44-45 LSB Toy Fair (SL).qxp_NEW LSB 2008 GRID 10/01/2025 10:28 Page 1
TRADE FAIR SEASON
Toy
makers
The spring trade show calendar has kicked off in earnest and next it’s the turn of the toy shows – Toy Fair at London’s Olympia and Spielwarenmesse in Nuremberg. LSB catches up with the organisers of both events to find out more.
Inset: Toy Fair has seen an increase in the presence of licensed toys at the show in recent years. Below: Rebecca Deeming-Mitchell, senior communications and events manager, BTHA. Bottom: Christian Ulrich, board spokesperson, Spielwarenmesse eG.
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icensed toys have not only grown at Toy Fair but in the toy industry in general,” begins Rebecca Deeming-Mitchell, senior communications and events manager at the BTHA. “In recent years we’ve seen an increase in the presence of licensed toys at the show and the variety of licences change too, ranging from evergreen characters to the latest pop culture phenomena.” The licensing landscape at Toy Fair – which takes place at London’s Olympia from 21-23 January – has evolved alongside media consumption over the show’s seven decades, says Rebecca, reflecting a range of characters which bridge generations and digital frontiers we know today. Rebecca continues: “Enduring figures such as Paddington Bear who’s now over 60 years old, and Hello Kitty, who celebrated 50 years last year, have been joined by modern sensations like Peppa Pig and Bluey, mirroring the expansion of media and broadcast platforms. The Character Parade at Toy Fair dazzles with these icons and new faces from trending computer games and streaming hits, like Pikachu, marking the sector's growth in this area too.” Hunter Price International will be one of the companies taking to the show floor at Olympia.
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LICENSING SOURCE BOOK 2025
“I’ve been attending Toy Fair for 15 years and one thing which hasn’t changed since my very first show is the pure excitement and adrenaline you get trying to ensure you get quality show time with each of your customers – organised chaos at its best,” says Richard Belford, sales director for toys and activities at Hunter Price International. “Even though we’ll regularly welcome customers to our HQ, there’s a special show buzz you get when you get to walk them through our latest new launches in Olympia.” The company will be highlighting its new look following a brand refresh, with its Consumer Product Playhouse readying for a ‘show stopping’ start to the New Year. When it comes to licensed lines, following a host of new arrivals to the portfolio, newcomers to Hunter Price’s Toy Fair stand for the first time will include Mood Bears, Stitch and Fugglers. The selection of exhibitors at Spielwarenmesse – running in Nuremberg from 28 January to 1