess That Tune, Name 3 Game, Christmas Spoons and What did you Say? Now available to keep the youngest members of the family entertained is the new In the Night Garden series featuring the double-sided The Great Garden Adventure board game, perfect for any little Igglepiggle and Upsy Daisy fans. Also available is a 16-piece Giant Floor Puzzle and a 4 in 1 Puzzle Set, all of which have been created specifically for preschoolers from two years of age.

For slightly older children, there is a whole series of brilliant games available from The World of David Walliams and the hugely successful Horrible Histories portfolio of games and puzzles.

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Ever wondered what happens to those little items that go missing? Now’s your chance to find out and maybe get some things back when Grouch Couch spits out Lost Goodies. Take turns feeding Grouch Couch all kinds of tasty treats. Then press the remote control and see what happens. He might grumble, chomp, burp and (hopefully) eat your treats! When he does, he’ll spit out the Lost Goodies. You’ll want to collect these because the player with the most Lost Goodies when Grouch Couch plays his victory song, wins!

If you’d rather pivot your couch, get ready for some awesome Friends trivia in the Friends Trivia Game: The One with the Apartment Bet. This is the real game based on the one played in The One with the Embryos.

Show off your Friends fandom with your mastery of show trivia in four categories — Fears and Peeves, Ancient History, Literature and It’s All Relative. And the lightning round, with even more show trivia, can put it all on the line, but with this game, you can keep your apartment!

Family fun Mattel

01628 500000 | www.mattel.com UNO is adding new and exciting ways to play switch up classic gameplay by writing your own rules on the customisable, erasable wild cards.

Also new for AW20 is UNO Showdown, the game as you know it but with a twist. Wait for the lights and sounds to signal, it’s time to pull off your speediest reaction. The aim is to be the first to push the pedal; the quickest player wins the draw and sends cards flying at their opponent!

There are also some great UNO licences including, Minions, Super Mario, Trolls, Frozen II, WWE and Rick n Morty.

Loved for more than 70 years, Scrabble continues to evolve. New for 2020 is Scrabble Duplicate, where up to six people can play on the same board. The game incorporates a Scrabble Marker Board for each player to compete against the others using the same seven letter tiles.

It’s on the cards Thames and Kosmos 01580 713 000 | sales@thames@kosmos.co.uk www.thamesandkosmos.com Thames & Kosmos is set to release a selection of new games. Recently reprinted is winner of the Kennerspiel des Jahres Award 2020 – The Crew: Quest for Planet Nine card game.

A big summer release is My City – the legacy game from award-winning designer Reiner Knizia.

Also new is Aqualin, an ocean creature-themed game – perfect for playing on the beach or in the garden.

Available from October, The Lost Words card game, based on the book of the same name, showcases the British countryside. The Colour Monster, meanwhile, is part of the Devir board game range, and allows children and adults to talk about their feelings in a safe and fun environment.

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Hands-on learning Great Gizmos

01293 543221 | orders@greatgizmos.co.uk www.ggtrade.co.uk Great Gizmos has a huge range of educational science and craft kits that children love to play with, and parents love to buy.

The KidzLabs range is scientific hands-on learning with play. Basic science, thoughtful design and technology are combined to create toys with excellent playability that also contribute to children’s development.

Understanding the science behind metal detectors, spy tools, magic, and more, inspires curiosity and confidence in children as they develop socially and intellectually. The new KidzRobotix range goes beyond simple mechanics to explore the variety and creativity of mechanical engineering.

Kids can choose to follow instructions or create their own boundless adaptions as the robots can function in all sorts of configurations.

The Green Science range recognises the importance of renewable innovation. Clean energy and water solutions are increasingly major priorities worldwide. Green technology is the industry of the future and Green Science teaches the principles of renewable solar, hydro, magnetic, gravity, and wind power, and teaches kids to build cool and clean machines that really work!

The KidzMaker range is a fantastic new craft range that inspires children to be creative while completing The Green Science each kit. Each product combines colours, materials, range explores solar, textures and more for unique creations. hydro, wind, magnetic and gravity power.

Go green!

Pre-school puzzles

Glow as you grow

Ravensburger 01869 363 800 | sales@ravensburger.com www.ravensburger.com

Pre-school learning fun is on its way with new games and puzzles from Ravensburger. The company is expanding its My First Puzzle range with a series of four jigsaws. Among the new introductions is the My First Puzzle What’s the weather?, 4 in a Box. The puzzles feature engaging images depicting different weather and creating fun talking points that help children learn more about their world.

The second 4 in a Box puzzle, Where do we Live?, showcases a variety of animals and their habitats. Also in the collection are two My First Look & Find floor puzzles, which challenge children to put together the puzzle and then search for objects within the image. The puzzles help to refine motor skills and spatial awareness and encourage observational and language skills.

Also new is a series of three pre-school games. The 1,2,3 Dough game, a b c Sand with Me, and Ready, Steady, Thread.

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Bandai

0208 324 6160 | www.bandai.co.uk sales@bandai.co.uk

Travel the world LeapFrog 01235 555545 | trade_sales@vtech.com www.leapfrog.co.uk LeapFrog's Magic Adventures Globe, lets young explorers travel and explore the world.

Using the stylus, children can go beyond countries and capitals with this enhanced globe that also explores cultures, animals, habitats and more through more than five hours’ worth of custom, high-quality BBC videos. By tapping the stylus anywhere on the globe children will hear thousands of facts, interact with unique games and quizzes and trigger videos that let kids visually experience the world.

Or get ready for school and tap into big fun with the LeapStart interactive early learning system. Recommended by 97 per cent of teachers, LeapStart is packed with school and life skills for curious two-to- seven-year-olds.

LeapStart works with a library of replayable activity books (sold separately) that cover four learning levels: Nursery through to Year 1, complementing the UK National Curriculum. The magic behind LeapStart is a camera in the stylus that reads tiny dots on the book pages.

For 2020, Bandai UK has introduced a new Crystal Garden kit to the award-winning National Geographic collection, with Super Kits added to the range for Q3. The Light-up Crystal Growing Lab allows children to grow crystals that glow when displayed. The kit includes three gemstone specimens, a learning guide, seed rocks, growing powder, and a light-up display base.

Core to the range are the Dig Kits, which feature a piece of the natural world and a learning guide.

Encouraging engagement with nature and nurture-play, the Original Sea Monkeys line remains popular.

A reinvigorated range includes an Ocean Zoo, Volcano Zoo, and Adventure Zoo for housing the brine shrimp.

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Geometric artistry Flair 020 8643 0320 | sales@flairplc.co.uk | www.flairplc.co.uk

Learn as you play Edx Education

Back to school means science, maths and arts, and with Flair’s Spirograph collection all three are combined into each of the creative kits.

As a proven Heritage brand, Spirograph shows strong popularity year after year with its range of kits that are perfect for the most technical of drawing projects.

For traditionalists, the classic brand Spirograph takes designs to a whole new imaginative level. The interchangeable Spiro-Tracks let you create your own unique patterned shapes, and sets come in all sizes from the smaller Travel Set for artwork on-the-go, to the larger Design and Deluxe Sets that come with their own assortment of accessories to create fun designs.

A touch of colour and sparkle will be added with a new set for a summer 2020 launch - the Scratch and Shimmer Spirograph Set. Both rainbow and sparkly waxed scratch sheets have been added together with new glitter precision wheels to etch out the most colourful Spirograph creations to date. Simply set up the wheels, insert the drawing tool and let the creativity flow.

020 7097 5173 | anna@edxeducation.com www.edxeducation.com Edx Education was set up some 25 years ago to provide a standout offering of educational products.

Parents and caregivers have become more aware of their child’s development, and it is important to provide children with a wide range of activities and to show them different ways of playing. Most toys can be used for multiple age groups and levels of learning experiences.

Families will be looking to invest in toys with an educational purpose that fosters a child’s imagination, encourages problem solving and promotes design thinking. Edx Education has developed home learning kits so that parents can have quality playtime with their children.

Edx Education has a broad range of STEAM toys for early childhood, which help children start to develop a depth of knowledge created through learning from experience. Our toys allow children to play independently or as part of a group.

Edx Education has launched an eco-friendly line - Junior Rainbow Pebbles and Tactile Shells – which comes in storage cases.

Key to Edx Education’s product ranges is the fact that they provide knowledge and know-how.

Activity cards combine with fun and laughter at home to facilitate many forms of play. Choose from Manipulative, Quiet, Creative, Dramatic, Cooperative or Social and Active Play.

This is what Edx Education has to offer in the sector of educational toys today and it is always building on the experiences the products can provide by consulting with global leaders in education and school curriculums in particular.

Did you know?

The new eco-friendly line, Junior Rainbow Pebbles and Tactile Shells, comes in storage cases.

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I see you Rollin…

Magformers

Fisher-Price

01270 446250 | sales@magformers.co.uk www.magformers.co.uk

01628 500000 | www.mattel.com

Endorsed by the Good Play Guide and the STEM. org credentialling organisation, Magformers are the world’s leading magnetic educational toy. Designed with a Rotating Magnets System (small, strong, spinning magnets are safely sealed in the edge of every piece), Magformers are used in schools and kindergartens around the globe to assist in the teaching of Early Years maths, especially geometry.

For summer 2020, Magformers has launched its new Town Series sets, five shopping and High Street theme sets complete with new characters and accessories. Plus, it has unveiled its first-ever range of bagged collectables – called MagBuddies.

Every single set has an educational aspect and helps children to understand the connection between ‘flat’ 2D nets and their corresponding three-dimensional shapes, learn about the properties of shapes (edges, vertices etc), and get to grips with other key maths principles.

Magformers also improve fine motor skills through fun play, by combining the magnetic construction pieces.

New to the Fisher-Price Infant range is Rollin Rovee the friendly, interactive character that grows with the child and offers hours of entertainment. Rollin Rovee has a light-up face, soft arms, interactive ball and includes four modes of play, engaging baby from six months up to five years, with activities that grow with each age and stage. Rollin Rovee knows more than 190 songs, tunes and phrases, perfect to keep little ones entertained for longer.

Following its launch last year, Linkimals brings together sounds, songs and phrases that teach numbers, colours and enhance motor skills. AW20 sees two new animal friends join the range - Play Together Panda and Counting Koala - creating an immersive learning experience, including an exciting light show to entertain baby.

New to the Infant Laugh & Learn range comes the Grow-the-Fun Garden to Kitchen. This interactive playset features a home garden on one side and a play kitchen on the other.

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Get with the programming Learning Resources 01553 762276 | sales@learning-resources.co.uk www.learningresources.co.uk Kids can get going with coding with new Botley 2.0 the Coding Robot from one of the leading companies in educational toys, Learning Resources. Botley 2.0 is the latest coding robot from the company’s awardwinning range of coding toys and games. Learning Resources coding toys offer parents and teachers play-based solutions that teach children to think like programmers through fun, hands-on activities.

New Botley 2.0 builds on the successful Botley range and offers new coding learning opportunities to children as young as five. It’s easy to use – children press the six directional arrows on the remote programmer to set up a sequence of up to 150 steps, then press the transmit button, and watch Botley go!

Botley has lots of fun, engaging features. Children can turn off the lights and see Botley’s eyes light up, customise the colour, and programme their robot to put a light show.

Bringing nature to life Schleich 01279 870000 | Schleich@Schleich-s.co.uk www.schleich-s.co.uk Learning about the animals of the world is at the very heart of Schleich’s Farm World and Wild Life play worlds.

In Farm World it’s all about looking after the animals with the new veterinarian sets. The Veterinarian Practice with Pets Set is equipped with everything the vet needs to take good care of all the animals. Or the Veterinarian Visit at the Farm set allows the vet to come to you and includes a vet, his dog and his cute kitten.

At the heart of the action in the Wild Life theme will be the Large Animal Rescue Truck complete with a rotating crane, flexible cable winch, ranger and animals, while the Animal Rescue Helicopter has movable rotor blades, cable winch and a pilot ranger to lead the way.

New animal figures from all over the world will be introduced with everything from an elegant snow leopard from Asia to an Australian wombat and a Norwegian reindeer. There are even two marine mammals joining the range – the hammerhead shark and a baby orca.

Lovable learning buddies Trends UK 01295 768078 | salesadmin@trendsuk.co.uk | www.trendsuk.co.uk Trends UK is expanding its highly popular ELA range with market-leading pre-school licences.

Launched this spring, the Hey Duggee Flip & Learn Phone and Smart Tablet invites young learners to develop skills with Duggee & The Squirrels.

For autumn, Paw Patrol ELAs will launch with a cool Paw Patrol Smart Phone, Ryder’s Alphabet Pad, and Count with Marshall, featuring the fearless pups on daring rescue missions!

A new Peppa’s Phonic Alphabet introduces interactive learning about letters, spelling early words phonetically plus numbers and colours. And a Mr Tumble Flip Up Phone is also joining the Something Special line-up.

Starting STEM early Thames and Kosmos

Did you know?

Thames and Kosmos customer services and technical support are always on hand to help if end users require assistance.

01580 713 000 | sales@thamesandkosmos.co.uk www.thamesandkosmos.com Thames and Kosmos has seen a steady increase in demand for good-quality STEM toys for the preschool aisle to spark a child’s curiosity in these subjects. One of the most popular is Kids First Range, which introduces different STEM subjects to children from the age of three. A new addition to the range is the Robot Factory, where children aged five-plus build a series of wacky, motorised robots.

Older children who already have developed a keen interest in STEM subjects will benefit from the recently launched Tightrope-Walking Gyrobot. Part of the bestselling Signature Series, young engineers can build the robot and perform experiments with the motorised gyroscope unit. Suitable for ages eight and up.

As well as being made to a high standard, each kit provides an easy-tofollow manual, and our customer services and technical support are always on hand to help if end users require assistance.

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The Supercar has a variable speed motor and LED light piping. Perfect for cruising!

Air time Tomy 01392 281928 | ukcustomerservices@tomy.com www.tomy.com Launching this month, the Lamaze 3 in 1 Airtivity Center is designed to keep baby exploring and to aid development from around six months all the way up to three years.

The Center offers more than eight ways to play, each designed to encourage different areas of a child’s development as they grow. Promoting visual development, tactile processing, problem solving, as well as motor skills, the Center provides sensory play activities for STEM learning, from sitting to standing play, in an innovative way.

Starting out as a floor toy as your baby begins to sit up, watch as the sea creatures magically ‘swim’ around the ocean-themed table, all powered by air. Then simply insert legs to turn the Airtivity Center into the perfect-height activity table.

Game play starts as the child learns how to flip the fishtail to move the sea creatures around the table and be rewarded with lights, music and surprise ocean sounds.

Become an explorer Tobar

Speed into STEM Spin Master 01628 535000 | UK_sales@spinmaster.com www.spinmaster.com

01603 397 105 | sales@tobar.co.uk www.tobar.co.uk Tobar has a wide variety of products to interest any budding Einstein or Attenborough. The Junior Explorer range has everything the budding scientist needs to discover more about the natural world.

From butterfly nets to binoculars – the range includes bug collecting tubes, a bug catcher, magnifying glasses and a fabulous Bug Observation Dome for closer scrutiny.

For pre-schoolers choose the Wooden Learning clock, wooden toys to teach fractions, times tables and, of course, an abacus.

For the green-fingered brigade grow a Venus Fly Trap or take a look at Herb Heads, which allow you to grow Basil, Parsley or Chives in a character plant pot. When it comes to growing, Magic Growing Crystals are a must, for those who just can’t wait, add a special liquid and watch as the crystals form into magical shapes. Choose from a Growing Garden, a Mermaid, Penguin, Peacock or, of course, a Unicorn.

One Supercar, 25 possibilities. Meccano’s model car kit gives curious young minds total freedom to build a Supercar in 25 different ways! With features such as a variable speed motor and LED light piping, it’s as fun to make as it is to take out for a spin.

This STEM set encourages young minds to explore concepts from science, technology, engineering, the arts and maths, while also helping kids develop their fine motor skills. With real tools, builders put together metal pieces to create the Supercar’s body, then add plastic panelling to create its signature streamlined look.

Once complete, youngsters are able to see what this motorised model car can do, display it, or take it apart and start all over!

If you’re not a car fan, get hands-on with Kinetic Sand, the squeezable sand where you can feel the fun!

It’s kinetic – meaning it sticks to itself and not to you. It oozes, moves and melts right before your eyes and is the perfect accessory to help stimulate children’s creative skills allowing them to shape anything they can imagine over and over again.

Get inventing Toynamics Uk & Ireland 0116 478 5230 | sales@toynamics.co.uk | www.toynamics.co.uk One range that engages children’s brains while they have a lot of fun is the Junior Inventor range. It features a number of different scientific experiment kits ranging from three-experiment kits to 15-experiment workbenches. Junior Inventor sets promotes STEM learning and engage children with many different scientific principles. They also introduce children to the process of experimentation and concepts including energy transfer, momentum, and gravity.

The Junior Inventor sets come with child-friendly pieces including tools and pieces that can easily be held by small hands. New to the range this year was the Optical Science Lab and the Magnet Science Lab. All Hape Junior Inventor products are distributed by Toynamics in the UK & Ireland.

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Baby Brands Direct 0208 845 5000 | sales@babybrandsdirect.co.uk www.babybrandsdirect.co.uk A concise range of brick toys

by Mega Bloks is available at Baby Brands Direct for trade to access with no MOQ. There is a selection of evergreen ‘building bag’ options that offer different quantities and colours of bricks in a retail display bag that doubles up as a bag for storage.

Designed for small hands and safe to use from 12 months, the blocks offer an early entry into this play category, increasing the value of the toy with a longer life span that

takes children through various stages of development, starting with early years skills such as colour classification and counting. Within the selection there is an ABC Learning Train, with lettered blocks to help with alphabet learning. Wheels are included in the set, adding another dimension to the creative development.

Baby Brands Direct offers trade prices plus loyalty credit, volume and spend discounts, and same-day dispatch.

Stuck on you Magformers

01270 446250 | sales@magformers.co.uk www.magformers.co.uk Pitched at the younger child, Stick-O is characterised by oversized funky, chunky magnetic sticks, balls and other solid shapes in basic sets and special themed sets. The easy-to-hold pieces encourage the development of motor skills through fun construction play.

Designed and manufactured to the same tough quality and safety standards as Magformers, the magnets in every piece rotate so opposite poles always connect, making model-building simple for little hands.

There are nine different SKUs. The Stick-O Basic sets contain 10, 20 or 30 pieces in up to nine different magnetic Stick-O shapes, so kids can make multiple guided models or get creative with their own designs.

Bloks on the rise Mattel

01628 500000 www.mattel.com Mega Bloks grew by 25 per cent in 2019, and as the number two manufacturer in building sets, it is set to continue this growth in 2020.

Mega Bloks kickstarted the year with the launch of a new environmentally sustainable, biobased plastic line. The Mega Bloks range will now feature three pre-school building sets – Polar Friends, Safari Friends and Woodland Friends, all made of bio-based resins.

Perfect for little hands, the pre-school range includes the popular Building Bag 60 Piece Assortment and ABC Learning Train and Build n’ Learn Table. New to the Mega Bloks Peek-A-Blocks segment is Peek-A-Blocks Chase & Slide Amusement Park Playset, Peek-A-Blocks Forest Playset and Peek-A-Blocks Artic Playset, ideal for first builders.

New to Mega Bloks Construx is the popular Pokémon range, including the Pokémon Power Pack Assortment, Medium Pokémon Assortment, Tyranitar, Jumbo Pikachu and Jumbo Eevee.

In 2019 Mega launched Construx Game of Thrones with two sets to collect. 2020 will see an extension to the range introducing Viserion vs Jon Snow, Targaryen Ship and Battle of Winterfell set.

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Spin Master 01628 535000 UK_sales@spinmaster.com www.spinmaster.com 2020 sees Meccano continue to support a host of educational initiatives building on its important role within the STEM/STEAM category. Younger kids aged five and upwards will now have the tools to experiment, and be able to satisfy their thinking, enquiring minds.

Give a child everything they need to build unlimited creations with the Meccano Junior 150-Piece Free Play Bucket! Ideal for first-time builders, this STEAM building kit comes with an easy-to-follow instruction sheet for three different builds to inspire creativity.

One vehicle – three builds! With over 130 parts, give young builders a fun and exciting model kit to build with the Meccano Junior Pull-Back Buggy. This STEAM building kit is perfect for the first-time builder. Using the redesigned parts and tools, it’s easier than ever before for kids to assemble and re-assemble their own deluxe vehicle models with a pullback motor.

At an entry level point into this refreshed range, kids can choose from or collect four new vehicles, the Junior Motorbike, Junior Race Car, Junior Bulldozer and Junior Helicopter. These four Meccano Junior STEAM building kits each feature more than 45 redesigned parts and tools, and are ideal for the first-time builder.

Give us a stickle!

Flair

020 8643 0320 | sales@flairplc.co.uk. www.flairplc.co.uk Super construction fun is easy for the smallest of hands with Flair’s heritage Stickle Bricks brand.

Stickle Bricks is the trusted construction first brand for infants that has been a favourite for generations and is packed full of the much-loved colourful bricks that are as familiar to parents and grandparents as they are to today’s tots!

For kids as young as 18 months, the Stickle Bricks Little Builder set will make the perfect entry point into the range, and tots can jump right in and begin building with the assortment of brightly-coloured bricks.

For bigger builds and even more imaginative possibilities, there’s the gold award-winning Fun Tub, which is perfect for young builders with grand designs in mind! What’s more, when play time is over the tub also doubles as a handy storage container. Finally, for themed Stickle Bricks play the Farm Set has fun pieces perfect for a chunky colourful tractor project; complete with tractor wheels and farmer to drive it along.

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Arts & Crafts

Flair

020 8643 0320 | sales@flairplc.co.uk www.flairplc.co.uk Flair has lots of creative brands for retailers to get invested in, including new concepts and heritage favourites.

For fashion fans, new Jelli Rez presents the perfect way to create high-end, resin-like fashion pieces, with a jelly texture, created in only 15 minutes! Mix, mould and pop to create totally customisable necklace pendants, keychains, rings and more. There are four themed Style Me Packs to collect, which each yield up to eight designs or, for the ultimate Jelli Rez experience, the Jelli Rez Super Glitter Set makes up to 20 designs with glitter finishes!

Timeless and packing endless creativity into every pack is Plasticine, the modelling material that never dries out and is great for both young hands to make fun shapes with or for expert makers to create intricate models with fine details. At pocket money prices, there’s a colourful array to choose from including the pick-me-up BaSix packs to the award-winning Movie Maker Studio for larger projects.

Go candy crazy Hasbro

020 8569 1234 www.hasbro.com It’s crazy candy galore with the Play-Doh Candy Delight Playset! This Play-Doh Candy Delight factory is a treat for the imagination as kids create their own silly gummy bears, pretend candy bars, and play candy cups. Fill the top with Play-Doh compound, then turn the crank on the candy machine to see the crazy colourful Play-Doh candies pour out. Scoop the creations into the pretend candy buckets to show them off to friends. Five cans of non-toxic Play-Doh compound work like modelling clay to crank up the creativity. It’s a great arts and crafts activity or gift for kids aged three and up!

You’ve been framed!

Craft Buddy 0203 417 6565 | trade@craftbuddyltd.co.uk | www.craftbuddyltd.co.uk

The Frameables collection from Craft Buddy is the perfect activity for children aged six and over, with its ability to improve concentration and develop manual dexterity and co-ordination. The Frameables collection is part of Craft Buddy’s wider Crystal Art range, which makes use of the on-trend ‘diamond painting’ technique. Children complete their Frameables by using the magic pen (included) to carefully pick up crystals and place them onto their assigned place on the sticky canvas fabric where they stick instantly! The designs come pre-mounted in colourful picture frames.

Also new is the Crystal Art Notebook collection, with three new Christmas themed Notebooks.

Be a mini fashionista Bandai

0208 324 6160 | sales@bandai.co.uk www.bandai.co.uk

Guess what…

Bandai is developing

Bandai UK continues to evolve its arts YouTube and Instagram and crafts portfolio with the unveiling channels to offer more of award-winning fashion toy Harumika. content and fashion Popular with noughties children, inspiration to Harumika fans Harumika gets a fresh new look for 2020. The fashion design arts & crafts kits include mannequin torsos, fabric, and accessories to inspire creativity and appeal to budding fashionistas. Safe and easy to use, no sewing, scissors or glue is required. All materials and accessories are reusable, making possibilities endless and sustainability key.

Benefitting from Harumika’s historical success, the brand re-launches with an even stronger offering and a comprehensive marketing campaign to raise awareness among target girls aged six-plus and create a community of creative talent. Dedicated You Tube and Instagram channels are currently in production to provide an even wider breadth of content and fashion inspiration.

With updated designs and fabrics, each of the kits include styles inspired by French fashion agency NelliRodi, with whom Bandai has collaborated. The Single Torso Set Assortment offers an entry point line with a choice of four styles, each with fabric and accessories to customise individual creations. A Double Torso Set Assortment also includes four different options, all taking inspiration from current and classic trends and themes. The ultimate set in the collection is the Bridal Gown Set, which inspires children to design their own signature creations from a selection of satin and lace fabrics.

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Did you know?

Aquabeads is the number one Craft Kits brand acording to NPD data

Beads in the lead Epoch making toys 08435 574062 | sales@epochmakingtoys.com www.sylvanianfamilies.net

Epoch making toys has seen huge sales growth with its arts and crafts brand Aquabeads during the recent lockdown. The company expects this to continue over the summer as many families opt for a staycation and include crafting as one of their daily activities.

Aquabeads is the number one NPD Craft Kits brand - thanks to the wateradhesive feature of the beads. All sets come ready-to-play, without the need for heat, sharp tools, messy paints or extra accessories, so children can start making their creations straight away. It also gives them complete control over the creative process, helping to boost confidence.

The best-selling products in the range during lockdown were the Aquabeads

Beginners Studio and Box of Fun: Safari. Both SKUs are complete sets, coming with everything you need to start and finish your creations and providing a perfect starting point for anyone new to the brand.

All Aquabeads sets include multiple templates of things to make, with extra templates available to download from the website. Bead replacement sets ensure customers can keep on creating different items, while getting the best value from their original purchase.

Epoch aims to maintain the sales momentum for Aquabeads with some exciting plans for Q3 and Q4. These include TV advertising, influencer campaigns and bespoke brand projects.

Go Glam rocks!

Spin Master 01628 535000 | UK_sales@spinmaster.com www.spinmaster.com

Cosmic crafts Toynamics Uk & Ireland 0116 478 5230 | sales@toynamics.co.uk www.toynamics.co.uk Nebulous Stars offers all kinds of different, exciting arts and craft activities for children to have fun with.

Designed for kids aged seven and up, the range not only engages children in using their hands and creating something of their own, but also will help to promote self-esteem, positive values and well-being.

The Nebulous Stars range includes Origami Lanterns, Galaxy Wish Jars and Cosmic Zen Garden. These all come in colourful boxes, offer large amounts of play value and each craft box comes with a leaflet that includes stories and activities to help achieve personal development.

Nebulous Stars is forever releasing new craft boxes; some of the new lines this year include the Precious Time Hourglass, Winged Mobile and Fantasy Critters.

Nebulous Stars arts and craft activity boxes are distributed by Toynamics, the exclusive distributor for Nebulous Stars in the UK & Ireland.

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Easily stamp and style custom manicures and pedicures with the Cool Maker Go Glam Nail Salon.

This nail studio includes everything you need to decorate up to 125 nails. It also comes with a built-in dryer.

With five trendy nail patterns to choose from including butterflies, stars, leopard print and more, girls can mix and match to express their own unique style.

Salon-quality mani-pedis are as easy as pop, paint and press. First, choose a pattern and pop it into the machine.

Next, paint each finger or toenail with one of the non-toxic Go Glam nail polish base coats (two colours included), place your nails under the dryer and wait five minutes for nails to dry. Then insert each nail one at a time into the machine and press the button to stamp. Paint on a layer of shiny top coat to finish.

Once their nails are done, bring the salon home and create endless looks with the Cool Maker Hollywood Hair Extension Maker. This DIY studio comes with everything you need to customise and style 12 hair extensions you can really wear.

Choose a coloured or patterned hair ribbon, design it any way you want with the included markers and load the ribbon into the machine. Press the button and the motorised Hollywood Hair Extension Maker magically transforms your hair ribbon into a super-cute wearable hair extension. Next, style your extension with a heatless curling wand and two attachments, to create camera-ready styles.

Away from beauty play, the Sandwhirlz Playset has everything you need for amazing sand transformations. Inspired by the drop and squish play pattern on social media, the Sandwhirlz Playset makes it easy to customise sand effects with the shape shifters and tools.

Open up the case to discover your Kinetic Sand inside and a play area on the lid. Use the scoop to drop sand into the burst or cloud-shaped extruder tube. Lightly squish the Kinetic Sand down with the plunger and continue to layer and fill it with sand. Once itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s full, choose a shape shifter; each one has a different design for a unique effect. Snap it on the extruder tube and get ready for Sandwhirlz magic.

Place the plunger on the lid and push the extruder tube down. Keep pushing until sand flows out the top.

tnp.media 10/08/2020 07:50

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MULTIMEDIA LAUNCH CAMPAIGN PLAY-DOH KITCHEN CREATIONS CANDY DELIGHTS PLAYSET. MAKE LOTS OF COLOURFUL TREATS!

FOR SALES ENQUIRIES CALL 0208 569 1234 © 2020 Hasbro. All Rights Reserved.

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Arts & Crafts

It’s a colourful world Vivid Toy Group 01483 449944 www.vividtoysandgames.co.uk

Inflated creations Character Options

Guess what Ravel Tales combine collectables with craft – find an easy sewing project and cute pet inside.

0161 633 9800 | sales@charactergroup.plc.uk www.character-online.com New from Character is the perfect solution to inflate your creativity, Stuff-A-Loons!

Stuff-A-Loons is the clever way of creating your own stuffed balloons. Simply choose the fillings, inflate your balloon using the Stuff-A-Loon Station Maker, stuff and a create a stunning gift or decoration - suitable for any occasion.

Each set includes large reusable balloons, mini balloons, reusable clips, plus lots of fun party fillings and display accessories. Just inflate, fill, seal & display.

Choose your own gifts to put in and there’s even display stands, to show off your creations. Use again and again. There’s a fun Party Refill pack available too, for more designs.

Collectability and creativity bind together and kids are now unravelling their own pets thanks to new Ravel Tales. What’s hiding in this ball of chunky wool? Who knows… carefully unwrap it to reveal the surprise cutie within!

Combined with cute accessories and an easy sewing project, each Ravel Tales is not just a fun collectable but offers hours of creative play too.

Stuff-A-Loons and Ravel Tales are available now and are supported with TV advertising, influencer activity and more.

House painting for fun Tobar 01603 397 105 | sales@tobar.co.uk | www.tobar.co.uk Tobar has the perfect craft project - Colour Your Own Cardboard Playhouse.

Just slot together the house (no fixings or glue needed) and then let them loose with crayons and pencils on the pre-printed design.

Great fun whatever the weather - indoors or out!

Scentos Scented Art on the Move set is a 26-piece travel stationery set from Scentos that is designed to be fitted on the back of a car seat. The case opens out like an activity table revealing a drawing area as well as a fullystocked selection of scented stationery. The set folds down and can be worn as a backpack for easy transportation.

Including eight markers, eight jumbo crayons, one rainbow pen and eight sheets of paper - all deliciously and lightly scented.

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Colour and style with new Crayola Colour and Style Friends. These cute dolls can be customised over and over again! Each doll comes with its own clothing accessory to clip on and style up. Use the mess-free markers to add fun patterns and designs and give her a cool new outfit. You can even add colour to her hair and finish off with a custom make-up look for a marvellous makeover. When you’re finished, wipe the body and clip on clothes, rinse the hair with water and then you’re ready to design her all over again. The range will be supported with TV and digital media from spring 2021.

Colour, wash and colour again! Crayola Washimals empower children’s nurturing side, as these little pets can be customised and cared for again and again. Colour the pets with the washable markers and when it’s time for a new look, give them a wash and colour again!

And with the Washimals Mobile Spa, kids can take their pets on an adventure! It includes a working vehicle with a kid-powered spray pump.

Plus, Crayola Washimals pets just got peculiar! The new pets in the Peculiar Pets Playset include a Dragon, Unicorn, Narwhal, and Yeti.

Finally, Glitter Dots offer all the glittery fun with less mess, as the glittery sparkle stays on the dots! With added sensory appeal, Glitter Dots can be squished into different shapes and moulds; enabling crafty artists in the making to bring to life all sorts of sparkly creations! Create glittery keychains and stickers with amazing kits such as the Glitter Dots Keychains.

Hands-on creations Great Gizmos 01293 543221 | orders@greatgizmos.co.uk www.ggtrade.co.uk Great Gizmos has a fantastic range of craft kits that inspire hands-on creativity in children, suitable for children aged four to 12. Mould & Paint boasts 19 titles in total, from Dinosaur to Unicorn themes. The kits make an early introduction to logically processing multi-step projects. The colourful characters leap off the packaging into young imaginations and the price tag is appealing to parents. Each kit has six different characters to mould and decorate with colourful paints and glitter included, allowing children to improve on each design.

The new Little Crafts range is a fantastic addition to the portfolio with eight different products. Garden Stone Painting is particularly popular. Children can design and paint the stones included. The KidzMaker range is beautifully packaged and includes 23 products that encourage children to sit at a table and make something they can be proud of. Whether it is making your own Leather Bag or Origami Flower Lights, there is something for everyone. The Sewing range is a traditional favourite that teaches children the basics of sewing and knitting techniques, while making something that can be displayed or used. Kids can choose from Embroidery, French Knitting, Crochet, Weaving and more!

tnp.media 10/08/2020 07:51

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Right on target Hasbro 020 8569 1234 www.hasbro.com Nerf is changing the game with Nerf Ultra blasters and darts. Nerf Ultra blasters have advanced design and performance to deliver extreme distance, accuracy, and speed. They include ground-breaking Nerf Ultra darts - the farthest-flying Nerf darts ever, featuring lightweight foam material, an innovative flight tip and Aerofin Technology. Take your game to the next level with Nerf Ultra blasters and darts!

Nerf Ultra blasters work only with Nerf Ultra darts. The Nerf Ultra One motorised blaster has a high-capacity 25-dart dart drum and comes with 25 Nerf Ultra darts. Fire more than two dozen darts with the high-performance advantages of this Nerf Ultra blaster. Send darts flying through the air up to 120ft

120ft

That’s 36m!

That’s how far the Nerf Ultra darts can fly.

(36m). There’s on-board dart storage for quick reloading.

The Nerf Ultra Two Motorized Blaster, meanwhile, features fast-back reloading.

The six-dart cylinder is open in the back - you can look inside to see how many darts are left so you know when to reload. Hold down the acceleration button to power up the motor and press the trigger to fire one dart.

Includes six Nerf Ultra darts that are compatible only with Nerf Ultra blasters. Darts fly up to 120ft (36m).

Options

0161 633 9800 | sales@ charactergroup.plc.uk www.character-online.com Character Options has added a new concept in football fun this summer, so get ready to hone those skills with KickerBall!

Kids of all ages can bring action to their back The Kickerball’s special gardens with KickerBall, the panels channel air to football that is like no other. help the ball swerve.

KickerBall’s special panels channel air in ways that a standard football can’t. This unique design, along with revolutionary aerodynamic materials, allows each kick to swerve, bend and curve with ease.

Kids will learn a whole new portfolio of epic tricks with this size 4 football, taking their skills to an awesome new level! Swerve! Kick the side of the ball from the left to swerve the ball right. Curve! Kick the side of the ball from the right to curve the ball to the left. Bend it! Strike the centre with your laces using just the right kicking power to bend it like a pro. Bump it! Strike the ball gently from below to bump it to other players. Finally get ready to…launch it! Send your KickerBall soaring to the sky with a highpowered kick from below.

Did you know?

Enjoy the great outdoors

Did you know?

07831 100108 | sales@sisotoysuk.com uk.simba-dickie-group.com

No tools are needed to transform the 2-in-1 scooter from a trike to a first scooter.

Simba Smoby Toys UK

Simba Smoby Toys UK offers the perfect solution for little ones wanting to get fully mobile in the great outdoors, while the Smoby collection of large playhouses provides the perfect real estate for tots.

The reversible 2-in-1 Scooter for kids aged 18-36 months is designed with mobile development in mind. This three-wheeler switches easily from a learning trike to hone steering and balance skills, to a first scooter for a more daring ride. The ergonomic functionality is particularly suited for the age range with a robust, chunky, plasticcovered frame and adjustable metal handlebars with large handles and silent wheels. The transformation from trike to scooter is effortless, with no tools required.

Smoby’s playhouses and outdoor activity toys come in all shapes and sizes and offer extensive features to make roleplay in the garden as realistic as possible. For those who would love a tree house, but don’t have the tree, the house on stilts is the perfect alternative. Or why not set up your own café with the Chef House? This playhouse combines, house, kitchen and restaurant and will allow kids to prepare their friends orders, serve them up and cash the takings just like a real outdoor eating establishment!

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Outdoor fun MV Sports

Give us a ring!

Spin Master

0121 748 8000 www.mvsports.co.uk

01628 535000 | UK_sales@spinmaster.com www.spinmaster.com

MV sports has an array of wheeled and outdoor toys across both own-brand and licensed categories. Musthave properties include L.O.L. Surprise!, Peppa Pig, Paw Patrol, Disney Princess, Batman, Spiderman and Frozen II to name but a few.

New licences Bing and Ricky Zoom will strengthen the portfolio for 2020.

Following a successful first year for MV’s premium scooter range uMoVe, it’s expanding to include sparkle, neon, and fashion prints, and expanding categories, with pre-school, ride-ons and balance bikes, skates and lithium scooters, all decorated with premium finishes.

Li-Fe is an entry-level lithium scooter that offers an eco-friendly form of transport in a lightweight, compact, on-trend design. The modern use of lithium ion batteries ensures minimum weight while maintaining maximum power. They are also quick to charge.

Hedstrom continues to hold strong in the outdoor arena with a co-ordinated range of quality metal play equipment including slides, swings, trampolines and multiplays. New in this category is the 3 in 1 Swing with comfort moulded seat, incorporating three different seat configurations.

Wooden play has expanded to include sustainably-sourced wooden sandpits, ball pits and water tables.

Kickmaster is still hitting all the targets with its comprehensive and core range of balls, goals and football sets. The innovative Soccer Arcade is the ultimate goal for practising your chipping and target skills while incorporating a regular-sized goal at the rear.

The new Soccer Box is a multi-faceted training aid incorporating a mini football goal, rebounder, chipping trainer, target shot and additional goal. The Soccer Box can be folded for easy storage.

Born to be wild

For exhilarating flying disc games, nothing compares with the high performance of the Aerobie Pro Ring. This flying disc was used to set a Guinness World Record for the farthest throw!

The thin design of this 13in flying ring allows the disc to travel longer distances, plus it features soft edges for comfortable catches. The Aerobie Pro Ring is available in assorted colours.

The Aerobie Sprint Ring features a compact, thin design that creates longer-distance flights, travelling twice as far as most conventional flying discs.

This flying ring is great for playing in the back garden, The distance the park, or school playgrounds. Stash it in your backpack Aerobie Pro Ring for pick-up catch games with friends anytime. was thrown to set The Aerobie Sprint Ring measures 25.3cm in diameter a Guinness World and is available in assorted neon colours.

Record.

Both discs have an open centre that allows each player to personalise their throwing and catching style – catch the edge with your hand or use the centre to catch it with your arm or foot.

Create your signature moves with Aerobie flying discs!

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Sports champs Vivid Toy Group 01483 449944 | www.vividtoysandgames.co.uk Vivid has had a very successful year so far with its outdoor products, with three items in the top five of NPD Sports Activities category (NPD, June 2020).

At number two was Super Wubble without pump.

This bubble ball is squishy, squashy, super soft and lightweight and can be inflated to up to 80cm tall! Super Wubble is also available with pump and comes in assortments of pink and blue.

Phlat Ball appeared twice in the top five. This must-have toy transforms from a 9in disc to a 6in diameter ball when thrown, perfect for outdoor active play. This year has seen a refresh on the brand with new packaging and an update to the product line. The range consists of the original V4, the Whoosh, which makes a whistling sound when in the air, the Flash, which lights up, and the smaller Junior.

Wilton Bradley 01626 835400 | sales@wiltonbradley.co.uk | www.wiltonbradley.com

Did you know?

Wilton Bradley has been creating a real buzz around The Xootz BMW K1300S Bike Electric its new Xootz electric wheeled toy range.

Kids can make dad jealous with the Xootz BMW Ride-On goes at up to 2.7km/h.

K1300S Bike Electric Ride-On. This is the closest kids can get to the real deal with BMW branding and all the premium features that appear on an adult bike.

Kids will feel like grown-ups with the real key start function, which ignites fun engine sounds. The light-up dashboard adds to the realism, sparking children’s imaginations. Flick the front light on, select one of the three gears and cruise away using the foot accelerator. Your child will love the rush of wind through their hair, but don’t worry; the bike comes equipped with sturdy stabilisers to add balance and prevent accidents.

Little ones aged two to six can make use of the reverse function to get out of tight spots and back up so that everyone can get a second look at their cool new ride. The bike even plays a selection of eight songs for the perfect soundtrack to their ride. Safe, fast and exciting, this ride-on comes in red, white, blue or black.

Meanwhile, the officially licensed Audi TT RS Plus Electric Ride-On Sports Car, which comes in red, white and yellow, is ideal for sports car mad kids. Suitable for children aged two to six, this sporty ride-on, with its rear spoiler and shiny paintwork is sure to attract a lot of attention when it’s taken for a spin.

The included 6V rechargeable battery gives a powerful and fun top speed of 2.5km/hour, controlled by kids themselves with a foot accelerator pedal. It will power your car for one to two hours on one charge (depending on terrain). The car can go forward and backwards, has working headlights, an adjustable seat belt, working wing mirrors and a musical steering wheel. Plus the car comes with six songs pre-installed so kids can listen to music as they ride around.

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09/08/2020 15:21

MEDIA

ANALYSIS

Find your purpose Debra Sobel comes from prime-time BBC stock, having spent 10 years producing and directing programmes such as Crimewatch UK and Watchdog. In 2006, she and a colleague set up a film production company. Over the years, clients asked them to get more involved in helping them develop their purpose messaging. At the same time, expectations were increasing around brands needing to make a positive impact on society. So, in 2018, they rebranded to Verity London, a purpose-driven strategic communications agency.

What is social purpose?

Social purpose is all about how organisations make a positive impact on society, but in a way that is completely integrated and aligned with the core business of the company. A company being a purposeful business is good for the bottom line. It unashamedly contributes to long-term business growth longevity because there are multiple benefits.

It gives organisations a purpose beyond profit.

where we consider how we’re going to talk about purpose in an authentic way and we look at the activities and campaigns we’re going to run that tie into the purpose.

Why should toy companies be concerned with social purpose?

Companies in every industry should be concerned with social purpose. Particularly in the wake of a pandemic, purpose is now the superpower. Purpose guides a company – especially in times of crisis, in times of economic recession, and now with growing consumer demand and employee expectations. Companies need to stand up and say what they stand for.

In its Covid-19 Barometer Study, Kantar found that 77 per cent of consumers wanted to hear brands talk about how they’re making a difference in the new everyday.

“

Particularly in the wake of a pandemic, purpose is now the superpower

How can businesses align social purpose with profit making?

There needs to be purpose with profit.

However, it is understanding that if you embed an authentic purpose at the very core of your business, that becomes your North Star. Every decision – all the governance, leadership, activities, the supply chain, and how a company treats its employees – is based off of that North Star. That core purpose allows an organisation to create more meaningful connections with employees and a deeper relationship with consumers, drive positive social change, and build the sustainable growth.

What are the first steps businesses should take when looking at social purpose?

We have a three-step core Process on Purpose.

The first step is Purpose 101, which is where we speak to senior leadership to assess where that company is at in terms of purpose. We also do some competitor analysis.

Then we move into the Purpose Lab. That’s where we work through our social purpose model canvas to uncover a brand’s unique purpose positioning. Each company is encouraged to look at its heritage, the founder’s aspirations, its supply chain, the exact types of product that it sells, the consumers and the markets that it sells to, as well as the societal issues and social problems within the target audience. This builds a picture that is unique to that organisation. Each company will arrive at its own unique social purpose and way that it can make a positive impact on society. This is also where we develop a roadmap for delivery.

From the Lab, we move clients into our Purpose Hub. That’s where we develop purposeful communication strategies and plans for content and campaigns. It’s here

“

Debra Sobel, co-founder and managing director of Verity London talks about the importance of social purpose and explains why being a purposeful business is good for the bottom line

Where do you see there to be opportunities in the toy industry when looking at social purpose?

There is huge potential to talk about and take on mental health. During lockdown we have seen an increase in conversations around emotional wellbeing, family time, balancing work and life all under the one roof, keeping people motivated, and people’s aspirations for the future.

Could retailers tap into social purpose to encourage people to continue shopping locally?

For retailers, it is about understanding what consumers want from them. There has been a shift in consumer behaviour amid the pandemic. People are buying in different ways and needing different things, and I think it’s so important to listen to consumers to understand what they want and what is worrying them. When it comes to developing a purpose, it’s being able to say: “We’re aligning with you, we’re collaborating with you, and we want to know what societal issues we can help solve.”

It’s also about partnerships with local groups, charities, schools, and consumers, where relevant, to become a real force for good.

Toy companies have a really big responsibility, because toys can really change children’s imaginations, build confidence, encourage aspirations, and teach them core skills for life.

How do you ensure that purposeful activity is seen as genuine?

Brands are often nervous about announcing any kind of purpose, because they are worried about being accused of purpose washing, or a lack of authenticity. But actually, it depends on how a company communicates its purpose. It’s about communicating that you’re beginning your journey towards purpose, with details on what you'd like to achieve and what you’re doing to get there.

Have you previously worked with any toy companies?

The Happy Puzzle Company went through our Purpose Lab. We created a purpose strapline for them: Creating happiness, one puzzle at a time. This is allowing them to create more strategic partnerships and talk about happiness, children's psychological wellbeing, families spending time together, as well as the importance of games.

Gavin Ucko, the company’s founder and MD, is quoted on our website as saying: “Verity’s Purpose Programme needs to be seen as an investment and a journey. I don’t Purposeful businesses grow three times faster think any of us could have foreseen how powerfully what we discovered would come than their competitors and are more likely to to underpin everything that we do.”

Did you know?

be profitable (Deloitte Insights, 2019).

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TNP

LOOKS BACK

Step back in time TnP’s founder Malcolm Naish takes a look back at what was happening in the summers of 2010, 2000, 1990, 1982 It’s great to be back publishing and being able to remember ‘all our yesterdays’ in print.

We’re all four months older and I hope that all of our readers have managed well under lockdown. Luckily, it wasn’t ever like this in my young day. I don’t even want to imagine how I would have worked from home under lockdown conditions with four kids aged six and under.

July 2010

July 1990

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•

• •

• •

The BTHA organised a great Industry Day get-together that saw Christine Nicholls of Golden Bear become the first lady chairman of our association. Held at Great Fosters in Surrey, the day ended with a well-deserved Lifetime Achievement award for Alan Nunn.

Featured in Alan’s years in the industry were Airfix, Milton Bradley, Hasbro and Tomy. He also founded the BTHA’S charity the Toy Trust. Our congratulations to both Christine and Alan.

Toy Story 3 opened to much applause and resultant toy sales were most encouraging.

I was very sad to learn that Martin Yaffe had gone into administration. Ronnie was a real one-off and had built over the years an impressive company. We had supported each other right from Ronnie’s early beginnings, so for me it was doubly sad.

Was it really 10 years ago that Jon Gregory joined Colin Lisle’s Intertoy? Well it’s true because it appeared in TnP! Finally, 10 years ago we wished John Saville a happy 70th, so let me wish John the very best as he recently celebrated his 80th birthday and is still going very strong.

July 2000 •

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• •

20 years ago Pokémon was one of the hottest properties around, and we included a supplement highlighting the various licensees and their products.

The trade was awash with major buyers asking for even more discounts, despite their orders being placed some months earlier. Mothercare, for example, was asking suppliers to cough up an extra 2.5 per cent. Adding insult to injury, it had also confirmed that its settlement discount would reduce from 9 per cent to 3.5 cent.

I congratulated Robert Beecham for managing to sell his company Grosvenor to Hasbro for a very healthy sum. As they say – a chip off the old block!

Interesting that a number of toy companies including Dekkertoys – run by Clive Jones in the UK - were selling Thunderbirds products. Not bad for Gerry Anderson as his licensing company first sold Thunderbirds licences back in 1966, thus proving the longevity of good licensed characters.

JULY/AUG 2020 Step back in Time.indd 1

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Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles were the big sellers in the summer of 1990.

Nintendo was the big winner with its consoles.

Norman Walker was appointed president international at Hasbro.

Tyco Toys set up its first European subsidiary to be headed up by Brian Triptree. Kim Carter and Mike Moody were both named as marketing directors, responsible for specific segments of the company’s product ranges.

Bandai was appointed to distribute Nintendo’s product range in the UK, taking over from the Serif Group.

We published a WHSmith’s games top 40. At number one Pictionary, with Trivial Pursuit in second place. Paul Lamond were doing well with Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles at number six.

How many of you remember the fire that broke out at the Harrogate Exhibition Halls on the evening before the Harrogate Gift show? It began in the basement halls and was attended by 150 firefighters.

Mattel announced record net sales for the first six months of 1990 with sales at £552m, up 18 per cent year on year.

Hornby were reporting great sales on their ‘Pound Puppies’ range. Led by Malcolm Hussey, this grand old company had been diversifying big time into other categories including plush, games from Konami and dolls such as Baby Hush-a-Bye. Hasbro was gearing up to buy J.W. Spear, increasing its share ownership up to 27.3%. As they say: “It later came to pass”.

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Earlier in 1982, Lesney Products, manufacturers of Matchbox toys were forced into receivership. There were many possible buyers of this stricken company who were trading under receivership as Matchbox Toys.

The toy snooker boom continued to grow.

Leisure Industries saw its profits rise from £282,000 up to £482,000, thanks largely to Steve Davis who was linked to the company.

Hallowe’en was another category growing in popularity back in 1982. Our U.S. Male contributor told us that there were at least 175 Halloween suppliers in the US and that trick or treat was big business over there. It didn’t take long for the UK to cotton on.

TV series Victoria Plum created by Angela Rippon was attracting a large number of licensees, including Schelhorns, where sales director Malcolm Cooke was doing great business.

I attended the 12th annual Scrabble championships, held at London’s Connaught Rooms. A 27-year-old was the winner, amassing 1,626 points across three games against three different opponents. Chambers Dictionaries were the final arbiter when it came to very unusual words used. I was amused at the word boobiest. Its definition - most stupid fart!

1

10/08/2020 07:02

MEDIA

ANALYSIS

The clock is TikTokking on traditional marketing methods

At this current time, in the youth market, there is nowhere more effective or impactful versus ROI than TikTok, in terms of hitting key marketing metrics Here is what we know so far: ■ ■

■ ■

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Dance, comedy and challenges are a huge part of the TikTok experience

“People don’t hate advertising; they hate out-of-place advertising”

This is still very much a creator-led platform Unlike Facebook, Instagram and YouTube, brands and publishers haven’t yet gatecrashed the party.

It can be a confusing platform Before lockdown, a large portion of our clients over the age of 25 were in unison with the words: “I downloaded it, but I had no idea what was going on.”

Dance, comedy and challenges are a huge part of the TikTok experience.

Having sprouted from the Musical.ly app in 2018, the core community still seem to have a large impact on the content trends of the app.

The first two are key here. Who better to help you with the confusion than the creators themselves?

They know the platform inside out and know exactly what works for their audience. So why put yourself through the rigmarole of creating your own content when you can get creators to do it for you? Just ensure you do your research first or, the main reason I am writing this article, work in partnership with an agency who know which creative and creators will work for your specific audience.

Add in the launch of the TikTok for Business ads platform, which inspired the Don’t make ads, make TikToks campaign, and it makes for an exciting place for brands to merge marketing and music in their branding. Audio is an important part of any campaign taking place on TikTok. Branded jingles, sounds and tunes are going to have a big role to play in brands' successes, as seen with UNO’s recent #unowhoyouare campaign, so find yourself a trusted sound producer.

Nothing lasts forever; TikTok will eventually be replaced by the next hot delivery system for advertisers. However, at this current time, whether you’re a retailer or a supplier, with large or small budget pots, in the youth market, there is nowhere more effective or impactful versus ROI than TikTok, in terms of hitting key marketing metrics.

The digital world moves at an unprecedented rate: we’re only 20-years into internet 2.0 and it's changed beyond belief – we used to marvel that we could watch full-screen videos! It is important to recognise that the energy created by this rapid movement is a powerful force which we can harness and use to increase the power of brands. Wherever you go somewhere new, you often rely on the knowledge of a local fixer. In the digital world the fixers are the kids who are half our age having twice as much fun. We need to act cool and look after them properly, and perhaps they will allow us to hang out with them for a while.

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Rob Lough, COO and co-founder of celebrated digital agency, KidsKnowBest, provides an insight into how TikTok is challenging the way content is integrated into today’s marketing mix

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ikTok recently went big on its marketing to the industry with the tagline Don’t make ads, make TikToks, which is a beautifully succinct line and the new kids on the block have hit the nail on the head. This isn’t just a tagline, it’s a thought process, once your strategy is defined and your media channel has been selected this is exactly the thinking required. Our chief creative officer King ADZ is constantly reminding us of the right to play. If you haven’t optimised your creative for specific platforms, put the ball down and walk away.

Since day dot, the delivery systems to serve ads/ marketing/media/content, whatever else we might be calling it in five years’ time, have constantly changed.

Word of mouth, posters, billboards, newspapers, TV, SEO, programmatic, social, gaming and many more – all vastly different beasts that require vastly different strategies.

Thousands of years of advertising but yet all delivery systems have one common theme: people.

People don’t hate advertising; they hate out-of-place advertising. You wouldn’t place a billboard ad on TV, you shouldn’t place a TVC on YouTube and, in turn, you shouldn’t place a YouTube ad on TikTok. The more delivery systems that come our way, the more fragmented we become as humans.

Research and insights have never been more important, especially in youth marketing, where new trends emerge with vapid regularity. For us, the process is key. Audience insight leads into strategy, which leads into media placement, which leads into creative. The first two make complete sense, but a lot of time people place creative before placement. And in the days of one size fits all TV ads, that worked, but this is no longer the case. So, yes, TikTok is an incredibly effective marketing channel currently, but there is a need to stop getting bogged down by platforms and go back to the core focus – people.

Now you’ve worked out your consumers’ needs and the strategy required and everything points to TikTok, how do you implement an effective campaign on the channel?

Many thanks to the team at Norton PR, a partner of KidsKnowBest, for their help in coordinating this article.

tnp.media Column Tik Tok.indd 1

10/08/2020 06:54

DON’T MISS…

Here’s a quick peek at some of the latest and greatest products on the market. Buyers and retailers, get in touch with your sales contact now!

Harumika Bandai 0208 324 6160 | sales@bandai.co.uk www.bandai.co.uk

Deluxe Battle Bus Jazwares 0203 598 0272 | uksales@jazwares.com www.jazwares.com

The Child-inspired plush Siso Toys UK 01620 674 778 sales@sisotoysuk.com

Don't Miss.indd 1

Little Live Pets Lil’ Dippers Character Options 0161 633 9800 | sales@charactergroup.plc.uk www.character-online.co.uk

Sweet Cocoon Shapes And Colours Dog Juratoys 0208 878 2133 | sales@juratoys.co.uk www.janod.co.uk

Hope Multicolour Praying Bear Ty UK sales@tyuk.co.uk www.ty.com

Paint Your Own Face Masks Great Gizmos 01293 543221 | sales@greatgizmos.co.uk www.ggtrade.co.uk

Mini Mizzie Mizzie the Kangaroo 07917 063677 | info@mizziethekangaroo.co.uk https://mizziethekangaroo.co.uk

Dumb Criminals University Games 020 7254 0100 sales@ugames.uk.com www.university-games.co.uk

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