SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2018
®
Volume 34, No. 5 — Published by Adventure Publishing Group
Jonathan Samet Publisher jsamet@adventurepub.com
DEPARTMENTS
Jackie Breyer Editor-in-Chief jbreyer@adventurepub.com
14 Editor’s Viewpoint
30 One-Click Retail
94 Talking Social Media
16 ASTRA’s Insights
34 Talkin’ Toys: Toy City
96 Marketing Memo
17 Toy Association Happenings 18 Industry Update
78 Talkin’ Toys: YULU
20 Sweet Suite 2019
80 Toy Association Perspectives
21 Toy Insider 2018
90 Women in Toys
28 Euromonitor
92 Outside the Box
100 Compliance and Regulations 102 Raising the Bar 104 Industry Marketplace 106 Flashback: September/ October 1998
NPD’s Juli Lennett looks at how the toy industry remains proactive despite the loss of a retail giant.
24 2018: A Year of Change Sean McGowan discusses how the industry is moving on without Toys “R” Us.
Ali Mierzejewski Senior Editor amierzejewski@adventurepub.com Jacqueline Cucco Associate Editor jcucco@adventurepub.com Maddie Michalik Associate Editor mmichalik@adventurepub.com Madeleine Buckley Editorial Assistant mbuckley@adventurepub.com Miranda Siwak Editorial Assistant msiwak@adventurepub.com Jordan White Editorial Assistant jwhite@adventurepub.com
features 22 Heavy Traffic in the Toy Retail Space
Marissa DiBartolo Senior Editor mdibartolo@adventurepub.com
82 Curiouser and Curiouser
Science Toys that Encourage Experimentation and Exploration
84 Halloween & Party Expo The Show That Fulfills Your Year-Round Halloween Needs
86 How to Make Your Dream Toy Happen
Wendy Smolen offers tips on how to bring your “A-ha” toy idea to fruition.
88 Spielwarenmesse 2019 Annual Trade Fair Celebrates 70th Anniversary with New Toy Trends.
Joe Ibraham Art Director jibraham@adventurepub.com Bill Reese Production Director bill@toybook.com Lori Rubin Controller/Office Manager lrubin@adventurepub.com U.S. Corporate Headquarters Laurie Schacht President thetoyinsidermom@gmail.com Adventure Publishing Group, Inc.® 307 7th Avenue, #1601, New York, NY 10001 Phone: (212) 575-4510 • Fax: (212) 575-4521
36 2019 Toy Preview
A Look at What’s to Come Next Year
Slinky Dog, by Alex Brands
On the Cover: Do Dats, by Alex Brands; Scooby Doo Mash’ems, by Basic Fun!; Super Wings Construction Block Sets, by COBI; BattleBots Tank Drive, by HEXBUG; Bloopies Swimming Mimi, by IMC Toys; Spirograph Plus 2-in-1 Design Set, by Kahootz; Beaker Creatures Series 2, by Learning Resources; Sky Track 64-Piece Set, by Magformers; Putty Scents MashUps, by Mindware; Vortex, by Odyssey Toys; Stink Bug, by Winning Moves Games; Robotics Smart Machines Tracks and Treads, by Thames & Kosmos; Ridley’s Games Nope!, by Wild & Wolf; Double Juggle, by YULU; Stikbot, by Zing
The Toy Book Volume 34, No. 5 THE TOY BOOK (ISSN-0885-3991) is published bi-monthly by Adventure Publishing Group, Inc.® Editorial and advertising offices are located at 307 Seventh Ave., Room 1601, New York, NY 10001, Phone (212) 575-4510. Periodicals Postage paid at New York and additional mailing offices. Copyright © 2018 Adventure Publishing Group, Inc.® All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without written permission from the publisher. Printed in USA. Subscription rates: $48 one year, foreign $200. The Toy Book is a trademark of Adventure Publishing Group, Inc.® Registered in the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office. Postmaster: Send address changes to: Toy Book, c/o Adventure Publishing Group, 307 Seventh Ave., Room 1601, New York, NY 10001 or e-mail bill@toybook.com. Opinions and comments expressed in this publication by editors, contributing writers, or solicited or unsolicited documents are not necessarily those of the management of The Toy Book.
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