Progressive Preschool September October 2020

The B2B Publication For Preschool Products and Retailers

ISSUE 48 SEPT/OCT 2020

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New Products and Range NOW AVAILABLE! Skip Hop - Exclusively Distributed by Toynamics, t: +44 (0)116 478 5230 e: sales@toynamics.co.uk

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There‘s a friend we love to see.

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Sit back and enjoy listening.

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Heard enough? Just take your Tonie off.

Ready for more?

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Pop Peppa on your Toniebox to listen to her piggy tales.

28/09/2020 22:15

www.preschoolnews.net

MARKET LEADING TRADE MAGAZINES

March/April 2013

this month SEPT/ OCT 2020

MARKET LEADING TRADE EXHIBITIONS

MARKET LEADING TRADE AWARDS

Max Publishing Ltd, United House, North Road, London N7 9DP T: 020 7700 6740 F: 020 7607 6411 www.max-publishing.co.uk

Having successfully navigated lockdown earlier in the year, it’s fair to say that many of us expected – or hoped – that UK retail would be back on its feet by now, with consumers eagerly making up for the time they had spent away from the high street. Instead, over the last few months, the retail industry has been navigating one of the biggest shakeups of the 21st century. Consumers Above (l to r): Jacqui Parr, Jo Pilcher, Rob Willis and Samantha Loveday, part of have changed their spending habits the Progressive Preschool team. dramatically, while retailers have been juggling the latest government safety guidelines while still offering shoppers a safe, welcoming and positive shopping experience.

It’s been encouraging to see the preschool industry leading from the front on both these counts, adapting for online or click-and-collect sales where necessary but also making sure that consumers feel comfortable shopping in person. Consumer confidence is key in the post-pandemic landscape, especially where pregnancies and young children are concerned; stores that parents view as ‘safe’ will succeed in attracting anxious customers back through their doors.

It’s now clear that Covid-19 will have a lasting impact on retail as bricks-and mortar stores adapt to new regulations, reduced footfall and changing spending habits. While there’s no way of knowing what will happen in the coming weeks and months, independent stores are in a good position to prepare for this new era of retail, by adapting wherever possible and making the most of the nationwide call to shop locally and help support smaller businesses.

Of course, its not just retailers who have been kept on their toes over the last six months; suppliers, distributors, event organisers and yes, even the trade press, have all been modifying their business models where necessary. In this issue we have spoken to publishers, toy suppliers, nursery companies and everyone inbetween to bring you the most comprehensive issue of Progressive Preschool that we possibly could. With no Harrogate or Kind + Jugend to create a conversation around the latest launches and newest designs, our role in providing a platform for preschool brands to present their new ranges has become more important than ever.

Many trade shows and consumer events are also adapting to new virtual homes or shifting their schedules, as a quick glance at this issue’s news pages will show – DreamToys, BLE and The Baby Show have all pivoted online, while Toy Fair New York has moved to a spring slot for 2021. Toy Fair, Spielwarenmesse and Harrogate are all currently scheduled for their usual dateline and hopefully that will continue to be the case.

Also making a move to an online platform for this year will be the Progressive Preschool Awards 2020. The exciting new digital platform has some fantastic features, such as the virtual breakout rooms which will allow us all to come together for the first time in months as we celebrate the successes of the past year (see page 17 for the full finalists list and more details).

Taking place on Tuesday 12 November, the awards will also be moving to an later slot to allow guests and sponsors to fully enjoy the evening – it’s definitely a great excuse for opening the good wine and getting dressed up, even if you are sitting on your sofa at home!

Further details will be revealed on PreschoolNews.net in the coming weeks, but in the meantime, please do get in touch for more information on how you can help us ensure the PPS Awards continue to be the industry-wide celebration we all know and love. We’ll see you there!

The Progressive Preschool Team ISSN 2515-8570

Rob Willis, Jacqui Parr, Samantha Loveday, Jo Pilcher Ian Hyder, Jakki Brown, Warren Lomax PROGRES SIVE PRESCHOOL

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Only at the worldʼs leading toy fair you’ll get the global market overview.

www.spielwarenmesse.de/uk

“ My objectives in Nuremberg? Exploring new things

and finding toys that my customers will like.

I also want to have some fun. ” Dean Smith jaZams, USA

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contents 33

TOY UPDATE

73

LICENSING

07 17 25 27 29 33 41 45 49 51 57 65 73 79 85 87 94 99

NEWS PPS AWARDS 2020 - PRODUCT FINALISTS KIDS INSIGHTS ASK ANNA GFK AUTUMN TOY UPDATE LICENSED TOYS EARLY LEARNING CENTRE WHAT’S NEW WITH TOYNAMICS INTERNATIONAL TRADE MAKING MOVES IN CONVERSATION WITH ACAMAR FILMS LICENSING HITS FASHION FIRST FOCUS ON BIGJIGS TOYS NURSERY ESSENTIALS FEEDBACK: PUBLISHING RETAILER IN NUMBERS

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MOBILITY

BING

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PUBLISHING PROGRES SIVE PRESCHOOL

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A VIRTUAL CELEBRATION OF THE GLOBAL LICENSING INDUSTRY 6-29 OCTOBER 2020 The Festival of Licensing is a 4-week large-scale digital gathering that will bring together the global brand licensing industry to connect, learn, strike deals and do business on an international stage.

Get your free ticket today and meet with Hasbro, Natural History Museum, Penguin, NBA and many more.

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24/09/2020 14:17

NEWS TOP STORY

PPS Awards joins the digital movement for 2020

T

he Progressive Preschool Awards 2020 will be moving online for this year’s event, allowing the industry to celebrate the successes of the past year, despite the restrictions and safety issues in place due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The online awards event will still be taking place on Tuesday 12 November, moving to an evening slot to allow guests and sponsors to fully enjoy the event.

Rob Willis, director and co-owner of Max Publishing which owns and organises the Progressive Preschool Awards said: “We’ve known for while now that events faced a degree of uncertainty and we

have been on almost daily calls with our event partners as well as taking outside counsel from the experts. But sadly it still isn’t feasible to host a large scale business event.”

“If nothing else, we’re famed for our industry parties and we would rather host ‘the big one’ next year when our guests can feel totally safe and sound,” Rob continued: “The good news is that the digital offering for 12 November is really very good, we will still be together and we will still unveil the winners – it’s a great excuse for opening the good wine and getting dressed up even if you’re at home!”

Above: Last year's winner picture serves as a reminder of the scale of the Progressive Preschool Awards.

Further details of the exciting online ceremony will be revealed shortly. Visit progressivepreschoolawards.co.uk for the latest information.

Record number of judges logged in for digital PPS Awards judging

The Baby Show NEC and Olympia are postponed until 2021 In response to the recent Government directives in regards to the Covid-19 pandemic, The Baby Show NEC and Olympia have been postponed until 2021, in the best interests of all visitors, exhibitors, staff and contractors.

Both shows will instead some together as one fully virtual event, The Baby Show Live @ Home with Lidl, which will take place from Friday 30 October - Sunday 2 November 2020.

The event will be hosted on a new digital platform and app, which will allow visitors to shop, view product demos and book one-to-one appointments. They will also be able to enjoy expert talks, speaker Q&A's, panel discussions and celebrity interviews, all live from the comfort of their own home.

“We understand that this will be a disappointment to both the baby and parenting brands and the expectant and new parents who so eagerly await The Baby Show to get everything they need,” said show director Zoë Bonser. “We look forward to when we can get together again. In the meantime, we cannot wait to see you all virtually at The Baby Show Live @ Home in October!”

A record number of preschool, nursery, toy or gift retailers and buyers from across the UK were part of this year's online judging process for the Progressive Preschool Awards 2020, helping to decide this year’s finalists and winners.

The PPSA 2020 entry and judging process was entirely digital this year, which allowed retailers from across the UK to join the virtual judging panel and help decide the most impressive new products and ranges of the past year.

“A phenomenal level of products were entered,” said Jo Pilcher, advertising and sponsorship manager for Progressive Preschool magazine and awards. “We are delighted that despite the obvious challenges we have all faced this year, retailers want to ensure that brands and products will still be recognised.”

Product finalists across all ten categories have now been announced and can be seen in full on page 17.

Toynamics UK & Ireland begins exclusive Skip Hop distribution Toynamics has begun its exclusive distribution of Skip Hop to retailers in the UK and Ireland.

Skip Hop currently has products across seven categories – changing bags, on-the-go accessories, bath time, nursery gear, playtime, baby gyms and the zoo toddler essentials.

Popular lines include the bags, toys and jumpers such as the Explore & More Jumpscape, plus Sort and Spin Yeti, Zoo Packs and the award winning Follow Bee Crawl Toy. Toynamics will also be offering all of its retailers full marketing support, both online and physical.

Dates set for Kind + Jugend 2021

Although international nursery trade show Kind + Jugend did not take place this year – for the first time in its 60-year history – the dates have already been announced for the 2021 event, which will be taking place from Thursday 9 September to Saturday 11 September next year.

The new dates reveal that next year’s show will be shorter by one day. A statement from the show organisers Koelnmesse explained that ‘the shortening of the trade fair sends the right signal for the economic restart’.

The hall optimisation originally planned for 2020 will now take effect in 2021, with the visitor flow now taking place exclusively over two levels, creating shorter routes and an optimised visit.

More information can be found at kindundjugend.co Right: A new modernised Kind + Jugend logo symbolises objectivity and determination.

For the latest news visit PreschoolNews.net PROGRES SIVE PRESCHOOL

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26/06/2020 10:40 28/09/2020 20:39

NEWS TOP STORY

Preschool brands line up for Festival of Licensing

A

number of major preschool exhibitors have been confirmed for Festival of Licensing – the four-week large scale virtual gathering which is due to take place from 6 – 29 October and will be replacing Brand Licensing Europe for 2020.

Registration for the celebration of global licensing is open now, at www. festivaloflicensing.com where attendees can opt to attend any or all of the Festival’s three regionally tailored events for Europe, Asia and the Americas, as well as the

Licensing Leadership Summit.

Organiser Global Licensing Group is aiming to make this year's digital offering the most inclusive global licensing event to date, with preschool exhibitors including Acamar Films, Edutainment, Hasbro, Natural History Museum, Penguin Ventures, Pokémon and Wildbrain, to name just a few.

Almost 50 live keynotes, presentations and on-demand sessions have been confirmed, with speakers from Hasbro, eOne and Sesame Workshop lined up.

Harrogate International Nursery Fair looks forward to 2021 Following its decision to cancel the 2020 event due to Covid-19, Harrogate International Nursery Fair is now fully focused on preparing for its next industry event, taking place from 28 – 30 March 2021.

“With almost every industry event cancelled this year due to the pandemic, companies are looking forward to the opportunity to get business back on track, present new products to the trade and meet up and network with

potential clients,” said Adrian Sneyd, show organiser.

“Harrogate will provide the first chance in 2021 for companies to do this – and consequently we have received numerous requests – some from suppliers which haven’t exhibited for quite a few years – to participate in the show.”

Full details about the show, including prices and booking forms, are available on the website at www.nurseryfair.com

Mothercare launches ‘sustainable’ business model Le Toy Van develops new sustainable range Le Toy Van has unveiled a new train collection which has been developed with sustainability in mind.

Every piece from the train sets will be made from sustainable rubber wood and plywood, with just the wheels made from durable plastic – although the company says that it is working on this, too.

The first product in the range is the 180-piece Royal Express Train Set, with Royal Express, Twilight Express and Great Green Train following in Q4. Le Toy Van is also working on further additions to the range for 2021.

Above: Le Toy Van's Great Green Train set will be launching in Q4.

The maternity and nursery retailer has unveiled a new ‘more sustainable’ business model, which is due to launch later this year.

The new model has been created as part of a plan to ‘modernise and improve’ Mothercare's commercial relationships, as a result of ‘constructive discussions’ with international franchise and manufacturing partners.

The new ‘more sustainable and less capital-intensive’ business model will officially come into effect this autumn/ winter and will see franchise partners paying suppliers directly for products, improving Mothercare’s working capital requirements.

Expected benefits of the new arrangement include improved pricing for franchise partners, which in turn should ‘better incentivise retail sales growth and assist manufacturing partners in reinstating credit insurance for future seasons’.

“The feedback we have received about Festival of Licensing has been incredible and we are thrilled to be able to announce such an amazing roster of exhibitors,” said Anna Knight, vice president, Global Licensing Group, Informa Markets. “This is only the beginning – there will be a lot more news, and surprises, coming down the line.”

To register, or for more information, visit www.festivaloflicensing.com

My Carry Potty reports sales boost of 700%

Popular potty training brand My Carry Potty has reported a sales increase of 700% over recent months as parents have taken the opportunity to focus on the sector during lockdown, says director Amanda Jenner.

Amanda – also known as the UK’s toilet training expert – saw the sector responding positively to the situation in the run-up to lockdown, with steady growth allowing the brand to grow organically as it focused its attentions on supporting parents virtually.

As a result, the last few months have seen a huge increase in both online traffic and actual sales, as Amanda explained: “We completely sold out of stock in just one week after adding new stock. Sales are up by 700% which is huge and totally unprecedented!”

Below: Lockdown was a great opportunity for parents to focus on potty training.

For thewww.progressive-preschool.com latest news visit PreschoolNews.net PROGRES SIVE PRESCHOOL

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NEWS TOP STORY

Spielwarenmesse outlines plans for 2021 event

S

pielwarenmesse Toy Fair has outlined its plans for the 2021 event, which is currently still scheduled to take place in Nuremberg from 27 – 31 January next year.

Spielwarenmesse has worked closeely with venue operator NürnbergMesse and the relevant health authorities to develop a Health & Hygiene Concept, based on the requirements of the Bavarian State Government. The requirements will be continually updated to reflect any changes as they happen.

The most important elements of the concept are social distancing, good

hygiene and track and tracing. In order to ensure social distancing can take place, hall layout is being improved, wider aisles are being created, and special areas and stand parties are being put on hold.

“In all our efforts to stage Spielwarenmesse 2021, the health and safety of the participants is our top priority,” said Ernst Kick, ceo of Spielwarenmesse. “When it comes to personal encounters and sound buying decisions, trade fairs are more important than ever. Particularly in our industry, they are an indispensable driver of growth. That is why we’re doing all

we can to stage Spielwarenmesse 2021 – the most important industry hub of the year – while ensuring that it is as safe and enjoyable as possible.”

More information can be found at www.spielwarenmesse.de.

Above: Visitors to the 2021 show must wear face coverings and have their temperature taken on arrival.

Little Concepts welcomes new PlanToys and Candylab lines

Above: The Bugaboo Stardust is a high-end product offering quality and durability.

Toy and gift distributor Little Concepts is launching over 25 new children’s products from sustainable wooden toy brand PlanToys and Brooklyn-based Candylab.

The Candylab range is being extended with a new selection of vehicles which are being added to the popular Candycar and Candyvan series, while new products from the eco-aware Plan Toys will include a role-play Shaving Set complete with comb, razor, brush, mirror, aftershave and carry bag.

Bugaboo extends beyond strollers for the first time Premier pushchair and stroller brand Bugaboo has launched its first ever product beyond the sector, with the brand new travel cot the Bugaboo Stardust; a one-second unfold travel cot.

Designed with Bugaboo’s trademark ingenuity, it uses aerospace technology to create an ultra-comfortable travel cot which gives parents and babies freedom and comfort wherever they are.

“We’ve simplified the overall look to make sure the Bugaboo Stardust fits nicely in any room you put it in,” said Bugaboo’s senior lead designer, Marco Nieuwenhuizen. “All the fixings are hidden to make sure the design looks as clean and straightforward as possible. With this new product, we can play a more significant part in families' everyday lives.”

UK retailers support sustainable nursery brand

Nursery brand eco rascals has been making waves across UK retail as a result of its new partnership with Retail Mama’s sales and marketing lead Kate Harding.

The sustainable and eco-friendly bamboo and silicone collection has been launched into UK retail with great success and is already stocked in a number of nursery specialists, including Baby B (Portsmouth) and Pitter Patter (Co Antrim).

The range includes plates, bowls and spoons, with sippy cups launching this autumn.

“More parents are becoming aware of their carbon footprint,” said Molly Francis Coleman of BabyBirds stores, who stocks the line. “New parents want recyclable products, something that is sustainably sourced, with some environmental benefit.

We’ve seen a decline in cheap throw-aways and a rise of good quality, sustainable products.”

LICENSING LOWDOWN ▶ Children’s audio system creator, Tonies, has welcomed Peppa Pig to its product line-up ahead of Christmas. ▶ Acamar Films’ hit preschool show Bing continues to expand its line-up of licensees with agreements in homeware, celebration, publishing and experiential. ▶ Sensory baby lifestyle brand, Etta Loves has launched a new collection inspired by the classic Peanuts property. ▶ Sambro has secured a deal with ViacomCBS Consumer Products and Pinkfong to create a new range of arts and crafts, novelty and outdoor products for the Baby Shark brand. ▶ Hasbro has unveiled a new partnership with British outdoor brand, Regatta, that will see a collection of Peppa Pig outerwear and leisure accessories launch in spring/summer 2021. ▶ Ethical and organic children’s clothing brand Frugi has teamed up with the National Trust, Europe’s largest conservation charity, for a range of outerwear and accessories.

For the latest news visit PreschoolNews.net PROGRES SIVE PRESCHOOL

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TOP STORY

Early Learning Centre brand to enter licensing arena

T

he Entertainer has partnered with Riverside Brands to lead its brand extension strategy for the Early Learning Centre brand, which The Entertainer acquired in February 2019. The heritage of the ELC brand and its iconic Happyland characters lends itself to wider brand extensions across categories such as apparel, nightwear, health and beauty, publishing, nursery and experiences.

The partnership also marks a significant move for a retailer into the licensing space, highlighting the commitment of the group to support the ELC brand; both within its own

retail space and through bespoke brand extensions led by Riverside Brands.

“We are extremely excited to be partnering with Riverside Brands on this exciting opportunity for the Early Learning Centre brand,” said Stuart Grant, global sourcing officer at The Entertainer.

“With such a strong heritage as an iconic part of early years development we are confident there is more opportunity for the brand to be an even bigger part of children’s early years by giving them greater access to the characters through carefully selected brand extensions.

“We are delighted to be partnering with The Entertainer on this exciting opportunity for Early Learning Centre,”

added Ashley Holman, md of Riverside Brands. “Children love these characters, they’re an important part of their early years and we’re looking forward to making them available in categories which will complement the core toy ranges."

Schleich kicks off its 85th anniversary celebrations This year is a special one for Schleich, as the company launches a limited edition Golden Lion to celebrates its 85th anniversary.

“Although we’ve have had to curtail some of the physical birthday celebrations, we are still proudly celebrating this milestone achievement,” said Paul Dearlove, marketing manager at Schleich UK. “The unique Golden Lion is arguably the most stunning figure that the company has ever produced and we are expecting it to be extremely popular with fans.”

Above: New dates for the Toy Fair New York 2021 are yet to be announced.

Toy Fair New York 2021 is postponed

The announcement was made in an open letter from Steve Pasierb, president and ceo of The Toy Association, confirming that Toy Fair New York 2021 will be postponed.

In his letter, Steve stated that The Toy Association will be developing a Toy Fair offering for spring 2021, while the Toy of the Year Awards and Hall of Fame induction will still take place in February, with a virtual offering.

“We know that our exhibitors rely upon shows for the essential business, financial, and media value they provide,” commented Steve. “And simply that the toy community looks forward to Toy Fair NY each year – and this year it would have been especially meaningful for us all to come together in February and resume business as usual. But protecting our members’, exhibitors’ and attendees’ investments, health, and safety must come first.”

Specific dates for both spring 2021 and Toy Fair New York 2022 are yet to be confirmed.

Mamas & Papas launches free virtual ‘Parents to Be’ shopping service

Nursery and baby retailer Mamas & Papas has launched a free virtual personal shopping service for new and expectant parents along with an online community, ‘Parents to Be at Home’.

The nursery brand is offering free online personal shopping appointments as well as virtual Parents to Be group sessions. The move means that even though stores are open, pregnant women – who are classed as a vulnerable group – will be able to gain both advice and inspiration without having to leave the house.

“There’s never been a more relevant time to embrace our community and be there for new and expectant parents,” said Alex Holt, marketing director. “Customers can chat to a real person, in a real store, and get an instant answer to any questions they have from the comfort and safety of their home.”

NEWS IN BRIEF ▶ New Zealand pushchair and nursery brand phil&teds is celebrating its 25th year of designing cutting-edge baby gear. ▶ Posh Paws International has launched a new range of colourful teddy bears called the ‘Thank You Bears', with a percentage of the profits of each toy sale going to NHS Charities Together. ▶ Tactic Games UK has partnered with Inside Out Toys in a distribution deal to grow its brand in the UK and with independent toy, gift and garden centre customers. ▶ London-based teething and baby accessory brand Nibbling has taken on the UK distribution for the German company MEYCO and Danish brand BIBS. ▶ Ethical and organic children’s clothing brand Frugi is looking towards the future as part of a new partnership with educational programme Eco-Schools. ▶ Plush specialist Mary Meyer is sending 5% of the sales from its new Down Under Mates line directly to the World Wildlife Fund of Australia to help the region recover from the recent devastating forest fires.

For the latest news visit PreschoolNews.net PROGRES SIVE PRESCHOOL

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TOP STORY

Argos bids farewell to catalogue

I

t's the end of an era for the Argos 'Book of Dreams' as the retailer has stopped printing its bi-annual catalogue after almost 50 years. First launched in 1973, more than 1 billion copies have been printed and at the height of its popularity, it was Europe’s most widely printed publication.

The catalogue acted as a key marketing tool for toy companies, which would use it to highlight major launches for spring/summer and autumn/winter, also affording exclusive launch windows for a number of big name lines.

However, recent online shopping habits have seen demand drop over the years, with Argos eventually deciding to cease publication of the catalogue this summer. The Christmas Gift Guide will still be available in stores this year.

“Over the decades the Argos catalogue has charted the nation’s changing tastes and trends in everything from must-have toys to the latest gadgets and devices,” said Mark Given, chief marketing officer at

Sainsbury’s. “Just as our customers’ tastes have changed over the years, so have their shopping habits. We are seeing an increasing shift towards digital shopping, using our mobile app, website and in-store browsers.”

“Closing the book on the catalogue will help us focus on delivering exciting and inspiring digital shopping experiences to meet the changing needs of our customers.”

Left: The Argos 'Book of Dreams' charted the nation's changing tastes and trends.

DreamToys 2020 goes digital

The Toy Retailers Association and the DreamToys committee has confirmed that this year’s event will take place digitally.

“Due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK, it is not possible to hold a large-scale physical event to announce the DreamToys list,” commented Gary Grant, chair of the DreamToys selection committee.

“Instead, this year’s list will be

announced in a new exciting digital format on Tuesday 10 November, 2020.”

Gary continued: “2020 has been a challenging year for all, but toys have managed to bring entertainment to many in lockdown. We hope DreamToys will bring some festive joy when it is most needed.”

DreamToys is organised by the Toy Retailers Association and is the most authoritative predictive list of what will be hottest products for Christmas. The list is selected by a panel of retailers and industry experts.

Rachel Riley and Clair de Lune partner for nursery collection

Two iconic and award-winning British heritage brands – baby and childrenswear designer Rachel Riley and nursery brand Clair de Lune – have joined forces to launch an exclusive nursery collection.

The collection features Clair de Lune’s classic nursery designs alongside three of Rachel Riley’s most iconic heritage collection prints: My Little Prince, My Little Princess and the gender-neutral Bunny print.

“This just seems like the perfect collaboration,” commented Rachel Riley.

“We wanted to create something very special and timeless, drawing on the heritage of both of our brands.”

JoJo Maman Bébé grows The Very Hungry Caterpillar partnership Nursery retailer JoJo Maman Bébé has once again partnered with the World of Eric Carle to extend its successful Very Hungry Caterpillar range of children’s clothing.

The new, extended collection features eight designs, available in an increased range of sizes, now up to age four and including toddler sizes.

The designs carry the signature JoJo Maman Bébé stripes, coupled with cute phrases from the world’s favourite caterpillar, such as ‘hungry, hungry, hungry’ and ‘tiny and very hungry’, and appliqué, embroidery and prints.

Iconic images from the Eric Carle book are used to create individual and instantly recognisable pieces including rompers, baby grows, jogger and t-shirt sets and dresses.

PEOPLE NEWS ▶ Ciaran Fitzpatrick and Andy Taylor have stepped down from the Toymaster board. Chris Blatcher from JAC stores has taken the reins as the new chairman, having been a Toymaster board director since 2016. ▶ Toynamics UK & Ireland has welcomed Emma Finch to its team as national account manager. Emma previously worked at Skip Hop UK and brings with her a wealth of knowledge from the nursery industry. ▶ Baby and maternity retailer Motherare has announced that Mark Newton-Jones has stepped down as its executive director, although he will continue to serve on the board as a non-executive director, subject to his re-election at the next AGM. ▶ Games and puzzles specialist, University Games has welcomed Jessica Foreshew to the team as national account manager, following the acquisition of The Lagoon Group last month. ▶ Miles Penhallow – head of toys and children’s gift at plaY-room AIS – is taking early retirement at the end of September after 12 years with the company. Rosie Marshall has taken on the role as head of plaY-room, bringing with her 17 years of experience in the toy industry as a buyer and store manager.

For the latest news visit PreschoolNews.net PROGRES SIVE PRESCHOOL

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Westport FURNITURE COLLECTION

To find out more about the 2021 collection and become a Babiators stockist please get in touch sales@babiators-uk.com

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PPS AWARDS 2020

PRESENTED BY

PRESS RELATIONS PARTNERS

AWARDS 2020

The Preschool The Progressive Progressive Preschool Awards take place on Awards will this year take Tuesday 2019 place in5aNovember digital format onat the Grosvenor House Hotel, Thursday 12 November 2020.

Mayfair, London The Product Award Categories • • • • • • • • • •

Best Preschool Apparel Range Best Toy Range (12m+) Best STEM/Educational Range Best Preschool Publishing Range Best Preschool Home or Furniture Range Best Preschool Gift Range Best Wheeled Goods/ Car Seat Range Best Preschool Essentials Range Best Kids Lifestyle Range Best Infant Development Range

The Retail Award Categories • • • • • • •

Best Supermarket Retailer Best Multiple Retailer Best Mixed Retailer Best Department Store Retailer Best Online Retailer Best Preschool Retail Initiative Best Independent Nursery Retailer • Best Independent Apparel Retailer • Best Independent Toy Retailer • Best Independent Gift Retailer

The Special Awards • Best Preschool Marketing and Communication Campaign • The Outstanding Achievement Award • Best Wholesaler/Distributor of Preschool Product Book tickets or tables now to avoid disappointment

To book your participation in the digital Please contact Clare Davies, Createvents Ltd: PPS Awards 2020 please contact: T: 01733 294524 E: clare@createvents.co.uk W: createvents.co.uk Rob Willis E: robw@max-publishing.co.uk T: 0203 3704752 Or visit our digital box office max-tickets.net Jo Pilcher E: jop@max-publishing.co.uk T: 0203 7641694

www.PreschoolNews.net PROGRES SIVE P R E S C H O O L

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PPS AWARDS 2020 PRODUCT FINALISTS

AWARDS 2020

PPSawards.co.uk

PRODUCT CATEGORY FINALISTS

The Progressive Preschool Awards take place on 12 November 2020 in a digital format. @Prog_Preschool | #PPSA20

BEST PRESCHOOL APPAREL RANGE • AW20 Collection from Blade & Rose • Julia Donaldson Range from Sainsbury’s • Snail and The Whale Collection from Fat Face • Snoopy AW19 Collection from Wildbrain • Spot the Dog Play Range from RH Smith & Sons • Tatty Teddy for Nutmeg Range from Dennicci • That’s Not My Range from Dennicci for Matalan • Very Hungry Caterpillar Tabard Set from Amscan

BEST TOY RANGE (12M+) • Classic World Wooden Rocket Ship from Hippychick • Family Fun Camping Range from Playmobil • Mag-Play range from Bigjigs Toys • PlanToys Detective Set from Little Concepts • See-Saw Counter from James Galt

• Smoby Chef Corner Restaurant from Simba Smoby Toys UK • The Show Time Experience Range from Le Toy Van • Viking Toys Eco-Line Range from Inside Out Toys

BEST STEM/ EDUCATIONAL RANGE • Botley Coding Robot Range from Learning Resources • Eco Friendly Junior Rainbow Pebbles Activity Set from EDX Education • Fairy Tale Range – Jack and the Beanstalk Deluxe from Smart Toys and Games • Giant Science Lab from James Galt • Hey Duggee Flip & Learn Phone and Hey Duggee Smart Tablet from Trends • Junior Robotic Set from Engino • Makedo Explore range from Little Concepts • Peppa’s Clever Car from WOW! Stuff

BEST PRESCHOOL PUBLISHING RANGE • Baby Shark My First Calendar from Danilo

• Baby Shark Range from Centum Books • Bing Publishing Range from HarperCollins Children’s Books • Fantastic Funworld Magazine from Signature Publishing • Lulu & Jo Dolls and Board Books from Kidcentral • Peek-a-Boo Baby Range from Hachette Children’s Group • Rosa’s Workshop range from Child’s Play • The Gruffalo’s Child Musical Advent Calendar from Danilo

BEST PRESCHOOL HOME/ FURNITURE RANGE • Bing Bunny Bedding Range for Next by Dreamtex • Epernay Nursery Range from Mee-go • Nattou Sofa Range from HippyChick • NeoSpace Range from BabyHub • Oasis Oval Cot from Boori • Panama Cotbed and Dresser Range from East Coast Nursery

To book your participation please contact: Rob Willis E: robw@max-publishing.co.uk T: 0203 3704752 Jo Pilcher E: jop@max-publishing.co.uk T: 0203 7641694

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PPS AWARDS 2020 PRODUCT FINALISTS

AWARDS 2020

PPSawards.co.uk

PRODUCT CATEGORY FINALISTS

The Progressive Preschool Awards take place on 12 November 2020 in a digital format. @Prog_Preschool | #PPSA20

• Sleep Tight Baby Bed by Purflo • Westport Nursery Range from Silver Cross

BEST PRESCHOOL GIFT RANGE • Animal Teether Collection from Cheeky Chompers • Beatrix Potter Christmas Collection from Enesco • Peter Rabbit Alphabet Trolley from Orange Tree Toys • PlanToys Elephant Money Bank from Little Concepts • Ragtales Baby Range from Posh Paws • Signature Peter Rabbit Collection from Rainbow Designs • Sustainable Toy Range from Bigjigs Toys • Wilberry Pets In Baskets from Wilberry Toys

BEST WHEELED GOODS/ CAR SEAT RANGE • Cosmos from didofy • CRUZ V2 Stroller from UPPAbaby • Diamond Salsa 4 from ABC Design • Eezy S Twist +2 from Cybex

• Geo² from Joolz • M-City from Bebécar • The Groowy Car Seat by JANE from Johnston Prams • Tinum from Venicci

BEST PRESCHOOL ESSENTIALS RANGE • myHummy Baby Bear Lucas Sleep Sensor from Hippychick • Nap Nap Mat from Nap Nap UK • Potette Max from Cheeky Rascals • Potty Training System from My Carry Potty • Silicon Feeding and Weaning Range from Beaba • The Very Hungry Caterpillar baby skincare Range

by Bloom and Blossom from Rocket Licensing • Washable Lunchbag Range from Bibetta • Zed from Rockit

BEST KIDS’ LIFESTYLE RANGE • About Friends Collection from Lassig • CarGoSeat from CarGoSeat • Grabease Cutlery

from bébélephant • L.O.L. Surprise! Rainbows Home Textile Collection from Dreamtex for Primark • Personalised Contemporary Rainbow from Personalised Memento Company • myFirst Range from Oaxis • MJ Skate Range from Micro • Sunglasses Range from Babiators

BEST INFANT DEVELOPMENT RANGE • Baby Einstein First Discoveries Range from Mary Meyer • Etta Loves X Peanuts Range from Wildbrain CPLG • Ingenuity Reversible Duvet Activity Gym from Kids2 • MOLUK Building Genius Range from Little Concepts • Music and Lights 3-in1 Discovery Seat and Booster from Infantino • My 1st Tikiri Animal Rattle and Bath Toys from Inside Out Toys • That’s Not My… Collection from Rainbow Designs • Tot2Walk Baby Walking Aid from DCUK

To book your participation please contact: Rob Willis E: robw@max-publishing.co.uk T: 0203 3704752 Jo Pilcher E: jop@max-publishing.co.uk T: 0203 7641694

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© 2019 Rovio Entertainment Corporation and Rovio Animation Ltd. Rovio, All Angry Birds logos and characters are trademarks of Rovio Entertainment Corporation and Rovio Animation Ltd. All Rights Reserved. Avengers © 2019 Marvel. Baby Shark © Smart Study Co., Ltd. All Rights Reserved. Pinkfong® Baby Shark™ is a licensed trademark of Smart Study Co., Ltd. Captain Marvel © 2019 Marvel. Dumbo © 2019 Disney Enterprises, Inc. Fingerlings® and all product names, designations and logos are trademarks of WowWee Group Limited. Copyright 2016-2019 WowWee Group Limited. All rights reserved. LEGO, the LEGO logo, the Brick and Knob configurations and the Minifigure are trademarks of the LEGO Group. ©2019 The LEGO Group. The Lion King © 2019 Disney Enterprises, Inc. © MGA Entertainment, Inc. L.O.L. SURPRISE! TM is a trademark of MGA in the U.S. and other Countries. All logos, names, characters, likenesses, images, slogans and packaging appearance are the property of MGA. Mary Poppins Returns © 2018 Disney Enterprises, Inc. Match Attax © TOPPS Europe Limited, 2019. All rights reserved. © 2019 Viacom International Inc. All Rights Reserved. NICKELODEON, NELLA THE PRINCESS KNIGHT are trademarks of Viacom International Inc. © 2019 Spin Master PAW Productions Inc. All Rights Reserved. PAW Patrol and all related titles, logos and characters are trademarks of Spin Master Ltd. Nickelodeon and all related titles and logos are trademarks of Viacom International Inc. Shimmer and Shine © 2019 All Rights Reserved. Nickelodeon, trademark of Viacom International Inc. Spies in Disguise™ and © 2019 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. All rights reserved. Property of Fox. Spider-Man Into The Spider-Verse © 2018 Marvel © 2018 SPA & CPII. © 2019 Super Wings™ All Rights Reserved. The Nutcracker And The Four Realms © 2018 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Secret Life of Pets is a trademark and copyright of Universal Studios. Licensed by Universal Studios Licensing LLC. All rights reserved. DreamWorks Trolls © 2018 DreamWorks Animation LLC. All Rights Reserved. TM & © 2019 Ugly Industries Holdings, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Wonder Park TM & © 2019 Paramount Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

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ark © Smart ademarks of ing © 2019 ary Poppins onal Inc. er and Shine 018 SPA & ensing LLC.

Publishing for a new generation

Centum Books 20 Devon Square, Newton Abbot, Devon, TQ12 2HR, UK. Office: +44 (0)1626 337736 • Fax: +44 (0)1626 334580 • Books@centumbooksltd.co.uk

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KIDS INSIGHTS COLUMNIST

KID CENTRIC ACTIVITIES & POPULARITY OF OUTDOOR ON THE RISE The COVID-19 pandemic and the impact of lockdown has been seen across multiple aspects of parents and children’s lives. With continuous tracking and collection of real-time data, Parents Insights has been able to see changing and emerging behaviours among families – this is particularly apparent when looking at interactions between families and playtime activities in and out of the household environment.

S

ince lockdown commenced in March, we have seen the number of parents who play outside with their kids rise by 16% (43%), in line with the warmer months. After months of quarantine, children remain keen to get outside and play, with many brands creating licensed products to support outdoor activities. One such brand is Interplay UK, which recently launched a new licensing deal with Peppa Pig to introduce the Grow & Play range, whereby children are able to grow different types of seeds while playing with various Peppa Pig characters.

Peppa Pig is the top favourite character for kids aged 6 months to 4 years (24%) and these kids overBelow: Outside play has been

increasing as an activity which parents share with their children.

index on playing outside by 24% - our data also shows that those who favour playing outside are 29% more likely to own Peppa Pig toys.

Additionally, LEGO - the top favoured toy brand by kids aged 2-4 (6%) - partnered up with the National Trust to introduce the ‘Young Explorer’ competition. This involves kids getting creative to build nature adventure scenes made from the classic brick toys. We know from our data that kids who favour LEGO are 55% more likely to play outside, while also being 15% more likely to participate in messy play so this partnership seems well suited.

Outdoor activities are equally important to parents as they are to children. 43% of parents believe that their kids should engage in outdoor play - a �igure that is

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24% higher than the same period in 2019. Parents of preschoolers in particular (2-4 year olds) are both more likely to partake in outdoor play (65%) and days out (62%) with their kids, and therefore a higher proportion might be expected to choose theme parks and beaches over shopping and leisure centres as the location of days out. This suggests that brands within this market should advertise their products primarily to this demographic.

As a result of limited travel options due to COVID-19, we have seen ‘staycations’ surge in popularity across the country this summer and this has also impacted the number of parents taking their kids on days out (40%), 21% more than in May-July the previous year. Kids, even at preschool age have in�luence over the purchasing decisions their parents make. Over the past three months, 2-4s in�luence over 18 of the 20 categories tracked by Parents Insights has increased, illustrating how as families have spent more time together during lockdown, parents have allowed their children to be a more prominent part of family discussion, creating a more democratic household. Thinking of days out in particular, 9% of parents said that their child had some margin of in�luence, rising to 12% among parents of 2-4 year olds.

With all of this in mind, it will be interesting to see how brands approach 2021, what new partnerships and collaborations may we see if the behaviours across UK households remain more democratic and outdoor, kid-centric activities continue to be a priority of parents and preschoolers alike.

Every 12 months, Parents Insights surveys 10,000 parents to give an unrivalled viewpoint into the world of parenting.

This month’s reports are based mainly on the results of surveying 2,500 parents between May 1 and July 31 2020, though it also utilises data we have collected since February 2018. This article specifically focuses on the UK market.

We are offering brands an immersive planning meeting to illustrate how data and insights into the world of parenting can help inform advertising, content, licensing, product, marketing, and sales planning. To download a complementary insight-led report, please visit http:// parentsinsights.com/progressivepreschool/

PROGRES SIVE P R E S C H O O L

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P6SH PAWS

INTERNATIONAL

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GOOD PLAY GUIDE COLUMNIST

ASK PREPARING FOR NURSERY ANNA One of the biggest things parents will need to prepare their child for is nursery.

It may be the first time their child is away from the family for any length of time and can feel like a real leap forward in their independence.

Being able to communicate to some extent with other children and adults will be important, as will the ability to do basic self-care tasks such as feeding themselves. Children won’t have to know their numbers and letters just yet, but some will enjoy the thrill of mastering (and showing off ) new skills like this anyway.

With that in mind, here are a few toys that can help support these important skills...

They can also create patterns or match numbers, supporting early maths skills.

WRITING: LITTLE BRIAN PAINT STICKS MINI ART STATION TRENDS UK (3 -6 YRS)

Anna Taylor is a researcher at Dr Gummer’s Good Play Guide, an organisation dedicated to helping children learn and develop through play.

GoodPlayGuide.com

Above: Mr Tumble is a popular choice for preschoolers.

VOCABULARY: TOUCH MY NOSE SENSORY MR TUMBLE SOFT TOY - GOLDEN BEAR (12 MTHS - 4 YRS) Fans will love hearing familiar phrases from the popular CBeebies show Something Special, which helps build their vocabulary.

The show is particularly popular amongst children who have special educational needs and disabilities (SEND); some children with SEND are drawn to sensory features, so the light-up nose and waistcoat may be especially enticing.

Above: Books are ideal for helping children prepare for big changes.

SELF-CARE: BIG STEPS SERIES CAMPBELL BOOKS (12 MTHS - 4 YRS) The Big Steps series is designed to help little ones cope with everyday experiences in their lives. From sleeping problems and potty training, to learning to say please or coping with a new sibling, the colourful lift-the-�lap books introduce core life skills in a way young children can understand.

Each page also features handy parent tips, endorsed by child development expert Dr Amanda Gummer.

FINE MOTOR SKILLS: SPIKE THE FINE MOTOR HEDGEHOG LEARNING RESOURCES (18 MTHS - 4 YRS)

This colourful plastic hedgehog challenges children to replace the chunky, peg-shaped ‘quills’ within the holes that dot the smiling hedgehog’s back. This helps improve the �ine motor skills that children need for dressing themselves or holding a pencil.

Left: Spike is a cute way to encourage hand-to-eye co-ordination.

A folding double-sided art station with whiteboard and chalkboard as well as six chalk sticks and six mini paint sticks. Perfect for little ones to scribble to their heart’s content, or begin working on their �irst letters, numbers, and shapes. Perfect for developing �ine motor control and encouraging mark making.

Toys and books can be a great help as parents get their child ready to start nursery, as they are a fun and motivating way for children to learn. At this age children are developing quickly, so parents may want to invest a little more in a toy that can offer different ways to play as their child grows.

Below: Get kids creative with Little Brian’s mini art station.

THE KEY SKILLS 1 Fine motor control is important for self-care as well as learning to write. It can be developed by handling small objects such as crayons and blocks.

1 Confidence is key and mastering new activities – such as completing a puzzle or learning to operate a new toy – can help with this.

1 Although children may not be playing together yet, helping build their language and social skills can help with this later on.

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INDUSTRY INSIGHTS

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As one of the world’s largest market research companies, GfK offers retailers and suppliers valuable insight into the way people live, think and shop. Here, client insight manager Marco Salerno takes takes a look at how Covid-19 has affected the baby care market so far.

BABY CARE DURING COVID-19

“

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ll consumer categories have been affected in one or another way by the Covid-19 pandemic this year, and baby care is no exception. The year-to-date value performance has declined by a further 5% compared to last year, taking it to -26% yearon-year (and -18% in volume).

Not surprisingly, the most affected categories have been strollers, (down 27% on last year) and car seats (down by 19% in the same period). Following the steepest category declines during the strictest lockdown period in April, these mobility categories saw their value losses ease as people were allowed to spend more time outside during the summer months.

Car seats that can be adapted as the child grows have driven an improvement in the overall category, which was sitting at -17% in August.

Unfortunately this has not been enough to offset the ongoing deep declines among more premium infant car seat products. The appeal of second-hand models, for older children in particular, is likely to have increased with the greater �inancial pressures faced by many since April.

While the car seat market shows some signs of eventual recovery, sales of strollers remain stagnant with an August value drop of almost 50% compared to the same month in 2019.

Above: The stroller market is down by 27% on last year’s figures.

Looking at a sub-segment level, buggies have declined the least over the last the months (-36% in value). This is partly linked to their lower average price, but price promotions have also contributed here, backing the online growth which partially offsets the sharp in-store slowdown. Meanwhile, the 2-in-1 and 3-in-1 travel system categories have suffered the deepest value declines of almost any market across total baby care in recent months.

AN UNCERTAIN MARKET “The pandemic has aggravated the underlying economic uncertainty and further dented consumer confidence as more than eight million people remain on the furlough scheme with no clarity about their future.”

Below: Sales of bottles have shifted online over recent months.

Bottles and teats, the third biggest baby care category, is also in underlying decline which has accelerated from -3% to -6% in terms of value (-10% volume) over the last 12 months. Sales of bottles and teats were weighted heavily towards in-store selling although sales shifted quickly to online following Covid-19 restrictions, with almost half of the value now sold digitally.

Across the total baby care market, online sales are up by 28% in the last three months, a big hike from the 2% value increase in the last 12 months.

The level of volume sold online has grown at a much faster rate than value, as a result of lower-priced and previously in-store focused categories such as soothers and teethers generally outperforming.

The underlying trend of sales shifting from in-store towards online continues in comparison to the equivalent month in 2019, albeit with the online value share falling from a peak of 83% in April to 61% in August.

With local lockdowns underway and likely to be extended in the future, the way consumers shop for baby products is not expected to return to the prelockdown ‘normal’ any time soon.”

Source: GfK Point of Sales Tracking | Durable consumer goods market | Data update: August 2020

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AUTUMN TOY CATCH UP Main image: Le Toy Van launched its first ever train set earlier this year.

Legends of the Fall It’s a new season and, as we head into Q4, toy companies are balancing optimism around a recovering high street and better than anticipated performance, with the continued challenges of a global pandemic and the upcoming end of the Brexit transition period.

PPS catches up with a number of suppliers to talk new launches, Christmas and key trends.

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utumn is a time of fresh beginnings. And for toy companies this year, the feelings of a new start are even more pertinent and the desire for a successful Christmas even higher.

“Before lockdown our preschool toys were up 16% from 2019 and we had so many new enquiries for them that 2020 was looking like a bumper year,” Left: Hippychick sold through five months of stock of its Trybike in 45 days.

Andrew Bacon, md of Fiesta Crafts tells PPS. “Our new products had been so well received at the trade shows.

Obviously during lockdown sales were badly affected despite some good sales with online retailers. Postlockdown we have seen a cautious return from retailers, which, although we have not achieved the same level of sales as last year, nevertheless have been better than we expected.”

The company has recently launched its Pop-Up People, large soft characters with retractable legs to make them tall or short. Its craft items have also proved popular with parents, as Andrew explains: “For us it has been crafts and educational items that have been even more popular and I see that trend continuing in 2021.”

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KEY TRENDS “Parents are definitely shopping smarter,” says Hippychick’s Jeremy Minchin. “Reviews, price, longevity, sustainability, even delivery times are more important than ever. Of course, recyclable packaging is at the forefront of most minds and we are extremely excited to be imminently launching a product that is packaged in completely ecofriendly and recyclable packaging.”

Le Toy Van’s Alice King says the company has also noticed that lots of people have realised the importance of outdoor and green spaces during lockdown. “The ecofriendly trend has turned some consumer towards sustainable products and natural materials such as wooden toys,” she says.

Meanwhile, The Puppet Company’s Katy Rugman says that, as lockdown progressed, it saw “a movement away from video games and electronics to more traditional toys and games that the whole family could get involved in”.

Above: Fiesta Crafts’ new Pop-Up People is the company’s final launch for this year..

Andrew is also optimistic when it comes to Christmas. “Sales have definitely picked up for us this month and many customers are repeating orders quite quickly which is a good sign.”

For Le Toy Van, earlier this year saw it release its first ever train set, marking a new area for the company. Alice King, digital marketing manager, tells PPS that its Star Beauty Bag has also been in 

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BIG Names...

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AUTUMN TOY CATCH UP

Above: Playmobil’s 1.2.3 offering has its 30th anniversary next year. Left: The Eggventure Train joins the Toomies line-up in the run up to Christmas.



demand, along with larger items such as the Showtime Puppet Theatre and the evergreen Cherry Tree Hall.

Alice says: “Due to the current economic situation it may not be our best year, but we believe people will want to keep the magical Christmas feeling alive. Like most businesses, we are still being cautious. Lockdown may be over, but we don’t know what’s around the corner. As a medium-size family business, we will face challenges when leaving the EU. New compliance laws and regulations that will come with Brexit are one of the areas we will need to be prepared for.”

Adam Moore, marketing communications manager at Playmobil, agrees that Christmas shopping this year will “be completely different to anything we have seen before. But this gives us the chance to think of new ways to speak to retailers and consumers.”

The company has just launched its new Advent Calendars, while it has seen ‘fantastic sales’ across some of its classic themes such as camping, emergency services and space. “Our

new Playmobil 1.2.3 offering has also seen some great feedback, and with it having its 30th anniversary next year and a new packaging refresh which highlights all of the key benefits we are really excited to see this area of our business grow,” Adam continues.

Hippychick’s co-founder, Jeremy Minchin, tells PPS that although the market generally was very challenging preCOVID, preschool toys had been the company’s biggest growth area over the last three years. Strong performers included Trybike, the Classic World range, Wheelybugs, Moover and Dena, plus the French Vilac brand and Nattou soft toys.

“With the advent of COVID, all these brands have grown strongly, which has been a huge relief and solid vindication of our belief that they were great examples of long lasting, high quality and good value toys,” he comments.

And Jeremy is also looking on the positive side of all the changes which have occurred in business due to the restrictions. “A crisis often generates action that would not have been taken in ordinary times and I think that we are a better, more focused and stronger business than we were 12 months ago.

I think that we know much better who our key customers are and how to look after them.”

The Puppet Company, meanwhile has seen success for its Sockettes puppet range, finger puppets and its Wilberry soft toys, including the new

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collectables line. Katy Rugman tells PPS: “While we realise this will be a Christmas like no other, we are thinking of new ways to help keep the magic and to share some smiles and positivity.

We’ve just released a huge selection of special offers at low minimum order quantities to help our retailers get some ‘newness’ into their shops ahead of Christmas trading and this period is still shaping up to be a busy one. Although these are challenging times, the toy industry and businesses as a whole are adapting to meet the demands of the current situation wherever possible.”

TOMY has launched 43 new products into the preschool toy market so far in 2020. And there’s more to come, including new additions to the Toomies Eggventure range and a new Peppa Pig bath offering.

“Given the vast range of great new toys launching across our preschool ranges, we’re feeling very optimistic about Christmas,” says Claire Ridley, head of EU brands at TOMY. “We’re continuing our marketing investment to support these new launches, and hope that this will prove beneficial for Christmas sales. People are also looking ahead, wanting to make the most of the festive period given the challenges we’ve all faced so far in 2020.”

Below: The Sockettes range is also one of The Puppet Company’s top sellers.

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WHAT’S NEW: TOYS

WHAT’S NEW TOYS TRENDS This autumn Trends will launch Paw Patrol ELAs with a cool Paw Patrol Smart Phone, Ryder’s Alphabet Pad and Count with Marshall which will feature fearless pups on daring rescue missions! Also launching will be a new Peppa’s Phonic Alphabet which introduces interactive learning with letters, spelling early words phonetically, plus numbers and colours and a Mr Tumble Flip Up Phone, is also joining the Something Special line-up.

Tel: 01702 208175 www.trendsuk.co.uk

RAINBOW DESIGNS

UNIVERSITY GAMES The fabulous Christmas Plasticine advent calendar from University Games’ Lagoon range makes the perfect creative gift to kickstart the festive period. The advent calendar contains 450g real Plasticine in a variety of colours, a childhood favourite with great nostalgic appeal.

Hidden behind each little window of this advent calendar is a set of easy-to-follow instructions to create a whole host of festive figures including Christmas crackers, candy canes, a Christmas tree, a snowman, a reindeer and of course Father Christmas!

Tel: 0207 2540100 www.university-games.co.uk

Arriving this October, the highly-anticipated Adventures of Paddington preschool toy range from Rainbow Designs will feature a super soft and cuddly deluxe Paddington plush, standing at 33cm tall and wearing his famous red hat and duffle coat with real toggles, that can be removed for extra play value. The range will also feature fun and collectable 22cm high soft toys of Paddington wearing his famous coat and hat and Paddington in his pyjamas, as well as Paddington figurines with movable arms, in outfits from the series and a super fun Double Decker Play Bus set.

Tel: 01329 227300 www.rainbowdesigns.co.uk

THE SINGING ANT Featuring a wipe clean, soft surface, the Singing Ant designer play mats are the perfect solution for incorporating safety and style within any parent’s home. The rotatable non-toxic EVA foam tiles easily slot together, interlocking to become a contemporary playmat in an instant.

Available in four, scandi-inspired unisex colour options, parents can choose from the neutral tones of spring green and morning blue, featuring delicate floral illustrations.

Alongside these, a touch of metallic can be added to any nursery with sunset rose and moon grey, which feature subtle copper flecks for a unique twinkle.

Tel: 0049 17621966931 www.thesingingant.com

TONIES Children’s audio system creator, tonies, has teased several big launches ahead of the festive season, with the first being preschool favourite, Peppa Pig. Launching on October 22, the Peppa Pig Tonie aims to engage children in the world of the characters with over an hour of audio. This includes nine stories – such as Peppa Goes on Holiday and George and the Noisy Baby – with a full cast of voices, music and special effects from the TV series.

Tel: 0203 1921492 www.tonies.com

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NEW TO TV FOR 2020!

Airing on Nick Jr. since March 2020, The Adventures of Paddington centres on a younger Paddington as he writes letters to Aunt Lucy celebrating the new things he has discovered through the day’s exciting activities.

The series will invite a new generation of fans into Paddington’s world full of Airingkindness, on Nick Jr.slapstick since March 2020, fun The Adventures of Paddington centres on a heart, humour, and generosity.

NEW TO TV FOR 2020!

NEW TO TV FOR 2020!

Airing on Nickyounger Jr. sincePaddington March 2020, Adventures on athe new as The he writes lettersoftoPaddington Aunt Lucy centres celebrating younger Paddington as he he has writes letters to Aunt Lucy celebrating theactivities. new things discovered through the day’ s exciting things has will discovered the day’sofexciting activities.

The he series invite a through new generation fans into Paddington’s world full of The series will invite aheart, new generation of fans into Paddington’ world full of kindness, slapstick humour, fun andsgenerosity. heart, kindness, slapstick humour, fun and generosity.

See our exciting new See our See our Theexciting Adventures new exciting new ThePaddington Adventures of The Adventures of Paddington range on our of Paddington range on our website range on our now! website now! website now!

Launched Launched as as as Launched the #3 show thethe #3 #show 3on show Nick Jr. on Nick Jr.Jr. on Nick Free to air FreeFree to to air air Oct from from from OctOct 2020! * 2020!

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The Home of Classic Characters

38_PPS_Sept Oct 2020.indd 1

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WHAT’S NEW: TOYS

39

WHAT’S NEW TOYS LITTLE BRIAN

TINY LOVE Tiny Love is excited to launch its new and innovative Wonder Buddies range of toys. Created for toddlers aged one plus, the Wonder Buddies are three smart friends designed to aid little one’s growth and imagination. Each buddy features seven fun activities created to match developmental stages, making it a perfect first playmate. Ergonomically designed for little palms and fingers, Wonder Buddies helps aid motor skills all while enjoying play time!

Tel: 0208 2360707 www.tinylove.com

LITTLECONCEPTS LittleCONCEPTS is excited to be launching a whole new selection of Candylab vehicles. The Candycar and Candyvan series have proved to be a huge hit with retailers and the new product launch features 20 new lines from these categories.

Highlights of the new launch include Bob’s Plumbing Van, Milk Truck and a collection of campers including the Mississippi Mule and Rosebud Camper.

Tel: 0117 2302112 www.littleconcepts.co.uk

The Giant Paint Stick from Little Brian contains 30 assorted Paint Sticks in all the colours available: twelve classic, twelve metallic and six day glow colours. Shaped like a 30cm tall yellow Paint Stick, the Giant Stick will look fab and stylish in any home. Perfect for children to store their Paint Sticks, unleash their creativity and quickly tidy up again.

Tel: 01702 208175 www.trendsuk.co.uk

POSH PAWS Meet Darcy Bear and Bella Rabbit, the new Ragtales teddy bears that are made from the softest fur. Each teddy bear is jointed for enhanced play value and is packaged in a beautiful presentation gift box.

There are three teddies in the range and suitable from birth.

Tel: 01268 567317 www.poshpawsinternational. co.uk

BRIO Smart Tech Sound technology from BRIO is set to enhance play in its BRIO World range. Building on BRIO’s Smart Tech interactive innovation, the new technology enables children to customise the sound environment as they play and explore their imaginations in the BRIO World. The Record & Play Engine, central to the Smart Tech Sound offering, enables children to record their own sounds into the battery-operated engine, and then hear it play out when it passes under the Sound Tunnel.

Tel: 01869 363800 www.brio.uk

DANTOY Dantoy has launched a brandnew ‘I’m Green’ line of bioplastic products. Its bioplastic is made of at least 90% sugarcane, a sustainable raw material, and is 100% recyclable.

The range of bio toys includes the popular front loading tractor and is great for pretend play as it encourages social skills, interaction and helps children to learn whilst having fun.

Tel: +45 96574100 www.dantoy.dk

PROGRES SIV E P R E S C H O O L

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Count with Marshall

Peppa’s Phonic Alphabet

Ryder’s Alphabet Tablet

Flip & Learn Phone

Flip & Learn Phone

Hey Duggee Smart Tablet

Expect so much more!

Trends UK (National Accounts)

Wind Designs (Independents)

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

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

Tel: +44 (0)1295 768078

Peppa Pig © Astley Baker ©Spin Master Ltd. TMPAW PATROL and all related titles, logos, characters; and SPIN Davies Ltd. © 2020 Hasbro MASTER logo are trademarks of Spin Master Ltd. Used under license. Nickelodeon and all related titles and logos are trademarks of Viacom International Inc. andOfficialPeppaPig Entertainment One.

Trends Prog preschool 245x165 Sept 2020.indd 1 40_PPS_Sept Oct 2020.indd 1

Tel: +44 (0)1353 724140

BBC logoTM and © BBC 1996. Something Special logoTM & © BBC 2004. Mr TumbleTM & © BBC 2015. Licensed by BBC Studios.

For media enquiries:

Ane Olesen: Ane@wirepr.co.uk

©2020 Gullane (Thomas) HEY DUGGEE™ and character logos™ & Limited. ©2020 HIT © Studio AKA Ltd 2014. Licensed by BBC Studios. BBC logo TM & © BBC 1996. Entertainment Limited.

10/09/2020 09:54 28/09/2020 22:19

LICENSED TOYS

41

Main picture: Disney’s Hundred Acre Wood Winnie the Pooh collections have performed well for Rainbow Designs this year.

Below: Tonies is seeing more and more licences looking to come on board with the company.

Brand leaders Familiar, comforting and evergreen licences have seen their stock rise even further this year within the toy category, as consumers look towards what they love and trust. PPS chats to a number of companies with strong licensed portfolios to find out how they’ve been faring and what’s coming up for the rest of 2020.

I

n difficult times, the familiarity of what we know, love and trust really comes to the fore – and this certainly seems to be true for those toy companies with preschool licences in their portfolios this year.

“We have seen this in our business,” says Zara Grindrod, sales director at Rainbow Designs. “Being the Home of Classic Characters and featuring brands that have been household favourites for years, the familiarity of our characters has been in constant demand.”

The company has enjoyed a strong year with Peter Rabbit, while Classic

Paddington, Disney’s Hundred Acre Wood Winnie the Pooh, Miffy and Eric Hill’s Spot collections have also been popular.

There is also a raft of Q4 activity planned for the new Adventures of Paddington toy range.

“This year has been very tough on all children and because of that parents are looking to make sure that their Christmas isn’t spoilt as well,” says Zara.

Peppa Pig and PAW Patrol continue to perform well for HTI across various categories, while JCB also remains a strong reliable licence.

Left:: Sales are increasing steadily for Sunny Bunnies says Posh Paws. Above: Hey Duggee is a key part of Trends UK’s portfolio. Above right: Peppa Pig continues to perform well across various categories for HTI. PROGRES SIVE P R E S C H O O L

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“We are confident about our Christmas period as a business, as we know we have the right online channels in place to maximise on the opportunities,” Michelle Dalziel, senior licensing and marketing manager, tells PPS. “In 2021, we’re looking forward to continuing our success with Peppa Pig with a lot of new investment and development into new categories. JCB also has some great new product ranges for next year, which we feel confident will lead to some strong incremental sales.”

For Lindsay Hardy, marketing director at Trends UK, its licensed portfolio offers a number of positive attributes. “The preschool characters we work with offer fun, entertainment, learning opportunities and also - very importantly - emotional reassurance in the unusual circumstances everyone was dealing with,” she says.

“I think those positive attributes will be remembered and valued.” 

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LICENSED TOYS

43



The company has new additions due to its Peppa Pig and Mr Tumble ranges, plus new launches of PAW Patrol and The Adventures of Paddington, while Hey Duggee is also a key part of the line-up. “It’s a very full autumn programme and very exciting,” Lindsay continues.

For Flair Just Play, the strong uptake and timing of the arrival of Disney+ in the UK, helped it to see a significant uplift to its traditional Disney ranges including Disney Princess, The Lion King and Doc McStuffins.

“Doc McStuffins is a shining example of this and how the Disney + platform has reminded fans and also introduced her to plenty of new ones - not forgetting she was singing the ‘Wash your Hands’ song back in 2016,” says Charlotte Rodgers, marketing manager. “We are very excited to be launching the Doc McStuffins Wash your Hands doll this Q4, with a trade wide roll out from SS21.”

In addition, Flair Just Play has a number of new product lines tying in with PJ Masks Heroes, as well as Ryan’s World. “We are positive that great toys will still perform and they will still resonate with children as they always have done,” says Charlotte on the subject of Christmas.

2020 has seen TOMY celebrate the launch of its master toy range for Ricky Zoom, as well as the Toomies Peppa Pig bath range. Its bestseller, however, has been the Peppa Pig Aquadoodle mat. “With the arts and crafts category performing well during the months of lockdown, we’ll be continuing to look at new, evergreen strong licences for next year that will help meet this demand,” Claire Ridley, head of EU brands at TOMY, tells PPS. Since lockdown has

MIGHTY LAUNCHES Above left:: Flair Just Play has a number of new PJ Masks toys due for launch.

Above: PAW Patrol’s new Dino Rescue theme will see some innovative new lines arrive from Spin Master.

Below: TOMY’s Ricky Zoom master toy line launched this year.

eased, Posh Paws has launched three new ranges and has seen a positive increase in sales on a weekly basis for its new Sunny Bunnies feature soft toys, Love Hearts Foodie Friends range and the eco-friendly BBC Earth baby animal collection. The company also has high hopes for its new Ragtales collection – which includes baby ranges, ragdolls, teddy bears and wooden pull-along toys among others.

“For us in soft toys we are seeing an increased demand in more gift-led properties with consumers wanting to buy for friends, family and loved ones,” says Lauren Shipman, group brand and marketing director at Posh Paws. “Absence makes the heart grow fonder and our Swizzels Love Hearts collections are certainly capitalising on that.”

Meanwhile, Tonies has been encouraged to see how its online business has performed this year. The ambitious company has launched new Disney products, as well as Peppa Pig, while The Gruffalo and Little Mermaid Tonies continue to be a success.

“As many children spent so long out of school and parents struggled with the mammoth task of juggling children at home, we

PROGRES SIVE P R E S C H O O L

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Big news for Spin Master is the launch of Mighty Express, a CG animated preschool series which hit Netflix on September 22.

“Mighty Express marks Spin Master Entertainment’s first series launching straight to a streaming platform, part of the our commitment to a multiplatform content strategy,” says Sara Taylor, general manager at Spin Master UK. “The Mighty Express franchise is wholly-owned by Spin Master and we retain the rights to distribution of the series (outside of SVOD) including licensing of consumer products and a toy line set to launch in 2021.

Meanwhile, PAW Patrol is currently in its seventh season and autumn sees the introduction of the Dino Rescue theme, along with Spin Master’s first motorised vehicle for the brand, the Dino Patroller. Looking ahead to 2021 and the franchise will switch up from the small screen to the big screen, with a new feature film due to arrive in August.

The company also has the master toy licence for DreamWorks Animation’s new preschool series, Gabby’s Dollhouse, which is due to debut on Netflix next month. Playsets, figures, plush, games and puzzles are all due in autumn 2021.” have absolutely seen a trend towards screenless toys, educational tech or gadgets that can help give parents a helping hand,” says Lisa Khosravi, international coordination manager at Tonies. “As such, we are seeing more and more licences look to come on board with us as this trend looks set to continue as we approach winter.”

29/09/2020 10:30

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EARLY LEARNING CENTRE

45

Left: An Early Learning Centre shop-in-shop recently opened in The Entertainer’s Bullring store. Above: The brand is performing well online.

The Early Years It was a powerhouse of the high street in the 1980s and 1990s and, following its acquisition of Early Learning Centre last year, The Entertainer is looking to reinvigorate the brand, returning it to former glories. A key part of this will be a licensing programme which is being handled by Riverside Brands. PPS finds out more.

W

hen The Entertainer revealed that it had acquired Early Learning Centre in March 2019, you could tell that the brand had found its forever home. Gary Grant, founder and executive chairman of

The Entertainer, spoke fondly of the heritage of the much-loved British brand and how he, and the team, were looking forward to reinvigorating it for generations to come.

Earlier this year, we got an idea of how that reinvigoration would

EARLY LEARNING CENTRE: NEED TO KNOW The Early Learning Centre brand was established in 1972 by John Beale and became a powerhouse of the high street during the 1980s and 1990s, supporting children’s early years development through play.

It was acquired by Mothercare in 2007 for £85 million (when it had more than 200 stores) before The Entertainer made it part of its portfolio in 2019, acquiring it in a £13.5 million deal.

There are now around 600 franchised Early Learning Centre stores around the world, including established footprints in the likes of

Russia (over 100 stores), the Middle East, Malta, Cyprus, Indonesia, China and Singapore. Notably, it is the biggest toy retailer in the UAE region. A selection of its toys has also launched on Amazon.com in the US. A shop-in-shop in The Entertainer in Birmingham’s Bullring recently opened, while the range is available in over 170 of The Entertainer’s outlets. “There is a huge amount of awareness across the globe for the Early Learning Centre brand,” Stuart comments.

begin to take shape when the retailer confirmed it had appointed Ashley Holman and his agency, Riverside Brands, to work on a brand extension programme for Early Learning Centre.

“Stuart [Grant] and I had worked previously together for a number of years on a number of key projects, specifically on developing and building the Nickelodeon and Nick Jr. branded range of toys at The Entertainer into a great success story for both companies,” Ashley explains. “This was the foundation for the conversation and it showed that a strong enough brand name and identity can really resonate on product and with consumers.”

Ashley says that both he and Stuart could instantly see an opportunity with the brand: “It is such a recognised brand and with the plans The Entertainer has for it over the coming years, we could 

PROGRES SIVE P R E S C H O O L

45_47 Early Learning Centre.indd 43

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47

EARLY LEARNING CENTRE

 instantly see a long-term and scalable

opportunity for partners. The style guide is currently in development and as well as bringing the brand and characters to life with fantastic creative, they will also benefit from strong back stories to add to the connection children will have to the brand.”

Advanced discussions are underway on publishing, outerwear, accessories and nightwear, while Ashley sees further scope in bedding, bedroom furniture, stationery and back to school, as well as experiential activity once that area begins to return to normal.

For Stuart Grant, group sourcing director at The Entertainer, the opportunity with the Early Learning Centre is ‘monumental’ and he is keen to work with partners which will ‘love and cherish the brand’.

Above & Below: The Happyland characters will be as important as the Early Learning Centre brand itself in the licensed space, says Ashley.

“The brand is having a huge resonance with young mums now – they were Early Learning Centre children and there is a huge amount of trust there,” Stuart explains.

“People want good value for money, but they are also conscious of the social and environmental cost, while also encouraging their child in their development in the early years. We’re asking what categories will create awareness and are relevant for Early Learning Centre and how we put the brand at the forefront of mums’ minds.”

Ashley says that it will be ‘very important’ that products are reflective of Early Learning Centre’s core brand values.

“Every category and product format we are looking at will adhere to the Early Learning Centre’s core brand values and brand positioning in terms of quality and customer experience, as well as a creating a fun learning experience wherever relevant,” he says.

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Above: Ashley Holman, md, Riverside Brands Above left: Stuart Grant, group sourcing director, The Entertainer.

“There is already a lot of data that has been compiled, so we have clear guidelines and strategy to ensure going into licensed categories enhances the overall Early Learning Centre offer.”

Ashley also believes that the brand’s heritage will really help products to stand out on shelf. “Virtually no other brand in this space has the heritage at its core with multi-generational customers,” he points out. “Overlaid with The Entertainer’s ambitious plans for the brand over the coming years and scope of retail opportunity that already exists and will be developed, we feel this is an exceptional opportunity for partners to build a long-term evergreen licensed proposition. Early Learning Centre product will always be that little bit different and that little bit better.”

Stuart agrees: “We see huge potential; the shop-in-shop in the Bullring looks phenomenal and is trading well, plus the brand is really big online. There is a huge resurgence back to it and the same love, care and attention goes back into the product.

That’s why consumers are responding.

There is a huge opportunity in selected categories in licensing that touch on the values of the brand.”

What is key now, adds Stuart, is getting the right partners, with the right product into the right retail location.

Ashley admits that the preschool market in general in the UK is a crowded one, but both he and Stuart feel that Early Learning Centre is relatively risk free, making it a ‘long-term opportunity that should be around in another 50+ years’.

“We think Early Learning Centre has resonated with a lot of people, is an evergreen brand and attractive because it’s stable,” Stuart concludes.

29/09/2020 10:32

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23/09/2020 09:09

IN CONVERSATION WITH... TOYNAMICS UK & IRELAND Main picture: The Sort & Spin Yeti will be among the toys focused on in the lead up to Christmas.

Below: Skip Hop’s popular Zoo bag range will grow even further next year.

49

Having added the popular Skip Hop ranges to its distribution portfolio, Toynamics UK & Ireland is entering the final part of 2020 in strong shape and is confident of further growth ahead. PPS catches up with marketing executive, Daniel Coe, to find out more.

Hop and Glory

H

aving revealed the deal back in June this year, Toynamics UK & Ireland began its exclusive distribution of Skip Hop in September.

“The two brands met at Nuremberg toy fair and instantly hit it off,” Daniel Coe, marketing executive at Toynamics UK & Ireland, tells PPS. “Skip Hop complemented the other quality brands Toynamics distributes (Hape, Baby Einstein, Nebulous Stars, Nanoblock, PolyM, etc.) without any big overlaps.”

The company is already seeing some ‘really good orders’ coming through from retailers, says Daniel.

Skip Hop currently has products across seven categories – changing bags, on-the-go accessories, bath time, nursery gear, playtime, baby gyms and the Zoo toddler essentials.

The toy ranges will be a big focus in the run-up to Christmas including jumpscapes, the Sort & Spin Yeti and the Follow Bee Crawl toys. Meanwhile,

49_Toynamics.indd 49

the popular range of Zoo bags is due to be expanded next year, with more animals joining the existing Unicorn, Fox, Dinosaur, Narwhal, Butter�ly, Monkey and Flamingo (which was a new addition for 2020). Matching lunch bags, bottles, utensils and snack cups, plus luggage bags complete the Zoo range.

“Making Skip Hop a part of the Toynamics family means we have the opportunity to progress in new sectors and with new trends,” says Daniel. “Now we have new opportunities to showcase toys to retailers who would not have thought this would have been a business venture for them, as well as showing toy retailers nursery products.”

Daniel is con�ident that Toynamics can build on the existing popularity of Skip Hop in the UK, and is keen to maximise exposure for the brand. “We want to show retailers – independents in particular – the prospect of stocking these sought-after goods and what it could mean for their business and what it means to be working with Toynamics,” he says.

There is still growth to be had in 2020, too – business has remained good for Toynamics through the pandemic and Daniel says opportunity will come through new retailers and new sectors. “Growth will be made through offering retailers new,

innovative and exciting products as we expand our ranges,” he says. “We then follow this up for full sales and marketing support (see box out).”

Daniel concludes: “The toy industry in general is always going to have areas of growth; there will always be children being born and parents wanting the latest, greatest toys for their little ones.”

Left: Daniel Coe, marketing executive, Toynamics UK & Ireland.

ONE STOP SHOP Toynamics offers a full-service package for retailers whether they are online, brick and mortar, national or independent. This includes full marketing support; social media, online and digital advertising, print advertising and in-store marketing.

“Being a one-stop-shop for all retailers is our core aim,” says Daniel.

“We want to help our retailers showcase our quality products to parents and helping drive traffic to their website or store means we have a better chance of doing this. We also want to demonstrate our products in-store, providing our retailers with quality content to help do this when we are can not be there.”

PROGRES SIVE P R E S C H O O L

25/09/2020 09:28

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51

INTERNATIONAL TRADE

Trade shows are crucial for companies looking to make connections across the international nursery marketplace.

With both Harrogate and Kind + Jugend postponed until next year, PPS spoke to a number of suppliers to find out how they are looking after the international side of their business.

A Small World

W

hile much of the business world has been able to move fairly seamlessly to virtual meetings and online video conferencing over the last few months, there are a few things that simply don’t translate to the digital world in quite the same way – and trade shows are one of these. Despite their best efforts, show organisers remain unable to replicate all the bene�its of having a whole international industry together in one place at the same time.

So how have companies been making sure they keep their

MOVING ONLINE

“At Lazy Baby we are growing our international market into the USA and Europe. At the moment, the UK home market is our number one but, in the future, I believe the USA will be just as important for us.

We have been mainly using online trade shows to launch new styles and ranges since the Covid epidemic hit and it is going extremely well. We are opening the same amount of new accounts as we did with traditional trade shows, which is really positive.

We also use Mailchimp to contact our retailers regularly and I spend

Above: More than 70% of Poco Nido’s trade is conducted overseas. Right: JANE’s Groowy was due to launch at Harrogate 2020.

focus on international trade in a time when even maintaining domestic trade is tricky enough?

“For Poco Nido the international market is absolutely vital as more than 70% of our trade is done overseas,” said founder Catherine Lobley, “particularly Spain, France and Asia. We’re very nervous about a no-deal Brexit.”

“We had some fantastic collaborations in the pipeline but unfortunately due to Covid-19 these

a lot of time on the phone calling stores to stay in touch.

I’m hoping by the new year, New York Now and Top Drawer will be up and running but I’m not confident that retailers will turn up in the previous numbers. I hope trade shows return to previous numbers but for now, online platforms seem to be working really well, so this is something we will continue with.”

Mark Hagley, founder, Lazy Baby

have been put on the back burner.

We also had planned to launch a vegan version of our famous mini shoes but again because of the coronavirus we’ve been stopped in our tracks.”

Despite having no trade shows since February, Poco Nido has still launched its usual Mini and Mighty collection and has been letting existing stockists know about the new collections via email.

“Hopefully by the time we start working on our collaborations again trade shows will be up and running,” continued Catherine. “If that’s not the case then we’ll just have to do the best we can.”

“In the long run, we’d really like to see things return to normal. We have been attending Playtime Paris for the last seven years and to be honest it’s been really strange not going,” she revealed. “Although over the last few years there has de�initely been a decline in footfall so maybe this will shake up the world of the tradeshow for the better. It’ll be interesting to see

Below: Lazy Baby offers fast selling, organic and high-quality baby clothing.

PROGRES SIVE P R E S C H O O L

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53

INTERNATIONAL TRADE

LOOKING TO THE FUTURE German company The Singing Ant is bringing its Garden of Daydreams play mat collection into the UK market for autumn 2020.

“In our first year of business, we have quickly learned that the interconnectedness of social media channels makes piquing the interests of international markets very easy,” said founder Nicole Eissele. “We are thrilled to have members of the growing Singing Ant community all over the world and are particularly thankful for the recent interest in our expansion into the UK market.”

Above: BabyBjörn’s travel cot is super-light and super-stylish. Right: The Singing Ant is a new addition to the UK nursery market.

 which other trade show brands start

to launch their own online platforms and how successful these will be.”

As a global company with a presence in more than 50 countries around the world, the international market is also of the ‘highest importance’ to BabyBjörn.

“As a company, we are so lucky to have gone from strength-tostrength, even with recent world events, said Jonas Pettersson, head of retail EMEA. “We have put a lot of time and thought into how we will communicate with our retailers. In October we will be hosting a digital summit for all our retail partners, which will be like a digital visit to the stand we normally have at K+J.” The live event will hosted from Stockholm, New York and LA and will feature presentations, live sessions and a Q&A. “We will follow the guidelines but believe the way we do business will change in a lot of ways going forward, including trade shows,” added Jonas.

“We also know how important the fairs are to the organisers so �ingers crossed we will be able to meet in similar forums in the future.”

Also lamenting the loss of this year’s international trade shows is Donna McCullough, marketing manager for JANE. “The international and home market trade shows are the perfect place to catch the retailers’ eye,” she enthused.

“There is no better place to present new products because everyone is very focused on discovering innovations in the industry. And then of course there’s the social element, as people have a chance to network, build new relationships and strengthen old ones.”

The past year would have seen JANE launching its Groowy car seat at Harrogate International

“While we were preparing to launch additional patterns and collections this year, we know that next year will hold great opportunity as we continue to build our brand recognition in new markets. We are looking forward to releasing new collections at trade shows when they start up again.”

Nursery Fair – now the plan is for representatives to be busy visiting retailers over the next few months to give live demonstrations instead.

“We will also be working with on-line in�luencers and various social channels to drum up interest in the product,” explained Donna. “We want to grow ‘Groowy’ awareness and we want customers to be asking retailers for it. We are just hoping that the Harrogate show next year will be back and bigger and better than ever!”

Below: Currently in the process of launching across the UK and Ireland, Noordi has already been well-received in Scotland.

NOORDI ARRIVES IN THE UK The beautiful Scandi-inspired Noordi brand is well-established across northern and mainland Europe, the Nordic countries and Russia, with parents and retailers praising its innovative, uncomplicated design.

A family business, Noordi puts the comfort and safety of children first.

The thermal carrycot is made with

weather-resistant fabrics and a spacious interior, created to ensure children are kept cosy in the winter and cool in the summer.

All Noordi travel systems can be used from birth and come complete

with carrycot, cocoon seat unit and a super-safe, ultra-light car seat.

Adjustable shock absorbers and a robust, easy-fold chassis also make Noordi the perfect choice for active families who love the outdoors.

PROGRES SIVE P R E S C H O O L

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23/09/2020 11:49

Soothes babies to sleep....... just like the car Does your baby sleep better in the car than their cot? Zed is here to help! He’ll bring the feeling of your car to their crib with calming vibrations. Zed will take them to the land of nod in no time.

£29.99 The Rockit Science:

Zed mimics the feeling of being in a car. His clever technology recreates soothing low frequency vibrations that are known to send babies to sleep. Simply place Zed on the mattress by your baby’s feet and press the snooze button. The finely tuned vibrations and sounds ripple through the mattress, comforting your baby and encouraging a deep sleep.

Works on any type of mattress

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6 calming vibration modes with 1-hour auto shutdown

Portable night light.

3 light levels plus an all-night mode

Suitable from birth

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55

WHAT’S NEW: INTERNATIONAL NURSERY INDUSTRY

WHAT’S NEW INTERNATIONAL NURSERY INDUSTRY BEABA

JE PORTE MON BEBE The French brand Love Radius offers parents a basic wrap for a low cost. The Little Wrap Without a Knot is ideal if they are looking for a quick and easy baby wrap and the HoodieCarrier if looking for a beautiful, soft and physiological baby carrier. All the products are made in the EU, with OekoTex certification.

Beaba’s Dining Gift Set is beautifully boxed, with a handy carry handle and comprises a coordinating plate, bowl cup and stainless-steel fork and spoon. Decorated with a delicate pattern design, the plate and bowl also include a non-slip base to help prevent sliding on the surface. There are two colourways available, light blue or pale pink.

Tel: 0033 474120910 www.beaba.co.uk

Tel: 0033 141631494 www.love-radius.com

RED CASTLE

BAMBINO MIO The Electric Ocean collection from Bambino Mio incorporates four new designs that will be available across its award-winning range.

This will include swim nappies, rash tops, wet bags, travel mats and an all new product first for the brand; a reversible swim hat to offer parents complete protection for their baby whilst swimming.

The product offers UPF 50+ sun protection, elasticated brims to grow with baby, as well as a reversible design feature to coordinate swim outfits.

Red Castle welcomes a new neutral design called Happy Fox to its popular Cocoonababy and accessories range. Suitable from newborn to approximately three months, the Cocoonabably provides comforting, reassuring, womb-like surrounding through its slightly inclined, semi-foetal cushioning.

It can be used as a daytime lounger and it can also aid baby’s development too. This stylish, safe, lightweight and portable cocoon can be used room-to-room or popped in the car to take out .

Email: natalie.jackson@beaba.com

Tel: 01604 883777 www.bambinomio.co.uk

BY SOPHIE Little Hoppa from By Sophie is an innovatively designed 3-in-1 baby gym, baby jumper and children’s activity table that grows and adapts with children from birth to four years. Channelling a minimalist look and with a focus on sustainability, most parts are made from wood, metal, natural rubber and cotton.

The set comes with a range of stimulating textured and interactive toys that hang from the frame with a toggle. There are also additional slots for parents to attach the baby’s favourite toys to. www.bysophieofficial.com

JOIE The roomie and roomie glide give that side by side closeness, so parents can enjoy every waking moment of those newborn nights.

With a lightweight aluminium frame, both versions feature a simple to use sliding side panel that lifts and lowers easily with just one hand. With eleven height adjustments, the roomie and roomie glide will fit almost any bed perfectly and the lockable wheels allow it to be moved easily around the room. Both come with a comfortably cushioned, yet firm mattress that is mesh covered.

Tel: 0800 9520061 www.uk.joiebaby.com

PROGRES SIV E P R E S C H O O L

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travel light, travel strong i-Size booster

new

i-Traver™ Buckle up for the long haul with an i-Size booster that easily adjusts to fit growing 3.5 to 12-year-olds.

Share the joy at joiebaby.com For more information and all sales enquiries, please contact Joie on 01889 808 900 or email: uksales@joiebaby.com

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scan to see me lock in & load up!

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STROLLERS AND CAR SEATS

57

As one of the most important purchases a new parent will make – and probably the most expensive – it’s important that strollers and car seats are practical and usable, as PPS finds out.

LIME LIFESTYLE

Making Moves

N

ew parents often look forward to making their ‘big ticket’ purchases, particularly �irst-timers who are �inding it hard to visualise themselves with a newborn to look after. However, the choice can be overwhelming, with brands offering hundreds of features and design accents to choose from.

Where should parents start?

The most important thing – despite many consumer’s initial instincts – is that the stroller or car seat being purchased meets the needs and lifestyle of the family using it. That could mean prioritising any number of different features, from high spec suspension to a large shopping basket.

“It is vitally important that bigticket products such as strollers and car seats are practical and usable,” said Josephine Votsis, director at didofy. “New and early stage parents will inevitably be tired and a bit stressed, so if strollers and car seats are not practical and user-friendly then this can cause unnecessary stress.”

She continued: “At didofy we focus on making it super-easy to fold traditionally complex pushchairs.

Practical doesn’t have to be expensive, boring or ugly – we �ind that

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Above: The didofy Cosmos allows retailers to offer a range of flexible options at a price point that suits.

showing how easily our strollers fold and how practical they are resonates best with consumers.”

Current hero product the Lotus pushchair was recently featured on This Morning as one of the best nursery tech products, offering a built-in phone charger and auto-folding at the touch of a button. By ensuring that all retailers are able to offer simple demos of its pushchairs, didofy is able to rely on the clever features themselves to do all the selling.

“Retailers tell us that they are so easy to show consumers,” revealed Josephine, “and that once they see how easy they are to fold compared to others, it makes the sale much easier!” 

Functionality is key to every iCandy product and the fashion-focused brand is continually pushing boundaries across innovation to develop usability even further.

“A pushchair is used and relied upon daily so its important that it excels across all areas,” said iCandy’s Rachel McNerney. “For instance, every iCandy carrycot is suitable for permanent overnight sleeping which offers further flexibility for parents, while the iCandy Peach and the iCandy Orange can both scale into double pushchairs means that parents know they are making a future-proof choice.”

Ensuring pushchairs grow with the family is important to the brand, which incudes integrated ride-on boards on its Lime and Orange models, which don’t impact the single footprints of the pushchairs or affect stride or brake access.

“We communicate this practicality and usability of iCandy products to consumers by showcasing how our wide range of stylish, functional and quality pushchairs have been designed to fit seamlessly into every parent’s lifestyle,” continued Rachel.

“For instance the iCandy Lime’s TotalFold system means it folds quickly and easily with the seat unit and bumper bar still attached. It’s a great solution when space is at a premium!”

Left: The iCandy Lime lifestyle collection is available in taupe (new), charcoal, navy and black colourways.

PROGRES SIVE P R E S C H O O L

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PACE PUSH ME

TRAVEL BOOSTER STAND OUT FROM THE REST

Icon

Shadow

redkitebaby.co.uk

01454 326 555

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Amber

sales@redkitebaby.com

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STROLLERS AND CAR SEATS 

Fran Vaughan, co-founder of Ickle Bubba, agrees that it’s crucial that strollers and car seats are practical as well as comfortable, for both child and adult, especially as they are a ‘sizeable investment’.

“We ensure our product features are clearly laid out on our website, as well as provide a handy video demonstration and reviews so parents can obtain as much information as possible before making their purchasing decision,” he explained. “Customer reviews are visible online so potential customers can understand how other people have found the product in terms of practicality/usability.”

Communication is key for Ickle Bubba, with a communityfocused blog aiming to answer any questions or concerns that parentsto-be might be facing – for example understanding the difference between the R44 and R129 (iSize) regulations. This content is also circulated to retailers and used across the company’s social media content, maximising its usefulness.

“We work incredibly hard with our supplier partners,” explained Fran, “providing them with regular email updates and a handy online toolkit as well as in-store merchandising and personalised

THE GAME CHANGER

Award-winning child safety brand JANE has launched the Groowy – the first iSize car seat with Nest Infant Carrier which is suitable for newborn babies right up to the age of 12.

training and support. We also ensure suppliers have access to the same promotions that we offer direct to the consumer.”

Working closely with the independent retail network is crucial to the success of any nursery supplier, something which Fiona Suf�ield, ABC Design’s country manager for UK and Ireland knows all too well.

“ABC Design has gone through a real transition over the last 12 months,” she said. “Retailers can see that our quality and look has been stepped up. We have

As the name suggests, the Growy adapts to the various key stages of a child’s development, covering the three key growth stages from birth upwards, while also doubling as the isofix base for the Nest infant carrier.

“Retailers will love the fact that the Nest infant carrier fits onto other brand chassis, as this opens up great sales opportunities,” said JANE’s Donna McCullough. “ It is perfect for parents looking for a safe, healthy, uncomplicated car seat that is practical and easy to use.”

She continued: “With Groowy we can now eliminate parents’ concerns about what category of car seat they need to buy, or what car seats they need for the future. It’s a revolutionary solution which we are sure our retailers will appreciate.”

Left: The Groowy features an innovative near lie-flat newborn nest carrier that also fits most other brand chassis.

PROGRES SIVE P R E S C H O O L

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Above left: Ickle Bubba is currently expanding its pushchair range even further with a focus on making parents’ lives a little bit easier.

Above: ABC Design’s Salsa 4 has been a runaway success, combining a modern rose gold frame with the benefit of a good old-fashioned sprung feel.

consumers openly asking for the range now, as we have focused on our marketing over the past year – and of course they see others using them out and about as well.”

By offering a personal service and meeting each retailer’s needs, Fiona is able to help them promote and market ABC’s range. “We want selling our product to be a pleasant experience,” she continued.

“Retailers should feel they get the whole German experience from us and I pride myself on tailoring what we can do to each store individually.”

As for the products themselves, ABC Design combines luxury and class with practicality and robust products, and recognises that when a customer is buying at a higher price they expect a higher quality and build of pram or car seat.

“We always say to our consumers you just need to feel and push one of our prams to instantly feel that quality and the wonderful spring in the chassis,” said Fiona.

“We have managed to ensure that each and every one is made of the best materials and will last for siblings as well. This is what makes us one of the biggest and most loved brands in Germany.”

It’s clear then, that communication is crucial and that both retailers and consumers need to be made aware of the bene�its and features of each different brand and model.

Buying a big ticket mobility item is a situation where one size very de�initely doesn’t �it all.

23/09/2020 11:53

** Cabin Cabin luggage luggage allowances allowances may may vary vary depending depending on on airlines. airlines.

ID IDEEAL AL FOR FOR TR TRAVEL* AVEL*

360 360

PA PARREEN NTT && FFRRO ON NTT FAC FACIIN NG G

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61

WHAT’S NEW MOBILITY INGLESINA With the all new Quid2, Inglesina has created a superb compact stroller. The perfect marriage of function and style, the delightful Italian fabrics and design detail make this stroller the ideal choice for parents wanting quality and head-turning kerb appeal. At only 5.9kg, it is extremely lightweight, yet boasts all the quality and features you would expect from Inglesina. With the largest and widest seat in its category, it is ideal for babies and toddlers up to 22kg.

Silver Cross is excited to launch Wave 2020 –an outstanding new version of its award-winning single to double travel system. At 1kg lighter, it offers better-than-ever handling and performance, while new fabrics and design details make it the most beautiful and contemporary Wave yet. Wave 2020 is a luxurious travel system which family’s needs.

ERGOBABY METadapts RO COto MPany ACT CITY S TROLLER It can be used as a single pram and it’s ready-to-go as a double Compact meets comfort with the Metro Compact Citybox, Stroller. pram straight from the with Upgraded and updated a newborn in the carrycot and for 2020, the Ergobaby Metro is compact and light enough to take you everywhere you toddler in the seat above.

Tel: 01268 267056 www.inglesina.com

CYBEX The Gazelle S is the first travel system by Cybex that can be used as both a mono pushchair and sibling or twin pushchair effortlessly, offering 20 different configurations for parents on the go. Suitable from birth up until four years (approx. 22kg), the Gazelle S grows with the family. It can be changed from a mono to a sibling pushchair by simply adding an infant car seat such as the award-winning Cloud Z i-Size, a second seat unit, or the Gazelle cot.

Tel: 0207 4264938 www.cybex-online.com

SILVER CROSS

need to go, and tenderly designed for the ultimate in cosiness and care.

Tel: 0333 2701755 www.silvercrossbaby.com

ICANDY The iCandy Lime Lifestyle collection has welcomed a new fabric alongside its charcoal, navy and black designs, creating a collection of coveted colourways.

The compact fold travel system, complete with integrated Ride-on Board, is now also available in a premium taupe coloured melange fabric which is paired with iCandy’s polished-black chassis.

NEWphantom for 2020

ERGOBABY

Upgraded and updated for 2020, Tel: 01767 604400 Ergobaby is compact, The Metro’s redesigned canopy the fabric is nowMetro more rugged and hard-wearing for longer www.icandyworld.com light and tenderly designed for

lasting protection and comes in new sophisticated colourways Plum and Marine Blue to

the ultimate in cosiness and care.

The Metro’s redesigned canopy a specially reinforced aluminium frame makes therugged Metro even fabric is now more and more durable yet just as hard-wearing for longer lastingweight limit, and upgraded lightweight as before, while supporting a higher maximum CYBEX protection and comes in new caregivers a smoother push.

The new Eezy S Twist +2 from Cybex can be used as wheel bearings give parents andsophisticated colourways plum a parent-facing and front-facing stroller from birth up and marine blue to join the until four years (approx. 22kg) in the forward-facing classic grey and black styles. As Convenience position. With just one hand, parents can easily turn well as this, a specially reinforced and energy, simply unpack the Metro stroller and get the seat to position their little one out into the big Arriving ready-built to save time aluminium frame makes the world or towards them. The seat unit can be used Metro travel even more yet just going. Defy the limitations of urban withdurable an ultra-compact stroller that easily in the full lie-flat position from birth without the as lightweight as before. addition of a newborn pack, ensuring baby is always fits on buses, tubes, in most airline overhead bins and in small car boots. The easy oneTel: 0203 3186204 comfortable on the go. hand fold, ample storage basket and hidden seat-back pocket are just some of the www.ergobaby.co.uk Tel: 0207 4264938 features that make parents’ lives easier and prove Ergobaby knows parents, and babies! www.cybex-online.com join the classic Grey and Black styles. And it’s not just the canopy that’s had an update;

PROGRES SIV E P R E S C H O O L

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Progressive Pre-school Advert Bing Sep 2020.pdf

1

22/09/2020

16:52

Celebrate with Bing!

View our range of Party Goods and Balloons Online Now!

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IN CONVERSATION WITH… ACAMAR FILMS

The World of Bing

D

espite the unexpected challenges which 2020 has brought, Acamar Films has been experiencing continued strong growth in the UK for its hit preschool brand, Bing.

This is thanks to a mix of new partners to the licensing programme, an increased retail footprint from existing licensees, plus an exceptionally healthy first full year of sales with master toy partner, Golden Bear. Notably, recent NPD data shows Bing listed in the top ten fastest

A mix of new partners, an increased retail footprint from existing licensees and healthy sales from its master toy partner have all combined to ensure that Acamar Films and its Bing property have been enjoying a good time of it so far in 2020. And there’s even more growth to come, as PPS discovers. growing toy licences from January to June 2020 in the UK. “Following the successful toy launch last autumn with Golden Bear across plush and figurines, we have expanded the range this season to include a Lights & Sounds Train with mini playsets and further extending the World of Bing with two more additional play-sets,” Louise Simmonds, head of UK licensing and merchandising at Acamar Films tells PPS. “There are further iterations of Bing within the range and, continuing the success of the night time theme, we have a new Bing plush that comes with an Owly nightlight which creates a soothing lightshow with accompanying sounds. The master toy range is building out in a thoughtful way.”

To complement the partnership with Golden Bear, Acamar is now steadily

Above: Bing has experienced strong retail growth in the UK this year, despite the unexpected lockdown Below: Golden Bear will launch new Bing plush in its successful master toy line.

expanding in the toy category. This year has seen it welcome two new licensees – 8th Wonder for wooden toys and MV Sports for wheeled lines, with both having new lines hitting retail this autumn.



Left: The publishing commitment is a cornerstone to the growth of Bing in the UK. Above left: Louise Simmonds, head of UK licensing and merchandising, Acamar Films.

PROGRES SIVE P R E S C H O O L

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Easily converts from a training bike to a balance bike

Adjustable size dial 46 - 54cm

Safety Helmet

My First 2-in-1 10” Training Bike Adjustable handlebar height 63-69cm

Deluxe Tri-Scooter

© 2020 Acamar Films Ltd.

www.mvsports.com 0121 748 8000

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IN CONVERSATION WITH… ACAMAR FILMS

67

CHALLENGES AND CHANGES “There have certainly been challenges this year and the ability to predict and manage demand is so important,” says Louise. “The uncertainty of the next few months makes forward planning a major challenge and so we continue to speak to our partners and retailers as they accommodate safety measures, to understand any changes and shifts in how people are shopping, where and what their consumers are prioritising and adjusting our own plans accordingly while staying true to the values of Bing.”

Louise believes that Acamar is well placed to maximise opportunities in online development, too, thanks to the company’s commitment to digital content and community engagement. In addition, people consuming more content during lockdown has led to more new brands being discovered, particularly in entertainment.

Louise comments: “New brands will always face challenges in an increasingly saturated market but in the current climate, a strong digital approach and audience-centred focus is more important than ever.”



In the publishing space, HarperCollins’ Bing’s Splashy Story was the only licensed title for World Book Day 2020 and sold 88,000 copies. This paved the way for placement of new Bing bestseller, Bing’s Big Surprise, in main range at key grocers. A new book – The Rainybow Song – has also been picked up in the main range with the grocers and sold 7,200 units in the first four weeks.

There are also further titles planned for launch in the lead up to Christmas.

When it comes to magazines, a standalone Bing title launched this summer from Redan, while a new partnership was secured with Kennedy Publishing for the innovative Box of Bing which is a themed box of activities, magazines and stickers with a new release every six weeks.

A solid apparel programme also covers all of the core product areas.

Acamar Films is about to launch a new trend guide – which includes four trends – developed to sit in the World of Bing.

“Overall, momentum is moving nicely in the right direction and across the board we have seen a steady increased presence at retail this year with Bing and we are excited about the future,” Louise continues. “We are as a licensing team, and as a whole company, committed to Bing’s growth trajectory over the coming years.”

This trajectory also includes the launch of an app to help meet the demand for preschool content to be accessible on multiple digital platforms. As well as all episodes of Bing being available on Acamar’s UK YouTube channel, the Bing: Watch, Play, Learn app has been warmly received, achieving 400,000 UK downloads in under a year.

Above: A virtual Bing booth will be present at Festival of Licensing from October 6-8.

Below: MV Sports has signed up for Bing wheeled toys. Below left: 8th Wonder’s wooden lines continue to build out the Bing toy offering.

Louise offers: “While many parents are looking forward to getting back to some semblance of normality, for young children their needs have been the same – there is still demand for content and product.

“Despite the challenges 2020 has brought, the appeal and strength of Bing has allowed us to sign new partnerships during this period. Bing’s stories are meaningful, timeless, authentic and relatable and because of this our brand health has been positively impacted rather than negatively due to the current climate. On BBC iPlayer, Bing is the most streamed children’s series week on week, showing 41% audience growth since series four launched in September 2019 and achieving a staggering 66,809,160 requests during lockdown.”

Unsurprisingly, the expansion focus for Bing remains key for the remainder of 2020 and into 2021. Part of this will be Acamar’s participation in Festival of Licensing – the virtual month-long global celebration of the licensing industry - from October 6-8. It has created a special virtual Bing booth and is looking forward to “continuing positive discussions” says Louise.

“It’s amazing what the team have achieved this year and we hope to generate new business, expand upon our retail programmes and continue the steady growth of Bing that we are currently experiencing across the overall UK licensing programme,” Louise concludes.

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BING PRODUCT SHOWCASE

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WHAT’S NEW MV SPORTS Bing is a classic with preschoolers and MV Sports has created a preschool wheeled range to suit their capabilities.

The range includes a tri-scooter, a ride-on, a balance bike, a trike and a 2 in 1 bike, which easily transforms as the child grows in confidence. They are all brightly coloured and highly decorated with the show’s favourite characters, to appeal to preschoolers.

Tel: 0121 7488000 www.mvsports.co.uk

SMIFFYS Smiffys is the market leader in all things licensed and dress-up, with costumes bringing favoured characters to life. Toddler costumes are great for letting little one’s imagination run wild and Smiffys Bing costume epitomises this with its deluxe hooded all-in-one that features a printed design; perfect for Bing lovers alike.

Tel: 0800 590599 www.smiffys.com

REDAN Bing has featured in Fun To Learn Friends magazine since 2017 and is an extremely popular character. Preschoolers and their grown-ups are inspired by the stimulating mix of Bing branded games, puzzles, stories, recipes and crafts. Redan’s ethos is to encourage early learning in a fun and playful way and so were delighted to develop and launch the official Fun To Learn Bing magazine earlier this year.

Tel: 01743 364433 www.redan.co.uk

WILLIAM LAMB Young children will be delighted with the new Bing footwear and accessories range from William Lamb Group.

This bold primary coloured, on-trend range is perfect for girls and boys. The beautiful 3D elements of Bing’s ears also makes this a fun range. See website for more products available from its brilliant Bing ranges.

Tel: 01924 829978 www.wlambwholesale.co.uk

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BING PRODUCT SHOWCASE

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WHAT’S NEW 8TH WONDER From 8th Wonder the Bing wooden toy range is a delightfully charming collection of traditional wooden toys, produced with contemporary execution for today’s preschoolers. The toys encourage learning through play and have been designed specifically to develop young children’s concentration, memory and creativity.

Made from responsibly sourced materials certified by the FSC. Tel: 01942 829811 www.8thwonder.co.uk

DREAMTEX Dreamtex’s growing Bing collection includes several adorable duvet designs in both junior and single sizes. The vibrant new Rebel Rules range will see Bingsters falling asleep under a colourful reversible duvet featuring Bing, Flop, Sula and Hoppity-Voosh, whilst also snuggling up with a matching fleece blanket. Shaped cushions of Bing and Sula also add a lovely finishing touch to a child’s bedroom.

Tel: 0844 4998465 www.dreamtexltd.com

KENNEDY PUBLISHING Acamar Films and Kennedy Publishing are excited to announce an innovative new preschool concept, Box of… Bing! Based on the multi-award-winning animation, this exciting six-weekly title is perfect for consumers looking for reduced plastic and creative learning. The carry case is filled with themed craft and colouring magazines, sticker sheets, posters, giant stickers and playful gifts, from paint pots and crayons to cookie cutters and craft supplies.

AMSCAN Bing Bunny, Sula and Pando invite preschoolers to the most fun party in town and Amscan has everything they need to set the scene! From core tableware through to a range of room decorations, the full ensemble comprises eleven party items and coordinating foil balloons.

The Bing range’s favour pack includes character stickers and stamps as well as Amscan’s character cupcake toppers.

Tel: 01908 288547 www.amscan.co.uk

Tel: 0117 9373003 www.kennedypublishing.co.uk

PROGRES SIV E P R E S C H O O L

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Developing merchandise programmes for leading brands

 sales@lislelicensing.com  +44 (0) 1937 586237  @lislelicensing

•

New Musical Season release on Tiny Pop

•

Theatrical release across 90 VUE cinemas in 2020

•

Nationwide singing campaign with Smyths on Tiny Pop © Animaccord, 2008 - 2020 www.mashabear. com

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PRESCHOOL LICENSING HITS

73

Investing in property

T

he preschool category remains one of the largest within the overall licensing arena, while it is also one of the most competitive due to the sheer amount of choice for consumers. And this year has seen brand owners adapt quickly to the new set of circumstances.

“All things considered, the preschool licensed sector is in a good place,” says Julie Kekwick, senior licensing manager at BBC Studios. “It is dynamic and licensors such as ourselves have been able to continue growing and nurturing our brands. We have seen great success on iPlayer, especially for Hey Duggee which has 67 million requests during lockdown. Overall the preschool content across the board is being consumed more, and that ultimately will pay dividends.”

Indeed, Hey Duggee was dubbed the ‘TV smash of lockdown’ by The Guardian – even featuring on its front page – while Something Special had new content commissioned for YouTube, CBeebies and iPlayer to help parents during the period. Awareness is

Above:: Peppa Pig is an official partner for Team GB. Below:: Science with Duggee has seen a surge in views on Hey Duggee’s YouTube channel.

also building for Bluey, which is already a hit in Australia and will see the Moose toy line launch in the UK next year.

Meanwhile, Hasbro is delving deeper into the world of preschool, following the integration of the eOne portfolio including Peppa Pig, PJ Masks and Ricky Zoom.

“There’s talk of a post-COVID baby boom, so that certainly bodes well for the preschool sector,” says Marianne James, vp consumer products at Hasbro. “There’s no doubt retail has been hit hard with the closure of shops during a large part of this year.

However, the growth of online sales is promising and audience viewing figures were exceptionally high this year as families spent more time at home, so that should reflect positively on sales of preschool merchandise.”

When it comes to upcoming challenges, Marianne says: “We’re going to need to find creative solutions to

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The preschool licensing sector is vibrant, busy, adaptable and engaging. And with so much more new content being consumed during lockdown, this can only bode well for sales of consumer products.

PPS finds out more from some key brand owners and agents. factor in social distancing for all our activations, packaging and product development - and for a preschool audience that is very tactile and sensory motivated that’s not always easy.”

Retailers behaving cautiously does present a challenge for smaller licences or those releasing more experimental product that hasn’t yet been proven, says Alex Sanson, marketing executive at Magic Light Pictures.

“We have found that the trusted and reliable reputation of The Gruffalo brand gives retailers the confidence to continue stocking our products,” she tells PPS. Indeed, the classic brand has proven to be remarkably resilient this year. A number of new licensees have been added since the beginning of the pandemic and more partners are now creating product that falls under the Gruffalo ‘family of brands’ including Room on the Broom, Zog, Stick Man and The Snail and the Whale. In addition, Magic Light will be launching new series, Pip and Posy, next spring, 

29/09/2020 10:35

Usborne

That’s not my... books for babies

The hugely successful series features over 60 books and is a gifting favourite for newborns as their first book One That’s Not My… book sold every minute in the UK Over 6 million That’s not my… books sold in the UK New 2020 titles! Including bus, wombat, sloth, kangaroo, narwhal, robin and a new edition of That’s not my dinosaur…

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PRESCHOOL LICENSING HITS 

Above: Monty & Co has got off to a strong start on CBeebies and iPlayer Left: APC Kids is rolling out a global licensing programme for Kid-E-Cat. Below left: Oddbods Oddlife helps children to get through their daily routine.

adapted from Axel Scheffler’s million selling books.

When it comes to new properties, Monty & Co is one to watch – the puppet series, which airs on CBeebies, is produced by the team at Pipkins Productions which brought us Pipkins and Hartley Hare in the 1970s.

Licensing Link Europe – the UK agent for the brand – is in conversations regarding various toy categories, plus publishing and nightwear with an eye on a late 2021 launch for product. “I’d love to see Monty & Co establish itself as a go-to children’s TV show as it offers something very different when compared to the rest of the preschool roster,” says Ian Wickham, director. “It’s very traditional, with warm humour and a dash of slapstick. It hits on real emotional topics within the framework Below: The apparel category remains key for Miffy.

of each episode and deals with each one sympathetically, just as a parent would with their own preschool children.”

Moonbug is another company making a name for itself in the UK. The Point.1888 is the master agent across EMEA for brands including CocoMelon, Morphle and Blippi, with Bethan Garton, commercial director, telling PPS: “Moonbug is an astronomical brand and is experiencing such impressive growth - it’s the biggest kids digital content provider in the world.”

The agency also counts Moomin and Tinpo as part of its preschool portfolio. New books from Puffin and baby and kids apparel from Blues/Dennicci are launching for the former, while Hachette is on board for publishing for the latter.

“Preschool is an incredibly buoyant industry, particularly post lock down when so much new content has been absorbed and new audiences opened up,” adds senior commercial manager, soft goods, Becky Langer.

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Rainbow’s 44 Cats is also beginning to make an impact on Pop and Nick Jr. in the UK. The licensing programme is building, too, with characters Lampo and Milady appearing at Gulliver’s World in Warrington for the 2020 season, as well as taking part in the Play at Home Fest over the August bank holiday.

Another property originating from overseas – Russia in this case – APC Kids has been busy rolling out a global licensing programme for Kid-E-Cats. This includes multiterritory deals across publishing, puzzles, board games and a global master toy range from Toy Plus. “To see new brands emerging alongside the strong classic brands, proves to us that the preschool market remains not only healthy, but also at the centre of the kids’ licensing industry,” says md Lionel Marty.

For Sashim Parmanand, ceo at One Animation, the noise in the preschool sector is louder than ever. The company’s Oddbods brand has grown significantly in the last few months and is currently generating over 500m views



Above right:: 44 Cats characters have been appearing at Gulliver’s World this season.. Right: Moonbug and its brands are experiencing impressive growth.

MIFFY CONTINUES TO CHARM Dick Bruna’s much-loved classic, Miffy, continues to perform well in the nursery and preschool sector.

New product launches celebrating the brand’s 65th anniversary have been warmly received across various categories, while there is still more to come, says the brand’s UK agent DRi Licensing.

In the clothing area, autumn will

see the launch of new styles from long-term partner Tobias and the Bear, while there will also be new baby and children styles arriving in Next and children’s pyjamas in M&S. Rainbow Designs also has a new Miffy baby plush collection in a stylish and contemporary navy blue striped pattern that has performed well since its arrival this spring.

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29/09/2020 10:35

Come and see us at the 6-8 October

licensing@acamarfilms.com acamarfilms.com

/BingBunny BingBunny.com

© 2020 ACAMAR FILMS LTD.

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24/09/2020 14:18

PRESCHOOL LICENSING HITS

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ACCESS ALL AREAS The four-week virtual celebration of the global licensing industry – Festival of Licensing – will take place in October.

It will comprise of four regionally tailored events in key licensing territories: Europe (6-8 October), Asia (14-15 October), North America and Latin America (20-22 October) and Licensing Leadership Summit (28-29 October). The first three events will be time-zoned around the territories they serve and will deliver a conference programme, over 100+ hours of live and on-demand territory and category specific content, virtual networking opportunities, after hours entertainment, plus wellbeing workshops.

A raft of companies with preschool licences will be taking part including Acamar Films, BBC Studios, Hasbro, ViacomCBS Consumer Products, Penguin Ventures, WildBrain CPLG, Playmobil, Rocket Licensing, Bulldog Licensing, Mattel, Magic Light Pictures and The Point.1888 to name just a few.

“The feedback from the industry has been amazing,” says Anna Knight, vp licensing at Informa Markets. “My hope when we transitioned to virtual was that exhibitors would consider the benefits of this new platform and create some truly immersive and creative experiences that simply wouldn’t have been possible offline.

I’m delighted to say, that’s exactly what they’ve done.

a month on YouTube, in addition to being broadcast by over 90 platforms including Netflix, Amazon and Disney.

During the period when schools were closed, the Numberblocks and Alphablocks brands enjoyed a major surge in awareness, aided by launching on Netflix.

“Consumer demand for both Alphablocks and Numberblocks product continues to grow and a robust range of new products will release both later this year and over the first half of next year,” says Clare Piggott, md of Larkshead Licensing. “CBeebies box sets of content available on iPlayer have proved to be extremely popular and anticipation is building for the new series of animation to be aired in early 2021. New apps for both brands are also due for release. Consumers have devoured so much content over the last few months there has been a growing appetite for emerging brands.”

Stalwarts of preschool licensing, Teletubbies and In the Night Garden continue to enjoy strong retail buy-in, says John Taylor, vp Northern Europe and md UK and France at WildBrain CPLG. In addition, the agency is also beginning to develop HarperCollins’ publishing properties The Tiger Who Came to Tea and Mog the Forgetful Cat. “It’s a very competitive environment right now,” John says. “Preschool brands need patience and careful curation of the licensing programme

Below:: WildBrain CPLG is developing publishing properties The Tiger Who Came to Tea and Mog.

Above left: Magic Light Pictures is due to launch Pip and Posy next spring. Above top: Moto Pups is the 2021 theme for PAW Patrol. Above: There is growing consumer demand for Numberblocks products.

– properties which have turned into household names and evergreens have generally taken at least three years to become a consumer products success. Brand owners are naturally looking for return on their investment, which has the potential to be huge, but it can take a little while to come to fruition in the preschool market.”

Speaking of household names, PAW Patrol – the backbone to ViacomCBS Consumer Products’ preschool business – continues to go from strength to strength. Dino Rescue is the latest theme, while 2021 sees the arrival of the Moto Pups theme, as well as PAW Patrol the Movie. Alongside this, ViacomCBS is developing Blue’s Clues & You, expanding Baby Shark with Pinkfong and further building on Ryan’s World which has been one of its strongest properties in 2020.

“In terms of recovery, I think we’re all hoping stores can stay open through to Christmas and those risks taken on inventory for key promoted toy lines pay off,” offers Venetia Davie, vp UK and Ireland. “It’s great to see apparel sales start to re-build and this category especially is seeing a nice up-tick in last minute orders and retailers really partnering to maximise open to buy.

“Most of all I think we’re looking forward to 2021 – while the ‘C word’ may move back to the ‘B word’, I think we all feel, if we can get through this year, we can pretty much get through anything.”

PROGRES SIVE P R E S C H O O L

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29/09/2020 10:36

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29/09/2020 10:10

PRESCHOOL APPAREL

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Fashion First Preschoolers and their parents often have very different ideas on what constitutes suitable clothing – is it something washable, durable and comfortable or is it a superhero jumpsuit covered in sequins?

Thankfully, there are plenty of preschool clothing companies making practical, affordable clothing that children love to wear, as PPS found out.

W

hile practicality and affordability might top the list of parents’ priorities, it’s no secret that choosing clothes that children like makes getting dressed in the morning much easier!

PPS spoke to a number of clothing experts about the importance of combining trends and wearability within the preschool apparel market.

Children’s clothing company Picture Book Fashion has gone the extra mile, ensuring that both parents and children are happy with their sartorial choices.

“Our clothing is perfect for kids that want to dress in fun clothes and love to stand out,” begins marketing exec Emelye Wilkinson, “but we also make it easy for parents to put out�its together, as everything in our collections matches. It’s really important that children love to wear our clothes, so we make sure they’re comfortable, practical and are perfect for active kids who want to look great!”

Trends and fashions are important to the design team at Picture Book Fashion, but they also respond to customer feedback, using it to create collections they know will be popular for future seasons.

“It is so important that preschool clothes are practical and wearable,”

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Emelye continued, “and we really try to make this as easy as possible. Our winter raincoats are a good example – they are �leece-lined, making them nice and cosy for little ones to stay warm. Our clothes also wash really well – we use a lot of bright colours and it’s important that they still look great even after washing.”

As a family-run British brand, Picture Book Fashion is a great supporter of the high street, encouraging people to shop local wherever possible. “Retailers love our

PROGRES SIVE P R E S C H O O L

Above: Frugi clothes are built to last and can be handed down through generations to be cherished for years to come.

Below: The Picture Book Fashion collections are carefully designed to make it easy for parents to create a complete look that their child will enjoy.

collections because they’re different and because we also offer plenty of imagery, point of sale, social media support and free gifts for them to hand out each season,” Emelye explained. “We also don’t sell directly to consumers, so our customers have to go to their local shop if they want to purchase our brands.”

Also keeping the focus on local, independent retailers is Kite Clothing, an apparel brand which makes the most of its Dorset location with clever, detailed designs inspired by the beautiful surroundings.

“We offer our retailers lots support and are here for them if they need us,” says Kite’s Lucy Jackson. “Practical positives such as no minimum order quantities and in-season top-up options also help. We have developed long-term relationships with many retailers and really value the close links we have with each and every one.

Their success is our success!”

Boasting clothes that are built to last and planet-friendly, product quality is also crucial to 

23/09/2020 11:56

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28/09/2020 21:02

PRESCHOOL APPAREL

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the Kite design team – there is no

compromise.

“We also think carefully about every detail, from the fabrics we select through to the zips we choose,” Lucy reveals. “It’s really important to us that our clothes can be worn and washed again and again, before being passed on to others, as this helps enable a more sustainable ethos.”

The need for preschool clothes to offer practicality, durability and wearability is balanced with Kite’s beautiful designs.

“We work hard to be abreast of the latest trends and ideas,” Lucy continues.

“Fast fashion trends come and go, and although we may use some of them, we also want our clothes to look and feel the part in �ive years’ time.

We have become experts in treading the line between classic styles and on-trend pieces and our customers seem to really love this about us.”

Also balancing the need to have long-term appeal without sticking to high street trends is popular preschool clothing brand Polarn O. Pyret, which offers gender-neutral designs, designed to last being worn by at least three different children.

“As a sustainable brand, we design kidswear that transcends seasonal trends,” says founder Jo Nilsson. “For autumn/winter 2020 our collection focus is inspired by nature, with prints

FRUGI FASHIONS

A Cornish-based ethical and organic children’s clothing company, Frugi clothes are instantly recognisable by their bright, vibrant colours, playful characters and clever details such as reversible designs and adjustable waistbands. Jeni Bolton, head of design, shares the brand’s take on trends.

“We try to support and teach an ethos rather than follow a trend, which is to care for the planet, look after your clothes and pass them down when you have finished with them, as well as the importance of using GOTS-certified organic cotton and other ethical or recycled materials.

When it comes to the seasonal story, we prefer to gather our own research and inspiration from hands-on experiences and trips to places that value their natural environments, rather than following trends and fashions.

Above: From the soft organic fabrics through to exceptional fit, comfort and durability, Kite Clothing features special details like coconut buttons and lace trims.

Above right: Polarn O. Pyret’s priority is to reduce consumption with children’s clothing that not only looks fantastic and feels great to wear but truly lasts and is kinder to the planet.

Right: Frugi’s outerwear, lunch bags, back-packs and pencil cases are all made from recycled plastic bottles. It takes 36 recycled plastic drinking bottles to make one Puddle Buster jacket!

in colourways that co-ordinate across the range to make out�it building easy.

We take bestselling essentials such as our adjustable organic leggings and ensure they can pair with items across

In terms of product design we put a lot of focus on what the customer wants, how we can best serve their needs and how we can do so in the most sustainable way. With this is in mind, we get a lot of our inspiration by talking to our customers first-hand. We often reach out to our extensive ‘Frugi family’ on Facebook, listen to feedback from the customers, conduct regular focus groups and communicate with our customer service and sales teams who regularly talk to our retailers. We take feedback very seriously and adjust our future collections with that in mind.

We are proud to do things right by parents, babies, children and our planet. Our focus is on having a positive impact on children’s lives, changing the way clothes are made and sold, and helping to raise the next generation of eco-warriors for the future.”

PROGRES SIVE P R E S C H O O L

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each season drop. No fast fashion here!”

This is particularly important to the brand, which aims to help protect the environment and be a sustainability leader in the sector. All cotton is 100% organic and at least 85% of Polarn O. Pyret collections are made from sustainable materials, with outerwear in particular all made from recycled materials. The company aims to have 100% of materials being sustainably sourced within the next �ive years.

“Our garments have incredible value per wear because they’re made to last,” adds Jo. “Our leggings, jeans and trousers are all made with adjustable waists to prevent children growing out of them too quickly. We’re looking to extend the life of our outerwear with clever coats and waterproof trousers that will grow in size with your child as well – so not only can we guarantee at least three kids in every garment, but the wear time per child will be even longer too!”

With a number of apparel brands offering clothing which looks great, but will still stand up to the inevitable rough and tumble of play, preschool retailers have plenty to choose from as they look to offer something a bit different from the usual high street options.

23/09/2020 11:56

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WHAT’S NEW: APPAREL & ACCESSORIES

WHAT’S NEW APPAREL & ACCESSORIES ZIGGLE

Cosatto is launching an all new range of happy and fun nursery accessories to complement its award-winning baby pushchairs, high chairs and car seats.

Cosatto’s colourful, patterned designs are loved by parents and babies alike.

Four Soft Superhero Muslin squares are launching this month with an exciting roll out in Jan 2021 of dribble bibs, coverall feeding bibs and pram blankets.

Available from Ziggle.

Tel: 01625 569530 www.ziggle.co.uk

MITCH & SON

Mitch & Son is a cool and fresh boys brand of clothing for ages six months, to six years. The range has a carefully selected colour palette and is perfectly on trend for youngsters needing fun, but practical clothing. It’s one of several ranges of clothing available from Picture Book Fashion.

Tel: 01355 222532 www.picturebookfashion.com

POCO NIDO

British baby and children’s footwear brand, Poco Nido, is delighted to introduce its whimsical and unique autumn/ winter 2020 printed Mini Shoe collection. With quirky designs and bursts of colour, the new offering of bare-foot friendly pull-on Mini Shoes celebrates the new season in style. The designs are inspired by nature, include colourful characters which are sure to ignite little imaginations. Featuring jolly pumpkins, sparkly bunnies, cycling zoo animals and delicate wildflowers.

Tel: 0114 2435886 www.poconido.com

LAZY BABY

Super soft, sustainably sourced and undeniably cute, Lazy Baby’s ‘Just Done 9 Months Inside’ collection makes for the perfect baby shower gift, or coming home outfit. Ensuring little ones are welcomed into the world with a giggle, it is no surprise this quirky brand has had global success with this unique and iconic design. The truly original range of baby grows and accessories, are sure to keep parents smiling from day one!

Tel: 07967 471406 www.lazybaby.co.uk

LAZY BABY

Lazy Baby builds little ones’ excitement for the great outdoors from day one thanks to its iconic organic long sleeve t-shirt collection, which is sure to keep parents giggling too. Sustainably sourced and screen printed in Devon, the 100% ethically traded, organic brushed cotton long sleeved t-shirts are soft against baby’s skin and perfect for layering during the colder weather. Featuring an envelope neck for easy dressing and screenprinted witty slogan, the fun t-shirts are sure to become a favourite in little one’s winter wardrobe.

Tel: 07967 471406 www.lazybaby.co.uk

PROGRES SIV E P R E S C H O O L

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29/09/2020 10:41

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84_PPS_Sept Oct 2020.indd 34

28/09/2020 21:08

IN CONVERSATION WITH BIGJIGS TOYS

A sustainable future

S

ustainability remains a key watchword for consumers when it comes to toy buying and it will only continue to grow in importance in the months and years to come.

Bigjigs Toys has impressive credentials when it comes to supplying eco-friendly products, and this year will see it build on this with the introduction of a sustainably sourced and ethically produced range of wooden products.

The initial collection will include 15 items for the nursery and preschool age groups and will be shipping from the company’s warehouse in late September.

Liz Ireland, managing director at Bigjigs Toys, tells PPS: “Not only is the wood source completely traceable, but the packaging is also made from 90% recycled board.

The internal packaging of all items is from recycled board; plastic has not been designed into the toy or the packaging for these products at all.”

The launch of the range holds great importance for Bigjigs, as Liz explains:

Below: New role-play items were introduced by the company at the fairs earlier this year.

Above left: Liz Ireland, managing director, Bigjigs Toys.

Above: The new sustainable range will initially include 15 products aimed at the nursery and preschool age groups.

“As well as designing and selling wooden toys, Bigjigs Toys acts as the sole distributor for major offshore brands needing a share of the UK market. Green Toys has a great recycled story to its range and we needed an ethically sourced and sustainable wooden range for those accounts.”

Attitudes towards sustainable products have certainly changed over the years, and this has also opened up new retail avenues for Bigjigs. A number of new accounts approached the company at the fairs earlier this year, as its ranges suited their customer demographic.

Liz continues: “We should all be spending wisely and buying to last from a source that can be trusted. We have a responsibility to play our part in reducing and recycling whatever we can and saving the resources for future generations. Retailers are actively looking for brands which uphold environmental standards that demonstrate the consideration to

NEW ADDITIONS

Bigjigs always offers a good selection of new product at Toy Fair, Spielwarenmesse and Spring Fair, and 2020 was no different.

Liz explains: “Bigjigs Rail always has additions by way of innovative accessories that add life to track; while a new plush range, tested from birth up sneaked in; additional eye catching sorters and stackers were

85

Living more sustainably and playing a part in reducing, recycling and protecting the planet’s resources has moved beyond a simple trend, it is now a way of life for many consumers. And they want their child’s toy boxes to also be a reflection of this. Bigjigs Toys has a strong pedigree in eco-friendly products and will further build on this with a new sustainably sourced and ethically produced range, arriving later this year. PPS catches up with managing director, Liz Ireland, to find out more. reduce our overall impact on the planet to protect the resources for the future.”

Liz says that Bigjigs will “continue to innovate” and looking ahead to 2021 there will be further additions to the company’s sustainable range.

Liz continues: “We’ve navigated COVID and kept all our staff working.

That has demanded new ways of working to comply with government recommendations to keep our warehouses operational and our staff safe. COVID isn’t going to go away anytime soon and as retail opens up Bigjigs needs to continue to be the supportive, loyal and trusted supplier it has been to so many for so long.”

Liz concludes: “Now, while continuing to deal with the effects of COVID, we must attend to the more detailed planning for, and make the necessary adjustments to, our business model that will allow us to cope with Brexit and the vast changes that will bring to importing and exporting into and out of the UK.”

added to the preschool category and, in role-play and looking at the long off weather report, we added all things ice cream – from simple iced lollies to the award winning Ice Cream Cart.

“Tidlo, a brand owned by Bigjigs, had additions in the nursery category by way of themed tables and chairs, money boxes, height charts and bookends.”

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27/09/2020 16:14

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WHAT’S NEW HIPPYCHICK NATTOU IRIS & LALI SOFA The classic little sofa to perfectly complete any nursery space.

It’s soft, comfy and adds a new decorative dimension to a child’s room decor. They are made from memory foam so won’t lose their shape and have a removable machine washable cover too so parents won’t need to worry about spills and stains. Other pieces from the Iris and Lali collection can be added to complete the look.

CLASSIC WORLD PLAY ROCKET

NATTOU TEMBO ROCKER Exclusive to Hippychick, Nattou have launched something slightly different! Say hello to the brand new luxurious Tembo Elephant range. The collection consists of high end, 100% cotton cuddly toys with stunning grey and white tones, making them completely gender neutral.

There has never been a more perfect baby shower gifting collection.

The new Classic World Rocket has just landed. There are twelve different themed rooms inside the rocket ranging from bedrooms, operation rooms, laboratories and so much more. Children can use the little wooden accessories and characters to let imaginations run wild.

HIPPYCHICK CELLULAR BABY BLANKET They are finally here, luxurious 100% cotton baby cellular blankets handpicked and crafted in India.

The open weave cell construction of the blanket traps air which helps keep baby warm in winter and cool in the summer. Beautifully presented in simple, 100% recyclable, eco-friendly packaging.

Available in four striking classic colours.

CLASSIC WORLD WOODEN GUITAR This beautiful wooden guitar is the perfect toy to inspire future musicians. The colourful keys on the handle create different notes and light up when playing. Little ones can even pretend to strum the guitar, so it feels like the real thing. There are also buttons to adjust the volumes, choose different sound effects and play various tunes.

MOOVER CLEANING SET Never has there been a more appropriate toy for 2020! Little one’s play area will be sparkling clean with this gorgeous wooden Moover cleaning set. Parents can fill the spray bottle with water and have fun teaching children how to tidy up and clean with this traditional wooden toy.

Tel: 01278 434440 | www.hippychick.com | enquiries@hippychick.com PROGRES SIV E P R E S C H O O L

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NURSERY ESSENTIALS

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THE BARE NECESSITIES For something so tiny, there’s no question that new babies need a lot of ‘stuff’ – and with so many different parenting styles around, what is indispensible for one family may be completely unnecessary for another. Of course, there are some things that every newborn needs, so PPS rounds up some of the main contenders for that must-have essentials list.

W

ith a wealth of information at everyone’s �ingertips, the internet has made pre-baby preparation much easier in one respect – in just a few clicks, parents are able to be proactive, researching products and brands well in advance, making some of their key purchasing decisions well before the baby is even born.

However, having so much information in one place can be both overwhelming and confusing

CARRY ME HOME

The perception of a baby carrier as an essential product for all parents is increasing; NHS guidance on ‘what you’ll need for your baby’ now includes a baby carrier. Ergobaby carriers come in a range of models with varying features and designs to suit every family, but all are ergonomic, easy-to-use, comfortable and have been declared hip-healthy by the International Hip Dysplasia Institute.

As marketing manager for Ergobaby UK, Amanda Loveday knows all too well how important it is to help consumers feel at ease with their purchasing decisions.

Above: The Nurture starter set from Vital Baby includes all the essentials parents need to feed their newborn comfortably and has been designed to easily combine with breastfeeding.

– which is great news for both suppliers and retailers who are able to advise prospective or new parents accordingly and secure sales by positioning product in one of the ‘musthave’ categories. After all, it’s a fairly safe bet that parents will choose at least one cotbed, baby bath or set of weaning cutlery.

“Retailers should work with parents and parents-to-be to make fact-based product recommendations to suit their budget and lifestyle,” she explained. “Fostering a rapport based on trust and knowledge creates a relationship that leads to repeat visits and sales. We have developed numerous ways to work with retailers to ensure this as successful and lucrative as possible in the ‘new normal’.”

The ten-year ErgoPromise guarantee on all wraps and carriers also helps reassure parents that their money is being well spent.

According to Dean Tollman, director at Vital Baby, it is important for parents to know exactly what they do and don’t need in those very early days.

“There is a lot of con�licting advice and so many different products and gadgets to choose from, which can be confusing,” he



Above: The Ergobaby Embrace is specially designed to keep newborn babies close, making it a must-have product for the early days.

PROGRES SIVE P R E S C H O O L

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23/09/2020 12:03

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NURSERY ESSENTIALS

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Right: A revolution in baby bath time, ClevaMamas’ ClevaBath fit over any standard sink, making it ideal for easy and gentle bathtimes.

Far right: Babies will love Infantino’s engaging Milestones activity gym, which can also be used to capture milestones and memories throughout baby’s first year.

said. “It is essential

for parents to visit a good retailer who will be able to share their years of experience and advice.

This time can be overwhelming and knowing they have someone there to help them is reassuring.”

The Vital Baby ranges offer a collection of baby feeding, sterilising, healthcare and changing accessories, which have been designed to help make bringing up baby as stress-free as possible.

The standout product from Vital Baby’s current offering is the Nurture pro UV steriliser and dryer, which kills 99.9% of bacteria in just 11 minutes without using chemicals or heat and was recently featured on This Morning as one of the must-have baby gadgets for newborns.

“Of course it is designed for baby products,” said Dean, “but it can also be used to sterilise pretty much any household item, from mobile phones to make-up brushes... it can be

used around the house long after baby has grown up!”

Of course, keeping clean and healthy is something that is paticularly important at the moment. In keeping with that theme, the Protect 4-in-1 contactless thermometer is also top of Vital Baby’s list, making it easy for concerned parents to check their child’s temperature without disturbing or upsetting them.

“We thrive on bringing innovative, reliable and superb quality products to the market at an affordable price,” said Dean.

“And yes, we have other ideas in the pipeline – just watch this space!”

Over at ClevaMama – a wellknown, innovative family-owned business with international reach – the team design and create a huge range of award-winning products, offering something to meet every essential need, from bedtime to feeding and bath time to travel.

FOCUS ON THE BASICS “Any parent can relate to how overwhelming the experience of having a newborn can be, so anything that can relieve some of the stress and worry is a big help,” said Christopher Money, co-founder of Kit & Kin. “There’s a lot of conflicting advice out there about what you do and don’t need, but if you concentrate on the basics, a brilliant baby essentials product really can make all the difference.”

Nappies are the perfect example of this – a well-fitting, absorbent nappy will mean children stay dry and comfy for longer, meaning no leaks and fewer changes during the day and at night.

“Everything we do at Kit & Kin has to be better for baby and better for

our world,” said Christopher. “Our award-winning hypoallergenic eco nappies are 100% carbon-neutral, are made using sustainable, plantbased materials and give back through the Kit & Kin Foundation – for every 10 subscriptions, we purchase and protect one acre of precious rainforest. It’s amazing what can be achieved through lots of people coming together and making small, everyday swaps!”

“As parents ourselves, we know those �irst few weeks after having a new baby can be a bit overwhelming,” said Jennifer Rebaudo, senior brand strategist at ClevaMama. “It is so important for parents to focus on what they really need for their baby and not get carried away and purchase items they simply do not need.”

For those very early days Jennifer believes that ClevaMamas’ most essential products are the ClevaCushion nursing pillow, the Baby nest and the ClevaBath. The latter deserves a special mention, as the �irst ever product to fully transform the kitchen sink into a baby bath. Designed to �it over any standard sink it features a �lexible, perforated basin which sits at the ideal height – so no bad backs, heavy lifting, water mess or spills.

“This year has been particularly challenging as everyone has been affected by Covid-19,” she added, “but we are here to support our retailers, our suppliers and of course new parents. With a new collection due to launch this November, there’s plenty more in store from us!”

As any child psychologist will attest, play is one of the most important considerations on that list of essential needs. Infantino



Above: Kit and Kin recently launched the world’s first reusable cloth nappy made with ECONYL, a regenerated nylon from recovered fishing nets and other nylon waste, which helps to clean up oceans and landfills around the world.

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NURSERY ESSENTIALS offers a wide variety of products

which are packed full of hours of baby-friendly play, boasting on-trend colours and clever grow-with-me features. Of course, there is no shortage of baby toys available on the market, so what makes Infantino different?

“We believe very strongly in designing smart products for happy parenting,” said Nivi Bhide, director of marketing Europe. “As new parents it is very confusing to know what you really need. I remember when I was expecting my baby (who is nearly a teenager now!) – it’s so hard.

Parents like being told exactly what are the ‘must-haves’ and what are ‘nice-to-haves’ before they make the �inal decision.”

From a essential product perspective, Infantino has focused on an activity seat and baby gym – two of the most popular developmental toys for children aged under one. The Music & Lights Discovery Seat & Booster is of particular note – the three-in-one product begins life as a multi-sensory baby activity seat before �inally being used as a booster seat for family mealtimes.

“We are currently launching our Milestones Gym which is another one of those products that keeps on giving,” Nivi revealed. “Babies will love this engaging activity gym while parents enjoy using the clever design to capture milestones and memories. We are constantly working towards satisfying key needs for parents of new babies.”

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FIRST FRIENDS “During the early days in particular we think it’s hugely important that parents know what products they really need, and how to use those products,” said The Puppet Company’s Katy Rugman. “During lockdown we have collaborated with storytellers and puppeteers across the UK and Europe to help parents learn how to use the puppets to tell classic stories and encourage imaginative play.”

The Puppet Company makes classic toys which Once a child reaches around six months of age, parents will start to look into weaning them onto solid foods; another essential area of child care which is full of con�licting advice and differing opinions.

“We get many questions from parents who are still confused about how they will know it’s the right time to start weaning their baby,” said Natalie Jackson, Beaba’s vp sales and marketing for the UK and The Netherlands. “We understand it can be a daunting task, so we try and make life as simple as possible, by giving advice and answering FAQs

are powerful learning tools and engage young minds. My First Puppets – one of the most popular collections – are suitable from birth and are made from high quality fabrics with embroidered faces.

“We’re doing everything we can to support our retailers and customers and think it is more important that ever now to try and share some smiles and positivity,” added Katy. “Our puppets and soft toys have all been designed to encourage creativity and performance, but most of all fun!”

Left: With over 850 different puppets available, The Puppet Company collection represents everything from farm animals, wild animals and pets through to storytelling characters and fairytale creatures.

on our social pages and website.”

As a brand Beaba looks to provide both retailers and consumers with the whole package, positioning itself as a ‘Weaning Partner’, with a wide range of Babycook food maker options as well as multiple convenient storage solutions, meal sets and utensils. A number of new launches are also in the pipeline – such as a glass meal set (an eco-friendly option which promotes healthy and hygienic feeding) and a stainless steel sippy cup.

“Our hero product is de�initely the award-winning Babycook 4-in-1 Baby Food Maker, which ticks all the boxes,” added Natalie.

“Available in Original, Solo, Duo or Neo to suit different needs and budgets, this kitchen buddy offers parents a simple and speedy way to cook nourishing and delicious meal with its easy to use blend, defrost and heat functions.”

With so much choice in the marketplace, parents look to brands they can trust for their essential products, whether they are for cleaning, sleeping, playing or eating. Brand recognition and loyalty is paramount within the infant essentials sector, so brands who can go the extra mile in supporting, guiding and advising parents during this exciting time will always reap the bene�its.

Left: The Beaba Babycook Solo 4-in-1 Babyfood maker and food processor is a complete kitchen module which provides parents with the perfect solution at meal times.

PROGRES SIVE P R E S C H O O L

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WHAT’S NEW: NURSERY ESSENTIALS

WHAT’S NEW NURSERY ESSENTIALS BEABA

MAMA BAMBOO Mama Bamboo nappies are made using only the softest luxury breathable bamboo, chlorine free wood pulp and with 100% compostable liners and wrappers.

The bamboo layers which lie against baby’s skin are naturally antibacterial, temperature regulating and breathable. Its nappies are free from chlorine, alcohol, latex and PVC. This all helps control or eradicate nappy rash.

Beaba’s Silicone Meal Set is the perfect starter kit for any parent who is starting to wean their baby.

The set consists of a plate, bowl, cup and spoon. The plate and bowl feature a super strength suction pad to keep it attached to the table and all products are ergonomically designed to help encourage easy scooping of food when self-feeding.

Available in a choice of four colourways.

Tel: 0033 474120910 www.beaba.com

BÉBÉLEPHANT Award winning Grabease is the first ergonomic self feeding cutlery set recommended by Occupational Therapists. The patented choke protection barrier prevents little ones from sticking the cutlery too far into their mouths and gagging.

The ergonomic handle is designed specifically for baby’s natural hand grasp. Continued use improves fine motor skills and strengthens the pincer grasp. Available from bébélephant.

Tel: 0844 8589792 www.bebelephant.co.uk

Tel: 07956 835105 www.mamabamboo.com

COT COOL

BAMBINO MIO Bambino Mio is pleased to introduce the new Pet Party collection, which takes inspiration from its favourite furry friends incorporated with playful party themes. The three new designs include Puppy Party, Feline Fiesta and Dalmatian Dots.

These fun pet designs feature modern monochrome and fresh pastel details. Pet Party designs are available now across Bambino Mio’s extensive award-winning range of reusable nappies and accessories including wet bags, change mats and nappy inserts.

The summer heatwave of 2018 forced an inventive parent to develop a cooling device to help his newborn sleep safely. The device, aptly named the Cot Cool, was a finalist at the Harrogate International Nursery Fair awards where it went on to be announced as the Concept & Innovation winner. Cot Cool circulates cooled air around a baby without using a water tank or harmful refrigerants.

Launching this autumn in collaboration with Bébélephant.

Tel: 07967 085927 www.cotcool.co.uk

DR BROWN’S Dr Brown’s introduces its new Silicone One-Piece breast pump which is designed to be used hands-free with a gentle silent suction to collect and save every drop of breastmilk, minimising waste and making sure mums can catch leaking milk. The 100% silicone material is soft against skin and conforms to breasts of every shape and size. The easy-pour design ensures the simple transfer of breast milk into the included Dr Browns’ bottle using the secure storage cap without losing a drop.

Tel: 01538 399541 www.drbrowns.co.uk

Tel: 01604 883777 www.bambinomio.co.uk

PROGRES SIV E P R E S C H O O L

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94 INDUSTRY FEEDBACK

BOOK WORMS With parents turning to books for home learning and online retail dominating sales, preschool publishers have been steadily navigating their way through lockdown and out the other side. Here’s what they told PPS about the past six months and what is in store for the future.

Successes and Challenges “ The last six months have been a series of successes and challenges. The closure of the high street ABOVE: Ladybird’s obviously affected ‘Wise Before Five: our bricks and mortar amazing things to know before you start retailers and even was a big hit online was a challenge, as families reverted school’ o0ver the summer. to authors or brands they already knew. ​The flipside of that was that Ladybird has some strong brands, such as Peppa Pig, Ten Minutes to Bed and Hey Duggee, and they really thrived. We saw huge interest in our wipe-clean activity books as parents tackled home learning.

Now that schools are back we’ve seen shifts to more typical behaviour. Topsy and Tim Start School still had its usual spike! ​We also had a fantastic response to our Ladybird Little Big Moments campaign, where we sent pairs of books to people who were separated during lockdown, so they could read together. Obviously we didn’t expect to run that campaign at the start of the year, but it was incredibly heart-warming. ​Christmas is always fun in children’s publishing. For the first time ever we have a Peppa Pig advent calendar, which has a little mini book to discover and read every night in the countdown to Christmas! ​It’s difficult to see when things will emerge into some sort of ‘new normal’ next year, but I’m hopeful. We’ll be publishing our first ‘eco-novelty’ lift-the-flap books in the spring, which are printed on 100% recycled board with plant-based inks and minimal plastic glues. With the topics of Bees, Trees and Seas, they’re sure to engage inquisitive little minds. ​We’ll also be driving the diversity and inclusion of our list even harder, with a particular focus on race, ethnicity and disability. Ladybird is where all families should feel welcome and seen.”

Shannon Cullen, publishing director, Ladybird

It’s Been a Rollercoaster “ Business for Andersen Press has been up and down. We have been working out a new way of working with an increased push to online retailers, while still trying to support bricks-andmortar shops. Sales are starting to pick up but it’s been a rollercoaster!

ABOVE: Andersen ​Elmer has been the backbone of Press has also seen strong sales for Not our preschool sales, as ever. Surprise Now Bernard, which hits have been I Don’t Want to Wash celebrated its 40th My Hands, a Little Princess book anniversary over lockdown. from 2001, written by Tony Ross, which unsurprisingly has done incredibly well in the UK and in foreign rights sales, including USA rights for the first time! ​Rather more poignantly we have also seen a huge uplift in sales for The Proudest Blue by USA Olympian Ibtahaj Muhammed, Hatem Aly and SK Ali in the wake of the Black Lives Matter protests. Sales of Badger’s Parting Gifts by Susan Varley – a 35-year-old picture book about loss – has sold around 25% more than last year, which can only be attributed to one thing… which is incredibly sad. ​Things are looking much better now. We’ve got a new Elmer title (the 29th!) coming from David McKee and lots of new picture book projects. Other plans for the future include the paperback of The Button Book by Sally Nicholls in early 2021, plus anniversaries to celebrate for Little Princess and Mr Benn. ​It’s also the 35th anniversary of The Polar Express this Christmas and we’ve been seeing sales of around 25 – 30 copies weekly since July, which we’ve not seen before. It seems like people are already after some Christmas magic! ” Paul Black, pr and brand director, Andersen Press

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INDUSTRY FEEDBACK 95 Innovation is Key “ Business is steady. We are just behind where we were this time last year, and last year was a record year for Usborne in the UK. So even with physical stores closed during lockdown, sales through online and supermarkets have been strong.

As we move into Q4, the aim is to try to get as close to last year’s turnover as we can. ​We have had fantastic sales in the That’s not my… range with new titles and reissues performing particularly well. The Don’t Tickle series is also establishing itself well in the market, with Don’t Tickle the Dinosaur performing exceptionally well during lockdown. ​We have a host of brilliant Christmas titles including the new That’s not my… Robin, plus Poppy and Sam’s Christmas.

2021 is a big year for our Don’t Tickle books. Don’t Tickle the Tiger joins our series of noisy touch-and-feel books. We also have a sure-fire Easter favourite with Poppy and Sam and the Lamb, with a soft lamb hand puppet in the book. ​The most important thing in the preschool publishing sector is to innovate, and luckily, that’s what Usborne does best.“

Christian Herisson, UK commercial and sales director, Usborne Publishing

ABOVE: Usborne has new titles in its That’s not my…, Don’t Tickle and Poppy and Sam ranges.

Surprise Success “ We spent the majority of lockdown focused on our Christmas season and maximising this, with existing and new customers.

Fortunately we went into lockdown in a good position as a company, as we had several years of success building up to it.

We are now on track to have our biggest Christmas to date. This has ABOVE: Matt says the company is on track been driven by a mixture of growth to have its biggest in existing retailers, as well as new Christmas to date. retailers coming onboard.

In 2020 we launched Kindi Kids, O.M.G. Dolls, Poopsie Surprise and 44 Cats. We are working on other new additions to the range as well as new formats.

New Launches “ Redan is in a strong position moving into Q4. Sales are stable across all of our titles and we have much to be excited about for 2021 with the potential of three new standalone titles launching by next summer.

We are thrilled to have secured ABOVE: Julie says the rights to The Adventures of that Redan is in Paddington TV show and we will be a strong position launching the standalone magazine moving into Q4. in the spring. The sales of our Peppa Pig titles have been strong and we are pleased to see our new Bing title getting off to a positive start. In our compilation titles, Fun To Learn Friends and Fun To Learn Favourites, we have seen strong popularity scores for Peppa Pig, PAW Patrol, PJ Masks and Ben & Holly’s Little Kingdom.

Sustainability really is a crucial issue for Redan and the wider publishing sector. The paper we use within our magazines is PEFC certified; from sustainably managed forests and controlled sources. We have worked hard to ensure that all of our packaging is recyclable, from the bags we use for our bagged issues, to the backing cards and blister shells that we use on our covermount toys.

We are constantly looking at alternative materials to the plastics for our covermount toys.

We are really focused on our subscription offering too which provides an option to have our magazines without the covermount gift.“

Julie Jones, md, Redan Publishing

L.O.L. Surprise seems to appeal to many age groups and has been a phenomenon for us for a number of years now.

The other runaway success for us has been a bit of a surprise – The World of Dinosaurs by The Natural History Museum. Kids absolutely love dinosaurs and as this is published with The Natural History Museum, our retailers and parents have loved it.”

Matthew Reynolds, md, Little Brother Books

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Above: Everyone needs a hero and the Grimms Rainbow steps up here.

MY HERO!

“Our hero line, as ever is the Grimms Rainbow!”

STORE STATS

Weasel and the Bug IN NUMBERS Weasel and the Bug has been part of Chester’s high street for almost five years, specialising in wooden and ethical products. Founder Katie Jones focuses on sourcing products which are sustainably sourced, with the overarching belief that toys should be powered by children, not batteries and that clothes should be beautful yet functional.

UP

FACTS AND FIGURES

ON THE WAY

“I believe that people are stepping away from the plastic throwaways toys and are looking for more ethical ways to entertain their little ones.”

“Having toys for girls and toys for boys. People love to see that there are no gender set toys at Bug HQ.”

ON THE WAY

OUT

• Weasel and the Bug is small but perfectly formed – and it packs a lot of punch!

• Average spend per transaction is around £17.

• About 235 customers came in last Saturday, although it has been quieter than normal.

PEOPLE POWER

The Weasel and the Bug team consists of four people (no weasels or bugs).

THE TOP “Lanka Kade is our topselling brand, as it is easy on the pocket and the eye!

For us anything Lanka is a win. We really love the new Dragon Wings from Fablab, these have had a great response from our customers. Maileg mice have been a hit during lockdown, while Tonie boxes have been a sell out and little ones always love to play and create with Tegu blocks.”

Above: Weasel and the Bug makes no secret of its eco-credentials.

SAFETY FIRST

The changes made by Weasel and the Bug post-Covid are to limit the amount of customers into store. They also politely ask all hands to be sanitised upon entering, while Katie and her team also have visors and masks.

Above: Once inside, the store offers a cosy and welcoming shopping enviroment.

Left: Lanka Kade products, such as these rainbow animals, always sell well.

‘TIS THE SEASON

“Well it’s not cancelled, so that’s a good thing! I think shoppers will start early and be done sooner.”

PROGRES SIVE P R E S C H O O L

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Brand new for AW20!

As seen on

Time for Bed with Bing and Owly

Includes 2 playsets!

© 2020 Acamar Films Ltd.

Progressive Preschool Bing Sept 2020.indd 1 OBC_PPS_Sept Oct 2020.indd 1

TV!

Bing’s Train with Mini Playsets

All enquiries: customerservices@goldenbeartoys.co.uk Telephone: +44 (0) 1952 608308 www.goldenbeartoys.com

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