Progressive Preschool July 2015

The B2B Publication For Preschool Products and Retailers

ISSUE 18 JUL/AUG 2015

First Fashions Apparel For Summer

Preschool Partner In The Night Garden

Four Wheeled Fancy Strollers For 2015

Summer Dreams How Retailers Respond

Trade Publication. Sign up to our newsletter at www.progressive-preschool.com and follow us on Twitter at @prog_preschool FC_PPS_July_August 2015.indd 1

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New Gift Categories

by KidKraft.

Perfect Gifts for Boys and Girls!

Travel Box Playsets

Magnetic Dress-Up Dolls

Floor Puzzles

Contact Us! t: +31203058620 | e: europesales@kidkraft.com www.kidkraft.com

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www.progressive-preschool.com MARKET LEADING TRADE MAGAZINES

March/April 2013

MARKET LEADING TRADE EXHIBITIONS

MARKET LEADING TRADE AWARDS

this month JULY/AUGUST 2015

Cutting-edge fashion and young children aren’t necessarily the most natural partners. Sure, it’s easy enough to keep them looking stylish while they’re small and unable to communicate, but once that stubborn streak hits it can be enough of a battle to get them wearing clothes in the first place, never mind in an outfit which is vaguely coordinated and weather-appropriate.

It’s for this reason that childrenswear companies have the unenviable task of designing their collections to appeal to two very different Above: Progressive Preschool’s demographics - the grown ups who buy them and Jacqui and Rob. the under-fives who wear them. As we highlight in our apparel feature, achieving that holy grail can be a delicate balancing act, as children and parents often have very different ideas of what ‘looks good’ - and that’s before taking style, practicality, comfort and colour into account!

Those four key requirements can be used as a benchmark across much of the preschool industry, as we discovered when speaking to a host of stroller companies about the latest models to hit the market. One area of the industry which is never short of innovation and creativity, there are some truly gamechanging pushchairs being launched into the market this year and it’s going to be interesting to see which end up as the ‘must-have’ buggies in the coming months.

There’s no sure-fire way of predicting what will and won’t be a hit in any market, let alone one as subject to fluctuating trends and fashions as the preschool industry. As your trade publication, all we can really do is offer you the latest information - what you do with that is up to you!

Luckily, that’s where the PPS Awards are able to play such an important part in our business, as they allow us to reward suppliers and retailers for meeting the needs of the market, whether that’s by designing an incredible new product or by going above and beyond at a consumer-facing level.

We ask a whole host of impartial industry experts to judge entries for the PPS Awards. With retailers judging suppliers and vice versa, the panels we put together have wide-ranging experience of the industry and are able to be both decisive and knowledgable about the latest developments within the market.

It goes without saying that if certain products, retailers or marketing campaigns aren’t entered into the awards then they won’t be making the finalists shortlist.

And as the awards are free to enter, there’s no reason that even one company should remain unrepresented.

We’ve already got an incredible line-up of industry support (see news page 7 for more information) and have made entering the awards as simple and straightforward as possible.

All awards categories are open now, and will be until 7 August. So what are you waiting for? Get entering!

The Progressive Preschool Team

Jacqui Parr, Rob Willis, Becky Phillips, Ian Hyder, Jakki Brown, Warren Lomax Max Publishing Ltd, United House, North Road, London N7 9DP T: 020 7700 6740 F: 020 7607 6411 www.max-publishing.co.uk

Our editorial wordsmiths include: Fiona Pavely, Sue Marks, Michelle Board

@prog_preschool

Progressive Preschool is published by Max Publishing Ltd. Rob Willis - Publisher. Jakki Brown Editor-in-Chief and Joint Managing Director. Jacqui Parr - Editor. Fiona Pavely, Michelle Board and Sue Marks - Editorial Wordsmiths. Ian Hyder and Warren Lomax - Joint Managing Directors.

Judy Stevens - Sales and Marketing. Tel: 020 7700 6740 Fax: 020 7607 6411 Email: robw@max-publishing.co.uk, jacquip@max-publishing.co.uk, beckyp@max-publishing.co.uk Copyright 2012. The publishers cannot accept legal liability for any errors or omissions, nor can they accept responsibility for the standing of advertisers nor any organisation mentioned in the text.

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contents 07 17 19 21 25 29 39 47 55 57 59 63 65 71

25

SUMMER BREEZE

47

INDUSTRY INSIGHTS From market research company GfK. DESIGN FOR LIFE The thoughts of Hamleys’ toy designer.

MEDIA WATCH What’s in the papers.

SUMMER BREEZE How retailers respond to rays.

TINY TRENDS Reporting from the fashion frontline.

IN THE NIGHT GARDEN Preschool’s perfect partner.

STROLL ON Buggies and strollers for 2015.

THE HUGGLE APPROACH Cross category retail specialism.

LINDSAY LOGS IN Fashion through the ages.

WATER WORKS A splashing good time.

CATHY’S COLUMN Nursery trade musings.

PRESENT TIME Preschool gifts wrapped up.

WHAT’S HOT Retailer’s best sellers.

39

29

TINY TRENDS

STROLL ON

NEWS Reporting from the preschool world.

IN THE NIGHT GARDEN

55

THE HUGGLE APPROACH

59

WATER WORKS PROGRES SIVE PRESCHOOL

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www.progressive-preschool.com

PPS takes a look at the recent happenings in the preschool sector

H Grossman Changes Hands

TOP STORY

Progressive Preschool Awards Officially Open The Retail, Marketing, and Special Awards categories are now officially open.

Now in their third year, these prestigious trade awards celebrate excellence in product, retail and marketing throughout the preschool sector. Entry is now open for the Retail Awards categories, which cover independent, major, and online retailing – recognising the total market.

Retailers can (and should!) nominate themselves, while suppliers are also urged to nominate top retail partners.

The special Marketing Award category can be entered by all.

Two brand new categories will also be making their debut for 2015; Best Wholesaler/Distributor and Outstanding Achievement award.

“The response from the industry so far has been very powerful," said Rob Willis, publisher of Progressive Preschool

magazine. "We’ve already seen hundreds of entries in the product categories, which have been open since April."

Headline sponsor is GfK Retail Technology. The full sponsor lineup includes Tomy, Nickelodeon, KDUK, Misirli, BBC Worldwide, VMC Accessories, Centum Books, East Coast Nursery, Travis Designs, Manhattan Toy Europe, Harrogate International Nursery Fair, Bkids, DHX Media, Misirli, Clarion Events, Cheeky Rascals, MIPR and Global Solutions for Clothing.

All categories can be entered online, at www.progressive-preschool.com.

The closing date is 7 August 2015. See pages 14 – 16 for more information.

Toy Retail Update

Cologne Countdown

Toys R Us has reported 'steady progress' despite a 6% fall in Q1 sales, while a 2.6% fall in Argos sales is described as a 'challenging' start to the year. Meanwhile, the owner of House of Fraser is in talks for a Hamleys' buy out.

Toy retailer Toys R Us has reduced last year's net loss, but a decrease in promotional activities, baby and entertainment segments has resulted in a first quarter loss of $140 million. Toys R Us is remaining positive, saying these results demonstrate ‘steady progress'.

The result is an improvement on the $196 million deficit of 2014's Q1 results.

In what has been described as a 'challenging' first half by Home Retail’s chief executive John Walden, this year has seen Argos Q1 sales drop by 2.6% despite new initiatives. “We expected sales to be challenging during the first half," said John, "but we look forward to a stronger second half as we progress the Transformation Plan.”

Meanwhile, the billionaire owners of House of Fraser are in talks to purchase Britain’s 255 year old toy store, Hamleys. Yuan Yafei, chairman of Nanjing-based firm Sanpower – which bought House of Fraser last year – is considering buying the famous shop from its French owner Groupe Ludendo.

With just a few months to go before international nursery trade show Kind + Jugend takes place, organiser Koelnmesse has announced that exhibition space at the three-day event is almost fully booked, with over 1,000 exhibitors from 45 countries.

Taking place from 10 - 13 September 2015, many of the key industry players will be represented in Cologne, presenting the newest designs and the latest developments from right across the children's product spectrum.

Country-specific pavilions also allow smaller companies a dedicated space to exhibit their products. This year there will be ten pavilions; from China, France, Hong Kong, Portugal, Spain, South Korea, Taiwan, the USA, Latvia, and courtesy of the BPA - Great Britain.

The show also offers a unique information programme, offering international visitors valuable insights into the global markets.

Three awards will also be presented: the Innovation Award, the Kids Design Award and the Consumer Award.

For more information, visit www.kindundjugend.com.

Toy industry veteran and owner of Scotland's biggest toy company Martin Grossman has sold the UK and Hong Kong business H Grossman.

The shock announcement came as the family business celebrates its 70th year. Mark Walls and Daniel McLoughlin (both formerly of HTI) have completed a majority share purchase to acquire ownership of H. Grossman and H. Grossman (HK).

"We are delighted and extremely proud to have the opportunity to acquire HGL," said managing director, Mark Walls. "The business has seen 70 years of success and has developed a reputation within the industry for delivering craze lines and award-winning products."

Martin Grossman said; "I'm absolutely delighted for Mark and Dan, this is a wonderful opportunity for them.”

Martin will remain a shareholder and director and both he and codirector Caroline will work within the business going forward.

Above: L-R: Mark Walls, Martin Grossman, Elinor Grossman, Caroline Brotherton, Danny McLoughlin

Toymaster Charity Thanks Toys donated after the May Toymaster show have already started to make a difference, according to a thank you letter from beneficiary Martin House Hospice.

The letter thanked the team behind the show for organising the generous donation of toys, which was described as an 'Aladdin's Cave of exciting goodies', destined for distribution between five local children's charities.

The main charity to benefit from exhibitor's generosity is the Martin House Hospice itself, which works with children and young people with life-limiting illnesses. The remaining donations have been shared between Harrogate Young Carers project, Harrogate Special Baby Unit and The Woodlands Children's Wards, Mia Mason Appeal and Hope Pastures Project, for disadvantaged children.

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www.progressive-preschool.com TOP STORY

UK Boasts Record Toy Spend The UK boasts the second-highest toy spend-per-child in the world, according to London-based research group Euromonitor, coming second only to Australia.

The latest projections from the group reveal that the average spend per child grew to £550 in the UK (up from £508 in 2013) and £600 in Australia (up from £555).

The UK’s toy market is worth more than twice as much as Australia’s, at £5.7bn compared to £2.4bn, but there are almost three times as many children in the UK. The top two countries were closely followed by Japan (£504), Germany (£497) and Hong Kong (£478). Countries with older first-time mothers and more women in the labour force (and therefore higher household income) tend to spend more on toys and games for their children, reported The Telegraph.

“Middle class households are very important to the toys and games

industry because they largely drive consumer spending. Although the middle class in emerging markets is seeing rapid expansion, purchasing power remains low,” stated the Euromonitor report.

The smash hit Disney film Frozen, which was released in the run up to Christmas 2013, gave a boon to the toy industry last year, as did The Lego Movie, which gave Lego itself the boost needed to overtake Mattel and become the world’s largest toymaker.

Below: Toys! Everywhere!

Children's Charity Push

The Bubble Boost

Bubble London, the trade event for children’s fashion, will showcase the very latest trends in its spring/summer 15 show, taking place from 12 – 13 July at London's Business Design Centre.

Known as a launch-pad for emerging talent, the s/s 16 event will be celebrating innovative product, new brands and British design-talent.

Destination zones include Homegrown (a showcase for labels designed and manufactured in the UK), Nest (an international collection of brands notable for their individuality and fresh design) and Bubble G.U.M (exciting new labels and inspirational brands).

The popular Bubble runway will once again offer retailers an essential overview of the season’s foremost fashions, while the exhibition will continue to support new brands with the Rising Star Award.

See the PPS apparel feature on page 29 for more information on key trends and exhibitors.

Above: Baby Acorn will be showing at Bubble 2015.

Charity partnerships continue throughout the preschool industry as iCandy donates another £10,000 to The Lullaby Trust, Hippychick pledges support to Epilepsy Action and Chuggington partners with Smile Train, the international children’s cleft charity.

Luxury British pushchair manufacturer iCandy has kindly donated £10,000 to its key charity The Lullaby Trust, helping to support newly bereaved parents. iCandy also recently launched a luxury changing bag collection, with £10 from every ‘Emilia.’ (in honour of Emilia Fox, the ambassador of The Lullaby Trust) bag going towards the charity.

Taking corporate responsibilty equally seriously is Somerset-based nursery accessories business, Hippychick, which supported Epilepsy Action through sales of its best-selling Dream Tubes (bed guards) brand.

Finally, Chuggington has also announced an awareness-raising partnership with Smile Train, the international children’s cleft charity, and the partnership will consist of multiple awarenessraising initiatives.

Industry Supports Toy Fair

Taking place from Sunday 24 - Tuesday 26 January at London's Olympia, Toy Fair 2016 has retained strong support from the industry with 86% of the exhibition space already sold out and a large number of new applications waiting to be allocated stands.

Despite the change of dates, the re-booking rate for 2016 currently stands at 75% with many of the larger, renowned brands such as Lego, Vivid, Character, Flair, Golden Bear, Simba Smoby, Spin Master and Bandai returning for another year.

"In a year of change, some exhibitors have found the logistics more difficult to organise than others, and that was to be expected with two shows so close together," said Majen Immink, head of Toy Fair operations and sales.

Companies interested in exhibiting or sponsorship should contact the Toy Fair team on 020 7701 7127 or at Majen@btha.co.uk

Fisher-Price Supports New App Mattel's Fisher-Price brand is building on its digital partnership with parenting website MadeForMums by sponsoring the launch of its new MadeForMemes app.

The co-branded media partnership includes a dedicated channel featuring genuine reviews from a panel of ‘little experts’ and their parents, complete with images and interactive videos.

The promotional partnership, which reaches thousands of parents every month, also features monthly competitions and is supported by high impact online advertising.

The new MadeForMemes App, which is sponsored by Fisher-Price, allows parents to create their own meme (humorous captioned images spread via social media) for the chance to win Fisher-Price prizes.

Below: Supporting the brand’s Little Discoveries marketing campaign, the partnership celebrates 'the little discoveries that children make every day through play'.

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www.progressive-preschool.com x TOP STORY

Bookstart Campaign To Get Dads Reading Britain’s largest reading charity Book Trust celebrated National Bookstart Week in June, by encouraging fathers to get involved in storytime, in addition to thousands of free events being held around the country.

Recent research conducted by the non-profit organisation found that, despite the rising number of stay-athome dads, almost 50% more mothers read with their child at 0-11 months than fathers. This figure remains high in later years, with 25% more mums reading with their five-yearold when compared with dads.

“It is alarming to see that fathers are still behind mothers when it comes to reading with their children,” said Diana Gerald, Book Trust chief executive. “Now more than ever we need both parents to step up and make time to read with their children because one in five leaves primary school unable to read well.”

Diana continued: “We are urging not only fathers, but all parents, grandparents and carers to make a promise this National Bookstart Week – to read to their children for at least ten minutes every day and make some wonderful memories they will never forget.”

Boost For Mothercare

Expert Endorsement

The nursery and maternity retailer’s promising annual results indicate an ongoing turnaround for annual like-for-like sales, both in the UK and internationally.

Mothercare chief executive, Mark Newton-Jones, described the past year as “extremely busy” following a £100m rights issue, a hostile takeover attempt, a refinancing and a series of store closures.

The latest figures from the retail group show that its long-term plan is showing signs of working. Underlying profits (before tax) of £13 million in its full year 2014/15 results show a 37% increase on the same period last year.

Total worldwide sales rose by 1% to £1.2 billion, while UK sales rose for the first time in five years. Online sales are up by 18%, accounting for 30% of total UK sales. More than 80% of that traffic is generated by mobile shopping.

“This has been an extremely busy year for Mothercare,” said chief executive Mark Newton-Jones. “We are making good progress and we will continue to build from this platform in the year ahead.”

Babycup, the multi award-winning open cup for children, has received a rapturous response from two influential healthcare bodies; Great Ormond Street Hospital and the National Oral Health Promotion Group.

Sara Keel, who invented the weaning cups, was invited to meet with members of the Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) paediatric dentistry team in June 2015. The team loved Babycup and said it will be recommending it for young patients, as did the NOHP Group.

“I am proud to see Babycup endorsed by experts in the fields of paediatric dentistry and oral healthcare,” said Sara. “I created Babycup to help little ones have a healthy start and am delighted to see this becoming a reality.”

Toy Industry Comes Together The Big Challenge event, held on Saturday 6 June, smashed all records and raised £205,000 for the various children’s charities supported by the Toy Trust across the year.

As a result of the fundraising event, more than 120 children with special needs will receive a life-transforming custom-fit trike or wheelchair via three nominated UK-based charities; Action For Kids, Cyclists Fighting Cancer and Handicapped Children’s Action Group.

“The Toy Trust Big Challenge has become a fantastic annual event that unites people from all corners of the toy industry to generate amazing amounts

of money for the 50+ small children’s charities that we support across the year,” said Toy Trust chair Foye Pascoe.

Details of the 2016 event will be released shortly and organisers hope that even more companies will attend next year’s event. For more information please email Matt Jones on matt@btha.co.uk.

Below: Some 290 people ran, walked and cycled a total of 14,321 miles to raise the recordbreaking amount.

Above: Book Trust’s flagship reading programme Bookstart supports parents and carers to enjoy books with their child as early as possible.

LICENSING LOWDOWN ▶ Celebrating 70 years of Thomas the Tank Engine, a VIP party was held at the British Museum in London in May, with a host of special guests and celebs including an 8ft Thomas replica engine. ▶ British children’s art and gift brand Belle & Boo has signed a significant book deal with Random House USA for Hop Along Boo. The new Belle & Boo picture book is to be published in the UK by Orchard Books, part of the Hachette Children’s group. ▶ Global Solutions for Clothing (GSC) has signed another high-profile licensing deal under its Pretend to Bee brand – with dinosaur onesies now listed under the Natural History Museum brand.

Kiddy Partners WithThe Lullaby Trust

Car seat and stroller company Kiddy is working together with The Lullaby Trust to highlight the importance of lying babies flat while sleeping.

As well as promoting The Lullaby Trust’s key advice on safer baby sleep, Kiddy is donating £10,000 to The Lullaby Trust through sales of the EvoLunafix: the first Group 0+ infant carrier with a lie-flat travelling function.

“There is a growing concern in the nursery industry because parents are using infant carriers for too long, for convenience and mobility, therefore we developed our lie-flat car seats,” said Chris Grech-Cini, UK country manager for Kiddy.

Kiddy has also unveiled its new website www.kiddyuk.com, which makes it even easier to research and buy Kiddy products in the UK.

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10. – 13.9.2015 Experience diversity, discover new ideas!

A guarantee of diversity for over 50 years: The leading international trade fair for the baby and toddler outtting sector. In addition to plenty of new ideas, you can also look forward to the Kids Design Award 2015.

Aspiring young designers present trendsetting design concepts.

Let yourself be inspired – we are looking forward to seeing you! www.kindundjugend.com International Business Media Services 42 Christchurch Road | Ringwood | BH24 3JU | United Kingdom Tel.: +44 1425 486830 | info@koelnmesse.co.uk

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* This warranty is subject to conditions - more info available online: www.service-babymoov.com

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www.progressive-preschool.com PEOPLE NEWS

TOP STORY

Amazon Drops Gendered Toy Listings Internet giant Amazon is the latest retailer to have dropped genderspecific categories from its toy listings.

The gendered search options have now been removed, leaving shoppers to search by age and type of toy.

Amazon has joined a growing list of toy retailers to do away with gendered signage, following increasing backlash from campaigners, such as the Let Toys Be Toys movement. Campaigners and observers are hopeful that this is the first step in an even bigger movement to remove needless gender stereotypes from the marketing of kids’ toys.

Interested observers will be paying close attention to see what effect Amazon’s move has on the rest of the toy market.

The move came at the same time as a poll conducted by iGen Insight found that older men are less likely to approve

Car Seat Confusion

Parents want their child to be safe in the car but remain unsure of the legalities, found recent surveys conducted by car seat companies Diono and Britax.

Diono’s research team spoke to 2,000 parents throughout the UK and found that 71% are unaware that legally, a child needs to use a seat or booster until they are 12 years old or 135cm tall.

It found that UK parents’ priority when choosing a seat was safety, with 56% saying that side impact protection was most important, closely followed by comfort, ease of use and fitting.

The Britax State of Safety report – which questioned more than 4,500 parents – compared parental attitudes towards travel safety across Europe and found

▶ Rainer Stäbler has been named as the new managing director EMEA at Britax Childcare. ▶ Tim Maule has joined Goodbaby International as the group’s chief commercial officer across the Americas, EMEA and APAC.

Above: Amazon shoppers now search by age and type of toy.

of gender-neutral toy categorisation.

Over 50% of men aged over 55 disagreed with moving to gender neutral categorisations of toys, while 64% of younger people are much stronger advocates for the move away from gender labelling.

“With young people in much greater support of the move away from gender categorisation of toys, it suggests this issue will continue to have implications within the toy and games industry,” said Claire Milner, research manager at iGen. that the UK is lagging behind Germany, Spain and Poland when it comes to using suitable car seats. Almost a third of UK parents (32%) admit they have taken a journey without a valid child seat, with 15% confessing they have done it on more than ten different occasions.

Both sets of findings demonstrate that although parents want their children to be safe, there is a genuine lack of understanding about what to look for in a car seat and the legal requirements.

Inset: Parent’s safety knowledge has significant gaps.

▶ KD UK has strengthened its team with the appointment of Paul Dearlove to the position of national account manager. ▶ TOMY has recruited former Hasbro European marketing director Mark Foster to the role of head of marketing EMEA for the Japanese toy giant.

Baby & Toddler Show Deal The Baby & Toddler Show has extended its exclusive retailer partnership with Baby Planet for five more years, taking the deal through to October 2019.

The Baby & Toddler Shows events are run in association with Emma’s Diary and take place every spring and autumn in EventCity Manchester and Sandown Park.

In 2014, over 200 unique companies exhibited at one of the Baby & Toddler Shows, with 71% intending to return in 2015. Key hardware brands (wheeled goods, car seat and furniture) continue to support the show directly with dedicated concessions managed by Baby Planet.

The autumn shows will be taking place from 25 - 27 September 2015 (Sandown Park) and 9 - 11 October 2015 (EventCity, Manchester).

Christmas Top Toy Predictions

Clippasafe Safety Campaign Child safety expert Clippasafe has partnered with Mother & Baby magazine for a new consumer-focused safety awareness campaign, to educate parents and carers on hazards around the home.

The online campaign will centre around an interactive game in which users are encouraged to navigate their way around

▶ Steve Williams joins The Entertainer as director of logistics, while Mark Campbell joins as finance director.

a home and identify possible dangers.

Each danger will be accompanied by a preventative product that is also available to buy direct from Clippasafe online.

“It’s crucial that parents are aware of the potential dangers before anything happens to their children,” said Roger Cheetham, managing director of Clippasafe. “We’re really pleased to be working with Mother and Baby to reach more parents and prevent potential accidents to young children.”

Left: The online campaign aims to alert adults to potential hazards in the home.

One of the UK’s top toy retailers, Argos, has revealed its must-have toy predictions for Christmas 2015, six months before the big day itself. Some of the preschooler hits on the retailer’s Christmas list are: ■ My Friend Freddy Bear (£39.99, Vivid) ■ Frozen Sing-A-Long Elsa (£39.99, Jakks Pacific) ■ Minions Tumbling Stuart (£49.99, Thinkway) ■ Little Live Pets Birds Clever Keet (£59.99, Character) ■ Toot Drivers Super RC Raceway (£99.99, VTech) “This year, the list is more star-studded than ever, driven by highly anticipated movie releases and kids’ favourite TV shows,” said Linzi Walker, chief toy buyer at Argos.

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The Progressive Preschool Awards take place on Thursday 12th November 2015, at The Dorchester Hotel in Mayfair, London.

Now in its third year, this hugely popular awards ceremony sees all sectors within the preschool aged product and retail sector coming together to network, celebrate and enjoy.

The Progressive Preschool Awards recognise retail and product excellence, as well as marketing, innovation and both individual and company talent within the trade. The nomination, voting and judging process differs for each of the various categories to ensure that the utmost integrity is maintained to the highest level.

All entry forms will be live on the website from 7 April - visit www.progressive-preschool-awards.co.uk, where you can also sign up for the newsflash to be kept informed of the awards and other industry news.

All product award categories will be judged in person by an extensive panel of retail buyers.

Companies can enter product ranges that have been launched at retail between 16 July 2014 and 15 July 2015. By ‘launched’, this means on sale with a third party retailer during this period.

The closing date for product entries is Friday 7 August 2015. Entrants should send a physical sample with the entry form completed and attached.

All retail award categories will involve an exhaustive poll of trade suppliers, manufacturers, and agents, who are encouraged to nominate retailers who have excelled in the preschool sector in the last year. This nomination process is followed by a validation process by a panel of industry experts.

The closing date for retailer nominations is Tuesday 1 September.

The Marketing Award (which covers marketing, PR, and promotional activity) will involve online submissions by companies with all entries being judged by a panel of marketing and promotional experts, who will arrive at the finalists and the winner.

The closing date for retailer nominations is Tuesday 1 September.

NEW awards for 2015 * Best Wholesaler or Distributor of Preschool Product: Open nominations from both manufacturers and retailers, to recognise excellent service to the trade. * The Outstanding Achievement Award: Nominated by industry peers for outstanding contribution to one’s own company, retail or service, or to the industry at large.

The closing date for the Outstanding Achievement and Wholesaler or Distributor awards is Tuesday 1 September.

For ticket information Please contact Clare Davies, Createvents Ltd: T: 01183 340085 E: clare@createvents.co.uk W: createvents.co.uk

www.progressive-preschool-awards.co.uk

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Categories The Retail Award Categories • • • • • • • • • •

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

The Product Award Categories • • • • • • • • •

Best Preschool Essentials Range Best Preschool Publishing Range Best Preschool Outdoor Range Best Preschool Home or Furniture Range Best Preschool Mobility Range Best Preschool Apparel or Accessories Range Best Preschool Toy or Games Range Best Preschool Gift Range The Innovation Award

Special Awards • • •

The Marketing Award – (best consumer/trade PR/promotions/advertising/ marketing campaign) The Outstanding Achievement Award Best Wholesaler or Distributor Award Sponsors include

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BOOKING FORM The 2015 Progressive Preschool Awards will take place during a lunchtime ceremony at the Dorchester Hotel, Park Lane London on Thursday 12 November 2015.

To confirm your attendance, please carefully complete this booking form and return to Createvents.

Allocation of tables are made on a first come first served basis.

For table bookings & event logistics: Contact: Mandy Biddle, +44 (0) 1183 340 085 Email: mandy@createvents.co.uk Mail: The Progressive Preschool Awards c/o Createvents Ltd, 450 Brook Drive Green Park, Reading, RG2 6UU

Please reserve the following:

For entry nomination& Sponsorship enquiries: Contact: Ian Hyder, +44 (0) 207 7006740 Email: ianh@max-publishing.co.uk

EXCL VAT

INC VAT @ 20% (Amount Payable)

Table/s of Twelve (12)

@ £2,160.00

@ £2,592.00

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Please note: price includes drinks reception, three course lunch and celebrity hosted awards ceremony. All other beveragesincluding table wines are additional which are ordered with and charged by the venue directly. Full details in yourconfirmation email which will be provided following receipt of a signed booking form..

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INDUSTRY INSIGHTS

STROLL ON

Strollers and pushchairs are often seen as a style statement.

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, nursery account manager Tullika Bhalla takes a look at an increased spend across the nursery industry and the stroller market in particular.

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he dramatic rise in consumer confidence at the start of the year seems to be translating into improved consumer spending across all room specific areas including the nursery sector.

Following a successful start to 2015, the nursery sector has reported positive growth in the first quarter.

With almost 16% quarter-on-quarter growth, the total nursery sector is one of the fastest growing sectors when compared to IT, electronics or even home and living categories.

The average price for a stroller has risen by £69 over the last year.

The first quarter of 2015 saw value growth being driven by products like thermometers, hygiene products, carry cots/cribs and towels, while walkers and play dens continue to decline in popularity. The overall optimism at retail has also had an impact on the equipment categories. At 19% year-on-year value growth, car seats are the fastest growing product within equipment, closely followed by strollers.

Viewed as an essential purchase for every new family, strollers are one of the most dynamic and innovative categories. Over 350 new stroller models (including variations of earlier models) were introduced to the UK market for the first time in 2014, accounting for 16% of last year’s total sales. As the focus continues on the ‘from birth’ strollers, in the last year, more than £2 out £5 was spent on travel systems, although newborn modular strollers have a higher volume sale.

Online presence also remains important as social media and mobile purchases continue to drive online sales. More than one out of every four strollers bought in Q1 2015 were sold online. However, unlike other products, retailers continue to add value while doing a traditional (offline) sale, with average instore being higher than online.

Whether this is because strollers are viewed as a long-term investment and/or style statement for new parents, travel systems can command premiums that basic or modular strollers can not.

The average price for travel systems has gone up by £69 in the last 12 months (from £344 to £413 in the last year) while second age (six months+) strollers have become cheaper.

Keeping in mind the style statement, it is interesting to note that the sales of frame-only and attachments have gone up by 4% in the last 12 months. Parents are getting savvier and choosier as they mix and match. This is not only to maximise their investment but also to plan ahead to adapt their strollers to more than one child.”

■ Knowledge Is Power “I think customers are much more informed in their decisions now thanks to the internet; you know that the majority of people coming to look in store have already done their research online. While we do see a high number of online sales, pushchairs are one of those products that most people will want to try in person before they buy, so there will always be a place for pushchair retailers!”

Kevin Golding, commercial director, Bébécar UK

■ Personal Service “The importance of independent retailers cannot be underestimated within the nursery sector. They offer a personal one-to-one service to parents-to-be, plus they also offer a wealth of advice and a huge amount of expertise and guidance on the best products for parents and their lifestyles.”

Nichola Pass, head of marketing, Silver Cross

■ Cost Of Innovation “As technical innovation and advanced features become commonplace within travel systems, these pushchairs have begun to become more expensive on average.

Parents are gradually demanding more and more of their systems, with the standards constantly being pushed higher by competing brands.”

Josie Giles, marketing, Obaby PROGRES SIVE PRESCHOOL

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A DESIGN FOR LIFE SUMMERTIME EXPLORERS Stacey casts her mind back to when tiptoeing to the bottom of the garden and sneaking up on a beautiful butterfly felt like the biggest adventure in the world...

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umping stepping-stones, catching insects, gazing at stars and digging holes; chasing bees (and getting stung!), blowing bubbles, picking fruit, playing catch and racing on space hoppers…

All of this pretty much summarises my childhood years during the summertime. A technology-free time. A mix of smells, noises, textures, colours and tastes that you wouldn’t find during indoor play.

I look at those preschool and early infant school years as the perfect time for children to embark on adventures, exploration – and having the freedom of believing anything is possible.

A world of freeplay, no end goal or structure – going where the nature-fuelled imagination takes you.

The majority of tools required for outdoor play are in ready supply by the natural world – whether this is in a private garden, beach, hilltop or public park.

Adults can bolster this ready-built environment for children with a variety of simple materials.

Play-tools that can inspire children to run wild with their imagination include bubbles, explorer kits, microscopes and magnifying glasses, nets, spades, buckets, balls and many others.

Parents often ease off outside, allowing children to play with more energy and enthusiasm – after ensuring the little explorers’ playground is safe, of course. Generally, there’s less direction placed during this time – children

Hamley’s brand design manager and toy designer, Stacey Dix has a special interest in preschool product and play and is perfectly placed to share her insights and thoughts about play theory and creative play patterns. run about, yell louder and are given more opportunity to play on their own terms.

It is important to encourage outdoor play, as it offers a great opportunity for children to gain competency and a sense of mastery while exercising. Personal pride develops when they learn and understand something new, with no adult supervision or assistance. This improved self-confidence and positivity can translate well into social confidence, allowing them to master the art of discovery, being curious and independent.

As part of the preschool industry, it’s our job to ensure we understand what tools – toys or otherwise – have the potential to trigger a child’s imagination. We need to make these readily available for children to integrate into their outdoor play-patterns as they see fit. There’s Above: Summer explorer no rulebook – it kits are popular and is the child’s timeless. Left: Running responsibility to around in the fresh air is important – regardless of imagine a game and the British weather! establish the rules.

The same play tools are often used in a different context or order, building a child’s inventiveness and encouraging them to look at objects from another perspective and apply them in a different context. One day a stick could be a raft floating down a stream, the next, a magic wand bringing all the trees to life!

Through an adult’s lens, watching children immersed in their play-world and role-play, could be perceived as a completely different language. It is the time where they come out of their shell and test ideas to their limits.

Making sure little ones have access to a crazy bottle of bubbles or little explorers science kit is practically a summer essential – and where they go from there is up to them! Who knows? It is really important we remember play is a necessity, not a luxury. For us all.”

PROGRES SIVE PRESCHOOL

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In the

Public Eye In Media Watch, Progressive Preschool takes a look at the consumer press to see what parents will be splashing their cash on over the coming months.

a&u Pregnancy Baby &

SPECIAL

SMOOTH OPERATOR 1 REINVENTION The 2015 update of the Stokke Scoot includes larger foam-filled rubber wheels, an adjustable rotation handle, additional seating positions and a larger canopy with more ventilation. Parents wishing to add whimsy to their little one’s life can add the playful polka dot Style Kits to their Scoot, injecting personality and fun into the super-functional stroller. £529 stokke.com

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2 OUTWARD BOUND

TROLL ON

Put energy into your baby’s life with the neon-splashed iCandy Peach, designed with activity and adventure in mind. The three-action air-filled tyres invite you to traverse all terrains with your tot and allow you to navigate tight spots easily thanks to the swivelling front wheel.

Once folded, the Peach is one of the smallest folds on the market. iCandy Peach All-Terrain from £640 icandyworld.com

3 PRETTY AS A PICTURE Art lovers will be bowled over by this beautiful offering from Bugaboo, fusing the inimitable design we’ve come to expect from the brand, with Van Gogh’s beautiful Almond Blossom painting. The pushchair brings a touch of summer to even the dreariest of days and is sure to ignite an early passion for painting in your mini artist.

Bugaboo Bee3 + Van Gogh from £659 bugaboo.com

3

4 COPPER NUT

Brand new buggy from the travel experts.

Everything has been thought of with sturdy, quiet wheels, one-handed fold and choice of finishes including copper and bright coloured versions. iCoo Acrobat £549 kiddicare.com

5 SUPER SLEEK Parents looking for a sultry-looking pushchair will be blown away by the Urban Nomad, in understated shades of dark grey, navy and black and accented with sophisticated brown leather handles.

There is an option of a super stylish buggyboard for older child.

Mutsy Evo Urban Nomad £679 mutsy.com lullabuy.com

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JULY 2015

Copper Nut

Super Splash

What A Liberty

Clever Contraptions

A Best Buggy feature in the summer issue of Angels and Urchins magazine included an endorsement of the Hauck iCoo Acrobat. The new buggy is described as having everything a parent could want, with the one-handed fold and bright colours making it stand out from the crowd.

A swimming feature in the June issue of Mother & Baby magazine spoke to popular baby swimming school Water Babies, which advocates a noarmbands approach.

The SwimFin was positioned as an ideal solution for parents looking for a safe and fun flotation aid.

4 angelsandurchins.co.uk 61

A special article looking at the popularity of Liberty prints in the baby and preschool sector ran in the May/June issue of Baby London. One of the items selected was a Dribblebuster dribble bib, which featured one of the iconic designs, synonymous with classic florals and delicate detail.

A feature on the latest gadgets in July’s issue of Mother & Baby highlighted a number of the newest innovations in the preschool market.

Highlighted for its noise-free claims, Crane’s frog-shaped humidifier increases the moisture in the air, allowing babies to breathe more easily.

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A world of bright ideas...

...making family life easier!

With nearly 20 years‘ experience working with pioneering nursery brands from all over the world, we understand what parents and retailers are looking for. Our passion is to deliver innovative, award-winning brands that really sell.

New Click and Collect – bringing customers through your door.

Easy Online Ordering – quick and convenient for you.

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If you would like to become a stockist or have a new product idea, contact us on:

.co.uk 22_PPS_July_August 2015.indd 1

01730 895761 or sales@cheekyrascals.co.uk

23/06/2015 15:44

MEDIA WATCH

Screen Time

Fluffy Bums

A number of Obaby’s product favourites have made an exciting appearance on the small screen, with a star turn or two on popular teen drama Hollyoaks.

The daytime soap has gone a little Obabymad, with the bright Obaby Chase 3 in 1 in Zigzag Orange currently being used on a daily basis.

The summer issue of Irish maternity magazine Mums and Tots featured a selection of colourful Tots Bots cloth nappies as part of its reusable nappy feature.

The Easyfit, Teenyfit and Wraps were all highlighted in a selection of different colourways.

A Flower Show

No Teething Troubles

The story behind Gummee Glove inventor, Jodine Boothby, was picked up by the Daily Mail in May. The national paper ran a full page article on how she developed the teething mitten.

Talk Radio in Spain later invited Jodine to tell her story to one million listeners.

A look at the latest in floral fashions in the July issue of Gurgle magazine highlighted the latest patterns and styles from breastfeeding pillow company Thrupenny Bits.

The comfortable, shaped cushion is ideal for fuss-free breast-feeding for both mother and baby.

Travelling Light

A shopping feature in the July issue of Mother & Baby magazine highlighted a number of products and accessories designed to help parents lighten the load. This Hamster Bag – pannier bags for buggies – was highlighted as being particularly ideal for holidays and travelling.

JULY 2015 Who’s Who?

The PR companies, distributors and suppliers featured in this issue of Media Watch are: Media Three (Hauck), Bump PR (SwimFin, Thrupenny Bits, Tots Bots, Hamster Bags) DribbleBuster, The Butterfly Consultancy (Crane), Obaby and Gummee Glove.

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The beauuful new Peppa Pig Nursery Colleccon is made from baby soo plush and includes a variety of taccle fabrics and features to ssmulate babies’ senses and engage their imaginaaons.

New Peppa Pig gift lines available now!

Contact sales@rudolfstein.com

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Call for our new catalogue Tel: 01329227300 Email: sales@rainbowdesigns.co.uk Web: www.rainbowdesigns.co.uk

01/07/2015 14:42

TALKING HEADS

!

T U O S ’ L O SCHO (For The Summer) With the promise of heatwaves and long days in the sunshine, keeping the little ones amused through the summer months can take a little planning. PPS gets the lowdown from retailers on how their stores are ranged in preparation for the season and get their predictions on what’s hot for summer 2015.

Paul Gurnell, head of vendor management, Amazon.co.uk As an online retailer we’re less “ restricted by how we merchandise

according to the weather, and we don’t need to plan too far ahead in terms of how we promote a particular line, as it can be easily changed should the weatherman not get the forecast right!

Having said that, we do start our planning meetings ahead of the seasons to ensure we have adequate stock and from early spring onwards we start to see an increase in sales of outdoor toys. For the preschool market this is largely paddling pools, swing and slide sets and sand pits. As we deliver direct to the customer’s home we tend to see strong sales of bigger ticket items such as these through spring and summer.

Just as the sun has decided to make an appearance this summer we’re now focusing on the winter and Christmas season, with plenty of planning to do for these.

”

Chris Norris, retail buying manager - toys, Asda When it comes to “ summer trading we

always plan a year ahead, finalising our range in August for the following summer season.

However if we see a great line after this, perhaps at the Toy Fair, we will always try to accommodate it.

The weather doesn’t really have too much of an impact on the decisions over what to stock, as the majority of our display space is locked down so early.

That said, we do have to be agile in order to react to the weather once we are trading in the season. Some lines are more affected by good or bad weather than others, so we have different supply, stock holding and merchandising strategies for these.

It’s not all about the outdoors either, with around two thirds of our sales still coming from core indoor lines during the summer months; the top brands are still top of most kids’ wish lists all year round.

However, the outdoor team is very aware of the importance of children being active and are hopeful that our ranges encourage children to be active from a young age, which is why we have designated teams focusing on the preschool market.

For summer 2015, we are seeing lots of investment in large play, with strong sales in trampolines and bouncy castles, while from a preschool perspective Paw Patrol has had a great start and will continue to be strong through to Christmas.

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PROGRES SIVE PRESCHOOL

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A multi-sensory nursery collection featuring soft-to-touch fabrics, gentle lullabies, soothing lights and a unique personal touch with a specially designed baby-safe photo holder - perfect for baby to identify familiar faces.

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TALKING HEADS

Scott Norman, buying manager, The Entertainer Unlike many retailers we don’t have “ fixed buying periods – if we see something

we want to include in the range then we will buy at any time of the year and will keep re-ordering depending on sales.

We feature summer ranges at the front of our stores from February halfterm through to September, with some outdoor ranges selling all year, such as roller skates. Others, such as pools and water guns, are just for high season and sell better when it’s particularly hot. Around 8 – 10% of our skus in-store are outdoor, while online this is a much higher percentages, as we’re able to offer high ticket outdoor lines.

What’s hot so far for summer 2015? Well, we’ve had a great start to the year on Paw Patrol, with Bing also looking like it will be very hot, and evergreen characters such as Thomas the Tank Engine and Playdoh significantly up year on year. We’re excited to see Teletubbies making a comeback too and expect big things with this for the preschool market, whatever the weather!

”

Gerry Moran, buying manager, Matalan With the weather being so “ unpredictable, it’s important

for us to offer a balanced range throughout the entire spring/ summer selling period. Our summer collection is usually quite transitional, with products that will work whatever the weather. If the weather is good, then our outdoor toys and products will sell well, and in terms of children’s clothing we offer a balance of long vs short leg on bottoms and have a higher percentage of short sleeve than sleeveless tops.

Layering pieces such as zip-through hoodies and cardigans and light-weight jackets have done especially well this season.

Preschool accounts for around 40% of our offer, from tiny baby through to five years, including Disney licensed ranges. Most popular for toddler boys is the ‘mini me’ look of chino shorts with braces, smart polos and shirts while toddler girls love floral jeggings and rib vests, along with georgette printed dresses, which are great for that semi smart look but keeping it soft and girly.

We plan and finalise our summer ranges at the beginning of October using what we call ‘our customer moments’ as the driving force. These are key times within the season that reflect what is going on in modern families, such as Easter, bank holidays, summer holidays etc.

Inset: Paddling pools are a perennial summer favourite.

John Forbes, buyer– outdoor living, Dobbies Garden Centre The weather may only “ now be showing signs

of warming up but at Dobbies we signed off the spring/summer 2015 range back in September of last year and we’ll be doing the same again this year for the 2016 range.

Of course it can be difficult to fully anticipate demand for summer products as sales will be weather dependent to a certain extent and we really need the weather to help sell our highly seasonal summer toys. However, sales of our indoor toys and puzzles do pick up when it’s raining so all is never lost. In fact, come rain or shine indoor toys are still a huge part of our business in the summer months, accounting for around 40% of our stock. As they are not weather dependent our indoor selection has a lot of all-year-round longevity which customers like.

The preschool market is big business for Dobbies, with around 80% of our summer range aimed at the under-fives who just love to be outside. Our sand and water pit tables are always popular and when the weather is good our kids’ paddling pools always do well, so we expect these to fly off the shelves this summer, just as long as the sun shines!

”

”

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01/07/2015 16:15

KIDS CLOTHING

Tiny

TRENDS T

he first rule of fashion is that there are no rules; a contradiction in terms which seems to hold as true for childrenswear as it does in the grown-up world. While some children are lovingly swaddled in classic prints and delicate fabrics from the day they are born, others are popped straight into mini-me outfits. Of course, all this changes once the child in question begins to assert its own independence and insists on wearing pyjamas, a tutu and a Batman mask to the shops.

According to Jo Spragg, director at Kite Kids, both parents and children need to be accounted for in order to create a successful clothing collection.

“Children love fabrics that are soft, garments that are easy to put on and take off and prints that are both

Inset: Lilly + Sid

As the baby and childrenswear market continues to expand – thanks to new collections from both high-end designers and high street retailers – those fashion firsts are becoming more important than ever. From babies draped in Burberry to toddlers demanding Thomas, PPS gets on board with the latest trends for tinies. cute and contemporary. Parents love clothes their children actually want to wear as well as looking for garments that are durable and wash well. We make it our job to meet these expectations consistently.”

A Dorset-based company, Kite starts the design process by choosing a theme to work as its inspiration. “Our theme for SS16 is ‘Wanderlust,” said Jo, “so we used our travel ambitions and holiday  Inset: Kite Kids

▶ BEST DRESSED BABY “Current fashion trends are very important as mums take great delight in choosing the ‘best’ baby clothes they can afford for their child.

How their child looks is perceived to be a Above: reflection on their Zippy Suits own taste and style.

We constantly ask ourselves; Would mums want their babies to wear this?”

We take our inspiration from everywhere and look at future trends for any colours, moods or themes that would be desirable in baby clothes. Working with trusted and well-recognised brands such as JCB really helps!”

Nicole Graham, founder, Zippy Suits

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W NE ES T HO ENS LIC

A FIRM FAVOURITE !

www.misirli.co.uk twitter.com/MisirliUKLtd

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KIDS CLOTHING

▶ TIME TO ACCESSORISE

Inset: Frugi

 memories to help create lots of ideas.”

As far as trends for this summer go, all over prints are still huge according to Jo, with an emphasis on Navajo and Aztec-inspired designs.

“Texture is also a key trend which is translating into slub fabrics, crochet and lace trims,” she added.

Current trends in colour and print will always play an important part in shaping designs, but it’s important to consider practicality and suitability as well, as Emma Hassan, creative director at Lilly + Sid explained.

▶ BRIGHT AND BOLD “Our design teams always take trend predictions into consideration, as it is the only way to stay ahead of competition and keep designs fresh and relevant, even with character products. This season started with botanical-inspired prints but going into high summer it is all about tropical saturated bright prints with flamingos, tropical fruits and ice creams!

We expect Minions, dinosaurs and Peppa Pig to be popular this summer. Longer term, Disney and Marvel will continue to make a big impact with a number of big releases over the next couple of years. We have recently signed new preschool licences Clangers and Twirlywoos, both of which we are expecting to do well.”

Kim Bown, managing director, Misirli

“The parent and child are of equal importance to us. We work very closely with a select group of parents and children – our Dream Team! – who feedback on everything, incuding price, promotion, design, quality and fit.”

Adhering to the idea that kids clothes should be fun, Lilly + Sid look at age-appropriate catwalk trends, but also focus on longevity rather than ‘fast fashion’. “We like to see our clothing passed down to smaller friends and family to be reloved,” said Emma, “so we focus on modern classics rather than high fashion.”

Lilly + Sid is also well-known for using playful elements such as surprise appliques, dress-up features and fun characters. “These delight both parent and child,” said Emma, “ but quality and comfort still remain key.”

Current fashion trends are also less of a consideration for the team at popular baby brand Frugi. With a team which designs 18 months in advance (due to the lead time on organic cotton) it takes its inspiration from other areas.

“We do like to watch what proves popular Left: Misirli

“Children’s fashion accessories are in the unique position of being able to follow key trends and be quirky at the same time.

Design is extremely important!

We don’t ‘label slap’ and ensure that each retailer gets a bespoke product for their range. Our design team constantly researches new trends and techniques to ensure that our products appeal to both children and adults, and have the ‘wow’ factor.

While evergreens such as Gruffalo, Thomas and Peppa Pig are as strong as ever, we expect new brands such as Paw Patrol and Shopkins to establish themselves this year.

Disney also has some great franchises and films coming along for 2016.”

Laura Sumner, commercial director, VMC accessories Above left: VMC Accessories

with parents and babies,” said senior designer, Lisa Stewart. “We often find ourselves spending hours in vintage shops collecting quirky clothes, books and toys which help us create lots of Frugi loveliness. We always love bright colours, so rainbows are our favourite this summer!”

The company also has a close relationship with its customers, holding focus groups and relying on a strong online community for valuable feedback. “Our customers see the value in our products as they know that our products are good quality and last a long time,” said Lisa. “We never compromise on quality, and there is a big resale market for Frugi products, so we know our customers don’t mind investing in quality which is kind to both their little ones and the planet!”

Also stepping back from current fashion trends is Jo Passingham, owner of Rhubarb Clothing. “I keep an eye on the trends that are about, but try to design a range that won’t date too quickly. Classic pieces might be an over-used phrase, but that is what I have in mind – things that will survive the tests of real life children!”

It’s important to Jo that children are able to feel comfortable in her designs. “Comfort and functionality  PROGRES SIVE PRESCHOOL

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KIDS CLOTHING

▶ DESIGN DETAIL “We are a design-led company, so we pay close attention to potential trends as good design is as important as having a good character or brand. We believe that appealing to both parent and child is equally important and appeal to the parent with our high standards of quality, value for money and design. This is incorporated with a level of fun and role play to ensure we achieve some ‘pester power’ from the kids!

We expect Star Wars, Minions and Frozen – along with the usual evergreens such as Peppa and Fireman Sam to be popular this summer. We also have high hopes for Clangers, Twirlywoos and DC. We have also seen and expect to see more success with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.”

Mike Coles, director, Cooneen

 are key to babywear and

Above and right:

toddlerwear.,” she said.

Cooneen “Plus everything has to be washable! We combine those features with fun, playful, striking designs.”

Getting that balance right isn’t always as easy as it sounds, according to Mark Jeynes, vice president and co-founder of Rockin’ Baby. “Where possible we draw from current trends, but super trendy collections in cutting-edge shapes Left: Rhubarb Clothing Right: Travis Designs.

Inset: Rockin’ Baby

can often be style over substance, and that’s no good to anybody!”

Mark believes that the most important aspect to consider is simply whether or not the product is fit for purpose. “Will it stand up to being washed and worn multiple times, does it fit and is it comfortable for the child? It’s very easy to get swept away with an amazing new design or idea but at the end of the day you have to think with the parents’ head on!”

Uniquely, for every item of clothing Rockin’ Baby sells, it manufactures a brand new item and donates it to a child in desperate living conditions. “The more we can sell, the more clothes we can give away with our Child to Child

charity,” explained Mark. “For that reason, price and point of difference is important to us in order to tempt the retailer into stocking our collections.”

What is clear from a quick look around the high street, in boutiques and online is that there is a great deal of competition out there. Clothing companies that stand out from the crowd – regardless of their price bracket – are often those which follow a simple formula; offering comfort, practicality and durability. For everything else? There are no rules!

▶ CREATIVE CHARACTERS “Our main focus is always on the comfort and quality for the child, although design and colour are often the main focus for the parent.

The design team does regular research to keep abreast of trends as certain colours, icons and themes will always help promote sales. Of course, there are classic styles and colours that will always perform well too!

Attention to detail and strong design is important across all price points, especially in licensing, and we work carefully to achieve the right balance between cost and quality. We expect Disney Princesses and Frozen to be key for this summer – with Mr Men characters popping up as well!”

Dena Pearce, sales and marketing, Travis Designs

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WHAT’S NEW LICENSED APPAREL New licensed products and forthcoming releases in 2015.

WILLIAM LAMB Striving for brand specific innovative product, William Lamb continue to drive out new product executions.

For example, gold glitter in wellies for Peppa Pig, lights in 3D slippers for Star Wars), fashion focused silver glitter on snow boots for Frozen, and lights in the bumper unit of trainers for Thomas. A leader in preschool footwear and accessories, retail buyers are urged to make contact. www.wlamb.co.uk 01924 820282

ZIPPY SUITS

GLOBAL SOLUTIONS

To mark the 70th anniversary of JCB, Zippy has been awarded license to create a bright and imaginative range of bibs, muslin cloths and clothes featuring the much loved characters of the ‘My 1st JCB’ team. To prepare for a busy day at work, exploring and discovering the world, however messy, the range has been designed to JCB quality and durability standards. www.zippysuit.com 07759 476045

Global Solutions for Clothing – GSC, has signed a roster of new licensing deals for its popular range of onesies and childrens costumes.

New collections include Natural History Museum, Cloud Babies from HoHo Entertainment, and the much anticipated Thunderbirds from ITV Studios. Ranges available from Autumn 2015. www.gsc-ltd.com 0115 921 5690

MISIRLI Delivering innovation, quality and value on time - every time is at the heart of everything Misirli do. A respected leader and supplier of inspirational trend-driven garments, the extensive product portfolio covers some of the most loved and successful licensed characters across children’s nightwear, underwear and socks.

0116 2645 860 www.misirli.co.uk

TRAVIS DESIGNS Daisy and Donald tabards are new additions to the Disney Baby character outfit range from Travis. They come with a cute hat and soft matching slip on webbed style feet.

Available for delivery end of August. The new vintage style Winnie the Pooh character rompers in soft jumbo cord are not to be missed! The baby Disney Princess range continue to be best sellers.

01442 289898 www.travis.co.uk

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WHAT’S NEW Showcased at this year’s Bubble show. 12 – 13 July, London.

OH…MY!

Quintessentially British kidswear brand. Oh…My! returns for spring/ summer 16 with a charming and beautifully crafted occasional wear range for little ladies aged four-plus. The 35-piece collection boasts a whimsical and feminine quality throughout.

Pieces are sold as individual separates, designed to allow for mixing and matching.

07785 856075 www.ohmykidswear.com Stand Number: VC8

ELIZABETH HURLEY BEACH

POPPY ENGLAND

The latest range from Poppy England is the Storybook dresses for girls range, designed in-house.

Each print features the adventures of a little girl called Poppy and her dog, Fred. Discover all about their adventure along the hem of the dress and inside the free storybook.

01642 790000 www.poppyengland.com Stand Number: D1

Elizabeth Hurley Beach has recently introduced a charming bijoux collection for girls, from 18-months upwards. The 2015 range includes bikinis, one-pieces, tankinis, kaftans, beach dresses, shorts and the bestselling stretch towelling zipped cover ups. Pinks, lilacs, blues, stars, hearts and cheetah prints all jostle for position with soft cottons and broderie anglaise.

0207 795 1390 www.elizabethhurley.com Stand Number: C10

PIGEON ORGANICS

Well established Oxfordshire clothing brand Pigeon is delighted to introduce a new collection for autumn/winter 2015 made entirely in the UK. The range includes sleepwear and accessories for babies in soft organic cotton. Two new prints have been developed and will be available from September 2015.

01865 379230 www.pigeonorganics.com Stand Number: A15

JUMP JUNIOR

Jump Junior is a cheeky collection of knitted tank tops in quality natural yarns for young boys and designed by Tasha Rothschild.

Colourful, lively and full of humour, they reflect the spirit, energy and joys of young boyhood. For families that value the uniqueness of individual knitwear.

07860 266710 www.JumpJunior.co.uk Stand Number: VC7

LITTLE WARDROBE LONDON

Little Wardrobe London is an exciting and chic new luxury childrenswear, launching its first ever collection for spring/summer 16 at Bubble. The brand combines beautiful tailoring with fearless design to create a distinctively British look. All designed and proudly made in London.

0208 061 2062 www.littlewardrobelondon.co.uk Stand Number: A14

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WHAT’S NEW Register online at Bubblelondon.com.

FOR CUTIES

A look at the world through children’s eyes. Once upon a time there was a little girl, who loved to draw. She drew and chose the colours for the logo. Her drawings were recreated into prints and garments and this is how the fairytale began. Visit the stand to read more of the story. +(35) 9 887 863 903 www.forcuties.com Stand Number: GB3

BIG FISCH

AMABELLE

Amabelle is all about classy elegance, yet still comfortable to wear. The collection includes colourful frilly dresses, tutus, cape-lets and accessories that are perfect for parties, weddings and special occasions.

020 3332 2265 www.amabelle.co.uk Stand Number: A49

New and launching for Summer 2016 the Big Fisch beachwear collection is aimed at children aged from three-months upwards. UV sun suits and tops are UPF 50+ EU certified, providing a barrier against 98% of the sun’s rays. Organic cotton towelling hoodies and hats are soft on the touch, free from chemicals and won’t spoil a good time by causing irritated skin.

01582 493393 www.wholesalekidshats.co.uk Stand Number: C45

RHUBARB CLOTHING

Rhubarb Clothing is excited to introduce an exclusively designed range of Liberty print dresses, rompers and bloomers. Made in Cheshire by a small family-run manufacturer, the Liberty styles designed to be worn with their jersey Breton T-shirts are made to a very high standard in Portugal.

07841 362401 www.rhubarb-online.co.uk Stand Number: GB17

COUNTRY KIDS TIGHTS

BOBUX

The cutting edge of Bobux innovation, the Play range epitomises the idea of youthful thinking – challenging the status quo. Based on the latest science, using state of the art technology and embracing striking design.

A range truly dedicated to the extremes of footwear usage observed when kids play.

07808 730176 www.bobux.co.uk Stand Number: A17

Premium range of cotton tights, now with over 50 fabulous colours.

Made in Europe with an attention to detail retailers can rely on, they feature fully-fashioned reciprocated heel, flat seaming throughout and a full panel/diamond gusset for exceptional comfort and perfect fit.

01883 740066 www.countrykidstights.com Stand Number: E47

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01/07/2015 14:44

FRANCHISE FOCUS: IN THE NIGHT GARDEN

Inset: Parents across the UK have much to thank Igglepiggle and Upsy Daisy for.

Th i s I s Th

e

Garden W a y To T h e In the Night Forget the Jolie-Pitts; Igglepiggle, Upsy Daisy and Makka Pakka are as close to A-list celebrities as it gets for preschoolers.

The stars of In The Night Garden have reigned supreme at the top of the preschool charts for almost 10 years now, and with a full-scale brand revival currently taking place, DHX Media told PPS how it intends to keep the brand fresh and exciting for many years to come.

W

hen even child-free adults endorse a preschool programme it’s abundantly clear that the show is something quite special.

The BAFTA award-winning In The Night Garden first launched back in March 2007, offering up a magical world which revolutionised the way a whole generation of parents and children approached bedtime television.

Created by Anne Wood and Andrew

Above: Parents across the UK have much to thank Igglepiggle and Upsy Daisy for.

Davenport of Ragdoll Productions, the live-action show was designed to relax and entertain very young children (from one-year upwards), and features a mix of costume characters, puppetry and computer animation. The groundbreaking production process saw all episodes of the show painstakingly produced over a six-month period, with the live-action sequences filmed in real woodland.

Bought by DHX Media as part of the acquisition of Ragdoll Worldwide in 2013, In The Night Garden is now under the stewardship of DHX Brands and CPLG, a DHX Media-owned global licensing agency in key territories.

“The show has held the CBeebies’ coveted bedtime slot since it first launched,” explained Victoria Bushell, vp of global brand management at DHX Brands. “It is trusted by parents and has become an integral part of little one’s bedtime routines.”

With 50 hours of content available (100 30-minute episodes), the broadcast

deal with CBeebies will remain in place until 2021 – at which point the show will be 14 years old. As part of this, DHX Brands has invested heavily in reviving the brand and engaging with its loyal fan base.

“We have created new consumer touch points,” said Victoria, “such as a brand new immersive website, a pioneering web app, and new social media platforms such as Twitter, You Tube and Pinterest, as well as the existing Facebook page.”

Viewers are able to enjoy digital content and engage with the brand across all online and mobile devices but also enjoy experiencing the magic of the show in real life. The In The Night Garden live show has

✶ READY FOR BED “Dreamtex became an In the Night Garden licensee in January 2014 and it is a hugely important part of our portfolio. It is a lovely brand to work on and has really become a classic preschool show. We have developed some great products, such as the junior sized toddler bedlinen, Igglepiggle fleece blanket and cotton beach/bath towel.”

Jo Duckworth, director, Dreamtex

PROGRES SIVE PRESCHOOL

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

Left: This trike from MV Sports will grow with the child.

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01/07/2015 15:35

The Home of Pre-School Dress-Up and Accessories

For further information please email: sales@vmc.co.uk Or visit us at www.vmcaccessories.co.uk For latest updates LIKE US ON FACEBOOK www.facebook.com/vmcaccessories

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01/07/2015 15:04

FRANCHISE FOCUS: IN THE NIGHT GARDEN

✶ WHEELY GOOD “In the Night Garden is established as a true classic property, adored by parents and young children alike. It has a quirky, timeless theme with endearing characters which resonate with toddlers and preschoolers. It is a perfect fit for trikes, scooters and ride-ons due to the presence of wheeled vehicles in the show and continued broadcast commitment from CBeebies.”

Phil Ratcliffe, sales and marketing director, MV Sports & Leisure new



already attracted well over half a million visitors, and its contract has been renewed for another five years. Over 642,000 seats have been sold so far and pre-sales of show tickets for 2015 are already up by 66% on last year’s figures.

Meanwhile, the themed boat ride at CBeebies Land – complete with ‘real life’ Igglepiggle and Upsy Daisy – has proved to be the most popular ride in the park, while the merchandise is a top perfomer in the Alton Towers gift shop.

Following on from a month-long initiative in May, which celebrated the first anniversary of CBeebies Land’s In The Night Garden boat ride, Victoria explained that further immersive marketing initiatives are also planned throughout the

✶ INTERACTIVE LEARNING “In the Night Garden continues to be a hugely popular brand within our toy portfolio and we’re extremely excited about the new introductions for this year, particularly the Explore and Learn Activity Table and the Explore and Learn Musical Activity Carousel. Both items feature the iconic characters from the show and encourage character-led learning via a host of interactive features, combining the magic of In the Night Garden while encouraging children’s development through learning and imaginative play.”

Barry Hughes, Commercial Director, Golden Bear

lOok!

units in just six months.

Perhaps most impressive of all is the fact that no new content has been created since 2009, yet Sing In The Night Garden M A K KA was the fastest growing PA K K A’s song! preschool toy licence in 2014 and many retailers are doubling their allocated Shhh, it’s shelf space for this year.

BEdtime!

Share our story “The licensing programme has gone from strength to REWARD cHaRT strength,” Victoria explained.

“We have some really quality partners on board and have witnessed a real appetite for products from our loyal fans.”

A number of new partners have joined the programme in the last year, with 32 licensees now on board in the UK, all developing products and presenting to retail. “There has been some great traction at retail,” Victoria continued, “and we are busy putting cross-category retail initiatives in place for the second half of 2015 and beyond.”

An enduringly popular show, the summer and autumn months. brand revival will ensure that In the “We want to engage young fans and Night Garden continues to entertain give them the opportunity to experience and enthral new audiences, as the the brand in new innovative ways,” next generation learns the soon-toshe outlined. “Of course, that includes be-familiar refrain: ‘And this is the consumer product, and a new core style way to the garden in the night...’ guide and seasonal guide have both launched in the last six months enabling DREAM DÉCOR licensees to create stand-out products.”

The preschool licensing market is well- “I’ve seen first-hand how In the Night Garden captivates and delights young known for being particularly competitive, children, inviting them into an imaginative but In The Night Garden remains at the world of friendly characters and top of its game and consistently ranks reassuring sequences. At Stickerscape in the top five preschool licences. The we love to help parents recreate that talking soft toys collection from Golden wonder in children’s rooms, with Bear was the top-selling plush line across exciting wall stickers, designed to the whole toy industry in 2014, while the quickly and easily transform a space.” award-winning Ninky Nonk Musical Activity train sold more than 65,000 Joanne Swali, director, Stickerscape

Above: Creating an In The Night Garden world is easier than ever thanks to Stickerscape. Right: Immediate Media’s magazine redesign is bright and colourful. Below: A single duvet set from Dreamtex is the perfect finishing touch for the bedtime routine.

lO TAi

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foR T o L E R S dD

Official magazine

Active

Igglepiggle and Upsy Daisy Figurines: TCS, London, WC2E 7DA. Stickers: Berkshire Labels, RG17 0YX. Warning! Not suitable for children under 18 months.

ADULT SUPERVISION RECOMMENDED. Batch no: T4959. Made in to surfaces that may be damagedChina. Do not adhere stickers this information for future reference.by their removal. Please retain Please help to look after environment. Please recycle any excess packaging where our correct facilities exist. the

inside

Issue 161 24 June - 21 July 2015 £2.75

✶

Left: Explore and learn activity table.

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in a personalised Star aa personalised Star in inStar personalised

In The Night Garden Book InNight TheGarden NightBook Garden with Igglepiggle, Igglepiggle,Upsy UpsyDaisy Daisy& & friends! with friends!

Book

Award winning wall stickers, perfect for decorating nurseries, bedrooms and playrooms

with Igglepiggle, Upsy Daisy & friends!

To get £3 off* enter voucher code

PRESCHOOL

Easy to apply and cleanly removable!

Terms & Conditions apply. *Not available in conjunction with any other offer. Please visit our website for details.

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Wall stickers to transform kids’ rooms

www.stickerscape.co.uk hello@stickerscape.co.uk 01256 242822 Made in the UK ©2015 DHX Worldwide Limited. In the Night Garden and all related characters, titles and logos are trademarks of DHX Worldwide Limited. All Rights Reserved.

f designs tion o avail c e l e s ab l e !

H u ge

Terms & Conditions apply. *Not available in conjunction with any other offer. Please visit our website for details.

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WHAT’S NEW IN THE NIGHT GARDEN Cross-category licensed product from the preschool favourite.

DREAMTEX Dreamtex’s appealing In the Night Garden preschool collection includes friendship themed bed-linen featuring Igglepiggle and Upsy Daisy in single and junior bed sizes, soft and snuggly blue printed fleece blanket, 100% cotton towel for the bath or beach, and shaped character cushions which provide the perfect finishing touch and also make great travelling companions.

www.dreamtexltd.com 0844 499 8465

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TRADEMARK COLLECTIONS Featuring the much-loved characters from In The Night Garden, Trademark Collections’ latest range of kids backpacks range includes favourites such as Iggle Piggle and Upsy Daisy, with a range of colours to suit all tastes.

RAVENSBURGER

www.trademarkcollections .com 01799 599 899

GOLDEN BEAR

With four jigsaw puzzles and two memory games to choose from, Ravensburger is the perfect choice for In the Night Garden products for children aged 18 months to 3 years. The 16-piece My First Floor Puzzle measures 36x26cm, and the large chunky puzzle pieces make this jigsaw ideal for children aged 2 and up to complete on the floor.

The new Explore and Learn Activity Table from Golden Bear encourages character led learning via a host of interactive and electronic features such as stories, songs, games and imaginative play. The multi-purpose play table/storage unit format means the removable activity table-top can also be removed and placed on the floor for very young children.

www.ravensburger.com 01869 363800

www.goldenbeartoys.com 01952 608308

01/07/2015 16:04

RAV_PPS_HalfPage_July2015_FINAL.pdf

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10:42

DISCOVER the perfect fit C

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www.ravensburger.com/uk

Sales Hotline 01869 363800

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In The Night Garden ™ Ragdoll Worldwide Ltd.

Jigsaw puzzles from 18months+

23/06/2015 15:53

WHAT’S NEW IN THE NIGHT GARDEN Cross-category licensed product from the preschool favourite.

PENWIZARD

STICKERSCAPE

Penwizard’s gorgeous “In The Night Garden” personalised storybook is perfect for a special birthday gift. Beautifully customisable illustrations and a simple story make it ideal for first readers. Containing all childrens favourites, including Makka Pakka, Igglepiggle and Upsy Daisy; they’ll love to pick it up again and again!

Using Stickerscape’s range of In the Night Garden wall stickers, plain walls can be transformed in moments with favourite characters from the hugely popular cBeebies show.

Stickerscape’s large range of wall stickers are really easy to apply, and also cleanly removable, making them the perfect choice for creative kids and busy parents.

www.penwizard.co.uk 020 3286 3288

MV SPORTS & LEISURE MV’s exciting range of evergreen preschool licenses sees the return of In the Night Garden. Another great new product range that proves itself popular time and time again. As CBeebies’ top rated show, MV Sports have developed a unique range of trikes, scooters and rideons, featuring vibrate multi character designs.

Tel: 01256 242822 www.stickerscape.co.uk

VMC’s In The Night Garden Dress Up costumes are perfect for role play of Upsy Daisy and Igglepiggle.

Made from soft and durable fabrics, they enable children to fully immerse themselves in an imaginary world where they can pretend to be the characters they love to watch on TV.

www.vmcaccessories.co.uk 01538 392500

www.mvsports.co.uk 0121 748 8000

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My First Ride-On

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In the Night Garden ™ & © DHX Worldwide Limited.

VMC

My First Trike

It's evergreen In the Night Garden!

Progressive Preschool HP AD-ITNG 2015.indd 1

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www.mvsports.com 0121 748 8000 25/06/2015 13:38:53

01/07/2015 16:03

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FOCUS ON: BUGGIES AND STROLLERS Inset: As UK distributor, Obaby supports innovative products such as the awardwinning ABC Design Zoom Tandem which offers a new level of customisation.

The Great

BUGGY DEBATE Buggies and strollers are a fundamental piece of equipment for anyone with a young child, as anything which simplifies travelling from A to B makes the world – and all the fun things in it! – more accessible.

PPS uncovers the latest innovations and styles in this evergrowing market.

J

ust a few generations ago, the only tricky pushchair-related decision parents had to make was when to make the big move from pram to buggy. In 2015 there are a number of different models designed to meet every conceivable need – from jogging to off-roading to getting on a crowded bus. It’s no wonder that consumers can feel overwhelmed with the amount of choice on offer.

We live in a society fixated with new technology and how it can

make our lives easier, with people constantly curious and excited about the ‘next new thing’. This naturally extends to nursery industry products, whether that is sleeping aids, toys or travel solutions.

“Parents are always keen on new innovation,” said Andy Crane, managing director at BabyStyle, “especially if it makes their life easier or has major benefits for their child. Innovations like lightweight frames are always a good feature, especially if parents are using the buggy on public transport.”

Andy likens the complicated process of choosing a buggy to that of choosing a car, saying that: “first of all parents have to like the look and then consider the features.” BabyStyle launched the exciting new egg stroller earlier this year, which caters for the premium end of the market. “The style and looks are truly stunning,” said Andy, proudly.

Right: The Silver Cross Reflex (seen here in new yellow colourway) features an ergonomically designed back rest that holds the child away from the structure of the pram for extra comfort.

“We have used high-end components throughout to create a luxurious and durable product, while a tandem adaptor and second seat unit will accommodate a growing family.”

As far as style goes, he also predicts that four-wheelers with two smaller front swivel wheels will be a musthave for 2015 and that the more discerning and subtle colours will be fashionable, especially grey tones.

At £700 the egg doesn’t come cheap, but BabyStyle also offers models at the other end of the spectrum as well as everything in between. Its flagship Oyster brand is well-known throughout the market as a buggy which couples versatility and style with a competitive price tag.

As one of the more expensive purchases a new parent is likely to make, price is always an important consideration and brands have to tread carefully when considering their position in the marketplace. Silver Cross is a well-respected name which has always been associated with quality and attention to detail, and its product range reflects this.

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r u o y s s e r Exp e f i l r o f n g i des

s, one print at a time am pr ng pi um fr de y sl •Glorioug the fun into functionality •Puttntins that reflect the fun of parenting • Pri d in House of Fraser online from the end of August 2015 •Stocke Otti Prams are high-quality, functional 3-in-1 travel systems, suitable for use from birth to 4 years.

However, what makes Otti Prams special is that rather than being printed in dull, block colours as most modern travel systems are, they come in a range of classic & quirky prints so that parents can express their personality when out & about with their babies. Talk to us about becoming a stockist!

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01/07/2015 15:07

FOCUS ON: BUGGIES AND STROLLERS

▶ CONTINUAL INVENTION “Parents are looking for something different and innovation plays a huge role in standing out from the crowd.

Ruk-bug offers something different, but stays within a recognised comfort zone. Parents want an easy-to-use lightweight pushchair, and this has been a focal point in Ruk-bug’s development. Developing special use strollers requires thinking outside the box in order to ensure the stroller is still functional and safe. For example, Ruk-bug has surpassed all other pushchairs in anti-tip, reaching over 20% gradient as a result of the innovative frame shape we have developed.”

Rachel Allen, business support, Ruk-bug



“Our range may not be the cheapest,” said design director Phil Taylor, “but our products do offer great value for money in terms of the quality materials, performance and features included in the package.”

Overall look and style is likely to be extremely important to parents who choose Silver Cross models, as Phil explained. “Parents don’t want to compromise looks to simply satisfy function; strollers need to deliver on both of these criteria. Prams are increasingly seen as an expression of individual style and a fashion accessory.”

Trends in colours, fabrics and designs are taken from the wider trends in fashion and interiors, while innovation is reflected in the frame and composition.

“Advanced materials allow us to develop products that are lighter and more compact,” Phil said, “and yet are still durable and can cope with the demands placed on them.”

These demands can vary wildly, depending on the individual families requirements – some prefer products designed for city streets, while others need a more robust model to deal with different terrains.

These basic considerations – along with fundamentals such as comfort, ease-of-use and attention to detail – have become increasingly important, explained Andrew Ratcliffe, managing director of Quinny UK. “Especially for

those that live in urban environments and choose to use public transport or that travel abroad regularly.”

“Being at the forefront of innovation has always been the driving force behind Quinny’s product development outlook,” he continued. “We are dedicated to creating beautiful products that are in tune with forward-thinking urban environments and the people that live in them.”

Lightweight but durable materials and frames that can be carried easily are increasingly in demand, as are easyfold and open-and-close mechanisms.

Quinny exceeds these expectations with innovative models such as the lightweight Quinny Yezz and Yezz Air, which can be carried over the shoulder and stored in the smallest of spaces.

Quinny also caters for the modern desire for stylish design, as Andrew explained; “In 2015, people are far keener to express their individualism.

In addition to the timeless blacks, greys and browns, we are seeing the popularity of daring shades of pinks, blues and yellows rise and rise.”

Right: Quinny has used high-tech 3D knitting technology for the Yezz Air, resulting in an extremely light and comfortable stroller. Below: Design developments mean that the Ruk-bug can fold up much smaller, appealing to more people and keeping in with slimline designs.

Design isn’t just about colourways though, as evidenced by the Quinny longboardstroller, which Andrew describes as ‘an experiment in mobility’.

Co-developed with consumers, it takes a different approach to urban mobility by fusing the freedom of a longboard with a regular stroller.

It’s certainly true that increasing urbanisation demands more flexible mobility solutions, and

Inset: BabyStyle’s new egg stroller caters for the premium end of the market, with high-end components offering a luxurious and durable product.

that’s something which remains important for Kevin Golding, commercial director at Bebecar UK. “We must always strive to improve things for parents,” he said, “but do need to be mindful of over-engineering – often the ‘latest innovation’ can prove difficult to live with every day, and people revert to classic designs.”

Kevin believes that technological advances have become such an important consideration because people with young families are travelling more.

“Having a baby is no longer seen as the huge lifestyle change it once was,” he continued. “A baby can join in comfortably with parents’ plans and routines, with the help of products that are reliable and intuitive.”

With 50 years of heritage behind it, Bebecar is firmly in the top-end in terms of pricing, with a level of quality which reflects that.

As far as fashion goes, Kevin acknowledges that look and style are important, saying that; “There’s so much choice in the market, a product has to really catch the customer’s eye. We just need to make sure that our pushchairs feel as good as they look; baby’s comfort should be the first concern of manufacturers and new parents.”

Many big buggy brands are increasingly looking to the world of designers and artists for inspiration, in a bid to create unique and stylish products that set them apart from the rest of the market. Obaby is no different, as marketing manager Josie Giles explained. “Patterns are becoming increasingly desirable, with families keen on standing out from the crowd.”  PROGRES SIVE PRESCHOOL

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It’s the 2015 “British Invention of the Year” You can push it, or carry it on your back It has four wheels, two are omni-directional @OmniOworld

OmniOworld

www.omnioworld.com Pre-orders now being taken by distributor bébélephant.com (020 8202 1467) 50_PPS_July_August 2015.indd 1

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FOCUS ON: BUGGIES AND STROLLERS

▶ COMPACT CROWD



The majority of parents try to strike an even balance between cost, quality and design, as these are all vital factors to consider when purchasing a stroller. Obaby tries to strike a similar balance, focusing particularly on keeping product at a manageable cost while ensuring that quality and design are not compromised. “We believe our balance of affordable cost and great quality is what makes us stand out of the crowd within the nursery sector,” Josie continued.

As a relatively new brand on the scene, Otti Prams has been able to take a step back and make sure it offers consumers something different. “Provided parents are comfortable that their basic decision criteria are satisfied (safety, practicality, functionality, manoeuvrability, longevity, price, collapsibility and weight), most will then make their choice based on style and looks,” explained Angus Bauer, founder of Otti Prams.

Clearly any technological advance that improves upon that decision criteria will be welcomed, such as the development of lightweight frames which do not compromise safety and reliability. The company also expects fabric design to become an important factor for 2015/16.

“We anticipate a move towards interesting pattern fabrics that reflect parent’s style and personality,” Angus continued. “As the UK is moving further out of recession and the

Above: Bebecar UK’s Hip-Hop tech chassis launched last year, and is currently the company’s best-selling model. Below: New concepts and designs from Hauck include new arrival the iCoo Acrobat, which has already made a big impression this year.

Bottom: The OmnioRider weighs under 6kg and has a carrying capacity of 22kg.

economy continues to grow we expect parents to seek out aspirational products which reflect the lifestyle they want.”

These technological and style-related advances have become a necessity, according to Sue Griffiths, marketing manager, Hauck Group, who said that; “Breathable, easy-to-clean fabric is a must, while weight is almost always a deciding factor these days.”

Sue acknowledges that parents’ needs are changing all the time, and that hectic lives mean they want a stroller that will help make life easier.

“We are always looking for new innovations to help engineer and make our strollers safer and easier to use every year,” she continued.

“Style and looks are always a major factor. Trends follow new

When the market doesn’t offer a certain product, most parents muddle through – not Markus and Samantha Warwick. When these parents couldn’t get their hands on a lightweight, portable and compact stroller they took matters into their own hands and developed one. The result is the OmniO Rider, which was launched at the International Nursery Fair in Harrogate, where it won the BPA’s Innovation Award 2015. In April, it was also announced as winner of this year’s Gadget Show Live British Inventors’ Project Award 2015. With the aim of launching to market by spring 2016, Markus and Samantha have returned to crowdcube.com to raise £400,000 for a second round of equity funding.

colours and new sleek designs, and this is what often draws attention to the stroller in the first place. Big colours this year seem to be green, navy, copper, blue, black and red.”

The rapid rate at which technology changes, combined with increasingly complex consumer demands, means that the market is likely to become even more competitive in the future.

Brands will continue to experiment with sophisticated materials, state of the art features and unusual designs to make their products as unique as possible. Which is great news for the pushchair industry, but perhaps not such great news for the indecisive new parent!

Below: Otti Pram’s competitively priced travel system includes car seat, carry cot and forward and back facing stroller with car seat adaptors.

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To find out more about the range, or to discuss becoming one of our growing list of stockists, please do get in touch with us directly by calling 01432 279055 or 07815 179574.

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01/07/2015 15:08

WHAT’S NEW STROLLERS Stroller innovation in 2015.

OTTI PRAMS

OMNIO RIDER

Smart, super-practical, 3-in-1 travel systems, suitable for use from birth to four years. The range includes two versions: a four-wheel (urban ranger) model, and a three-wheel (free ranger) model. Both are simple to assemble and they neatly collapse.

What makes otti prams so special is that they come in a range of classic and quirky prints so that parents can express their personality when out and about with their babies. www.ottiprams.net 01647 281238

OmniO Rider proudly boasts being 2015 winner of the BPA Innovation Award as well as the Gadget Show Live British Invention of the Year. This innovative stroller with revolutionary omni-wheels is ultra-lightweight, compact and may be carried like a backpack when folded. Launching in 2016, retailers are urged to place preorders right now. www.omnioworld.com 0208 202 1467

BABYSTYLE The egg stroller has been designed in the UK with the utmost care and attention to detail. Inspired from an egg, which is richly symbolic, connoting birth, warmth, shelter and sustenance. With its soft touch fabrics, smooth curves and continuous lines, the egg stroller exudes style and class.

These fabulous looks go hand-in-hand with outstanding engineering, creating the perfect ride for baby and ultimate ease of use for parents www.babystyle.co.uk 01509 817 662

RUK-BUG

CHEEKY RASCALS Mima has added a new Cool Grey faux leather pushchair to its range. Available now, the Cool Grey is part of the Mima mix and match scheme, which allows parents to choose between any chassis, base colour and then add their choice of co-ordinating starter pack of cushions and soft accessories. www.cheekyrascals.co.uk 01730 895761

OBABY Available in four show-stopping colours, ABC Design’s travel-friendly Takeoff is a cute and creative solution for modern parents on the move.

Simple and stylish, the Takeoff folds into a tiny size in two easy steps, while it’s striking handlebars and a sleek and compact design make a strong visual impact. www.abc-design.de/uk 01652 641491

Ruk-bug is a stylish and sturdy pushchair which, once folded down, can be carried over the shoulder, or on the back like a bag. It folds away easily with one hand, offers unique fully-integrated carrying straps, and has a fully-reclineable cushioned seat and single front castors with suspension. www.ruk-bug.com 0161 241 8059

GREENTOM Greentom is the brand behind the world’s first and only 100% green stroller. Stronger than metal the Greentom Upp frame is made from 5.6kg of recycled and biobased materials and quite amazingly the fabric seat is made of 62 recycled soft drink bottles. Greentom have designed the planet’s greenest stroller that will revolutionise the stroller market for years to come. www.cuddleco.co.uk 0161 702 5062

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RETAIL FOCUS

The Huggle

Approach

The brainchild of two new parents dissatisfied with the nursery and preschool offering around them, cross-category preschool retailer Huggle is celebrating its fifth anniversary this October. PPS spoke to the team behind the tills to find out more.

F

or a relatively young company, Huggle has made a big name for itself in the preschool and nursery retail market. Based in Swiss Cottage, London, the store prides itself on offering everything a new parent could possibly need, from big-ticket purchases like travel systems and feeding chairs through to toys and clothes.

Rachel and Jason Heller, the pair behind Huggle, first opened the store in 2010, three years after they moved back to the UK from Canada following the birth of their first child, Maya. “It was borne out of our frustration really,” said Jason.

“When we came home we were really surprised with the difference in the market, both in terms of the products on offer and the service available.”

“We were impressed with how well new parents and babies were catered for in Canada,” Jason continued, “and couldn’t find anything similar here.” As new parents, the couple were on the lookout for functional, contemporary products which have been ethically and sustainably sourced, and found it difficult to source all the lines they were looking for in one place.

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“We found the UK market very different to what we had experienced in Canada and so had the idea for Huggle almost immediately,” said Jason, “it just took us the best part of three years to start putting that plan into action!”

With the aim of creating a similar offering in the UK, the pair knew they needed to provide something more than a great retail experience

▶ PRODUCT SELECTION “Social and educational development is essential to much of our toy and book offering,” said Jason. “What we sell is often an extension of the way we parent - Rachel was very interested in sustainable, stimulating toys, like Hape. There’s a fine line between promoting certain lines and making people feel bad for making different choices though and we are very mindful of that!”

with modern product and friendly, knowledgeable customer service.

The idea behind Huggle was relatively simple; it needed to offer products and services which the

Inset: Designed for both parent and child, Huggle is a destinations store

pair would find useful themselves - and with two young children to cater for (Maya and Samuel, now aged eight and five) - they weren’t short of product testers.

“Now Samuel is five - at the top of our age range - we’re in danger of running out of product testers,” Jason laughed, “but we find plenty of other ways to ensure we stay on top of what’s happening in the industry.”

Huggle works with 150 different nursery and preschool brands from across 15 different countries and travels to all the key nursery shows, both in the UK and internationally, to ensure that it stays up to date with all the trends coming through in the industry.

With 18 years of buying experience, Jason is uniquely placed to be able to balance instinct with commercial nous.

“It’s lovely not to be accountable to anyone other than our customers though,” he pointed out. “Having that degree of autonomy means we can test new lines quite extensively to see if they’re popular, while also being able to listen to our gut instinct.

Customers always vote with their feet and new parents in particular are very vocal and loyal about what they - and their children - like.”

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RETAIL FOCUS

Above: The retailer offers classes alongside its more traditional offering.

Initially opened solely as a bricks and mortar store (the website was launched just two years ago), Huggle’s focus is very much on creating a complete customer experience. A comfortable cafe and baby/toddler classes give people more than one reason to come into the store. “People come in for a coffee and a chat,” said Jason, “as well as the classes and to shop. Offering something extra was really important to Rachel, and so we’ve gone to great efforts to ensure that we do that.”

The store has a bright, airy 500sq ft lounge where the classes take place and a cafe which is scrupulously clean with plenty of natural daylight. “We want kids to be able to crawl around without parents worrying too much,” said Jason, “families need to be able to feel comfortable here.” With six classes running each day - from ballet to baby massage - there’s a healthy amount of additional footfall coming into the store on a daily basis. “We’re not in a primary high street destination,” Jason pointed out, “so we had to get creative!”

Translating that into an online offering required some creative

thinking. “People expect a seamless experience when they shop online,” said Jason, “and for it to be as easy as possible. Competing on that scale is a real challenge for a small independent like ourselves!”

▶ PARENTING PATTERN It’s important for any retailer to remain aware of current trends, and this is especially true for the nursery trade where advice, opinions and fashions can change quickly. “Our challenge is to keep up with the latest parenting trends while ensuring that we still offer enough choice for everyone,” Jason explained. “It’s all about balance and common sense!”

Jason and Rachel have ensured they have been able to compete by making sure that 40% of their offering is either from independent suppliers or unique to Huggle. “We have a real mix of bestin-class brands such as Bugaboo and Stokke,” said Jason, “as well as more

unusual brands such as Tule. We were one of the first places to sell UppaBaby when we first launched, and now they’re a very well-known name indeed.”

Unusually, Huggle’s offering instore is typically more extensive than it is online. By keeping the store as their priority, Jason and Rachel have been able to ensure that parents and carers who regularly attend classes are able to see fresh and interesting product on a regular basis. “Some people come in a couple of times a week,” said Jason, “so we need to make sure there is something different to catch their eye. Of course we still have all the key products online but the two platforms require very different approaches.”

While it’s important to the pair that they offer the best retail experience they can, Jason is happy to admit that they don’t get everything right the whole time. “Running a business is a continual work in progress,” Jason explained. “In reality we have to work hard to balance everything and make sure that we offer consumers everything they need in one place.”

While there are plans for continuing to grow the business long-term - Jason hints at the possibility of another London-based store in a few years - the current focus remains on the newlyredesigned website. “That has to be our focus for the next 12-18 months,” said Jason. “We need to make sure that both site and shop serve our customers in the way that we believe they should.”

And after that? “Who knows,” Jason laughed. “We might have to start thinking about getting some more product testers!”

Left: The London-based store offers everything parents need from newborn to five years old.

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23/06/2015 15:55

LINDSAY LOGS IN LINDSAY RANDALL

DRESSED TO IMPRESS Choosing how to dress young children can be a very personal thing – and retailers are more than happy to cater for all tastes. Taking a look at how her own childhood wardrobe compares to modern kids fashion, PPS columnist Lyndsay gets fashion friendly.

“

I

absolutely love knee-high socks for little girls. The way their gorgeous puppy fat legs sometimes squish over the top of the elastic. And retailers, if you strategically display a buckled shoe next to them, frankly I can’t chip and pin fast enough.

I think it relates back to how my mum used to dress me when I was a toddler; there are certain outfits and styles which I’m drawn to because they make a statement that is reassuringly ‘old skool’.

This is where Jools Oliver has had a spot of sartorial genius; I completely adore her Little Bird range for Mothercare. The ditsy prints, the towelling playsuits, the rainbow stretchy belts – it’s all so reminiscent for me as a child of the 70s, I just can’t help myself ‘adding to basket’ so that I can re-live it through my three mini-mes.

I even have the original Mothercare winceyette nightgown embroidered with a fawn, which Jools says inspired the Little Bird story and which my children have also worn.

In fact my mum kept a number of items of baby and toddler clothing for my sister and I in the hope we would one day begin our own broods. There are Above: Lindsay’s beautiful lace petticoats, youngest, modelling smocked dresses and twirly some classic handskirts in retro prints with me-downs. ric-rac trimmed hems. I love dressing my daughters in them because they instantly look like something out of an Enid Blyton novel…as if they should be having ‘Afternoon

tea with Mother’ before sneaking off to climb the Faraway Tree in search of magical lands.

Of course we end up scooting to the local park on Mini Micros, but there’s something rather ‘carpe diem’ about playing in a sandpit wearing vintage lace. Interestingly when I checked through the labels of these retro items for the purpose of this piece, almost all of them - which have stood the test of time - were originally from Mothercare. Perhaps this is why it is my go-to brand, the bastion of good parental choice, the one I feel I can always trust to deliver?

My sister and I have continued the tradition of passing clothes on since she had a daughter first and a son second and I cleverly managed to produce the opposite. This works perfectly for hand-me-downs and means we can exchange large bags of clothes twice yearly – all the fun of a retail splurge with none of the actual splurging.

The trouble is I fear she’s beginning to get rather a raw deal of late. The first few years of my son’s life were mostly Blade and Rose or Toby Tiger, with Frugi organic babygrows in a variety of delicious colourways… oh and I’m Above: The a sucker for a JoJo dungaree. So Mothercare dresses when her son was born she was and tops remain in great condition 30 thrilled with the quality secondyears later. hand offerings coming her way, while my daughter was enjoying some fabulous fashion courtesy of her older cousin’s cast-offs.

However while her hand-me-down bags (we’re now on age five - six) are still stuffed with beautiful Boden coats and John Lewis loveliness, I went a little off piste when my son hit four and decided that frankly a load of Next plain long sleeved t-shirts and a couple of pairs of jeans would do the job, given that he didn’t give a monkeys about fashion and spent most of his time covered in mud.

Sartorial standards on my side have slid further still, since I discovered George at Asda does really fantastic boys stuff and joyously leaves me change for some Clarins Beauty Flash Balm.

In another 30 years, who knows what will become of my heirloom lace dresses and the Mothercare wincyette gown. I wonder if my daughters will want their children to rock the same Enid Blyton retro look. They’ll probably be searching eBay for a vintage Baby K biker jacket for their 15-month-old instead…”

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23/06/2015 15:56

WATER PLAY Inset: The bestselling alphabet letters from H&A are educational and fun for children in the bath

A Splashing

Good Time

There’s something about water that kids just can’t resist. Whether it’s in the bath or at the beach, there’s a wealth of products on the market to make water play just that little bit more fun. PPS dives in to take a look at what’s out there.

A bath at the end of the day is often an important part of the bedtime routine for many families. And although most children actually love being in the bath, many resist getting in, as they know it brings them that little bit closer to going to bed. Bath toys provide a great distraction factor, making the bath time routine easier and much more enjoyable for everyone.

LOVE TO LEARN

Bath time presents plenty of opportunities for children to continue learning and plenty of toys are fun, as well as having educational value.

“We have a wide range of educational bath care products for preschool children,” said Nicola Wildey, product marketing director of H&A. “Our range is loved and trusted due to the vibrant, visual appeal of the products themselves, but also due to the educational element,” she continued. “The affordability of the range adds to its appeal and we see repeated positive feedback with regards to many of our key lines, including the alphabet

Right: Colour changing ducks are hugely popular for Cuckoo.

set and bath crayons in particular.”

Puzzles also translate well to the bath as Jumbo Games has discovered.

Katherine Pierce, senior marketing manager, says: “Our bathtime puzzles are the perfect addition to any bathroom toy box. The foam is durable and versatile, enabling kids to play with them in the bath or paddling pool.”

The range is available in Peppa Pig, Doc McStuffins, Ariel, Jake and The Never Land Pirates, Minnie Mouse and Something Special characters.

Two classic ‘dryland’ educational toys – a shape sorter and ball and basket set – are among the top selling bath products for Halilit. The Ladybug Sorter is a floating water-play version of the classic shape sorter toy, great for learning about cause and effect. And Sensory Hoops is a floating hooped basket with

three different coloured balls which children can throw into the basket.

BATHTIME CLASSICS

As with so many toys, sometimes it’s the oldies that are the goodies. Bath toys like ducks, boats and squirters have all been around for many years, but remain firm favourites with preschoolers and their parents. “Bath time products have always been a big favourite with Cuckoo’s customers,” said Tony Eves, managing director of Cuckoo. “We have developed our collection and found that squirters and colour-changing items like cars and ducks are hugely popular.”

Boats are one of the classic bath toys, and it’s a yellow tugboat that tops the list of bestsellers for Green Toys. Bigjigs has been distributing Left: The Peppa Pig 4-in-1 Shaped Bath Time Puzzle won bronze in the ‘Right Start Best Toy Awards’ in 2014 for Jumbo Games.

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WATER PLAY

Above left: Sparkle Bay Water Spinners from Little Tikes light up with water contact and motion. Above: Ultralight ponchos from LittleLife are proving to be a huge hit with customers. Left: Bambino Mio’s new range of reusable swim nappies are available in a vibrant set of new prints.

Green Toys in the UK and throughout the EU for the past four years and according to Alice Chaganis, global marketing and pr coordinator: “There’s a growing demand for toys that not only inspire adventurous play but are also produced responsibly. Green Toys products tick both these boxes as well as being free of chemical nasties and packed in minimal recycled packaging that’s also 100% recyclable.”

TECHNOLOGY IN THE BATH Hi-tech products and bathtime don’t necessarily go together, but that is something that is changing with the introduction of new Sparkle Bay range from Little Tikes – one of the only lines of bath and water toys that lights up. The multicoloured LED lights are activated by water contact and motion.

Michelle Lilley, marketing manager, explained: “We have received fantastic feedback on our new line, Sparkle Bay, primarily because it is bringing innovation to this category. We are confident we will see a strong autumn with this new line.”

Above right: The Bathtime Singing Froggy is new for 2015 from VTech.

Right: Tomy’s Foam Cone Factory allows children to make ‘ice cream’ from bubble bath.

VTech is another company with a strong product offering in the interactive bath toy category and is building on this by introducing its Bathtime Singing Froggy. “The VTech bath toy range has seen success by combining interactive features for water-play fun with early learning, fun sound effects and sing-along songs,” said senior brand manager, Charlotte Drake. The Bathtime Singing Froggy allows children to sing along to three songs, as well as learning colours, instrument names and sounds.

And a new interactive product from Tomy is sure to make bath time just that much more sweeter; the Foam Cone Factory attaches to the wall or side of a bath and when bubble bath and water is added, allows children to serve up fluffy foam ‘ice-cream’ cones for all the family.

BEACH BABES

For families heading to the beach this year, there are a number of great products to make the experience that much more enjoyable; starting with the humble beach towel.

Nuuba and the Gang, a Turkish company, has recently introduced a range of terry/pesthemal towels to the UK. These towels have one side made from terry cotton and the other from pesthemal, a Turkish woven material that is

light, thin and ultra-absorbent and dries 50% faster than a regular towel.

LittleLife has also got on board with towels, introducing an ultralight poncho towel which is proving to be very popular, according to Dan Marett, sales and marketing director. “We have won two Mother & Baby Gold Awards for Best Travel Product. I think once people understand that the ultralight poncho towels have been developed to be very practical for outdoor use and travel, they really see the benefits.”

Another practical beach product is Bambino Mio’s new range of reusable swim nappies, available in vibrant and playful new prints including sea creatures, mermaids and pirates. “Our reusable swim nappies are one of our most popular products,” commented Below: My Little Baby Born Bathing Fun doll is fully bathable.

▶ BATHTIME FOR BABY Just because it’s bathtime doesn’t mean children need to leave baby behind, as Marina Imhanwa, assistant brand manager from Zapf Creation explained: “We have found that our most popular bathing product is the My Little Baby Born Bathing Fun doll. It is a must-have for those who love their doll so much that they want her to join them at bath time too. My Little Baby Born Bathing Fun doll can drink and wet her nappy, but is also fully bathable due to her quick-drying function. Once she has enjoyed a dip in the bath, little ones can dress her in her nappy, romperstyle outfit and her matching hat.”

Rebecca Sawyer, marketing assistant.

“Parents are becoming more environmentally conscious and this product is a great alternative to disposable swim nappies.”

Whether families are at the beach this year or in the bath at home, there are plenty of great ideas – from the very practical to all-singing and all-dancing interactive products – to ensure that kids have a splashing good time.

PROGRES SIVE PRESCHOOL

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www.clippasafe.co.uk Follow us: @Clippasafe 62_PPS_July_August 2015.indd 1

The brand that parents trust 24/06/2015 17:51

CATHY’S COLUMN NO PLACE TO HIDE! What makes a product sell? Why does this one make the tills ring while that one doesn’t? In this month’s column Cathy takes a look at what makes some nursery products fly off the shelves while others are left behind.

“

T

here is no magic spell that makes one product sell better than another, but there are some fairly universal qualities which will make certain items sell better than others.

One essential point is that it has to look good. It has to have the right colours, the right styling, that ‘je-ne-sais-quoi’. Second, it has to be ever-so-slightly cheaper than the customer thought it would be – expectation of a certain price is key. Then of course there are the features. More features help sales – especially if the customer can be persuaded that they are useful – and thus a higher the price can be commanded, with more ammunition to persuade the buyer that this is what they want.

In other words, the product has to appeal to the consumer at the point of sale. Anything else is a waste of resources. Once the product is sold, the marketing and sales team can forget about it.

One aspect that can sometimes be pushed to one side is quality. Would the product last, or fall to pieces after a few months? Would a certain feature fail to live up to the hype? All too often, no-one seemed to care. We have seen example after example of good, well-made products failing in the market place, being pushed to one side.

Cutting back on quality can enable competitors to produce a similar-looking product at a lower price point. The implication is that it’s just as good as the original, yet cheaper, meaning that it sees a significant number of sales. Consumers often have no idea that they are losing out, that they could buy a more absorbent bib, a softer towel, a clasp that didn’t keep coming undone… or simply something that is much, much safer.

Cathy Bryan has been part of the nursery industry for the last 28 years. You can sign up for Cathy’s free newsletters at www.nursery-online.com.

The vast number of reviews which can be seen online is changing this trend. I’ve just done a search of reviews for a particular product. I won’t embarrass the supplier (and risk a libel suit!) so I won’t give the name or the product area, but here’s a summary of what I learnt.

It is: good looking, cheaper than the alternatives and easy to use. But: looks are deceiving, it has faults, faults and more faults, is of poor quality and the company offers shocking customer service.

Having read these reviews I personally wouldn’t risk buying this item. Yes, it is cheaper than its competitors, but these reviews lead me to conclude that I’ll probably end up spending more in the end, because it’s likely to fall to pieces and I’ll end up buying a second one (of a different brand and pay more).

Or worse still, Above: Online review I’ll have the sites have changed the way people shop. Left: hassle of having Is this the softest, most to c o m p l a i n absorbent towel available? and don’t we There’s one way for consumers to find out...

British hate complaining?

The implication that the supplier couldn’t care less doesn’t help either. Did you know that a customer who gets brilliant customer service with a fault is more likely to recommend the product than someone who didn’t have a problem at all?

Odd but true!

If rumours circulating in the trade are right (though knowing our lot, it could just be gossip!) sales of this particular product are falling and return rates are high (which all adds to the costs of the business, eating away at any profit). My prediction is that this product will not stay in the market for much longer.

Years ago, they would have got away with it, but as I keep on saying, times they are a’changing. This leaves a very fine line for the cut-price merchants.

Cut the quality that little bit too far and social media will kill sales. Increase the quality too much and you no longer have the edge on price. But at least quality is coming back into sales!”

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Email: infoeurope@manhattantoy.com Tel: 0208 944 3160 www.manhattantoy.co.uk

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30/06/2015 10:00

PRESCHOOL GIFTS

Inset: Best Years’ Pebble Hat.

Present

TENSE

M

ost manufacturers have a very clear demographic in mind when creating a product range, and hone their offering accordingly. This just isn’t possible within the preschool gifting sector where there is a dichotomy between the child who will ultimately receive the gift and the parent, family member or friend who will be making the purchase in the first place.

For Amanda Murphy, sales and marketing manager of Gibson Games, both sets of influencers – the ‘gifter’ and ‘giftee’ – are equally important when designing a preschool product. “Our products go through rigorous testing to make sure each puzzle is age-appropriate and engaging for every child,” she explained, “but ultimately the adults are the ones making the choice, which is why we use clear descriptions and age suggestions and pinpoint key

skills on the front of each box.”

Fliss Edwards, marketing executive of Apples to Pears feels that ultimately it is the gift buyer they need to woo. “These are the people we need to convince to part with their

Right: H&A’s colour changing bubbly bath aims to make bath time more fun for preschoolers.

Below: Gibson Games’ Dino Jigosawrus Box.

Choosing the right gift is never easy, especially when buying for preschoolers, as it needs to meet the desires of both child and parent.

PPS takes a look at the trends in preschool gifts and how suppliers meet this challenge head on? money,” she said, “so they have the biggest influence on the success of our gifts. We don’t currently follow the latest fad or trend or TV hit so we rely on good old fashioned ideas reconstructed in a modern way.”

This is a sentiment echoed firmly

by Rainbow Designs which focuses a large part of its portfolio around traditional publishing brands such as Peter Rabbit and The Very Hungry Caterpillar for exactly that reason.

Anthony Temple, managing director, believes there will always be a place for the traditional publishing brands within preschool gifting due to the familiarity and core values of the childhood characters that parents have grown up with, however he is now seeing a real move towards entertainment licenses such as its new Peppa Pig for Baby range.

H&A likewise recognises that classic characters and trends are perennially popular, but Nicola Wildey, product marketing director, claims that what really catches the imagination of stockists and customers alike is when the characters that parents and children know and love are presented in new and innovative formats.

“We know that parents like gifts which serve more than one function,” she commented. “They want a quality product, made to last, that’s fun as well as educational.

A more recent trend is reusability.

Increasingly, we see parents looking for products that deliver on multiple PROGRES SIVE PRESCHOOL

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PRESCHOOL GIFTS

“

▶ NORTHERN LIGHTS

Taking place between 19 and 22 July the gift industry will be converging on the historic town of Harrogate, for the Harrogate Home & Gift Preview, where suppliers and distributors will be showcasing 10,000s of products.

This year Rainbow Designs will be showing a number of exciting new additions for the first time (DP1-64.). Making its debut will be the company’s Paddington Movie collection and an updated Classic Paddington range along with new additions to the Peppa For Baby, Peter Rabbit and Guess How Much I Love You collections.

Apples to Pears will once again be exhibiting in its usual spot on stand DP2-9. Zoo in a Tin is one of five new additions to the Progressive Preschool award-winning Gifts in a Tin range and comes packed to the brim with colourful wooden pieces and a play mat. Recognising that little and lovely go hand in hand, Apples to Pears is also launching the Mini Gift in a Tin range – pocket-sized gifting at pocket-money prices.

In a similar vein Best Years will be returning to Harrogate for its second year (D3-36) and will be showcasing its knitted dinosaurs, crochet toys and crochet Christmas rattles and decorations.

Gibson Games (DP1-65), meanwhile, will be bringing two new products to showcase. The first, Dino Jigosawrus, is a set of 8 “roaringly T-riffic” progressive dinosaur puzzles, ranging from the four-piece Pteranodon to the whopping 16-piece Diplodocus.

The second is a lotto style game, Ships Ahoy! where children must set sail on a pirate adventure!

Look out too for Le Toy Van (G-5) which will be launching a new range of pocket money toys called PelMel.

“

Inset: Rainbow Design’s Counting Caterpillar taps into the trend for education.

Our award-winning range was designed to make feeding time safer and easier for parents.

They want a quality product, made to last, that’s fun as well as educational Nicola Wildey H&A product marketing director levels. A gift that does this effectively

will always drive purchase.” She cited the new Thomas and Friends range as an example. Each of the four products offers different fun and educational elements, making bathtime an occasion to look forward to!

While the familiarity of classic characters is one trend that continues to see cash registers ringing, another growing movement is education.

Gibson Games’ Amanda Murphy puts the growing popularity of its jigsaw and games as a gifting choice down to the perfect storm of parents wanting to help give their children’s education a kick-start and the economy; with these gifts offering value for money.

Fliss Edwards agreed: “While education has long been regarded as important, the country’s recent financial difficulties have served to focus consumer attention on the need to give children the very best start in their learning life. It’s a positive move that we aren’t happy just putting a smile on a child’s face with a disposable gift and instead aspire to provide gifts that engage, stimulate and entertain youngsters.

There are so many gifts based on new technology and often parents and grandparents are looking for respite from the pings, pops and beeps of modern electronic toys.”

Anthony Temple, however, believes there is a halfway house and that traditional values can be brought to life with modern electronics. “Around

Above: Le Toy Van pocket money jewellery.

40% of preschool toys contain some electronic component nowadays but many of these are incorporated into old favourites, such as our Talking Paddington, just as frequently as they are in the brands of today,” he reasons.

So whether it’s granny looking to buy a spinning top or a set of bookends that harks back to her childhood, or a godparent seeking to educate and entertain, there are a myriad of options available – it’s the gift that keeps on giving!

Left: Apples to Pears Zoo in a Tin adds to the award-winning range.

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WHAT’S NEW HOME & GIFT New products launching at Home & Gift – Harrogate – 19 – 22 July INKY & MOLE

MANHATTAN TOY COMPANY Manhattan Toy is delighted to be launching its brand new autumn collections at Harrogate Home & Gift. Adorable soft baby dinosaurs and a bunch of mixed up pups most definitely have that elusive aaahh factor! A stunning new baby line, fairy dolls with removable wings and the cutest first hand puppets ensure that there is something to fire the imagination of every child.

Stand: DP4–17 www.manhattantoy.co.uk 0208 944 3160

POWELL CRAFT Powell Craft children’s wear has a nostalgic feel with vintage-inspired prints and traditional shapes. The firm will also be showing nursery accessories, bunting, rag dolls, toys, patchwork quilts and pram blankets.

Stand: A29 www.powellcraft.co.uk 01273 622023

Inky & Mole is a UK kids brand specialising in colourful, high quality hair accessories and jewellery. The hand-made products are bold in design and come in both fun vibrant colours and muted tones. All products are sold with the benefit Inky & Mole’s eye-catching packaging.

Stand: DP3-19a www.inkyandmole.co.uk 01935 826 071

BOBO BUDDIES

THE PUPPET COMPANY The Puppet Company are proud to present their latest addition to the Hide-Away range, the fantastic ‘Old Tree and Pond.’ This features a gnarled old tree with seven residents including a Tawny Owl, Kingfisher, Robin, Frog, Mallard, Greater Spotted Woodpecker, plus sitting very proudly on the top, a Blackbird on his nest incubating three eggs!

Stand: DP4-7b www.thepuppetcompany.com 01462 446040

APPLES TO PEARS New to Apples to Pears’ awardwining Gift in a Tin range, Zoo in a Tin is packed to the brim with chunky wooden play pieces that can also be used as colouring-in shapes. A nostalgic concept with a contemporary presentation, this gift will appeal as much to the consumer as it does to the children.

Stand: DP2-9 www.applestopears.com 01453 826759

Specialising in the creation of fun and functional soft toys for little ones on the go, the updated range includes travel backpacks with blanket (as seen on Dragons’ Den), toddler backpacks with reins, and BoBo Blankies; comforters that fit snuggly around the child’s wrist.

Stand: DP2-6 www.bobobuddies.com 0203 601 7990

WILLOWBEE Willowbee of has expanded its range of creative play sets and puzzles to include mermaids, racing team (retro bi-plane and racing car), farm life, fairies and monsters; as well as a set of folding retro cars and robots from designers Kroom.

The packaging and displays offer retailers great shelf presence.

Stand: Q26 01727 859 200

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WHAT’S

HOT?

Progressive Preschool spoke to a number of independent retailers, to find out what’s been selling well across the preschool market.

Gael Bootman, owner, Bush Babes Baby Store, Cheshunt, Hertfordshire Former Mama and Papas franchise store, recently re-opened as an independent.

CATEGORY

SUPPLIERS/RANGES

COMMENT

Pushchair

Silver Cross

We’re doing brilliantly with Silver Cross, especially the Wayfarer. It’s compact and offers very good value for money.

Stroller

Mamas and Papas

Mamas and Papas is still a very strong brand for us and the Tour2 is one of our best-selling strollers. It’s a good price, nice looking and really has everything going for it.

Car Seat

Maxi Cosi

Without a doubt, Maxi Cosi is our top selling baby car seat. The Pebble Plus is the most popular, which parents buy with the 2wayFix base so they can use with the 2wayPearl as the child gets older.

Highchair

Stokke

The Tripp Trapp is very popular with our customers. People like that it can be used for so much longer than a traditional highchair.

Silver Cross

Mamas and Papas

Stokke

Lise Austen, owner, Raspberry Red, Berkshire

An online shop with an outlet in a popular craft village just out of town.

CATEGORY

SUPPLIERS/RANGES

COMMENT

Girls’ Clothing

Phister & Philina

This is a Danish brand with a very distinctive style and lovely patterns. The clothes are practical and hardwearing – it’s a favourite with customers.

Boys’ Clothing

Frugi

Frugi make fun, stylish clothes that kids just love to wear. Its boys range is particularly funky; parents always comment on how great it is to find nice clothes for boys.

Newborn Clothing

Albetta

The baby-grows from Albetta come in beautiful prints and are sold in a muslin pouch, so they make lovely gifts.

Toys

Maileg

Maileg is our most popular toy brand toy in the shop and online. The mouse and rabbit in a matchbox is one of our best-selling items.

Phister and Philina

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New eco range of build your own playsets

Please visit us at Harrogate Home and Gift: Hall Q Stand 26 and Autum Fair: Hall 5, Stand 29C Call or email for a brochure T: 01727 859200 E: info@willowbee.co.uk

ooooh!

Childhood is magical

PRE-SCHOOL TOYS FROM BATTAT

Distributed exclusively in the UK and Ireland by Halilit. Call or email for a catalogue.

info@halilit.co.uk T: 01254 872454 www.halilit.co.uk

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BEST SELLERS

WHAT’S

HOT?

continued

Debi Thomas, manager, The Toy Shop, Stroud, Gloucestershire A popular toy shop in the heart of town; recently moved to larger premises.

CATEGORY

SUPPLIERS/RANGES

COMMENT

Dolls

Bigjigs

We stock a range of rag dolls which are very popular as they are suitable from 12 months. They are available in three sizes and the smaller size is ideal for the preschool ages, perfect for cuddles.

Puzzles

Melissa & Doug

Our sound puzzles are a firm favourite for the little ones, parents often return to buy the other themes in the range.

The pegs make it easy for the children to play with and anything that makes a noise is always a winner.

Wooden Toys

Hape

We stock a wide range of wooden toys, and for the preschool age, the Hape range is by far the favourite. It’s a recognised brand which has great quality products at affordable prices.

Wheeled Toys

Green Toys

We stock Green Toys which are made out of recycled plastic milk cartons. You will find something for every preschooler in this range from submarines, bright orange tractors to recycling trucks.

Imaginative Play

Melissa and Doug, Le Toy Van and Bigjigs

Our range of wooden cutting food and market stall fruit and veg really get the kids’ imaginations going. I quite often get served banana soup and baked grapes for my lunch!

Bigjigs

Hape

Green Toys

Joyce Hobson, owner, Kidz Stuff, Stamford, Lincolnshire A new retail outlet in Stamford offering customers affordable clothing and toys.

CATEGORY

SUPPLIERS/RANGES

COMMENT

Girls’ Clothing

Minoti

The sets of dresses and leggings are good sellers at a good price. Denim seems to be really popular at the moment.

Boys’ Clothing

Soul and Glory

Again, denim is popular with my customers, in particular the shirts for boys. Soul and Glory clothes seem to be true to size, unlike some other brands.

Gifts

Tomy and Lamaze

The Hide ‘n Squeak eggs from Tomy have been a huge hit, as well as the Lamaze blankies. They are perfect gifts for babies.

Games/ Puzzles

Orchard Toys

Such a well-known brand, the games are a winner with parents and a good choice as gifts.

Tomy Orchard Toys

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New from the UK’s No. 1 in Infant Toys* Just in for Autumn and Winter 2015

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