The Toy Book - November 2022

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NOVEMBER 2022

IN THIS ISSUE Volume 38, No. 6 — Published by Adventure Media and Events LLC

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CEO Laurie Schacht laurie@toybook.com Vice President and Group Publisher Jackie Breyer jackie@toybook.com

DEPARTMENTS

Editor-in-Chief James Zahn james@toybook.com

10 | From the Editor

18 | Stat Shot

76 | New in Town: KidQuest

12 | ASTRA’s Insights

22 | Industry Update

78 | Marketing Memo

14 | Toy Association Perspectives

60 | Outside the Box

80 | Pop Quiz

15 | Toy Association Updates

62 | Compliance & Regulations

82 | Flashback

16 | Toy Insider Trends

74 | Giving Back: Hasbro

Jackie Cucco jc@toybook.com

INNOVATION & STEM SHOWCASE

Ali Mierzejewski ali@toybook.com

24 | The STEM Generation A Look at the Growth of STEM toys and the Trends Propelling a Boom in Educational Play

42 | These Eco-Friendly Toys Prove That It’s Easy Being Green New Trends in Sustainability are Growing in the Toy Department

36 | Fantastically Fast Finds The Lastest, Greatest, and Upcoming Products to Watch for in the World of Vehicles and R/C

48 | The Collectibles Evolution Business is Booming as Categories Begin to Blur

54 | What’s New A Curated Showcase of Trending Products in Multiple Categories

Senior Editors Madeleine Buckley madeleine@toybook.com

Marissa Silva marissa@toybook.com Social Media Editor Nicole Savas nicole@toybook.com Editorial Assistants Annabelle Canela annabelle@toybook.com Hannah Sacks hannah@toybook.com

FEATURES 32 | Everything’s A-OK With Sesame Street and Just Play One of the most iconic preschool brands of all time enters a new era in the toy department.

34 | Flying Into the Future How innovation is reinventing the wheels at Chicago’s Radio Flyer.

46 | FAO Schwarz Celebrates 160 Years of Wonder The iconic toy store hits a BIG milestone and scores a deal with Target.

58 | Nickelodeon’s Santiago of the Seas Strikes Gold New toys capture the swashbuckling spirit of the 8-year-old pirate.

Art Director Joe Ibraham joe@toybook.com Pictured (middle from left to right): Sonic the Hedgehog Tails R/C from NKOK; Santiago of the Seas figures from Fisher-Price; Masters of the Universe Prince Adam from Cryptoys; and Big Bird plush from Just Play.

64 | Big Kid Energy The kidult trend is converting nostalgic vibes into robust toy sales as companies rethink the target audience for some products originally designed for kids.

66 | Celebrating 40 Years of Mattel’s Masters of the Universe Following a formal reboot that began two years ago, He-Man and Skeletor are proving that after four decades, the iconic MOTU franchise still has the power!

68 | Supporting Diversity and Inclusion in Toys and Games GPI explores how welcoming BIPOC-owned companies requires action and collaboration.

70 | Backstory: Trendmasters and the Rise of Cepia After success with Starcastles and Voltron, Trendmasters hit a miss with Godzilla ‘98 that set off a chain of events that led to Cats Vs Pickles.

72 | Effective E.M.A.I.L. Campaigns When utilizing email marketing in your e-commerce strategy, you may think your success ends with getting the email address — but, in reality, that is just the beginning.

Junior Designer Elena Sorce elena@toybook.com Production Director Bill Reese bill@toybook.com Executive Director of Sales & Marketing James Devin jd@toybook.com Sales & Marketing Executive Stephanie Infantino stephanie@toybook.com Controller/Office Manager Lori Rubin lrubin@adventurepub.com

On the cover: Sesame Street Dino Stomp Elmo by Just Play The Toy Book Volume 38, No. 6 THE TOY BOOK (ISSN-0885-3991) is published bi-monthly by Adventure Media and Events LLC. Editorial and advertising offices are located at 307 Seventh Ave., Room 501, New York, NY 10001, Phone (212) 575-4510. Periodicals Postage paid at New York and additional mailing offices. Copyright © 2022 Adventure Media and Events LLC. 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 Media and Events LLC. Registered in the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office. Postmaster: Send address changes to: Toy Book, c/o Adventure Media and Events LLC., 307 Seventh Ave., Room 501, 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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FROM THE EDITOR

THE DUALITY EFFECT

Mixed messages signal reflections of the same reality this holiday season.

by JAMES ZAHN, editor-in-chief IT’S MID-NOVEMBER AS I WRITE THIS, and the toy industry and its partners are officially crossing into the back half of the fourth quarter. The holiday season is in full effect, and early indicators point to strong consumer demand.

According to the National Retail Federation’s latest forecast, retail sales in the U.S. should grow between 6% and 8% over last year during the tracked November/December holiday season.

In the toy department, inflation remains a big concern, but Q3 toy industry earnings proved that, for the most part, consumers continue to open their wallets for a great toy or game.

Still, there is a metric that I keep getting hung up on, and it’s stuck with me since The NPD Group’s Juli Lennett called attention to it in the February issue of The Toy Book: The increase in average selling price (ASP) over the past three years is fueling total industry dollar growth by offsetting fewer unit sales.

Compared to 2019 pre-pandemic levels, total dollar sales for the global toy industry are up 30% year-to-date through September, but overall unit sales dipped 4%, offset by an ASP increase, per NPD. By last month, both families and corporations settled into the same reality — the dollar just isn’t going as far as it used to.

On its Q3 earnings call, Hasbro CEO Chris Cocks said that a 15% decline in revenue was “impacted by increasing price sensitivity for the average consumer.”

Just a week later, Mattel CEO Ynon Kreiz noted that price increases implemented across the board had not resulted in any “meaningful impact on consumer demand” for his company as net sales remained essentially flat when compared to last year.

As earnings season closed out earlier this month, the contrast continued with record numbers from Jakks Pacific and a revenue decline for Spin Master. But no one expected the shocking duality that was about to pop at Funko.

In Q3, despite a 36.6% spike in net sales, double-digit growth across

all categories and regions, and several successful new product launches, growing pains hit the company’s balance sheet.

With a 40.6% increase in debt over last year and a spike in on-hand inventory as retailers pull back in Q4, revised guidance for slowing growth and shrinking profit sent investors into a panic, resulting in the company’s share price dropping by more than 50% in just 24 hours.

But the toy business is a roller coaster, and what goes up will come down, swing around the corner, hit a corkscrew, and rise to great heights again.

Transformers Generations Holiday Optimus Prime rolls out next month. | Source: Hasbro

As the industry charges forward, 2023 is poised to deliver one of the freshest lineups of new toys, games, and related products in recent years. Embracing newness and sparking curiosity is at the heart of our Innovation & STEM issue.

Senior Editor Madeleine Buckley offers an update on The STEM Generation on page 24, followed by a showcase of hot new products joining the category in the months ahead.

At Chicago’s Radio Flyer, designers are reinventing the wheels, and on page 34 we take a deep dive into the company’s evolution and focus on a new category for growth: electric vehicles and ride-ons.

Elsewhere in this issue, we rev up

the fun and pop the hood on some new models in the vehicles and R/C showroom (page 36) and shine a spotlight on emerging products that are planting roots in the world of eco-friendly toys (page 42).

Flip to page 48 to catch up with the leaders of McFarlane Toys, Basic Fun!, The Loyal Subjects, and Super7 with some insight on the innovation (or lack thereof) in the collectibles space.

For our cover story (page 32), we discover how Just Play found its way to Sesame Street and we learn the ABCs and 123s of how the toymaker plans to innovate on a brand that’s been a staple in preschoolers’ toy boxes for decades.

Of course, we can’t celebrate the holidays without thinking of a great toy store experience to “wow” families. On page 46, Senior Editor Jackie Cucco spins the tale of retailer Frederick August Otto Schwarz and explores how his namesake store is celebrating 160 years of wonder with new initiatives and a big partnership with Target.

This issue is also packed with the usual departments and insight you’d expect, including a look at designing seasonal packaging in Outside the Box; a Stat Shot from The NPD Group; an update on diversity and inclusion from GPI; the latest news from The Toy Association and the American Specialty Toy Retailing Association (ASTRA), and more.

Our team is already hard at work on the 2023 edition of The BIG Toy Book. If you’d like to be involved, drop me a note and let’s be ready to rock the new year in a big way! We offer you warm wishes for much success this holiday season! » James Zahn, best-known as The Rock Father, is the editor-in-chief of The Toy Book, and a senior editor of The Toy Insider and The Pop Insider. Frequently called upon for expert commentary on the toy industry, he has been featured in The New York Times and Forbes, and has appeared on Yahoo! Finance, CNBC, the BBC, NBC, ABC, FOX, CNN, and more. Connect with him on LinkedIn or follow him @therockfather.

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ASTRA’S INSIGHTS

GET ON BOARD WITH ASTRA The ASTRA Toy Boat sets sail in February.

by SUE WARFIELD, president, American Specialty Toy Retailing Association THE AMERICAN SPECIALTY TOY Retailing Association (ASTRA) is gearing up to take on the high seas. ASTRA Toy Boat will officially set sail from Fort Lauderdale on Feb. 20, 2023. Guests will tour around the Bahamas while checking out the latest toys and games, and return to shore on Feb. 24.

ASTRA Toy Boat has so many misconceptions floating around it (pun intended), so let’s highlight some basic truths: IT’S HAPPENING ASTRA Toy Boat is not a tentative event: It is happening! We are not canceling. More companies, retailers, and others from the industry are signing up every day to get on board.

BUSINESS WILL HAPPEN ON THE BOAT This event is definitely about having fun, but the business that can take place in this type of environment is beyond anything that can happen at a traditional trade show. I know from first-hand experience, having participated in a conference/show on a ship before. I’m excited to share that many of my future contacts came from that cruise and actually helped me get to where I am today.

THE IMPORTANCE OF PLAY Play is always an important part of any ASTRA event. At Marketplace & Academy, we host game and kit sessions, we have a party, and we do our toy lip sync battle. These experiences are all part of the package to network and engage with those who share similar interests, face the same issues, and strive toward similar goals. ASTRA Toy Boat will be full of great experiences to network, unplug, play, and have a great time.

would otherwise be extra), taxes, port fees, and gratuities. Of course, there will be lots of additional services you can pay for, such as fine dining and excursions, but those are all optional.

HOW TO REGISTER Registration for ASTRA Toy Boat is done strictly over the phone and must be completed by Dec. 10. If you’re interested in attending and would like to book your cabin, call Michael Foldeak at 312-283-4255 or Sue Warfield (that’s me!) at 312238-9393.

ASTRA President Sue Warfield and her husband Kris Schmidt in front of Royal Carribean’s Liberty of the Seas, the vessel that will welcome retailers and manufacturers on Feb. 20 for ASTRA Toy Boat. | Source: Sue Warfield

WHAT ABOUT TOYFEST? ToyFest takes place Feb. 27-March 3, just a few days after ASTRA Toy Boat.

From my perspective, both events should be attended. If you are nervous about WHAT’S IN STORE ABOARD ASTRA TOY BOAT Itinerary is still in progress Monday, Feb. 20 -Set sail from Fort Lauderdale, Florida -Evening reception Tuesday, Feb. 21 -Dock at Cococay, Bahamas -Vendor display tables on board (ASTRA only) -Game and Kit Night (ASTRA only) Wednesday, Feb. 22 -Day at sea -Vendor display tables on board (ASTRA only) -Meet the ASTRA Board of Directors -Learn to Navigate the ASTRA website info session -Toy Sync Battle Thursday, Feb. 23

WHAT’S INCLUDED Guests aboard the ASTRA Toy Boat can pay one price that includes WiFi (so you can keep up with work even while we sail), the Deluxe Beverage Package (includes many non-alcoholic drinks that

having too little turn-around time to get things set up at ToyFest, rest assured. I will be attending the show with Michael on behalf of ASTRA. We’ll be heading straight to Las Vegas from the Toy Boat and we will be ready to lend a hand with showroom set ups and booth set ups at ToyFest. ASTRA will have its own booth at ToyFest as well!

And, we have a special deal: Retailers who attend both ASTRA Toy Boat and ToyFest events will get one free hotel night at one of the ASTRA Hotels in Columbus during our Marketplace & Academy June 11-14 and one free hotel night at ToyFest.

Check out our full itinerary (with new events still being added) to see all the fun in store aboard the ASTRA Toy Boat. We can’t wait to set sail with you! »

-Dock at Nassau, Bahamas -Vendor display tables on board (ASTRA only) -Game & Kit Night (open to the public) Friday, February 24 -Return to Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Sue Warfield, president of the American Specialty Toy Retailing Association (ASTRA), has more than 30 years of experience working in the toy industry, including owning a retail store, being a sales representative, and working alongside her husband at a manufacturing business. Contact her: swarfield@astratoy.org.

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TOY ASSOCIATION PERSPECTIVES

ADVOCATING FOR YOU The Toy Association gives an update on California’s battery recycling program.

by ED DESMOND, executive vice president of Global Government & Regulatory Affairs, The Toy Association ONE OF THE TOY ASSOCIATION’S chief goals is to protect and advance the business rights of our members, from the smallest manufacturers and specialty stores to midsize companies to some of the biggest toymakers, brands, and retailers in the world.

The Global Government & Regulatory Affairs team regularly engages in discussions with lawmakers, educational outreach, and coalition building.

We directly intervene on a number of pending legislative issues and regulatory obstacles that have the potential to significantly impact the toy community while continuing to ensure the safety of toys and responsible manufacturing. These efforts take us to state houses across the country, to Capitol Hill, and to more than 40 nations worldwide.

As one example (among many more issues currently being tackled), our state team worked on an Extended Producer Responsibility program for batteries in California in order to simplify the process and reduce costs for members selling products in that state. The work we put in will ultimately exempt our members from having to pay into and participate in an additional e-waste program.

In September, California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the Responsible Battery Recycling Act of 2022, with AB 2440 and SB 1215 creating a statewide collection and recycling program for consumer batteries and products that contain batteries. Effective Jan. 1, 2023, the new law will require producers to establish a stewardship program for the collection and recycling of covered batteries and covered battery-embedded products.

“The work we put in will ultimately exempt our members from having to pay into and participate in an additional e-waste program.”

This is the best iteration of a battery program that we’ve seen in California to date, which is why The Toy Association state team committed to working on the bill to protect our members. In our meetings with the bills’ sponsors, we engaged in a collaborative process to split the current draft into two bills, with one (AB 2440) creating a battery stewardship program for loose batteries and the other (SB 1215) adding battery-embedded

The Toy Association’s state team worked on an Extended Producer Responsibility program for batteries in California in order to simplify the process and reduce costs for its members selling products in that state. | Source: stock.adobe.com

products to California’s existing e-waste program (which consumers, manufacturers, and retailers are already familiar with and is funded by a fee at the register).

Additionally, our proposed language, which was ultimately included in the final bill, made it clear that a branded battery that is separate/intended to be removed from a product is covered by the battery manufacturer if they are participating in the program and not the product manufacturer, thereby exempting many of our members from the program entirely.

This is but one example of the types of issues our team works on throughout the year — from packaging, ingredient disclosure, and material restrictions to children’s online privacy, intellectual property, and trade barriers. We welcome feedback from our members on the advocacy work we are doing and are here to guide individual companies on legislative, regulatory, and compliance challenges they are facing. We encourage all in the play community to subscribe to The Toy Association’s weekly e-newsletter, Toy News Tuesday, to receive regular updates about our efforts (visit toyassociation.org and scroll down to the subscription box).

Companies may also reach out to The Toy Association’s Erin Raden (eraden@ toyassociation.org) to be connected with a member of the Global Government & Regulatory Affairs team for assistance. »

Headquartered in The Toy Association’s Washington, D.C., office, Ed Desmond serves as executive vice president of Global Government & Regulatory Affairs. He has built a strong and effective advocacy program that addresses key domestic and international issues impacting the toy industry, including safety, environmental sustainability, global trade, children’s online privacy protection, and more.

Desmond oversees the Association’s product safety and standards initiatives, technical affairs, state and federal legislative and regulatory outreach, and related communications programs.

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TOY ASSOCIATION UPDATE

OPEN PATHWAYS TO OPPORTUNITY AT TOY FAIR

The 2023 show adds a more open floor plan and educational sessions.

by JENNIFER LYNCH, content developer, The Toy Association ON THE HEELS OF THE TOY ASSOCIation’s successful 2023 Preview & 2022 Holiday Market in Dallas, the global play community is now setting its sights on the return of the industry’s most iconic show for more than 100 years: Toy Fair.

Taking place at the Javits Center in New York City from Sept. 30-Oct. 3, Toy Fair 2023 will offer businesses more ways to connect across the play ecosystem and more of the targeted business intelligence that attendees seek.

General exhibitor sales opened in October and companies of all sizes — including Basic Fun!, Crayola, Jazwares, LEGO, Melissa & Doug, Moose Toys, PlayMonster, Spin Master, and more — have already committed to take advantage of the show’s new time frame to showcase both their priority 2023 holiday items and preview 2024 product.

“Our Preview & Holiday Market in Dallas this fall really demonstrated the excitement that comes with a return to live events and set the stage for what is already gearing up to be an incredible Toy Fair,” says Kimberly Carcone, executive vice president of global market events, The Toy Association. “Toy Fair is growing right alongside the everchanging landscape of retail and entertainment, and continuing to hold its spot at the epicenter of the toy and play industry. Showgoers in 2023 will see firsthand the event’s dedication and attention to the many audiences it serves — creating new pathways for business-building connections and exposure to buyers and media.”

Attendees can anticipate the return of the show’s seven football fields’ worth of product across every category of play, but those who walk the aisles will also be met with fewer walls and more opportunities. When thousands of members of the global press and play professionals from an estimated 100 countries hunt for the next hit toy at Toy Fair 2023, they will

Shaquille O’Neal opened the show floor at the last in-person Toy Fair in 2020.

Source: The Toy Association

find a more welcoming floor plan as part of the event’s reimagined experience. Launched to foster a more playful and hospitable environment, the show’s new visual merchandising initiative will require all exhibitors to make their product visible in at least 20% of their aisle-facing exhibit space.

For exhibitors, this initiative encourages even more product engagement to attract and promote buyer interactions and to open the doors to new media opportunities during the Q4 selling season. Exhibitors who present outstanding exhibit displays will be rewarded for their achievements as part of Toy Fair’s first-ever exhibit design competition, the Reimagination Awards. A panel of media, trade show experts, and toy industry professionals will judge booths based on creativity, accessibility, effectiveness, and overall structure.

Continuing its long tradition of offering world-class educational opportunities to all attendees, Toy Fair will debut its most robust educational program ever: Toy Fair University. Taking place over the course of the four-day show, the program is designed to encourage dialogue and drive solutions for all play professionals.

The Toy Fair team is now accepting applications from professionals who would like to transform their research, ideas, case studies, and best practices into enriching sessions for show attendees.

Toy Fair University applications are due Dec. 16. Accepted presenters will be notified by Feb. 28, 2023. To secure booth space at Toy Fair, companies may contact their account executive: Simon Yung for companies beginning with A-G (syung@toyassociation.org); Stacy Liebensohn for companies beginning with H-P (sliebensohn@toyassociation.org); Michael Lynch for companies beginning with Q-Z (mlynch@toyassociation.org).

Visit toyfairny.com to learn more. » Jennifer Lynch handles daily content for The Toy Association’s outgoing print and online communications. Her articles on toy trends, toy safety, and industry news can also be found across trade and consumer publications worldwide. As an official trendspotter for the Association, Lynch chats with toymakers throughout the year to track developments impacting the toy aisles and kids’ entertainment and has been interviewed on the latest toy trends by various outlets and publications.

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by MARISSA SILVA, co-editor-in-chief, The Toy Insider WE’RE OFFICIALLY IN THE THICK OF the holiday shopping season, and this year’s toy selection is nothing short of awesome. While classic categories such as arts and crafts, puzzles, games, and educational toys never go out of style, new toy trends pop up each year that align with the needs and interests of kids and families.

After two (long) pandemic-fueled years, 2022 has finally felt a bit more “normal.” Families are gathering and traveling, and spending habits are returning to pre-pandemic levels. The new word on everyone’s tongue is now “inflation,” and families are looking to tighten the pursestrings as they try to keep up with price hikes on rent, food, and other necessities. Budget-friendly toys are super important this holiday season, and so are toys and games that provide meaningful value.

LeapFrog LeapPods Max Source: LeapFrog

At The Toy Insider, we have evaluated more than a thousand toys while putting together our 17th annual Holiday Gift Guide, and we’ve identified seven toy trends to watch for this holiday season.

TECH TAKEOVER Tech toys have taken a backseat to classic playthings over the last few years, due in part to supply chain issues leading to chip shortages. But toy manufacturers have used the last few years to drum up new innovations in toys that incorporate technology in smart ways to enhance kids’ play experiences. Fun is getting an upgrade this year with interactive, motion-controlled tech pets, interactive headphones, and more. Kids will love LeapPods Max from LeapFrog, Osmo Reading Adventure by Osmo from BYJU’S, and Vital Hero from Bandai Namco Toys & Collectibles America.

FOOD FRENZY So many facets of society revolve around food, from traditional dishes at holiday gatherings to entertainment staples like cooking shows and competitions. Food-themed toys have become increasingly popular in recent years, and this year, it feels like toys that inspire a love of culinary cuisine through roleplay, collecting, and creativity are everywhere we look.

Key items include the Top & Bake Pizza Counter from Melissa and Doug and 5 Surprise Foodie Mini Brands Mini Food Court from ZURU.

SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE FUN People are (finally) beginning to care more about each other, the planet, and our future; and they are showing it with their wallets. Parents and kids are more aware of their social responsibility, focusing on inclusion, celebrating diversity, and caring for the planet. Toy companies are appealing to this new consciousness by putting their best foot forward with toys and games that are socially responsible, including eco-friendly playthings, dolls that represent multiple ethnicities and genders, and products for kids of different abilities.

“Parents are looking for more ways to play responsibly and in return we are identifying new ways to create more sustainable practices as a company,” says Michael Sheridan, product manager and sustainability lead at Educational Insights.

“As an added bonus, when we create more eco-friendly toys and games, we create an opportunity for parents to teach their children about something bigger than any of us.”

Playfoam Naturals from Educational Insights, Baby Doll Asian Girl with Down Syndrome from Miniland Dolls, and the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever Fresh Fierce Collection from The World of EPI and Dr. Lisa Williams are all great examples of socially responsible toys.

GENERATIONS OF PLAY Toys and games bring families together, especially kid-firendly versions of things grown-ups love, games that multiple generations of family members

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can enjoy together, and playthings that are engaging no matter how old you are. Toys and games with mass appeal to kids — and even grownups — of multiple ages are highly popular this year. And when both kids and adults can truly understand a product, it’s an easy sell. Mario Kart 24V Ride-on Racer from Jakks Pacific, Nintendo Switch Sports from Nintendo of America, and Hasbro’s Monopoly Travel: World Tour Game are all fun products that will be well-loved by people of all ages.

You Meme?, Chuckle & Roar Mini Golf from Buffalo Games, and Express My Feelings Journal from hand2mind are all solid choices.

RETRO REWIND There are so many iconic toys and games that have been around for decades, and toymakers are constantly updating classic playthings for today’s kids, and bringing back pop culture staples in their original form for adult collectors and enthusiasts.

Independent toy consultant and AS SEEN ON SCREEN historian Chris Byrne, also known as The While parents love to debate Toy Guy, articulates the relevance and about how much screentime is massive appeal of retro toys: healthy, there is no denying the “For the adult collector or fact that kids feel connected the ‘kidult’ (that grown-up to the characters they see who never wants to give up in their favorite play), these toys provide a movies and TV touchstone to their childhoods shows. Toymakers and keep their spirit of love to help the onfun alive,” he says. screen magic come to life “These are toys that with toys, games, collectibles, ended up defining and more that feature all of moments in culture when those iconic characters. they were first launched, and Popular selections while they are still attractive to include Dance & Play kids today, their multi-generationBluey from Moose al appeal provides incremental Toys, CoComelon market potential.”

Deluxe Clubhouse Playset Lite Brite Wall Art from Basic from Jazwares, and Baby Fun!, Clueless Party Game from Dance & Play Bluey Source: Moose Toys Shark’s Big Show! UltiWilder Games, and Koosh Flix Stix mate Shipwreck Playset from PlayMonster are retro favorfrom WowWee. ites that are available this year.

This year, there are hundreds of toys WELLNESS WONDERS that will engage kids, families, and collecToys are about more than having fun. tors alike. Our annual holiday gift guide They keep brains engaged and learning, is now available and it features more than but they can also keep kids active and 350 toys from more than 145 manufacturenhance their emotional wellbeing. Toy ers. See all of our expert selections online manufacturers are recognizing kids’ need at thetoyinsider.com. » for playthings that enhance their mental and physical health.

Marissa Silva is the co-editor-in“Toys and games that promote chief of The Toy Insider and has social-emotional development in children worked in the toy industry for have become a parent’s secret sauce – more than a decade. As a trusted almost like hosting a mini therapy session toy expert, she consistently reright at home, in the exact moment your ports on toy trends and hot products. Marissa has been featured child is feeling BIG feelings, and with on the TODAY Show, Access Hollywood, Fox and no co-pay!” says Talia Filippelli, LCSW, Friends, ABC World News Now, and more. She is CHHC, CPT; psychotherapist and founder also a Genius of Play Ambassador and a new mom. of Starr Therapy.

You can follow her on Instagram @thattoygirl.

Better Than Yesterday from What Do

WANT YOUR TOYS FEATURED ON THE TOY INSIDER? The Toy Insider reviews products 365 days a year, giving consumers the information they need to choose the best toys for the kids in their lives. If you are a toy manufacturer and you have a new toy, game, or other children’s product you’d like us to review, please submit a review request!

Learn more: thetoyinsider.com/ product-review-guidelines

SUBMIT YOUR PRODUCTS FOR THE TOY INSIDER ANNUAL GIFT GUIDES! The Toy Insider publishes two legendary annual gift guides each year: the Spring & Summer gift guide, which is available exclusively on thetoyinsider. com; and the Holiday Gift Guide, which is published in print and available on toyinsider.com.

Toy and game companies are welcome to submit their products for consideration in these highly competitive gift guides, which get billions of media impressions each year.

Learn more: thetoyinsider.com/ gift-guide-submission-guidelines

Follow the fun! @thetoyinsider

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ARTS & CRAFTS TOP SELLING ITEMS (DOLLARS) RANK

ITEM

MANUFACTURER

1

Kinetic Sand 2-Pound Color Assortment

Spin Master

2

Play-Doh Classic Colors Theme Assortment

Hasbro

3

Play-Doh Starter Set 9 Tools and 4 Colors

Hasbro

4

Lite Brite Magic Screen Retro Style

Basic Fun!

5

Play-Doh Single Tub Assortment

Hasbro

TOP SELLING NEW* ITEMS (DOLLARS) RANK

ITEM

MANUFACTURER

1

Kinetic Sand Treasure Hunt

Spin Master

2

Play-Doh Kitchen Creations Pizza Oven Playset

Hasbro

3

Play-Doh Care and Carry Vet Playset

Hasbro

4

DOTS Big Message Board

The LEGO Group

5

DOTS Banana Pen Holder

The LEGO Group

COLLECTIBLES

VEHICLES

TOP SELLING ITEMS (DOLLARS)

TOP SELLING ITEMS (DOLLARS)

RANK

ITEM (MANUFACTURER)

RANK

ITEM (MANUFACTURER)

1

Squishmallows Plush 16-Inch Assortment (Jazwares)

1

Hot Wheels Singles 1:64 Assortment (Mattel)

2

Squishmallows Plush 8-Inch Assortment (Jazwares)

2

Hot Wheels 5 Pack 1:64 Assortment (Mattel)

3

Squishmallows Plush 12-Inch Assortment (Jazwares)

3

Friction Vehicle Assortment (Toy Wonders)

4

5 Surprise Mini Brands Mystery Pack Assortment (ZURU)

4

Hot Wheels Monster Trucks 1:64 Assortment (Mattel)

5

Squishmallows Plush 14-Inch Assortment (Jazwares)

5

Die Cast Cars Assortment 1:32 (Simba Dickie Group)

TOP DOLLAR GROWTH PROPERTIES

TOP DOLLAR GROWTH PROPERTIES

RANK

PROPERTY

RANK

PROPERTY

1

Squishmallows

1

New Bright

2

Pokémon

2

Sonic the Hedgehog

3

National Football League

3

Jurassic Park/World

4

National Basketball Association

4

Monster Jam

5

Funko Pop!

5

DC Universe

*New is defined as having zero dollar sales YTD September 2021. | Source: The NPD Group/Retail Tracking Service/U.S. Toys/YTD September 2022

18 THE TOY BOOK | NOVEMBER 2022 | toybook.com

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SCIENTIFIC TOYS TOP SELLING ITEMS (DOLLARS) RANK

ITEM

MANUFACTURER

1

National Geographic Rock Tumbler Starter Kit

Blue Marble

2

National Geographic Air Rockets

Blue Marble

3

Gemstone Dig Science Kit

Horizon Group USA

4

Original Butterfly Garden With 5 Caterpillars

Insect Lore

5

Snap Circuits Junior

Elenco Electronics

TOP SELLING NEW* ITEMS (DOLLARS) RANK

ITEM

MANUFACTURER

1

Ada Twist Scientist on the Go Lab

Just Play Products

2

Creativity for Kids Crystal Mermaid Terrarium

Faber-Castell

3

Creativity for Kids Build and Grow Treehouse

Faber-Castell

4

Discovery Mindblown Career Play Doctor Kit

MerchSource

5

Orbeez Sensation Station Activity Kit

Spin Master

ACTION FIGURES/ACCESSORIES

EXPLORATIVE/OTHER TOYS

TOP SELLING ITEMS (DOLLARS)

TOP SELLING ITEMS (DOLLARS)

RANK

ITEM (MANUFACTURER)

RANK

ITEM (MANUFACTURER)

1

WWE Elite Figure Collection 6-Inch Assortment (Mattel)

1

5 Surprise Mini Brands Mystery Pack Assortment (ZURU)

2

DC Comics Super Heroes Multiverse Figure 7-Inch Assortment (McFarlane Toys)

2

5 Surprise Mini Brands Disney Store Edition Mystery Pack (ZURU)

3

Jurassic World Dominion Roar Strikers Figures 9-Inch Assortment (Mattel)

3

5 Surprise Toy Mini Brands Capsule Assortment (ZURU)

4

Sonic the Hedgehog Figure 4-Inch (Jakks Pacific)

4

NFL Donruss Optic Football 6-Pack Blaster Box 2021 (Panini)

5

Roblox Mystery Figures Assortment 3-Inch (Jazwares)

5

Major League Baseball 2022 Bowman Blaster Box 6-Pack (Topps)

TOP DOLLAR GROWTH PROPERTIES

TOP DOLLAR GROWTH PROPERTIES

RANK

PROPERTY

RANK

PROPERTY

1

Jurassic Park/World

1

National Football League

2

Funko Pop!

2

National Basketball Association

3

Sonic the Hedgehog

3

Disney (All Other)

4

Marvel Universe

4

Major League Baseball

5

DC Universe

5

5 Surprise

*New is defined as having zero dollar sales YTD September 2021. | Source: The NPD Group/Retail Tracking Service/U.S. Toys/YTD September 2022

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INDUSTRY UPDATE

MONSTER JAM, SPIN MASTER SET GUINNESS WORLD RECORD

Monster Jam host Scott Jordan and Guinness World Records Adjudicator Mike Marcotte | Source: Spin Master

Feld Entertainment’s Monster Jam and its master toy partner Spin Master achieved a Guinness World Record at an Oct. 29 event, with 10,005 monster truck toys in a mosaic display, re-creating the Monster Jam logo.

Guinness World Records officially validated the title for this record (“Largest Display of Monster Truck Toys”) during the event at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida. The trucks were lined up on a ramp consisting of 6,600 feet of track, then were let loose to race down. »

HASBRO SPARK CALLS ON INTERNATIONAL INVENTORS FOR IDEAS

Hasbro, the company behind Transformers, My Little Pony, G.I. Joe, NERF, and Power Rangers, is opening its Hasbro Spark platform to international inventors.

Since its launch in 2016, Hasbro Spark has received thousands of submissions from creators in the U.S. Now, the idea submission platform is open to inventors in Canada, the UK, Australia, Hong Kong, and New Zealand.

The Hasbro Spark Platform has already identified and worked with several inventors, including Leo Taylor of Just Playing Games. Taylor’s Escape & Solve Mystery Game, Clue: Treachery at Tudor Mansion, is in stores now.

Interested inventors can find full details and submission guidelines at spark.hasbro.com. »

LEGO PLAY WELL REPORT SAYS ADULTS NEED NEW WAYS TO RELAX

Adult life can be stressful, as confirmed by The LEGO Group’s global Play Well 2022 Report, which indicates that 93% of adults worldwide are feeling regularly stressed and 80% are looking for new ways to relax. The majority of people seeking these new methods have said that doing something creative or manual is more fulfilling than a passive activity.

In response to these results, LEGO wants to encourage adults to pick up LEGO sets to unwind.

LEGO has many sets targeted specifically to adults and an entire section of its online store is devoted to that market.

The company hopes to use this new report to encourage more adults to enter the hobby.

In addition to releasing the report, LEGO is responding to the new data with a number of in-person events in their stores. The LEGO Lates series will offer after-hours events for adult fans of LEGO (who the company calls “AFOLs”) and will include talks, performances, and fashion shows, as well as LEGO building and a goody bag guests can take home. »

JUST PLAY NAMED MASTER TOY PARTNER FOR AFRO UNICORN

Following deals with Dan Dee International and Walmart earlier this year, April Showers’ growing Afro Unicorn brand is headed to the toy department. Just Play inked a deal with the brand to serve as its master toy partner.

Under the new agreement, Just Play holds global rights to create and distribute toys in a variety of categories, including figures, dolls, playsets, collectibles, roleplay, plush, activities, novelties, construction, and more.

Additionally, the partnership includes collaborations with Shrinky Dinks, the

classic brand that Just Play acquired a few years ago.

Just Play’s Afro Unicorn line will hit retail in 2024. »

EXPLODING KITTENS, PENN JILLETTE PARTNER FOR NEW GAME

Exploding Kittens has teamed up with Penn Jillette — one half of the magic duo Penn & Teller — for You Lying Sack, a party game for players ages 7 and up.

In this game of strategy, players pull a “Good Thing” or “Bad Thing” from the Lying Sack, then must decide if they will bluff or tell the truth to their opponents.

The game is available now at the Exploding Kittens website and will be at Walmart in January. »

Source: Exploding Kittens

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22 THE TOY BOOK | NOVEMBER 2022 | toybook.com

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by MADELEINE BUCKLEY, senior editor STEM IS TRENDING AGAIN — AND IN a big way. Toys that teach kids about science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) are finally getting their due, according to Abacus Brands CEO Steve Rad. Parents, he says, are prioritizing learning through play.

But this isn’t just talk: The data backs up Rad’s claim of a STEM upswing.

According to The NPD Group, sales in the Scientific Toys category grew 5% yearto-date through September 2022 and the three-year compound annual growth rate for the category is up by 15%. Arizton Advisory and Intelligence also released a report last December predicting that the STEM toy market will grow to around $9.5 billion in revenue by 2025.

While many factors are influencing this growth, Rad gives a lot of credit to the COVID-19 pandemic for encouraging adults to seek out more engaging, enriching toys.

“Parents were forced into a pocket where they had all this bombardment at home and they were like, ‘How am I gonna weed out the noise and find what’s actually educational versus just pretending to be?’” he says. “The entire category is finally getting to a place where parents care, and they are actually looking at STEM and educational toys as way more of a, ‘Where should I put my dollars?’”

And as parents look to answer that question, there are trends emerging within the STEM category. Some reflect trends seen in the wider toy industry,

while others are more specific to educational play.

SCIENCE GOES GREEN One common element of many current STEM toys is sustainability and environmental conservation. While this is certainly a trending theme throughout the toy aisle, it is especially at home in the STEM category, as topics like global warming and alternative energy are deeply rooted in science.

Bill Nye’s VR Science Kit | Source: Abacus Brands

Over the past few years, Thames & Kosmos has released multiple STEM sets focused on alternative energy, including its WindBots and SolarBots kits, which

kids can use to build robot models powered by the sun and wind. Next year, the company will release Solar Race Car, a kit for building a car powered by the sun. Andrew Quartin, CEO of Thames & Kosmos, says that kits like these help kids understand, apply, and become interested in trending scientific topics that will impact their future.

“Alternative energy is a major talking point these days, so we feel it’s our responsibility to provide resources for kids to understand what it is and how it relates to the well-being of our planet,” he says. “There’s no doubt that kids are hearing about alternative energy, but are they really understanding what it is and what its implications are? That’s where we come in.”

SERVING UP STEM Another industrywide trend that has found a foothold in STEM is the use of food and food-adjacent themes. In educational play, this can mean kids growing or making their own food, as is the case with Blue Marble’s National Geographic Herb Garden Growing Kit, which came out earlier this year.

The set comes with everything kids need to grow basil, chives, and oregano, including soil, seeds, and pots that kids can decorate. According to Director of Marketing Chris Loeffler, Blue Marble was specifically looking to expand into botany when developing the herb-growing kit.

Growing and caring for these plants

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introduces skills such as measuring water volume and tracking sun exposure, but the edible element can also help kids develop healthy habits. For example, Loeffler explains, kids who grow their own herbs, fruits, or vegetables are often more willing to try new foods.

“This kit also enables us to show the basics of seed growth and how much time and effort goes into growing the produce we buy. We hope that exposure to the reality of plant and food growth encourages kids to look at the foods on their plates differently and to be empowered to ask to visit a local farm if it’s available,” he says.

“Overall, the practical use of a toy like this is to further expand a kid’s desire to know more about the world around them.”

Thames & Kosmos also offers a variety of food-related STEM kits, often with a slightly sweeter approach. This includes candy science sets that teach kids to create their own treats from scratch and kits featuring pre-made treats, such as a claw machine and a gumball machine.

In these cases, Quartin says the company isn’t trying to bribe kids with candy.

Instead, they are trying to find a point of accessibility or interest that may get kids excited about science and learning.

“Most kids enjoy candy or are intrigued by cooking. They may not readily admit to liking STEM subjects, however,” he says. “With our candy science kits, we’re helping them to realize that science is everywhere. Even more so, they can start to understand that, without science, the tasty bubble gum they get as a treat wouldn’t exist!”

IMPROVING THE ‘T’ IN STEM Technology has, by definition, always been a part of STEM toys; however, the way technology is used in educational play continues to develop and change. A glance at new and upcoming STEM toys certainly shows plenty of advanced technology. In the coding robot space alone, there is the new RVR+ from Sphero, the upcoming Pyxel A Coder’s Best Friend electronic pet from Educational Insights, and KAI, an artificial intelligence robot from Thames & Kosmos.

As technology itself gets smarter, toy companies are also getting smarter about how they use that tech in their products.

At this point, technology in toys is almost an anti-trend, as companies shift away

from using technology just for the sake of it. “There was, I think, a period where it was just tech, tech, tech, tech, tech,” Rad says. “And it was just whatever, as much as you could shove down their throats to sell tech.”

Abacus, which produces augmented reality and virtual reality (VR) science exploration sets, recently won a Toy of the Year award for its Bill Nye’s VR Science Kit, which deeply integrates technology into learning and play. Rad explains that technology can be a great way to upgrade analog educational experiences, like books, but that toy companies have to present that tech in a digestible, informative way for kids.

“Parents are starting to see all the crap out there and [they are] saying, ‘Hey, this one’s actually cool,’” he says. “‘This one actually makes sense, this one’s digestible. Whereas this other one is just bombardment, just a bunch of nonsense.’ … I think that the companies that take their time to do it correctly and use the tech as an added value are the ones that are helping that evolution.”

KEEPING KIDS ENGAGED Overall, whether STEM toys are tricked out with tech, bringing kids in with their taste buds, or making a complex learning topic fun, many toymakers agree that getting kids engaged in science is the key.

For Blue Marble, this means getting kids’ hands on authentic specimens and conducting hands-on experiments. “Our mission is to create purposeful products that inspire a love of learning in children and empower parents to raise thoughtful, confident kids,” Loeffler says. “To achieve that mission, we lean heavily on providing kids with memorable STEM experiences they can draw on throughout their life.”

Another option is bringing in characters and themes that kids already love and highlighting the science behind them.

This is the goal of Thames & Kosmos’ new Jurassic World line, which launched this year and will expand next year. These sets take a beloved, fictional world and bring in very real

paleontology skills.

In the end, the goal for STEM toys is incredibly mission-driven, perhaps more so than any other category. As Rad explains, STEM toys are not in the business of selling hundreds of thousands of units in the way that popular plush brands or under-$10 stocking stuffers are. Instead, STEM toys aim to offer a more meaningful connection.

“The volume isn’t there, but we’re gonna inspire that one kid. We’re gonna change that one life who saw the item and their path forever reignited or went in a different direction,” Rad says. “That’s what STEM is for, right? I mean, it’s a category for sure, but you’re trying to manipulate the thought process — the way a child absorbs thoughts and the way they process ideas. And it’s a very, very tall order.” » Madeleine Buckley is a senior editor at The Toy Book where she covers the latest toy news and trends. She is a movie score enthusiast, a mediocre knitter, a proud Syracuse University alumna, and a Marvel lover. You can usually find her at the movies or hanging out at home with her super-pup, Parker.

A rendering of the Solar Race Car, which will be out next year Source: Thames & Kosmos

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MAGFORMERS Magformers Challenger Sets | Ages: 3+ MSRP: $27.99-55.99 | Available: Fall 2023

THAMES & KOSMOS Forensic Investigation Kit | Ages: 8+ | MSRP: $34.95 Available: Spring 2023 This laboratory station is part of a new activity line called Spy Labs Incorporated. With this kit, kids can learn about forensic science by using an ultraviolet light; analyzing fingerprints, soil, ink, and handwriting; performing experiments on evidence; and more. The experiments are paired with stories, mysteries, and crimes to solve for an imaginative, storytelling element.

VTECH VTech Marble Rush Tip & Swirl Set | Ages: 4+ | MSRP: $17.99 Available: January 2023 Kids can create three builds — or their own original course — by connecting 47 colorcoded pieces in this marble run set.

Young builders will learn about gravity and other physics principles as they watch the marbles go through a swirling funnel, baskets, hairpin turns, ramps, and more. The set is compatible with other Marble Rush sets.

ABACUS BRANDS Professor Maxwell’s VR Atlas | Ages: 8+ | MSRP: $59.99 Available: January 2023 This interactive virtual reality (VR) kit for kids will be updated with new places and experiences. The 45-piece set includes a variety of activities and a 148-page book detailing a variety of countries.

Kids can learn about these countries through immersive, step-by-step videos featuring Professor Maxwell.

The set also includes a pair of hands-free goggles, which offer a hands-free VR experience when combined with a smart device.

The Magformers Challenger sets (available in 14- and 30-piece versions) include two new magnetic shapes: the mini hexagon and the mini octagon. These smaller pieces have magnets on every side and are compatible with original-size Magformers for new building possibilities.

THE LEARNING JOURNEY Pop and Discover Activity Cube | Ages: 1+ MSRP: $24.99 | Available: January 2023 This activity cube for babies and toddlers encourages early learning, combining geometric shape sorting with fidget poppers and other sensory activities. The shapes fit inside the toy when kids aren’t using the cube.

GEOMAGWORLD Magicube Blocks & Cards Set | Ages: 2+ | MSRP: $30 Available: Spring 2023 The Magicube line expands with a new set that features progressive play activities that guide kids in building shapes by combining colored blocks made of recycled plastics. This set comes with 10 magnetic blocks and six double-sided 1:1-scale cards that offer 12 activity prompts for the blocks.

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SPHERO RVR+ | Ages: 8+ | MSRP: $279 | Available: Now Kids learn coding skills and computer science basics with this programmable robot, which is drivable out of the box and features a suite of sensors. The wheeled robot is customizable to suit both novice and advanced coders.

CONNETIX MINDWARE Explore STEM With Ada Lovelace & Explore STEM With Marie Curie Ages: 8+ | MSRP: $22.95 Available: Spring 2023 Each of these sets — sold separately — includes handson activities that explore the lives and discoveries of pioneering women in STEM. Each comes with four activities and a detailed guidebook, exploring the basic concepts and histories of computer science (Ada Lovelace) or chemistry (Marie Curie).

Connetix 24-Piece Rainbow Mini Pack | Ages: 3+ MSRP: $35 | Available: Now Kids can explore shapes and colors while building 2D and 3D designs using the 24 colorful, magnetic tile shapes in this set. Young builders can make rockets, houses, flowers, cityscapes, and more. All of the tiles have Connetix’s signature bevel design.

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HAND2MIND Numberblocks Sequencing Puzzle Set | Ages: 3+ MSRP: $14.99 | Available: January 2023

LEARNING RESOURCES MathLink Cubes Brain Games Pack | Ages: 5+ MSRP: $19.99 | Available: Fall 2023 This set turns MathLink Cubes into a variety of games inspired by checkers, Tetris, and more. The games encourage critical-thinking, problemsolving, and other STEM skills, and can be played alone or head-to-head. The set includes 100 MathLink cubes and 15 doublesided activity cards.

This set features Numberblocks One to Twenty from the Netflix series Numberblocks. Kids start by building a five-piece puzzle featuring Numberblocks One to Five, then gradually progress to a 20-piece puzzle.

FAT BRAIN TOYS EDUCATIONAL INSIGHTS GeoSafari Jr. Talking Space Explorer | Ages: 4+ | MSRP: $99.99 Available: Spring 2023 Kids can explore the cosmos via hours of immersive video and interactive audio content featuring Netflix star and aerospace expert Emily Calandrelli. The telescope teaches aspiring astro-nuts about planets, stars, galaxies, and more.

Tiltago | Ages: 8+ MSRP: $12.95 Available: January 2023 Tilt and roll this handheld puzzle to arrange the colored spheres in order while navigating around two blockers. Line up the spheres by number or roll them into a rainbow. Tiltago doubles as a brainteaser and a fidget toy.

BLUE MARBLE ELENCO Snap Circuits Elements 140 | Ages: 8+ | MSRP: $29.99 Available: Now This Snap Circuit building set includes components for 140 projects that teach about electronics, including a siren fan, an electric heater, and a Happy Birthday circuit. The set features a detailed instruction guide and numbered, color-coded, snap-together pieces.

National Geographic Epic Forts Kit | Ages: 4+ MSRP: $49.99 | Available: Fall 2023 Kids can construct custom forts with this 70-piece set, utilizing poles, connectors, coverings, and fabric clips.

Using the special flexible connectors, kids can build a variety of shapes, including domes.

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3DOODLER 3Doodler Start+ Maker Bundle | Ages: 6+ | MSRP: $59.99 Available: Now

HORIZON GROUP USA The Young Scientists Club Gemstone Treasures Tumbler Ages: 6+ | MSRP: $21.99 | Available: Now This set comes with eight real gemstones for kids to identify and polish using the included hand-powered rock tumbler. The set also includes a set of 40 illustrated game cards that kids can use to play bingo, memory, and other geology-themed games.

This 3D printing set includes a Start+ pen, plus the materials and instructions for 20 design projects with varying levels of complexity. Kids can also use the pen to draw their own designs and creations in 3D.

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One of the most iconic preschool brands enters a new toy era.

by MADELEINE BUCKLEY, senior editor IT’S BEEN MORE THAN 50 YEARS since the kids of the world first met Big Bird, Oscar the Grouch, and the rest of the Sesame Street gang.

While the residents of this welcoming, fictional street became an educational staple for kids on screen, they have also become fixtures in the toy aisle. For the same five decades that these beloved characters have taught counting, reading, and life skills, they have also appeared in playsets and games and in the form of plush, figures, and more.

Now, a new chapter of Sesame Street’s toy journey begins. Following a 10-year licensing partnership with Hasbro, the brand has named Just Play as its multi-territory master toy licensee for North America, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. In this multiyear deal, Just Play will produce a wide range of toys for the show, which will start hitting shelves in the spring.

According to Gabriela Arenas, senior vice president of global products licensing at Sesame Workshop, Just Play was the right fit for this partnership because

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of the company’s wide-reaching retailer and distribution network, experience across multiple product categories, and — most importantly — values.

“Just Play stands for exactly that — they believe kids should just play and thrive,” Arenas says. “Strategic partnerships like this work because we’re mission aligned. It extends beyond product. It’s about collaborating to make a positive impact on kids and families.”

Sunny Lauridsen, senior vice president of licensing and brand strategy at Just Play, says that is exactly what the company plans to do with its new Sesame Street products: emphasize the core values that define the show. “Sesame Street is a place where all kids are welcome,” Lauridsen says. “We pride ourselves in bringing toys to market that invite all children to play and imagine.”

And Just Play is jumping right into keeping that promise, launching multiple Sesame Street product lines for its initial offering. These include some classic play items, such as the Sesame Street Friends 8-inch plush assortment and the Sesame

Sesame Street Dino Stomp Elmo | Source: Just Play

Street Neighborhood Friends 3-inch figure packs. These toy lines feature a variety of characters from the series, including both classic characters — like Elmo and Cookie Monster — and newer faces, such as Gabrielle and Julia.

There are also interactive toys on the

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way, perhaps most notably the Sesame Street Dino Stomp Elmo, which depicts the popular character dressed as a dinosaur. According to Lauridsen, this toy was inspired by the classic nursery rhyme “If You’re Happy and You Know It” and viral, dinosaur-themed Elmo content that has amassed millions of views on YouTube.

“We can’t wait to see the videos of kids dancing and stomping along with their best friend Elmo,” she says.

Incorporating this viral moment into the products is one way that Just Play is appealing to today’s kids and families.

“While there are more preschool brands today than ever before, Sesame has never slowed down,” Arenas says.

“Our success can be attributed to the continual innovation in product and content, and accessibility to all of our fans. Just Play will help ensure we remain innovative and accessible.”

Another key component of these new toys is learning through play, which is a central pillar of the Sesame Street brand

and this partnership. “If you can hold a child’s attention, you can help educate them,” Arenas explains. “By offering engaging toys kids love to play with, we’re able to infuse key learning opportunities — including potty time, ABCs, and developing a positive self-identity — while having fun.”

Some of the educational Sesame Street toys coming from Just Play include Elmo’s Learning Letters, a bus-shaped activity board with removable letter pieces that kids can use to practice spelling, and the Learn with Elmo phone, which features more than 50 learning phrases, songs, and sounds.

Having beloved characters along for the learning experience also enhances these products, as both Arenas and Lauridsen note, because kids feel connected to these furry friends. And on top of that, the show’s deep-rooted nostalgia makes Sesame Street toys multigenerational.

“Sesame Street characters that kids love today are the same ones that their

parents grew up adoring,” Lauridsen says. “By having these characters that have been trusted for more than 50 years, there is a familiarity — and a cross-generational comfort level — that makes it easier for parents and caregivers to nurture children’s educational and emotional growth.”

As parents who fondly remember their own Little People Sesame Street playsets — or who begged for a Tickle Me Elmo in its ’90s heyday — begin shopping for toys to enrich their preschoolers’ playrooms, they will have plenty of options.

Beyond the initial launch this spring, Just Play will release new Sesame Street products in additional categories, as the licensing agreement includes vehicles, role play, bath toys, and more. These toys will incorporate the nostalgia, interactivity, and educational value that parents expect from Sesame Street.

It’s sunny days ahead for this playfilled partnership! »

Some of the upcoming Sesame Street toys from Just Play include (clockwise from top left) the Elmo’s Learning Letters activity board, 8-inch Sesame Street Friends Plush, and 3-inch Sesame Street Neighborhood Friends figures. All of these toys are designed for kids ages 2 and up. | Source: Just Play

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by JAMES ZAHN, editor-in-chief ON THE WEST SIDE OF CHICAGO, major innovation is taking place inside a storied facility amid the echoes of toy industry history.

At its core, 105-year-old Radio Flyer is powered by innovation in its DNA. Founded in 1917 as the Liberty Coaster Co. by Italian immigrant Antonio Pasin, the company has followed a path of continuous evolution from the wooden coaster wagons of the original Liberty Line to the introduction of the famed Little Red Wagon and beyond.

It was inspiration from the auto industry that helped shape an icon. Pasin earned the nickname “Little Ford” by developing the metal stamping process that would lend itself to the creation of millions of red steel wagons to be forged in Chicago and enjoyed by kids around the world.

Dubbed “Radio Flyer” due to Pasin’s fascination with the power of radio and the wonder of flight, the wagons quickly became the famous symbol of the renamed Radio Steel & Mfg. Co. Despite the challenges of the Great Depression

and World War II, the company went on to great success. In the decades that followed, designers at Radio Flyer embraced changing consumer habits

The Little Red Wagon is an American classic that is still available and has been enjoyed by generations.

Source: Radio Flyer

and trends to evolve the wagon lineup with stylish new offerings, including the Streak-O-Lite and Radio Chief. As the roster expanded with dozens of styles, the company became an early player in the licensing business by forging a partnership with The Walt Disney Co. for wagons

inspired by The Mickey Mouse Club and Davy Crockett.

It wasn’t long before the company spread its wings to develop products beyond wagons, including toys and home products geared toward the entire family.

From toddler walkers and trikes to garden carts and scooters, Radio Flyer adopted a forward-looking approach to create countless hits, with a few misses along the way.

PIONEERING SUSTAINABILITY In 2017, Radio Flyer celebrated its 100th anniversary by completing a sustainable reinvention of its headquarters.

The former factory became the first LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Platinum-certified building in Illinois. The campus includes geothermal heating and cooling, water-efficient native landscaping, and preferred parking for energy-efficient vehicles. And the campus continues to evolve with new additions, including a SolarEdge rooftop solar power system that was added to several of its buildings last year.

The Heritage Gallery at Radio Flyer HQ

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Flyer e-bikes on Chicago’s lakefront. | Source: Radio Flyer

The headquarters houses all of Radio Flyer’s operational departments, including research and development, design, and sales. Even the customer service department is run from Chicago in a facility that serves as a constant source of inspiration. Inside, factory elements have been preserved, including conveyor chains holding steel wagon shells that hang from high above. In the lobby, a Heritage Gallery contains real examples of Radio Flyer innovation dating back to the original Liberty Coaster Wagon and capped by products from the company’s biggest innovation to date: a new line of electric bikes (e-bikes) and scooters dubbed Flyer.

FROM TOYS TO MOBILITY “We have always looked at the bike category as a potential for Radio Flyer, as consumers associate Radio Flyer with anything with wheels, including bicycles, and many think we have made them for years,” says Radio Flyer’s Chief Wagon Officer Robert Pasin, a third-generation toymaker, the grandson of the founder.

Last year, the Flyer e-bike collection launched with an initial offering aimed at adults. The bikes, which come in different frame sizes, are engineered with a 500watt rear hub motor and come equipped with a Flight Speed lithium-ion battery.

Each bike has five levels of pedal assist and a throttle- only option that can power it without pedaling to tackle inclines. And the Flyer S533 e-scooter serves as what the company calls a “micro-mobility” solution that can travel up to 15 miles and folds up for easy storage.

Pasin says that Radio Flyer’s relationship with Tesla — which began nearly 10 years ago to develop the Tesla Model S for Kids and recently spawned the Toy of the Year (TOTY) Award-nominated Cyber-

quad for Kids (which the Feds deemed an “ATV” rather than a “toy” last month) — completely changed the game.

“Through our collaboration with the Tesla design team, we developed expertise in lithium-ion batteries and motors,” Pasin explains. “As the electric vehicle (EV) market continues to grow, more and

Flyer 860 Folding Cargo Bike Source: Radio Flyer

more families are turning in the minivan keys for a more fun and sustainable transportation solution with electric bikes,” he says. “As leaders in designing world-class products for hauling kids and cargo, we used this expertise to design the best e-bike for families on the go, providing an alternative mode of transportation to cars. We are passionate about families replacing more car trips with bike rides.”

This month, Radio Flyer is rolling out its newest innovation: the Flyer 860 Folding Cargo Bike. The Flyer 860 features a space-saving design that stores easily at home and can be transported in the trunk of a car for family outings.

During a preview event last month at Radio Flyer headquarters, Product Development Engineer Ago Lobello noted that he’s already put more than 1,000 miles on his personal Flyer e-bike, not counting the unlogged miles traveled on devel-

opment prototypes, of which there are many, as the company continues to finetune its production and design efforts.

“The more complex the product, the more time it takes to develop,” Pasin says. “We are committed to the highest standards of quality and safety, and we ensure that we are bringing innovation to the market.”

Aside from the distinctive heft of the Flyer line’s beefy tires and sturdy frames, a key element that differentiates this collection from others in the EV market is the thoughtful range of add-on accessories to customize the functionality of the experience. The line includes kid and cargo carriers, storage cases and baskets, mirrors, cellphone holders, and a frame-mounted waterproof storage bag.

LOOKING AHEAD TO A BIG 2023 Radio Flyer’s product lineup is growing in a big way to include new categories for all ages, such as bounce houses and bumper cars for toddlers, folding playhouses with slides, go-karts, and a steady stream of modern wagons to serve a growing distribution pipeline that spans direct-to-consumer, mass retail, and select independent toy stores across the U.S. and around the world.

Meanwhile, while the Flyer brand launched with e-bikes for adults, the brand is adding kids’ products, including bikes, three-wheeled scooters, and the Extreme Drift Go-Kart.

“Trusted and loved by families for more than 100 years, our mission is to bring smiles and create warm memories that last a lifetime,” Pasin says. “Radio Flyer is always investing in innovation, and this year we have the largest number of new products in development in our brand’s 105-year history — but many of those products are top secret for now.” » toybook.com | NOVEMBER 2022 | THE TOY BOOK 35

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MOOSE TOYS Heroes of Goo Jit Zu — Stretch and Strike Thrash Mobile Ages: 4+ | MSRP: $39.99 | Available: Now

SUNNY DAYS ENTERTAINMENT Mini Food Trucks: 3 Assorted Vehicles – BBQ Truck, Cupcake Truck, Taco Truck | Ages: 3+ MSRP: $7.99 | Available: Spring 2023 Serve up some fun with this multipack of mini 5-inch-long food trucks. These vehicles feature a friction-rev motor, grip tires, realistic sounds and music, and flashing lights.

FLYBAR

Stretch or squish the Thrash Mobile to transform the speedy cruiser into a monster truck.

The set includes a Thrash figure and a blaster cannon that fires a projectile. Kids can activate the attack mode by pushing down on the engine block, then stretch the fin back down to revert back to speed mode.

SPIN MASTER Black Panther 6V Battery Powered Motorcycle Ride On Ages: 3+ | MSRP: $119 | Available: Now This epic ride-on features a rechargeable battery, forward and reverse capabilities, LED highlights, and reflective mirrors. Preschoolers up to 65 pounds can ride safely with thanks to training wheels and a max speed of 2 mph.

Monster Jam Mystery Mudders | Ages: 3+ MSRP: $6.99 | Available: Spring 2023 Monster Mudders are mystery reveal die-cast trucks that are completely covered in mud. Kids can watch the “dirt” disappear in water to reveal the truck. The line also includes an exclusive rare die-cast vehicle for kids to collect.

FUNRISE TOYS Rocket League Light Blast Racer | Ages: 5+ | MSRP: $19.97 | Available: Now Take the excitement of Rocket League off-screen with this working vehicle replica. The Rocket League Light Blast Racer is 9 inches long and features customizable capabilities, functional headlights and tail lights, light-up graphics, lightup translucent toppers, and translucent interchangeable wheel covers.

Each vehicle includes a replica game ball.

SKY ROVER Sky Rover KnightForce | Ages: 8+ | MSRP: $19.97 | Available: Now This R/C helicopter is ready to take flight. It features 2.4 GHz, six-way controls, with up to seven minutes of continuous flight per charge and LED front lighting.

Every flight is smooth and stable with Knightforce’s gyro-balanced engine.

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TOMY Build-A-Buddy Batmobile | Ages: 18 MOS+ MSRP: $24.99 | Available: Fall 2023 Kids can assemble the Batmobile using the included toy drill and bit and take it apart for another play experience.

The Batmobile includes a Batman figure and comes with 2 AA batteries pre-installed.

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SILVERLIT My First RC Bumper Car | Ages: 3+ | MSRP: $19.99 Available: Now

MATTEL

Hot Wheels City Ultimate T-Rex Transporter Ages: 4+ | MSRP: $79.99 Available: July 2023 This transporter converts from from transporter mode to dino mode. In transporter mode, kids can easily push around the car-eating machine, storing more than 20 cars, and chomping them as it rolls with lights and sounds.

In dino mode, race down the back of the T-Rex in a two-lane race or stomp forward with moving legs. This set includes two die-cast cars.

NEW BRIGHT Snake Bite Battery Radio Control Monster Truck With Lights, Sounds, and Vapor | Ages: 6+ | MSRP: $74 | Available: Now This fierce-looking monster truck replica features a detailed frame and body, working lights, oversize rubber tires, and authentic graphics inspired by Bigfoot’s nemesis. It features rumbling engine sounds and a vapor steam effect, self-righting rollover recovery, and four-wheel drive.

Race up to six vehicles interference-free with 2.4 GHz technology.

MCFARLANE TOYS Avatar: The Way of Water — Radio Controlled Akula Ages: 12+ | MSRP: $39.99 | Available: Now The Akula swims through the water with the highly realistic agile movement and control of a real shark. It features 2.4 GHz full-function remote control allowing for forward, backward, left, and right movement, two auto teaching modes, variable speed controllers for subtle lifelike movements, a battery run time at up to 40 minutes per use, and glow-in-the-dark effects.

This remote-control bumper car is great for little hands. When the side of the bumper car hits any obstacle, the car will spin around, and when preschoolers consistently hit obstacles, the driver figure will eject from the seat with funny sound effects.

WECOOL TOYS Drift King | Ages: 8+ | MSRP: $39.99 | Available: Now This light-up, 1:10-scale R/C car has slick rear wheels for drifting and durability, and comes equipped with a 2.4 GHz frequency controller, a powerful motor, and customizable neon lighting.

JADA TOYS Disney 1:24 Princess Cinderella Horse-Drawn Carriage R/C Ages: 3+ | MSRP: $19.99 | Available: Now Cinderella rides in style in this 1:24-scale R/C carriage. Including an easy-to-operate remote control and regal carriage, Cinderella’s horse takes her on adventures with majestic galloping action. The simple two-button remote-control design is perfect for first-time drivers.

NKOK Rtr High Performance Off-Road Blaze Monster Truck Ages: 6+ | Available: Spring 2023 This R/C vehicle inspired by Blaze and the Monster Machines features one of the fastest turbo boost switches NKOK has ever produced. Kids can do wheelies on and off road with a range of up to 150 feet.

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JAKKS PACIFIC Mario Kart 24V Ride-On Racer | Ages: 3+ MSRP: $399.99 | Available: Now

PLAYMOBIL Star Trek Klingon Bird-of-Prey Ages: 10+ | MSRP: $299.99 Available: January 2023 The Playmobil x Star Trek collection expands with the introduction of this spaceship inspired

by Star Trek III: The Search for Spock. The detailed ship features lights and sounds. It comes with Playmobil figures of Commander Kruge, Admiral Kirk, Mr. Spock, Klingon Maltz, and two more of Kruge’s crew members. The roof of the bridge is removable to access the cockpit. Kids can activate a variety of functions using the four buttons on the ship’s hull.

SAKAR INTERNATIONAL Bluey Heeler 6V Ride-On | Ages: 2+ MSRP: $129.99 | Available: Now Toddlers and preschoolers can cruise the neighborhood at a max speed of 1.5 mph with this 6-volt ride-on inspired by BBC Studios’ Bluey.

It features a musical steering wheel with sounds from the show, reflective side mirrors, working headlights, and a spare tire storage case.

FLYBAR

Kids can play Mario Kart in real life with this Toy of the Year-winning ride-on. The vehicle features 24 volts that safely propel it up to 8 mph and through three forward and reverse speeds. It has oversized rear wheels for drifting, an adjustable seat belt, and realistic in-game sounds such as engine sounds, an item box effect, Superstar Mode, the iconic theme song from Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, and more.

GREENLIGHT COLLECTIBLES 1:64 1990 Dodge D-350 — 2023 GreenLight Trade Show Exclusive | Ages: 14+ | Available: Winter 2023 Greenlight Collectibles celebrates the return of in-person toy industry trade shows with this limited-edition die-cast pickup truck. The truck is adorned with graphics honoring Spielwarenmesse, Toy Fair, and the HKTDC shows.

NIKKO R/C

1:16th Rally Series Assortment With Extra Tires Ages: 6+ | MSRP: $34.99 | Available: Fall 2023 This full functioned radio-controlled car uses Nikko’s 2.4 GHz transmission technology to reduce signal interference and latency for long range and better control. The M-Sport Ford Puma Hybrid Rally 1 (pictured) includes both Tarmac and Gravel tires that kids can swap to handle different road surfaces.

Hoonigan Collection | Ages: 6+ | Available: Fall 2023 One of the biggest new additions to the vehicles and R/C category begins rolling out next fall when Flybar introduces its Hoonigan collection. Under a licensing pact revealed ahead of Licensing Expo this year, Flybar will produce R/C vehicles, ride-ons, and playsets inspired by the Hoonigan automotive lifestyle brand and its signature vehicles — like the Hoonicorn and Hoonitruck — and more.

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compiled by HANNAH SACKS, editorial assistant LET’S BE HONEST: KIDS GROW UP fast and age out of toys quickly. One day they’re teething and playing with blocks, and the next they’re playing video games after school. With so much toy turnover, landfills ended up chock-full of little plastic pieces that take centuries to break down. But, in the past few years, toy companies have become more cognizant of the environment and have pledged to do better,

and it’s happened alongside the rise of a new generation of consumer.

The transition to a sustainable future is happening. Hasbro has committed to virtually eliminate all single-use plastic from new product packaging by the end of this year. The LEGO Group employs a team of 150 people to find more sustainable solutions, such as creating its first brick made entirely from recycled plastic. Melissa & Doug recently

PLUS-PLUS

revealed its eco-friendly commitments with Project Restore, a sustainability initiative with One Tree Planted to plant nearly 10 million trees by 2030.

It’s clear that the tide is shifting in the industry — it’s keen to be environmentally clean.

With that in mind, here are some of our favorite new eco-friendly and sustainable products to get on your radar. »

MADAME ALEXANDER DOLL CO.

Color Cars — Earth | Ages: 5+ MSRP: $16.99 | Available: Winter 2023

Baby Alexander — Baby Alex and Baby Lexi | Ages: 0+ | MSRP: $34.95 Available: Now

Future engineers can build an Earth-themed car using 200 pieces that are made using food-grade materials and manufactured in a facility with zero plastic waste that is powered using 100% wind energy.

These soft cloth baby dolls are made from eco-friendly materials and come dressed in pink flowers or blue stripes. Kids can choose between Baby Alex or Baby Lexi and enter the world of nurturing play.

HASBRO Peppa Pig Wooden Deluxe Playhouse Ages: 3+ | MSRP: $146.99 Available: Now Kids can play out a day in Peppa Pig’s house with this dollhouse playset made from responsibly sourced FSC-certified wood. The house contains three levels, eight rooms, and comes with 29 accessories, including Peppa and George figures.

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CREATIVE KIDS

SHORE BUDDIES

Little Tikes Wood Pull Along Cozy Coupe | Ages: 2+ | MSRP: $5 Available: Spring 2023

Shore Buddies Minis | Ages: 12 MOS+ | MSRP: $12.95 Available: Spring 2023 These mini plush aquatic animals give marine life a voice by playing authentic animal sounds when kids press them. Each Shore Buddies Mini is made from recycled plastic bottles.

Little drivers can pull along the iconic cozy coupe with a wooden, eco-friendly style.

This environmentally friendly car comes with a woven pull string and rolling wooden wheels.

DR ZIGS Bubble Painting Kit | Ages: 3+ | MSRP: $36.99 | Available: Now This bubble painting kit combines the fun of painting with the joy of bubbles.

The set contains four 100-ml bottles of bubble paint, a bamboo straw, and a bamboo foamer. All of the bamboo is sustainably sourced and the bottles of bubble mix are made from 100% recycled plastic.

MATTEL Fisher-Price Rattle A-Latte Coffee Cup Teether Ages: 3MOS+ | MSRP: $5.99 Available: Now Made from ISCCcertified plastics and a minimum of 20% oil derived from plant sources, this coffee cup teether features sensory details such as fun rattling sounds and a teether top for little ones to chew on.

PLAYMOBIL

HAPE Hape Pandas’ Bamboo House | Ages: 3+ | MSRP: $149 Available: Fall 2023 Explore life in an eco-friendly world with the Pandas’ Bamboo Dollhouse. This three-story playset comes with Panda family figures, a house, and accessories — all made out of renewable materials such as bamboo and sugar cane plants. The home even includes pretend solar panels to encourage a sustainable lifestyle.

Wiltopia Collection | Ages: 4+ | MSRP: $79.99-109.99 Available: Now On average, Playmobil’s eco-friendly Wiltopia line is made of more than 80% sustainable materials. Kids will learn about animals, their habitats, and gain an appreciation for the Earth’s wildlife with the Wiltopia Research Tower with Compass and the Wiltopia Animal Care Station.

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QUBS Cody Block | Ages: 3+ | MSRP: $240 | Available: Early 2023 This educational set introduces kids to the basics of coding, from algorithms and sequencing to debugging and beyond.

Little coders will learn computational thinking through tactile, screen-free play with these blocks made from sustainable wood.

ADVENTERRA GAMES myEco House and School Jumbo Puzzle | Ages: 3+ MSRP: $24.99 | Available: Early 2023

GEOMAGWORLD

These two puzzles let little ones flex their memory skills to piece together a house or a school and discover healthy habits. Made from eco-friendly materials such as sugar cane shrink wrap, compostable cardboard, vegetable inks, and paper and wood certified by the Forest Stewardship Council, these puzzles help teach sustainable skills.

Magicubes Shapes Recycled 25 Pieces | Ages: 1+ | MSRP: $59.99 Available: Now Kids can stack these colorful, magnetic shapes to create different figures and structures. This 25-piece set is made entirely from recycled plastic — with the exclusion of rubber — and helps inspire new levels of creativity.

WILD REPUBLIC Message From the Planet Mystery Mailbox | Ages: All MSRP: $21.99 | Available: Q1 2023 This plush mailbox comes with a letter from the planet inside that teaches kids about the importance of sustainability. These plush are made from 100% recycled materials, with unique printing that features ontheme messages.

MGA ENTERTAINMENT L.O.L. Surprise! Loves Mini Sweets | Ages: 4+ MSRP: $9.99 | Available: Now L.O.L. Surprise! dolls get mashed up with fan-favorite candies such as Jolly Rancher, Smarties, Hershey’s Kisses, and more. Each doll comes packaged in a paper, compostable ball and uses renewable materials such as bamboo, wood, and sugar cane.

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Funko Pop! FAO Schwarz Toy Soldier | Source: Funko

by JACKIE CUCCO, senior editor IMAGINE WALKING INTO A TOY store as a kid to be greeted by toy soldiers that are taller than you are, walking among walls teeming with stuffed animals and shelves full of treasures. A place where you can dance on piano keys, leaving a trail of music behind you, or turn yourself into a collectible by making your own Funko Pop! That’s what it’s like at FAO Schwarz, with even more experiences to come as the company celebrates its 160th anniversary.

The iconic toy store got its start in 1862 when Frederick August Otto Schwarz put his dreams of a toy wonderland into action in the U.S. The brand has evolved in many ways since then,

The FAO Schwarz Ride-On Railway Source: AP Images for FAO Schwarz

expanding, contracting, and expanding again as the company changed hands.

Most recently, FAO Schwarz has been in growth mode with its toy soldiers reporting for duty at new flagship stores in London, Dublin, Milan, Beijing, and other locations around the world.

BIG CITY MAGIC In 2015, under the ownership of Toys “R” Us, FAO Schwarz closed its original flagship location on Fifth Avenue in New York City citing rising rent in the area. The company would not be dormant for long, as a 2016 sale to The ThreeSixty Group set the stage for a triumphant return and the opening of a new flagship store in

the heart of Rockefeller Center in 2019.

That’s where the 160th anniversary party was held on Oct. 8, which Eric Adams, the mayor of New York City proclaimed as FAO Schwarz Day. The descendants of the Schwarz family were there along with nearly 10,000 people. The event featured live performances and appearances from magicians, Broadway Cares, American Ballet Theatre students, balloonists, the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile, and more.

“When we relaunched the brand in 2017, literally New Yorkers would come up to us — and I’m not exaggerating — with tears in their eyes saying, ‘Oh my God, it wouldn’t be New York without FAO Schwarz,’” says David Niggli, chief

Toy soldiers welcome guests to FAO Schwarz’ 160th birthday party in New York City on Oct. 8, 2022 | Source: Sykes/AP Images for FAO Schwarz Bullseye’s Top Toys at FAO Schwarz in Rockefeller CenterCharles | Source: AP Images for FAO Schwarz

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merchandising officer of FAO Schwarz.

“It’s a great thing to be associated with and to hear such wonderful memories.”

A big part of the FAO Schwarz brand is the experience, helping families make memories through interactive and personalized in-store activities such as building R/C cars, customizing colorful doughs and compounds, or adopting a baby doll. Of course, the jumbo floor piano immortalized by Tom Hanks and Robert Loggia in 1988’s Big is still a mainstay at the New York City location — and now kids (and adults) can bring some of that magic home with a 69-by-31-inch Giant Dance-On Piano mat.

“Whether it was when Frederick first started it all back in 1862 up until now, that’s always been our mission: to bring a sense of wonder and amazement and a feeling of being swept away,” Niggli says.

In the past five years, FAO Schwarz has launched airport pop-up shops; themed hotel suites filled with toys; licensing programs in the candy, home, and accessory spaces; and even an FAO Schwirl ice cream flavor at Van Leeuwen Ice Cream shops.

HITTING THE BULLSEYE Following successful holiday partnerships over the past two years, FAO Schwarz and Target recently signed off on a multiyear agreement that will expand the reach of both retailers in the toy world. This holiday season, a selection of FAO Schwarz-branded toys are now available exclusively at Target stores, on target.com, and at FAO Schwarz stores.

The exclusive assortment features more than 120 toys across all toy categories with products ranging in price from $9.99-149.99, including 50 affordable toy options for under $20. Some of the new toys include the FAO Schwarz Style Runway 4-Sided Fashion Show Playset, the FAO Schwarz Ride On Train, the FAO Schwarz Makeup Vanity Mirror Set, and more than 50 new plush toys. Families can also look for an exclusive capsule

collection celebrating the 160th anniversary featuring several nostalgic FAO toys under $25, such as a Hot Wheels Collector Set from Mattel, an FAO 160th Anniversary Teddy Bear, and a special edition of America’s No. 1 card game, UNO. Even more FAO Schwarz toys will drop at Target all season long.

Additionally, Target launched its 10th annual Bullseye’s Top Toys list for the holidays, presented by FAO Schwarz. A dedicated pop-up shop within the FAO Schwarz Rockefeller Center location showcases a curated selection of toys from Bullseye’s list.

ments will host dedicated space for FAO Schwarz, with playful store displays and toy demonstrations planned throughout the holiday season.

“Through Target, we can reach a broader audience and bring that magic and wonder of FAO Schwarz [to stores] across the U.S.,” Niggli says. “It’s pretty amazing for a company that is 160 years old to have more eyeballs on the brand than ever before.”

BRANDS JOIN IN ON THE BASH Other brands are helping celebrate the 160th anniversary with commemorative items, including a FAO Schwarz 160th celebration T-Rex figure from Schleich and Funko Pop! FAO Schwarz Toy Soldiers. In addition to a limited-edition “chase” version of its figure, Funko also sold five Swarovski-covered versions of the limited-edition Pop! collectibles for $2,000 Toys from the FAO Schwarz 160th each at the October anniversary Anniversary Collection event in Rockefeller Center.

Source: FAO Schwarz FAO Schwarz is also the only store in North America that features an animatronic Schleich lion that roars. Last year, Schleich hosted an in-person casting call at FAO Schwarz in New York City, where the company found its chief storytelling officer, a 9-year-old kid named Marcello.

“Schleich and FAO Schwarz have a tremendous partnership that goes well beyond the traditional brand-retail relationship and plays an important role “One of the reasons families love in our growing business,” says Chief shopping at Target is because of our Commercial Officer of Schleich Annie incredible assortment of toys, and that Laurie Zomermaand. “Something magical selection is only getting better with happens when Schleich and FAO Schwarz our new exclusive agreement with the come together, and we’re honored to be beloved FAO Schwarz brand,” Target a part of their milestone year.”

Executive Vice President and Chief When the right partners lend their Merchandising Officer Jill Sando said support to a brand that has been around in a statement. “From hot new items as long as FAO Schwarz, it makes the conto time-tested favorites, we’ve curated sumer experience that much more special. our annual list of Bullseye’s Top Toys to As FAO Schwarz heads into its 161st create an easy, fun and affordable way for year, families can expect even more guests to find just the right gift for every events, displays, products, and memotoy lover on their list.” ries to last a lifetime. The brand is set It was important for FAO Schwarz to continue its expansion so that a new to bring its sense of theater and showgeneration of kids can experience the toy manship to the partnership, Niggli says. wonderland for themselves. » Target.com and all in-store toy departtoybook.com | NOVEMBER 2022 | THE TOY BOOK 47

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by JAMES ZAHN, editor-in-chief WHEN IT COMES TO INNOVATION IN the toy industry, the conversation often moves toward products for the youngest members of the family or kids that are aging out of traditional toys and jumping into the tech-fueled tween and teen years. We look at how kids play and learn, and how toys and games can play a crucial role in human development. But off to the side, there is a growing space that is becoming more important than ever, but what defines it — and its audience — is up for debate: collectibles.

According to The NPD Group, one out of every five toys sold globally is considered a collectible. For manufacturers, retailers, and consumers, “collectible” can be a catch-all category because anything can be considered collectible, from action figures and dolls to non-fungible tokens (NFTs), cereal boxes, and beer cans. If it exists, someone will collect it.

McFarlane Toys’ Page Punchers and DC Super Powers at Walmart in Round Lake Beach, Illinois.

Source: The Toy Book

Over the past few years, mass retailers, including Walmart and Target, have added additional space devoted to collectibles adjacent to their electronics departments. Meanwhile, independent specialty retailers have begun exploring ways to reach the adult collector, much in the same way that players in the mass specialty space (FYE, Hot Topic, GameStop, Box Lunch, etc.) have branched out beyond the core offerings that once shaped their identities.

INNOVATION VS. NOSTALGIA So what does innovation mean in a business where everything from Squishmallows plush and L.O.L. Surprise dolls to Pokémon Cards, Pop! Vinyl figures, and Hot Wheels can be considered collectibles alongside the growing action figure category? Is it even necessary?

“I would say that the word ‘innovation’ at times is overhyped and overused.

In a lot of instances, you don’t have to ‘innovate’ — what you have to do is take what already exists and just make it better,” explains McFarlane Toys’ CEO and Creative Force Todd McFarlane. “People want something that they’ve been collecting, at times, for a decade or more and they have a certain expectation. My job isn’t to break the expectation, my job is to get them excited about what it is that they’re collecting.”

For McFarlane, the “build a better mousetrap” approach is working as its DC Multiverse collection currently ranks as the No. 2 best-seller in action figures, per NPD. Super7, maker of ReAction Figures and Ultimates!, takes a similarly measured approach.

“Innovation can mean a lot of different things to a lot of different people,” says Super7 Founder and Owner Brian Flynn. “In our way, it is always looking to

ask ourselves ‘What does the collector not have on their shelf?’ and try to make that product. We really try to focus on something that will enhance your collection, not simply make it bigger.”

At The Toy Association’s 2023 Preview event in Dallas, Basic Fun! presented buyers with an early look at new products for next year, many of which are still under wraps. While the company has been known for its work on licensed brands, including Tonka and Care Bears, there are some new tricks up its sleeve.

“Innovation is important to every business, not just toys. However, the unique thing about toys is they are as limitless as a child’s imagination,”says Basic Fun! CEO Jay Foreman. “[Kids] might play with 10 or 20 different types of toys in a week or even in a day. So, to keep up and keep their attention, you have to keep innovating.”

Part of the innovation process at Basic Fun! involves putting new spins on classic toys and offering versions that cater to different members of the family. The company might first connect with kids, but they keep their fans engaged with new products as they grow up.

“Kidulting has certainly made an impact on Basic Fun!, primarily with our retro brands like Lite-Brite and My Little Pony, as well as new ranges like CocaCola Collectibles and the Snacks on Snacks brands,” Foreman says. “The candy brands take us into teens and young adults, and Coca-Cola has very broad appeal in the adult market.”

While some see innovation in new product offerings, others feel that marketing hype, limited offerings, and crowdsourcing are fueling total dollar growth for collectibles.

“In my humble opinion, the space lacks product innovation. For the most

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Disney Movie Character Surprise figures | Source: Basic Fun!

part, it just serves up nostalgia — hot, steamy, and sweaty on BBQ paper plates,” says Jonathan Cathey, CEO and founder of The Loyal Subjects, maker of BST AXN. “The Loyal Subjects’ take on innovation is construction, functionality, and a toyetic experience. We certainly bridge the gap from having enough nuance, coolness, sculpt, and deco details for [adult] collectors but also some great ‘play’ functionalities that encourage play — not just display — which we believe creates a ‘big tent’ experience.”

Gary Vaynerchuk shows off his VeeFriends plush.

Source: VeeFriends

A PHYGITAL FUTURE? This year, a number of companies have made the jump into “phygital” (digital + physical) toys and collectibles.

While some activations have seen players including Mattel, MGA Entertainment, and Funko exploring NFTs, Web3, and other digital offerings to complement their physical products, emerging players are doing it in reverse.

Last month, Toys “R” Us at Macy’s became the first home for Toikido’s VeeFriends, a line of blind box figures, 50 THE TOY BOOK | NOVEMBER 2022 | toybook.com

vinyl collectibles, and plush toys inspired by digital NFTs. “VeeFriends is developed around characters, all of which the founder, Gary Vaynerchuk, imagined, created, and drew himself with traits that he admires and believes will lead to true happiness and success,” says Andy Krainak, president of VeeFriends. “VeeFriends’ ambition is to grow the intellectual property (IP) around each VeeFriends character and to scale the traits they represent to new audiences, including parents and children.”

Other NFT-first collectibles are set to begin hitting shelves next year, including a collection from PMI inspired by Pudgy Penguins, a crew of characters that live on the Ethereum blockchain.

“The collectibles market has seen tremendous growth in the last few years,” Krainak says. “We believe combining digital collectibles with physical collectibles will go hand in hand to build the development of the collectibles industry.”

NEW RETAILERS AND PRICING Even before inflation kicked in, concerns about pricing have been a hot-button issue on all fronts. But there is absolutely no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to finding the balance between the cost of doing business and the price paid at the cash register.

“We create products for anyone who wants to participate,” Cathey says. “We also don’t drum up the price. Mass retail gives us the volume so we can stabilize the pricing, which is below the $20 price point. We’ve worked hard, not just on opening our distribution to the big retailers but by truly being product and engineering geeks.”

According to Flynn, “Prices have been artificially low for years ascribing to the model that lower prices equals larger sales; but toys and collectibles are not a commodity. If anything, they are an af-

fordable luxury and don’t follow the same Bezier curves in supply and demand.”

“Have we tried to hold our line at McFarlane Toys? Yes. Will we be able to do it forever? Probably not, but I’d like to always come in last in that race so that when we have to do any kind of price increase it’s always months and months, if not years after the big boys have done it,” McFarlane says. “My company is private, and I don’t have to maximize profits every 90 days, which is what the big [publicly traded] companies are obligated to do legally. It’s an advantage at times, being small.”

For new retailers looking to add to their product mix, Flynn says they can lean into the knowledge and expertise of manufacturers and vendors.

“I think the biggest opportunities will be for retailers that move out of their comfort zone and buy great product that isn’t tied to their historical sales in other categories,” he says. “The collectibles space has a unique customer base. A retailer that is looking for insights from the traditional toy category to influence their collector strategy will be looking in the wrong place and at the wrong data.

A collector is looking for quality first and price second or third. Most collector brands ... often know their own market better than anyone.”

As the new year looms on the horizon, a fresh wave of collectibles for preschoolers to grandparents is ready to make a splash. In a crowded field, new offerings, such as Intersell’s Lil Wish Lanterns, will face off against rebooted lines from the past. “Like our new partnership with Hasbro on Littlest Pet Shop,” Foreman says, “sometimes everything old is new again.”

With the right product mix, the industry can continue to grow as it seeks to acquire two coveted collectibles of its own desire: market share and profit. »

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BASIC FUN!

Care Bears Peel & Reveal Surprise Figures Ages: 4+ | MSRP: $4.99 | Available: Spring 2023 Kids can discover 10 Care Bears besties that are new to the Care Bears universe by peeling away the multicolored coating to reveal who they are.

Designed to collect, play, and display, each 2.75-inch figure comes in one of three different poses and includes a display stand.

MCFARLANE TOYS

McFarlane’s Dragons Series 8: Eternal Clan Ages: 14+ | MSRP: $39.99 | Available: Now This 13.5-inch statue kicks off the return of McFarlane’s Dragons. The collectible dragon features a sculpted base and comes with large attachable wings. The statue is showcased in the new McFarlane’s Dragons window box packaging for display.

SUPER7

Toho Super Shogun Mechagodzilla | Ages: 14+ MSRP: $395 | Available: Summer 2023 This 20-inch figure is inspired by the jumbo-scale Super Shogun toys that were popular in the 1970s and ’80s. It features three missile-firing fingers on each hand and moveable arms, legs, hands, and head. Just like its vintage counterparts, it also includes wheels on the feet. The figure includes a sticker sheet and comes packed in a retro-style, Japanese-inspired display box.

THE LOYAL SUBJECTS

BST AXN XL Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Krang with Android Body Robot 8-Inch Action Figure Ages: 8+ | MSRP: $29.99 | Available 2023 The Loyal Subjects expands its BST AXN (pronounced “Best Action”) range with a new XL collection designed to bring larger characters from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles lore into toy boxes and onto collectors’ shelves. This 8-inch Krang Android Body Robot features 31 points of articulation for maximum poseability and comes with interchangeable hands and multiple accessories.

TOIKIDO

FUNKO

VeeFriends 2-Inch Blind Box Figures | Ages: 14+ MSRP: $9.99 | Available: Now

NBA Mosaic Pop! Trading Card Figures Ages: 6+ | MSRP: $19.99 Available: January 2023

Entrepreneur Gary Vaynerchuk partnered with Toikido and Toys “R” Us at Macy’s for the launch of the first VeeFriends toy collection. There are 10 different 2-inch blind box figures to collect. The characters are inspired by the VeeFriends non-fungible token (NFT) project. Select characters are also available as 6-inch vinyl figures and 10-inch plush.

This collection features Pop! Vinyl figures of NBA stars, including Stephen Curry, Luka Doncic, Ja Morant (pictured), and more along with matching Panini Mosaic trading card art. Each figure comes prepackaged in a protective case that can hang on a wall.

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INTERSELL VENTURES Lil Wish Lanterns | Ages: 3+ MSRP: $12.99-24.99 | Available: Now

Inspired by the innocence and magic of little dreamers and storytellers, Lil Wish Lanterns invite kids to believe in the power of wishes.

Kids can collect 32 different characters called Wishimals that illuminate when kids place them inside of one of four wishing lanterns, make a wish, and pull the string. This new brand launched this fall with a successful Kickstarter campaign and a soft launch at Learning Express and will expand at retail next year.

THE NACELLE CO. Sectaurs Action Figures Wave 1 | Ages: 5+ | MSRP: $39.99 Available: Spring 2023 The Warriors of Symbion return in 2023 as a new collection of action figures inspired by the original series offered by Coleco in the 1980s. Wave 1 includes a 7-inch Dargon action figure and a 6-inch Stelara, each with 13 points of articulation.

Each figure comes on a retro-inspired cardback and includes signature weapons and accessories.

DIAMOND SELECT TOYS

AEW Gallery CM Punk PVC Diorama | Ages: 14+ MSRP: $59.99 | Available: Winter 2023 The AEW Gallery line launches with a 10-inch CM Punk PVC Diorama that features detailed sculpting of the wrestler as he appears while giving one of his famous monologues. The diorama was designed by Gabriel Cassata and sculpted by Oluf Hartvigson.

BOSS FIGHT STUDIO

Fraggle Rock Action Figures | Ages: 8+ Available: Summer 2023 Boss Fight Studio and The Jim Henson Co. are collaborating on a line of action figures inspired by Fraggle Rock. The line will launch this spring with a Flange Doozer: a 3-inch preview figure priced at $24.99 with seven points of articulation and a host of accessories.

Wave one will follow with Red, Gobo, Uncle Traveling Matt, and a Doozer two-pack. Pricing has not yet been determined.

THE NOBLE COLLECTION

Minecraft Collection | MSRP: $34.99-69.99 Available: 2023 For the first time, artifacts from the digital world of Minecraft will be released as a range of collectibles showcasing real-world interpretations of each piece. The line includes a Diamond Sword Collector Replica, Iron Pickaxe Collector Replica, Torch Light-Up Collector Replica, Potion Bottle Illuminating Collector Replica, Diamond Ore Illuminating Collector Replica, and Redstone Ore Illuminating Collector Replica.

MGA ENTERTAINMENT

L.O.L. Surprise! x FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Dolls Ages: 4+ | MSRP: $12.99 | Available: Now Just in time for the FIFA World Cup this month, MGA Entertainment partnered with FIFA for a licensed collection of soccer-inspired collectible dolls. Kids can hunt for dolls inspired by 10 participating countries, a FIFA Fan, or a super-rare Referee. Each blind boxed doll comes with a trading card and accessories.

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SCENTCO Bedtime Defenderz | Ages: 3+ | MSRP: $29.99 | Available: Jan. 1, 2023

WREBBIT PUZZLES

Bedtime Defenderz is a line of plush heroes that help kids to overcome their bedtime fears. They each come with a comic book, a power band slap bracelet, and a glow-in-the-dark belt buckle to help kids feel safe and secure at night. Additionally, kids can watch companion animated content on YouTube, and a full TV series is in the works.

Wrebbit 3D Assassin’s Creed Unity — Notre-Dame (Special 15th Anniversary Puzzle) | Ages: 14+ MSRP: $64.95 | Available: Now

CRAZY AARON’S Hide Inside! Arcade Adventure Thinking Putty | Ages: 3+ | MSRP: $15 Available: Now

This special-edition puzzle celebrates the 15th anniversary of Ubisoft’s video game franchise Assassin’s Creed. Fans can piece together the 860 pieces to build a 3D model of Notre Dame, the famous Paris landmark that is a centerpiece in the video game Assassin’s Creed Unity.

Kids can level up their sensory play with this new putty. They can hunt for the six character pieces hidden among all of the power-up blocks.

INTEK INTL. LTD Hot Wheels Cash Register Service Shop | Ages: 3+ MSRP: $57.99 | Available: Now This playset comes with 14 accessories that kids can use to assemble and disassemble the 1:22-scale Hot Wheels car. They can use the workshop to organize and order all of the car parts and use the three positions to lift, build, and fix their car. The megasize Hot Wheels mechanical workshop includes a screwdriver to put on and take off the car parts and a cash register with a full-color screen and five custom sounds.

JAKKS PACIFIC Target Shopping Cart | Ages: 3+ MSRP: $19.99 | Available: Now This kid-size shopping cart is modeled after the real ones found in Target stores. The 12-piece, role-play set includes accessories such as a Target-branded barista coffee cup and sleeve, Good & Gather and Favorite Day items (based on Target’s in-house brands), fruit, and more. The cart’s child seat also fits dolls up to 18 inches tall.

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U.S. TOY DragonFli | Ages: 8+ MSRP: $29.99 Available: Jan. 1, 2023 This acrobatic flyer moves like a real dragonfly with random and unpredictable flight movements. Kids can fly up to 35 flights with one charge.

MASTER TOYS & NOVELTIES PunchBox Surprise | Ages: 4+ | MSRP: $6.99-9.99 Available: Late Spring 2023

SKY CASTLE TOYS GooToobz Ages: 5+ | MSRP: $7.99 Available: Now These transparent, handheld sensory tubes are filled with a mix of goo, glitter, and beads. Kids can squish and squeeze the GooToobz to watch the Goo gush back and forth through the maze design of transparent channels and handles. They will also experience a vibration-like effect in their hands and hear the goo move as the solution travels from one reservoir to another for a triple tactile experience. There are three styles available: Pearl Swirl, Glitter Gush (pictured), and Rumble Rush — each with different classifications of color, viscosity, and sound.

PunchBox Surprise is a front-facing, mystery box experience. Kids can make a fist, grip tight, and punch straight through the box to reveal more than seven surprises. Multiple themes and branded customizations are available for different retailers and channels — reach out to Genna Rosenberg for more information (genna@genncomm.com).

WECOOL TOYS Wafle Sports Line | Ages: 6+ | MSRP: $9.99-19.99 Available: Spring 2023 This new line of sports toys features a waterproof, proprietary grid technology that is lightweight and easy to grip. The Wafle Sports Pickle Ball Set comes with two ergonomic paddles and a ball, and the Wafle Sports Baseball Bat (pictured) comes with a bat and a baseball. The line also includes a Wafle Football and a Wafle Flying Disc (pictured).

PLAYMONSTER Spirograph Doodle Pad | Ages: 5+ | MSRP: $19.99-24.99 Available: Spring 2023

EOLO Gummymals | Ages: 4+ | MSRP: $14.99 Available: October 2023

Kids can create Spirograph designs on the LCD screen using the included wheels. This addition to the Spirograph line lets kids draw on the go or at home without paper or markers, then save and display their colorful artwork. They can also push a button to reset the screen and create new designs.

These rubbery, brightly colored, gummy bearshaped toys feature 20 interactions and sounds. Kids can squish the Gummymals to hear the sounds. Each comes with its own bottle accessory that kids can use to pretend to feed them.

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TONIES Steiff Soft Cuddly Friends: Jimmy Bear and Hoppie Rabbit Ages: 3+ | MSRP: $49.99 Each | Available: Now

LITTLE REBELS Little Rebels and the Chocolate Pursuit Ages: 5+ | MSRP: $17.99 | Available: Winter 2023

Tonies partnered with Steiff to bring kids Soft Cuddly Friends, the first Steiff animals that tell bedtime stories, including ones that adults can record with their own voice.

Each of the two Tonies contains six stories, narrated by Pete Coe, and has a run time of approximately 60 minutes. The Hoppie Rabbit Tonie teaches kids about leadership, adventure and friendship, while the Jimmy Bear Tonie teaches about problemsolving, adventure, and friendship.

Climate change has affected the world in many ways — including running out of chocolate. In this board game, kids go on a quest to help world-changing women like Malala Yousafzai, Marie Curie, Mary Jackson, and Amelia Earhart find the magic cacao bean that is hidden in the middle of an enchanted forest and can save the world. Players roll the dice and follow the instructions on the cards, then use the companion augemented reality app to discover hidden treasures and collect as much gold as possible.

MADAME ALEXANDER DOLL CO. Learn to Dress Koala Ages: 18 MOS+ | MSRP: $44.95 Available: Now This plush koala is designed to help preschoolers learn how to dress. It features an outfit with buttons, snaps, zippers, and buckles and shoes that have a hook-and-loop strap and laces to tie. Dressed in gender-neutral colors, this koala encourages imaginative, nurturing play.

KENT DISPLAYS Boogie Board Magic Sketch — Glow | Ages: 4+ MSRP: $29.99 | Available: Summer 2023 This reusable drawing kit comes with a semi-transparent, colorful, glow-in-the-dark drawing tablet, a light pen, and templates for sketching, practicing letters, or playing games. The tablet’s Colorburst display and glow-in-the-dark details let kids create and trace in rainbow colors. Once they are done drawing, they can push the button and the tablet will erase itself.

MINDWARE MYO Squirrel Feeder Kit Ages: 5+ | MSRP: $26.95 Available: Spring 2023 Kids can build and personalize their own squirrel feeder. This kit includes pre-cut wood pieces, paints, and paintbrushes for kids to assemble and decorate. The included guide has assembly instructions, paint techniques, and tips for properly feeding squirrels. This kit encourages kids to partake in an eco-friendly learning activity.

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ATLAS MODEL RAILROAD CO. Atlas Trainkids Glow in the Dark Train Set Ages: 4+ | MSRP: $109.95 | Available: Now This train set features onboard train lighting that helps to illuminate the included glow-in-the-dark track loop. All Trainkids tracks consist of easy-to-assemble, sturdy, plastic pieces. The cars can run on the provided plastic track pieces or on any HO gauge track. In addition to this new item, Atlas is bringing their original Trainkids Train Sets and accessories back to retail with improvements, including a stronger connector between cars, better traction tires, and replacement tires.

FUN IN MOTION TOYS Shashibo Battle Shapes | Ages: 8+ MSRP: $49.99 | Available: Now Players can puzzle solo or race head-to-head as they use their Shashibo puzzle to try to re-create the shape on each challenge card. The game includes two matching, special-edition Shashibo cubes, a timer, a bell, and a decision coin, Each challenge card features a QR code to demonstrate how to complete each one in case players need help.

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by JACKIE CUCCO, senior editor PIRATES, BEWARE! THERE’S A NEW matey setting sail on the high seas — and he’s not your average buccaneer.

Eight-year-old Santiago “Santi” Montes is the brave and kind-hearted pirate taking center stage in Nickelodeon’s Santiago of the Seas. Now in its second season, the animated preschool series follows Santiago as he embarks on action-packed quests and uses his “moral compass” to connect with his community and spread good throughout a Caribbean-inspired fantasy world.

Santiago of the Seas weaves elements of Latino-Caribbean and Latino-American culture throughout the series, as seen through music, dance, folklore, customs, architecture, and Spanish language. As viewers make their way through the second season, they can find Santiago of the Seas toys in stores this holiday season to complement the digital experience.

Originally from Puerto Rico, Santiago of the Seas creator Niki Lopez manifested Santi as a love letter to her cultural heritage and with the desire to show more on-screen diversity, all while channeling kindness and empathy.

“I wanted to create this Latino hero who is a pirate protector, he looks after his community, and he goes on adventures à la Indiana Jones,” Lopez says. “Especially when it comes to pirate-themed properties, if you have a Spanish-speaking character or even a Latino character, they’re generally the love interest, the villain, or some far58 THE TOY BOOK | NOVEMBER 2022 | toybook.com

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off extra in the background, so I really wanted to make Santi a hero that little kids could look up to, like, ‘Oh my gosh, he looks like me. He speaks my same language. I, too, can be a hero.’ That kind of representation is so important to little kids growing up. If they can see it, they can be it.”

The second season of the show brings more complex adventures and character relationships, as well as a push to include more music. Santi now receives medallions for doing good deeds, which leads to treasure within El Bravo, the magical pirate ship, that gives him access to a greater world.

Lopez recounts receiving emails from adults who are noticeably older than the preschool demographic, expressing their appreciation for including Puerto Rican icons like a coquí (a small tree frog native to the island) or showing characters speaking in Spanish to activate El Bravo.

“Little things like that, seeing that kind of representation, you don’t really think about it, but it does create this huge emotional impact,” she says.

Earlier this year, Mattel entered into a multiyear global licensing agreement with Paramount Consumer Products to create a full line of Santiago of the Seas toys under the Fisher-Price brand.

Consumers can find several pirate ship playsets, figures, and dolls at retail now, including the Fisher-Price Nickelodeon Santiago Montes is the 8-year-old pirate protector of Santiago of the Seas. | Source: Nickelodeon

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Santiago of the Seas first premiered in 2020. | Source: Nickelodeon

Santiago of the Seas Lights & Sounds El Bravo Pirate Ship.

“We love that the Mattel and Fisher-Price team work hand-in-hand with our designers to make sure that we are translating the show into the toys in the most authentic way — both visually and with play patterns,” says Dion Vlachos, executive vice president of Nickelodeon Consumer Products Licensing and Retail Sales. “We want to make sure that we take the core aspects and attributes of a property like this and, to us, it was important to bring that celebration of the culture and the language to the forefront.”

With Spanish language phrases and interactive features that take kids along for the ride as Santiago goes on adventures in the briny deep, the toys stay authentic to the show. The Lights & Sounds El Bravo Pirate Ship features a compass dial with character-themed buttons that activate multicolored lights, action sounds, songs, phrases in both English and Spanish, and full story prompts inspired by the series.

The Fisher-Price Nickelodeon Santiago

of the Seas Light-Up Talking Santiago also features more than 20 English and Spanish phrases from the show.

Fisher-Price Nickelodeon Santiago of the Seas Lorelai Doll and Lights & Sounds El Bravo Pirate Ship Source: Mattel

“Retailers loved the diversity, equity, and inclusion angle of what the show and the toys represent,” Vlachos says.

“Consumer sentiment has been fantastic. We’ve had a lot of kids feeling like their language is represented in a show organically, and that it is translating to the toys.”

Other characters make appearances in the toy aisle, too, such as Santiago’s

mermaid friend Lorelai, who can transform from a mermaid into a girl using her magical pearl bracelet. Vlachos says that his team knew through testing early on that Lorelai would be a breakout character in addition to Santiago. The Fisher-Price Nickelodeon Santiago of the Seas Sea the Surprise Lorelai Doll set features a 12-inch Lorelai doll with a color-changing tail, and comes with octopus and sea turtle figures that also change color in cold water. The set also includes hair accessories for Lorelai and a wearable bracelet for kids, styled like Lorelai’s magical bracelet as seen on screen.

“I can’t believe that these designs and characters that I’ve worked on since they were just the roughest of sketches have now materialized into toys,” Lopez says. “It’s humbling.”

Plans for even more toys are currently in the works for next year, including puzzles and outdoor toys for spring.

As kids keep up with Santiago’s adventures, they just might find that pirates are more relatable than they thought.

“We really wanted to champion the vulnerabilities that our heroes have,” Lopez says. “You don’t have to be perfect to be a hero or a good person. It’s important to embrace our vulnerabilities and weaknesses and learn from them.”

Even pirates know that a little bit of kindness can go a long way. »

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OUTSIDE THE BOX

PACKAGE DESIGN GOES SEASONAL

How to Develop On-Brand, Holiday-Themed Packaging

by TED MININNI, president and creative director, Design Force THE BELLS ARE JINGLING AND stores are filled with holiday-themed products once again. As spending increases during the holiday season, it’s no wonder many manufacturers try to capture their share of sales with holiday-specific campaigns.

For us toy industry folks, this is our time to shine. Our products are on everyone’s shopping lists, and, hopefully, they’ll find their way into everyone’s shopping carts as well. This is the time of year we get to see if our packaging is doing what it’s meant to do: capturing the attention of consumers to inspire a purchase. For most toys, packaging doesn’t change to accommodate the holidays, but what about brands with seasonal items? How should these brands establish a holiday-themed packaging look without diluting their core brand messaging? Let’s take a look at how brands can develop seasonal packaging without deviating completely from their established and equitable look.

LESS IS MORE WHEN MAKING CHANGES TO AN ESTABLISHED LOOK When developing a holiday-themed look, the most ideal scenario would be to not have to completely rethink a brand’s package design to appeal to consumers during the various holiday seasons throughout the year. Why? Because any change made to a brand’s package design can potentially compromise the connection that the brand has already established with its consumers at retail.

There are a variety of visual assets within a brand’s package design system that resonate with consumers on a subconscious level — the brand identity design and placement, the design architecture, the brand color palette, the treatment and placement of benefits and features communication, the product imagery, and the overarching visual aesthetic — all of

The Peanuts brand identity remains strong even in seasonal packaging. | Source: Peanuts

which take time to establish an association with the brand in consumers’ minds.

Therefore, modifications to any of these assets as a brand develops its holiday-themed packaging should be made with careful consideration.

With this in mind, brands should consider changing only one or two aspects of their everyday look. Maybe add a holiday-themed pattern to the overall background color. For Christmas-themed packaging, perhaps strategically integrate a ribbon and a bow into the current design. For Valentine’s Day, maybe a red-and-pink snipe in one corner or a heart-shaped call-out will do the trick.

DESIGN EVERYDAY PACKAGING WITH HOLIDAYS IN MIND To achieve a perfectly seamless transition to a holiday-inspired design, a brand’s everyday package design should be developed with its holiday versions in mind. This is especially true for brands that create dedicated packaging for four major holidays: Valentine’s Day, Easter, Halloween, and Christmas. Brand owners need to establish which areas of their package design will change to holiday colors or be replaced by holiday-specific assets, while also determining which aspects of the package design system will remain consistent to ensure brand

recognition and to continue to build visual equity throughout the year.

REFRESHING THE GLOBAL PACKAGING PROGRAM FOR AN ICONIC BRAND When Peanuts Worldwide decided to refresh the global packaging program for its core Peanuts licensed products, the company wanted to establish a new look that would accommodate everyday products as well as seasonal, holiday-themed products. The objectives for the design refresh were to create a simple, contemporary visual aesthetic that would work consistently across any conceivable packaging format, while paying homage to the origins of the beloved Peanuts brand — the comic strips by Charles M. Schulz.

Although our primary focus during design development was to create the look for everyday Peanuts licensed products’ packaging, we never lost sight of the need for that very same look to transition to the packaging for holiday licensed products. Our design solution leverages iconic elements associated with the Peanuts brand. There may be nothing more iconic in the world of Peanuts to represent the brand than the device we employed as the primary package design architecture — the zig-zag graphic from continued on page 63

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COMPLIANCE & REGULATIONS

BRINGING SUSTAINABILITY TO SOURCING STRATEGIES

How Supply Chain Management Can Integrate Environmental Sustainability Into Responsible Sourcing Strategies

by SARAH NG, corporate communications manager, ICTI Ethical Toy Program

AS A SPECIALIST RESPONSIBLE sourcing program in the global supply chain, we at ICTI are frequently answering questions about how to improve supply chain sustainability and engage suppliers. In recent years, we’ve been receiving more environment-focused questions, such as, “How can I measure the social and environmental impacts of my supply chain?” and “How can I collect environmental and social metrics from my suppliers at scale?”

With that in mind, we can share guidance on how to measure environmental sustainability in supply chains and tips to gather these metrics both cost-effectively and efficiently.

KEYWORDS EXPLAINED: WHAT IS RESPONSIBLE SOURCING? The concept of responsible sourcing is taking ethical, environmental, and social requirements into account when selecting external suppliers to manufacture your goods or products. Supply chain transparency and supply chain visibility are terms used to describe the level of oversight you have over your suppliers’ environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance and the potential risks found in these areas.

Responsible sourcing often focuses on the more recent adoption of positive human rights and labor standards practices.

As more governments committed to the Paris Agreement (the international treaty on climate change), there was a significant increase in the number of supply chain regulations requiring businesses to measure and improve their environmental and social impacts through ESG reporting.

To successfully integrate supplier oversight with environmental sustainability,

try to understand your suppliers’ policies and operations that may be relevant to your own ESG objectives. For example, for the net zero carbon emissions goal, you could ask what energy sources your suppliers use, how they track scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions, and what their reduction plan looks like.

Effective responsible sourcing strategies will outline guidelines upholding the organizational ESG objectives during the supplier selection process.

“The concept of responsible sourcing is taking ethical, environmental, and social requirements into account when selecting external suppliers to manufacture your goods or products.”

DIGITALIZE DATA COLLECTION To track the key performance indicators of your overall environmental sustainability, first you must measure how your business and suppliers are performing.

Are you currently tracking environmental metrics on spreadsheets and across countless emails, losing track of the most recent documents, and double-checking your collected ESG metrics against your own projections? If so, these manual processes are taking up too much of your valuable time.

Digitalizing the data collection process will give you more time for data analysis and decision-making. One of the most efficient ways to achieve this is by using trusted supply chain transparency

tools. Take our remote environmental assessment as an example: The online platform allows you to collect environmental metrics from your global suppliers quickly and at scale. Suppliers are able to submit information anytime and anywhere, and the drop-down options ensure efficient data information collection that aligns with your reporting needs.

Furthermore, digitalizing supply chain visibility not only simplifies the data collection process, but also reduces duplication and lowers costs for everyone. A user-friendly platform means that you can easily share data across departments, and suppliers can also share their reports with multiple customers — maximizing the value of a single report.

FLEXIBILITY IN DATA COLLECTION If you worry that the environmental metrics you’re currently collecting may not meet your future needs, it’s time to embrace flexibility.

A lack of flexibility is a common concern for businesses that are exploring strategic environmental assessment tools for their ESG journey. As global legislation, consumer expectations, and a business’ needs evolve, the scope of environmental reporting will expand.

Embedding flexibility into data collecting methods early will enable businesses to adapt to an ever-changing environment.

To ensure flexibility, look for environmental assessment tools that are: • Suitable for a business of any size and from any sector. If your business is categorized as a small and medium enterprise, will the assessment have the capacity to collect and store a large number of environmental metrics throughout your global supply chain if you eventually grow

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COMPLIANCE & REGULATIONS into a multinational corporation (MNC)?

What about if you have suppliers producing different kinds of products; can they use the same assessment?

• Easily integrated. When developing our social impact assessment and environmental assessment tools, we kept our stakeholders in mind. Businesses can use both of these remote assessment tools to provide a standalone report and/or integrate them into other ESG initiatives.

USING MEANINGFUL DATA TOOLS If you find yourself struggling with technology and how to interpret data, use tools that offer summaries or meaningful insights. Preparing and analyzing data requires specialized training, and not everyone who works with data is an expert. Sustainability professionals should focus on employing analytics to enhance their supply chain sustainability strategy and stakeholder engagement.

When you choose an assessment tool, look for one that translates figures

and data into meaningful insights and knowledge that can be interpreted and understood by everyone.

The good news is you don’t need to spend time learning new platforms and technologies for environmental and social oversight because these can all be found on one single platform.

RESOURCES FOR THE TOY INDUSTRY IETP’s online environmental assessment (EA) is a quick and cost-effective solution companies can use to gain oversight of the positive and negative environmental impacts of their business’s operations, and also those of their suppliers. Through clear, consistent, and consolidated information, businesses of any size and sector can benchmark their supply chain partners and identify risks and opportunities.

Furthermore, IETP’s Connect Platform is a one-stop responsible sourcing tool that offers summaries and analytics to gain both environmental and social

oversight. The platform allows companies to easily benchmark suppliers, as well as receive instant alerts on any disruptions to the supply chain.

IETP strives to maximize businesses’ responsible sourcing efforts by enhancing supply chain transparency, improving the ESG performance of current suppliers, and helping to find new ethical suppliers.

Visit ietp.v5.platform.sportsdigita. com/introduction-to-ietpp to learn how to effectively and efficiently improve your supply chain sustainability. Email us at join@ethicaltoyprogram.org if you need any advice. » Sarah Ng is the corporate communications manager of the ICTI Ethical Toy Program and has been with the organization since 2012. She serves as an integral member of the global communications team, overseeing communications strategies, stakeholder engagement, partnerships, and issue management.

OUTSIDE THE BOX continued from page 60

Charlie Brown’s sweater — which bisects the design. Above the zig-zag graphic is a repeat pattern made from a collection of Schulz’s Peanuts comic strips from both the vintage and classic eras, appearing in a gray-on-white tone to serve as the backdrop for the Peanuts logo.

Below the zig-zag is a distressed halftone pattern — a nod to the comic strip printing process — in shades of yellow.

Snoopy serves as the primary character representing the Peanuts brand. However, the full cast of Peanuts characters is made available for licensees to utilize on packaging for character-specific products.

Side panels depict scenes that portray the familiar relationships between the characters, and also leave room for product imagery as well as product benefits and features communication.

TRANSITIONING FROM EVERYDAY TO HOLIDAY-THEMED LOOKS Every aspect of the look established for everyday core Peanuts licensed product packaging plays a role in the seamless

Core Peanuts packaging | Source: Peanuts

transition to holiday-themed variations.

The placement and relationships between the key components of the overarching design remain exactly the same. However, the color of the Peanuts logo, the halftone pattern, the call-out violator, and the window box insert shift to red and pink for Valentine’s Day, a pastel palette for Easter, bold orange with green and purple accents for Halloween, and classic red and green for Christmas. The extensive Peanuts art asset archives allowed us to swap everyday character artwork for dedicated, holiday-specific character artwork and props. And, since Schulz created countless comic strips for each holiday, we were able to create a unique,

holiday-themed comic strip pattern for the upper portion of each holiday’s package variation.

When viewed alongside the everyday core Peanuts licensed product packaging, the visual continuity in the holiday-themed variations is glaringly obvious, and so are the benefits to this approach to package design. Everyday and holiday-themed products can coexist at retail without compromising the brand statement. Furthermore, the overarching new look for the global packaging program for core Peanuts licensed products can continue to build recognition among brand enthusiasts throughout the year. » Ted Mininni is president and creative director of Design Force. Through the disciplines of package design and licensing program design, Design Force establishes strong emotional connections with consumers, creating powerful visual brand experiences that engage, excite, entertain, inspire, and influence their decision to buy. Mininni can be reached at (856) 810-2277 or via email at tmininni@designforceinc.com. Visit designforceinc.com for more information.

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The kidult trend is converting nostalgic vibes into toy sales.

by JACKIE CUCCO, senior editor PETER PAN HAD THE RIGHT IDEA: FLY away to Neverland and stay a kid forever.

While we can’t all go to such extreme lengths to hold on to our childhood pursuits, we don’t have to give up our toys.

The term “kidult” is a portmanteau that represents adults full of big kid energy. From dropping serious cash on designer dolls and action figures to spending free time at board game cafes or playing video games with friends, it is quite common for adults to incorporate play into their everyday lives. The Toy Foundation even introduced a new “Grown-Up Toy of the Year” category for this year’s Toy of the Year Awards, with the LEGO Ideas The Office building set taking the prize during the September show.

The toy industry is embracing kidults in new ways as manufacturers alter their strategies to boost cross-generational appeal. Unlike collectibles that are specifically marketed to adults with a “this

is not a toy” tagline, there is a sudden surge in toys that are traditionally made for kids, but with a new twist that makes adults want them, too.

CROSS-GENERATIONAL APPEAL The Fisher-Price Little People brand has been popular with toddlers since it debuted in the ‘50s, featuring chunky figures and playsets made for little hands. In 2019, the brand expanded in a new direction with the debut of Little People Collector sets featuring licensed intellectual properties that have more pop culture collectibility, including RuPaul, Ted Lasso, Golden Girls, The Office, Run-DMC, Masters of the Universe, and more. Although the toys and play patterns are still kid-friendly, the licenses appeal more to adults than they do to toddlers. Most 3-year-olds probably have no clue who Jim and Pam from a TV series about office employees are, but their parents will get a kick out of sharing their favorite characters with their kids.

“For adults who grew up playing with the Little People sets, there’s an inherent sense of irony and comedy that adds to the collectibility. You’ve got a toy that’s clearly designed for kids with a theme that’s clearly designed for adults,” says Magna-Tiles The Beatles sets feature double-sided tiles with industry expert

The Beatles-inspired iconography on them. | Source: CreateOn

Fisher-Price Little People Collector RuPaul Set | Source: Mattel

Chris Byrne, aka The Toy Guy. Putting a pop culture twist on kids’ toys is a way for brands to breathe new life into a product, broaden their demographic, and maybe even get a publicity bump out of it.

“When was the last time you thought about Little People as a product for anyone other than a 3- or 4-year-old?

Now, adults are gifting it to their friends or collecting it for themselves. That’s why I think it’s brilliant,” Byrne says.

Fans of various properties may already own tons of vinyl figures or T-shirts with their favorite characters on them, but toys give them a new format to collect and a way to share their interests with their kids.

CreateOn is bringing a little bit of rock ‘n’ roll to Magna-Tiles building structures with sets inspired by The Beatles and Grateful Dead. The brand launched its first Beatles Collection set last year as its highest-priced item at $134.95. Fans can arrange individual Magna-Tiles to

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create Beatles-themed structures such as the Abbey Road crosswalk, the Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club drum, the Yellow Submarine, and the Magical Mystery Bus. The tiles themselves feature iconic Beatles imagery, including song lyrics, album art, logos, and more. There is also a new Yellow Submarine set for about half the price and a Grateful Dead set for $49.95.

CreateOn Vice President Steve Rosen says that the people purchasing these sets are usually repeat customers that already own other Magna-Tiles sets.

Sometimes, they even purchase two of the same set to build one and keep the other in the box.

“It functions for both kids and adults.

You can display it as decor, but kids can break it apart if they want to play with it and then grandparents can easily put it back together,” Rosen says. “You can get a lot of use out of it.”

When it comes to licensing, Rosen stresses the importance of iconography.

“As soon as you see the Grateful Dead bears or The Beatles’ yellow submarine, you know exactly what they are,” he says.

The marketing for The Beatles and Grateful Dead Magna-Tiles is a little different from what CreateOn normally does because they included all three generations of grandfather, father, and grandson in the lifestyle shots instead of just kids.

especially clamoring for select Star Wars and Marvel sets. The company recently began an increased focus on that older demographic when it launched an “Adults Welcome” marketing campaign in 2020.

There are now more than 100 LEGO sets specifically marked with an age range of 18 and up on the box, featuring more complicated builds, higher piece counts, and more expensive prices. Of course, kids can still build these 18-and-older sets, but the promotional images usually feature adults only rather than multiple generations playing together.

Playmobil is also leaning into an adult fan base with entertainment-inspired sets such as the Knight Rider K.I.T.T. vehicle; the James Bond Aston Martin DB5 — Goldfinger Edition; and a variety of Star Trek sets, including a massive model of the U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701.

STRAIGHT TO THE CONSUMER This new wave of kidult marketing meshes well with direct-to-consumer (DTC) platforms. CreateOn only offers A NEW APPROACH TO MARKETING the Grateful Dead Magna-Tiles Structure The LEGO Group took a slightly Set as a DTC product, and, according to different approach. Adults have been colRosen, the company does a lot of busilecting and building LEGO sets for years, ness with Maisonette, a DTC platform with a high-end clientele.

The Mattel Creations e-commerce platform launched in 2020 as a space for adult collectors to purchase more in-demand Mattel toys and edgy collaborations, including the Little People Collector sets, the Monster High Skullector dolls, the MEGA Tesla Cybertruck, and special UNO decks created by popular artists. Fans can also find limited-edition drops from brands like Barbie Signature, Hot Wheels, MatchMagic: The Gathering Chandra Pyromancer’s Gauntlet box, and more.

Roleplay Collectible, launching next fall | Source: Hasbro Pulse Similarly, Hasbro offers

Lite-Brite Wall Art Transformers Edition Source: Basic Fun! x Hasbro

exclusive toys on Hasbro Pulse and goes one step further with HasLab, a crowdfunding platform that produces limited-edition toys and collectibles through fan backers.

Razor launched a Kickstarter campaign in March to bring back its original folding kick scooter from 2000, only this time for adults. The Razor Icon Electric Scooter project banks on the nostalgia of the company’s first customers, who were kids that grew up with Razor scooters of their own two decades ago.

The marketing strategy for adulttargeted products is much different than products that are strictly for kids.

“It is a totally different path to purchase for an adult buying for themselves, and that’s why we have done unique strategies like Kickstarter, personal profiles, and even showcased them at experiential events,” says Razor President ​​ Jim Wagner.

In the past, most toy companies built their businesses by focusing on a target audience of kids. Now, the industry is reimagining the way that toys can be appreciated by all ages to find untapped market potential. It takes creative thinking to get adults to buy kids’ toys for themselves, but the payoff can be huge. » Jackie Cucco is a senior editor at Adventure Media & Events. She covers toy trends and news for The Toy Book, The Toy Insider, and The Pop Insider. You can visit her on Instagram @saucyjac and say hello to her pet bunny Peepers @thebigpeeps.

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THE FRANC ICONIC HAS TH HISE STILL E POW ER!

by JAMES ZAHN, editor-in-chief

Mattel officially introduced Masters of the Universe (MOTU) in 1982 with a core lineup of eight action figures: He-Man, Skeletor, ManAt-Arms, Teela, Beast Man, Mer-Man, Stratos, and Zodac.

In the years that followed, the brand quickly grew to include nearly 70 basic action figures, plus an extensive array of elaborate vehicles, playsets, creatures, and accessories.

By 1985, MOTU was a licensing juggernaut with new products in every category regularly appearing in the pages of The Toy Book.

Fueled by a hit animated series — He-Man and the Masters of the Universe — a comic book, and a spin-off — She-Ra: Princess of Power — MOTU was inescapable.

The MOTU brand sold $70 million in action figures in its first three years and, according to Mattel, it’s become a $2 billion franchise. Since formally relaunching two years ago, MOTU is back in the mainstream in a big way with an innovative slate of products and content geared toward kids and collectors of all ages.

Here’s a look at new milestones that the brand hit this year and what retailers and consumers can expect from MOTU in 2023. »

NATIONAL TOY HALL OF FAME + A TOTY The toy industry took note as MOTU scored two nominations for The Toy Foundation’s 2022 Toy of the Year (TOTY) Awards. While MOTU lost to Pokémon for License of the Year, the brand’s collector-focused Masterverse action figure collection scored a win for Action Figure of the Year. The franchise-spanning lineup has since expanded to include charSource: acters such as Battle Armor He-Man and Hordak (pictured).

This month, MOTU entered The National Toy Hall of Fame. » Mattel

POWERFUL ENTERTAINMENT In partnership with Netflix, Mattel Television revealed plans for Masters of the Universe: Revolution, a sequel to last year’s Masters of the Universe: Revelation from showrunner Kevin Smith. Additionally, a kid-focused CGI-animated series called HeMan and the Masters of the Universe debuted its third season this year. A live-action feature film is currently in development with Kyle Allen set to star as He-Man. »

NEW FOR 2023!

Following the introduction of Sun-Man into the MOTU lore this year and continued expansion across multiple toy lines — including a successful crowdfunding campaign for the massive Eternia Playset — Mattel is prepping a big roster for the year ahead. Retailers can expect a host of new characters, vehicles, and playsets across the Masters of the Universe Origins, Masterverse, and He-Man and the Masters of the Universe lines. The Masters of the Universe Origins Snake Mountain Playset will arrive at retail for holiday 2023. »

ETERNIA GOES DIGITAL In an effort to evolve with the times, He-Man and the gang have taken their battles into the digital realm for activations in Roblox and Fall Guys.

Additionally, the brand is jumping into the non-fungible token (NFT) space with playable, collectible, digital characters (pictured) on the Cryptoys platform. » Cryptoys | Source: Mattel

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Welcoming BIPOC-owned companies requires action and collaboration.

by TAMI MURPHY, marketing manager, GPI FOR THE BLACK, INDIGENOUS, AND People of Color (BIPOC) community, what does it mean to bring diversity and inclusion (D&I) into the toy and game industry? The answer is both simple and complicated: It takes many parties working together to level the playing field.

Retailers need to be committed to filling their shelves with products from BIPOC-owned businesses while traditional financial institutions need to support their growth. The research institutions that monitor the industry need to collect data on the purchase of toys, games, and puzzles by the Black community, and manufacturers, fulfillment centers, and retailers need to work closely with BIPOC-owned businesses to understand their financial hurdles and the full timeline and payment schedule of bringing a new product to market.

“We don’t need more mentors, what we need is capital,” explained Amanda Wilson, founder of A+X Puzzles, during a very candid and honest conversation about the hurdles she was facing securing funds to manufacture puzzles, even though she was in a possession of a large purchase order (PO) from Target.

Wilson’s comment weighed on the GPI leadership team, as we have spoken for years about the lack of diversity in our industry. After becoming aware of the financial hurdles that BIPOC-owned businesses face, we decided to take action.

It is not enough for mass retailers to support BIPOC-owned businesses if other players aren’t supporting the entire process. If a new company can’t fund the production of its toys and games to fulfill a retail order, that PO is useless.

Daedrea Fenwick, founder of Kulture Karaoke, agrees that financing is her biggest hurdle. “It is more difficult to find investors as a woman of color. Especially angel investors, since a one-product gaming company is not best-suited for

most venture capitalists,” she says.

When launching her hip-hop and R&B-inspired card game, Fenwick discovered that her company was disqualified from many traditional loans due to its age and a lack of consumer data. Ericka Chambers and William Jones, the sibling founders of Puzzles of Color, hit the same roadblock with their bank when they were looking to fund production to fulfill a PO.

Daedrea Fenwick Source: Kulture Karaoke

“We have a hard time providing proof of concept because there is not a lot of data on the market that we are trying to reach — families of color — so that certainly factors into the funding decisions,” Chambers says.

Fenwick says that the lack of data continues to be a problem since games designed specifically for the Black culture are still a relatively new concept.

“Outside of the larger one, Black Card Revoked, most [games] have not reached the level of success that would show true market potential,” she says.

Typically, inventory manufactured

overseas needs to be fully paid for before the factory will release goods for shipment. That can be a hefty price for a new company when factoring in post-production freight and warehousing costs. Additionally, the vendor doesn’t receive the revenue from a mass retailer PO until 60-90 days after the product is delivered to its warehouse. This means — in the best-case scenario — the initial production payment is made 100 days before delivery to the warehouse and the sales revenue from the retail chain will be received months later.

To ease the pressure, GPI launched a Mass Market Manufacturing Program that provides extended payment terms on the production of goods to fulfill a company’s mass-market POs. We work with clients and their distributors to determine when payment from the retailer will be made and then we write the terms of payment for their manufacturing to fit that time frame. By tailoring their terms to the entire PO process, our customers can accept these POs and grow their businesses.

GPI’s new initiative can make a difference, but without other businesses in and adjacent to our industry helping, we are just a small wave in a big ocean.

Now is the time to turn talk into action and commit to working with new businesses to assess their strengths, identify where they fit into the ecosystem, and help eliminate hurdles to welcome full D&I in the toy and game industry. » Tami Murphy is the marketing manager at GPI, which provides manufacturing, safety testing, freight and logistics, design and development, graphic design, playtesting, and consulting services to the toy and game industries. Email Tami at tami@madebygpi.com or visit madebygpi.com for more information on GPI and its services.

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by MAUDE CAMPBELL, contributor JUST LIKE SUPERHEROES, EVERYONE has an origin story. The same can be said of toy companies, either created because of a specific toy or a passion for play — or as a phoenix rising from the ashes.

Trendmasters’ story isn’t necessarily one of being absorbed like Tonka was by Hasbro or American Girl by Mattel — it was gutted and born again. Playsets and action figures were traded for a zoo full of plush cats, dogs, hamsters, elephants, sea turtles, and bears.

Now under the name Cepia, toys that could’ve been gendered are now inclusive, lending themselves to a peaceful coexistence. After 20 years in business, the company has set its sights on the collectibles market with what it calls the “versus” universe.

COMPETING AGAINST THE MAJORS While the toy industry was dominated by major rivals from both coasts, a St. Louis company named Trendmasters was able to carve out its own niche starting in 1989. The release of Polly Pocket that same year made the small doll category something to contend with on store shelves. Barbie was starting to stale and the toy industry was looking for something new and novel. Trendmasters struck gold with its Starcastles line in 1995, long before Disney would dominate the princess category in the toy department.

Designed for kids ages 4 and up, the dripping-in-glitter Starcastles gave playtime new reign over kids’ imaginations and helped let girls capture the magic for themselves. Accompanying each playset was a 1-inch-tall princess figurine and a

key to the castle. As an in-house brand, no licensing was required and no royalties had to be paid out.

First came the Magical Tea Party Playset, which featured an actual working tea set. It turned out to be the best-selling item in the entire line. One thing that set the toys apart from other comparable items on store shelves was that all of the castles — more than 80 designs were done at the line’s end — included a working component as a surprise factor to keep the engaged.

Cats Vs Pickles beans | Source: Cepia

Joe McGowan, former director of product design at Trendmasters, says, “[Starcastles] gave little girls the play patterns that they were really looking for: a fantasy world of princesses and fairies and princes and frogs and everything that comes with the story.” Russ Hornsby, CEO and co-founder of the company, explains, “This was not about going after small sets. We started off with the concept that all little girls love castles and all little girls love tea parties.”

ROYAL TREATMENT During Starcastles’ seven-year run, others in the industry took note. According to Hornsby, a Mattel executive once conceded that Trendmasters took a 55-60% market share from them in the category. “We took things Mattel would price at $20 and we were selling the stuff at $10,” he says.

Just one year before Starcastles hit the market, the company was awarded the license for Godzilla in 1994 from Toho Co. Ltd. It was a short run of success, though, as the grandiose toy line produced for the underperforming 1998 Godzilla film resulted in retailers refusing figures for its animated TV spinoff after unsold movie-related inventory clogged shelves.

Continuing in the “boys’ toys” direction, upon the 1998 broadcast of Voltron: The Third Dimension — the sequel to 1984’s Lion Force Voltron series set five years after the end of the series — the company reissued the Matchbox diecast Lion Force Voltron with a few small changes to the mold and a whopping total of 17 weapons, in stark contrast to the original’s sword and shield.

SALES POINT By 2002, the company grew its business to $230 million in revenue, but a major shift was looming. Due to the events of September 11, 2001, and the resulting economic impact and consumer uncertainty, Trendmasters sold its intellectual property to Jakks Pacific in December 2002.

Chalk it up to eagerness or neces-

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sity, but, according to Joel Bennett, former chief financial officer of Jakks Pacific, the deal was done in just six to eight weeks. “[Jakks] had several innovations, proprietary brands, and segments that were a good fit [with Trendmasters],” Bennett says. “It was complementary as Jakks was looking to diversify the company’s product offerings in other categories.”

While the terms of the deal were not disclosed, the Los Angeles Times noted that “toy industry experts said the financially troubled Trendmasters had a number of suitors and probably sold for about $25 million.”

At the time, Jakks’ President and Co-founder Stephen Berman told the Los Angeles Times, “A lot of the parts fit very well with our company and they are a well-known brand with retailers. Many retailers called us and complimented us on getting the deal done.”

Pop Art Soft | Source: Cepia

coffers. Cepia retired the brand after only three years on shelves, but after demand didn’t let up, ZhuZhu Pets made their return to the market in 2015 along with a cartoon. In 2017, Cepia worked with Spin Master on a ZhuZhu Pets reboot with new products and accessories based on the TV series.

FEEL-INE FINE It would take another species of animal and the advent of social media to start the company on the next leg of its journey. The original internet sensations are cat videos, especially the ones in which felines are frightened by cucumbers. How could that possibly become a toy line?

A COMPANY REBORN Even though the world had other After the sale, Hornsby quickly plans in 2020, Cepia decided to launch pivoted to build another kingdom of his Cats Vs Pickles, a line of super-soft own: Cepia LLC. Officially opening its bean-filled plush toys. Sans gender, the doors in 2002, this new company took a principle was simple per Cepia: “Cats are few years to find its footing, just like its scared of pickles, but pickles just want predecessor. Pragmatic items paved the love.” Cepia Chief Marketing Officer way for ZhuZhu Pets in 2009, Chinese for Laura Frerichs says, “Launching a brand “little pig.” during a pandemic is not for the faint These inexpensive robotic hamsters of heart, but launching a brand like this hit a high point recalling the success one makes all the sense in the world. of Cabbage Patch dolls and Tickle Me We decided to turn this into a story of Elmo. In 2011, the toy made its way onto inclusivity and acceptance and kind of a Time’s All-Time 100 Greatest Toys list, fun narrative. It’s something that’s really and by 2012, Cepia sold more than 70 resonated with people across the board million ZhuZhu Pets, adding more than because, basically, everybody’s been a $2 billion in retail sales to the company’s pickle at some time in their life.”

Richard Derr, president of the Franchise Advisory Council for Learning Express, was an early proponent of the toy. Instead of following the blind bag trend, he says, “Let’s fill this up and let kids pick what they want …

Our pledge to them was we were giving Thunder Tail Godzilla (1998) | Source: Trendmasters YouTube input on design, what

sold, what didn’t, what colors.” It wasn’t without a certain amount of trust on the part of Learning Express either. Derr continues, “We took the risk [along with them], set it off, gave them feedback … Not many companies listen to retailers and they have been the most attentive and really genuine about receiving feedback. They talk to my staff, they do Zooms, they look for colors, they look for trends, and they take that feedback seriously.”

PLUSH ON TAP Leaning into the collectibles and blind bags phenomena, Cepia has expanded the “versus” universe to include Kittens Vs Gherkins, Dogs Vs Squirls and, coming in January, Bears Vs Donuts.

Following a test run at Derr’s Learning Express store in Lake Zurich, Illinois this fall, Cepia’s next plush release, Pop Art Soft elephants, will go into wide release with an exclusive mass retail debut at Walmart in January. Described by Frerichs as “pop art meets plush,” the company aims to break elephants out of the nursery setting. The line will employ the same principle of beans and blind bags across three sizes — Mini, Mighty, and Mammoth — and sea turtles are coming ashore to join the zoo.

Lastly, to round out Cepia’s mentality of “it all belongs” — meaning kids can build out a whole world where each line can co-exist — the Pineapple Popcorn Show will complement next year’s offerings. Debuting in late spring, this Night at the Museum–esque show takes place at a mall food court and the figures will be bendable and poseable.

After 33 years at the helm of two successful toy companies, Hornsby finds happiness in the future but, at times, longs for the past. He says, “We moved on to a different world, but at Trendmasters, we were able to touch so many different things.” » Maude Campbell has written for Popular Mechanics and the New York Post, and previously held positions at Elle and HGTV magazines. She’s writing a book about Polly Pocket and eager to share her story with the world.

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by CHARLENE DELOACH, ESQ., CEO, Playroom Chronicles WHEN UTILIZING CONSUMER EMAIL marketing in your e-commerce strategy, you may think your success ends with getting the email address — but, in reality, that is just the beginning. Your first communication with a new subscriber is the perfect opportunity to turn a buyer into a brand believer and you really need a good E.M.A.I.L. strategy to turn that single transaction into a transformation.

Brands should create an email campaign sequence that triggers as soon as a consumer gives you their email address.

An email sequence is a series of five to 10 emails that are pre-written and scheduled in set increments. The goal is to connect with consumers through a storytelling-based approach.

Consider using the below strategy:

something complimentary that is relevant to your brand. Ask yourself: Is there a free printable you can give them? Is there a fun video you can share on how they can use the product in a different way? Think about what value you can give from your brand, not just your product.

A

UTHORITY An email in your sequence should also establish your brand as the authority in your industry for that product. Explain to your customers why you make or sell the best toys for infants, tell them about any awards you may have won, and show off why collectors consume your content more than that of any other company.

One of your emails should show why your brand is the best in the toy space. Shine so you can sell.

E

I

M

L

DUCATE The first step in your email sequence is educating the consumer about your company and its products. When a parent buys a toy, they are making an investment into their child’s future. They are not simply purchasing a product for all of its bells and whistles, they are also focused on the benefits it imparts. Show how the toy works, explain why you developed it, and prove to the customer that the income they spent is worth the investment in your company.

AKE VALUE The next part of your email sequence should aim to provide additional value to your customer. If you really want loyal customers, you cannot always focus solely on selling them product after product. Creating value is not just about offering discount codes; instead, offer them

NFLUENCE Got fans? Now’s the time to prove it.

Show your customers what other people are saying about your products. Some people want to hear from other parents, grandparents, or gift givers about positive experiences they can relate to. Share testimonials, reviews, social media posts, or any other praise you’ve gotten from influencers and customers! Show how other people love your brand and/or product and it will get others to love it too.

IKEABILITY The last piece of the email sequence should focus on your likeability or relatability. Your goal is not to make people like your product but to get them to relate to who you are as a company. Share some relatable stories that inspire and engage your audience.

Walt Disney once said that everything should have a story. It is why he did not just create characters or rides, he created experiences. In your path of selling a product, you should take the approach of story-selling because connected customers are the new currency. According to the Sprout Social 2018 study “Creating Connections: What Consumers Want From Brands in an Increasingly Divided Society,” customers who feel connected to a brand are apt to increase their spending with that brand by 57%. The study also found that 76% of customers would buy a product from a brand with which they feel a connection over a competitor’s product.

When it comes to email marketing, most brands just send promotional emails and discounts to their email list; however, the emails never explain why customers need to buy from their brand. Tap into emotions and get customers to relate to your company in your email sequence so they want to buy from you — and then share why they love and trust you with their own network!

So, the next time you get your hands on an email address, take that transaction and transform your business by turning a onetime customer into a true believer and a lifelong fan. » Charlene DeLoach is an attorney and business consultant. Her Total Toy Creative program helps toy brands with e-commerce strategies like email marketing, events, and social platform advertising. Reach out to her at toybox@playroomchronicles.com or learn more at totaltoycreative.com.

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GIVING BACK

PHILANTHROPY CAN BE FOUND IN THE TOYBOX Hasbro gives back to the community in a multitude of ways.

by NICOLE SAVAS, social media editor IT TURNS OUT THAT MR. MONOPOLY has a soft side. Hasbro states that as a company, its purpose is to create joy and community for all — one game, one story, and one toy at a time. Last year, the company donated 750,000 toys and games to those in need — and that’s just the first roll of the dice.

Hasbro divides its philanthropy into four categories: Joyful Play, the Hasbro Foundation, Team Hasbro, and ToyBox Tools. Each of these initiatives has its own unique way of helping the community.

Joyful Play — where those 750,000 toys come in — donates toys and games to those in need. The Hasbro Foundation uses that Monopoly money (and more) to power grants that support storytellers, create sustainable impact, and spark joy through play. Team Hasbro is just that: the team behind the toys. Countless employees transform into volunteers who put thousands of hours toward making a difference each year. Last year, 92% of

Hasbro’s worldwide employees volunteered in some way.

“It is important for players to see representations of themselves in the toys and games they engage with.”

— Kevin Coleman, Hasbro The last piece of the philanthropy puzzle, ToyBox Tools, was founded by a group of those employees. Remember Hasbro’s fundamental mission about joy and community? For some kids, the happiness we get from toys and games doesn’t come immediately when the box is unpacked. Employees wanted to create toys that would help these kids and turned to its longtime partners at the Autism Project, a Rhode Island-based

foundation of parents and professionals who provide support, education, and strategies for caregivers of kids with developmental needs. The foundation flipped the script and told Hasbro that it’s possible to make the toys that are already popular something that all could use.

“We’re all about inclusion and belonging, and so is Hasbro,” says Joanne Quinn, executive director of the Autism Project.“They loved the idea because it opened up a broad spectrum of toys to a broad spectrum of kids and adults.”

BUILDING THE TOYBOX The two companies joined together with a simple mission: making play accessible. The Autism Project’s employees came up with a list of Hasbro’s key toys and created aids to go along with them — and ToyBox Tools were born. The program is comprised of printable materials, instructional videos, and playmats that are designed to help families, caregivers, Last year, Monopoly updated its Community Cards and gave fans the chance to decide how.

Source: Hasbro

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Top: Countdown timers found in the ToyBox Tools feature multiple popular characters.

Right: The Potato Head family set was announced with the drop of “Mr.” from the brand.

Source: Hasbro

and teachers unlock the power of play.

Each tool gives kids the opportunity to play at their own pace and hopefully have some fun along the way. Most importantly, these tools are free to anyone who needs them at toyboxtools.hasbro.com.

“Play is for everyone, regardless of their age, ability, or background,” says Kevin Coleman, senior director of global philanthropy and social impact at Hasbro.

“We believe that play fulfills a fundamental human need and must be accessible to people of all abilities. It is important for players to see representations of themselves in the toys and games they engage with.”

In the ToyBox, play is divided into three levels: basic play, expanding play, and social play. These levels are shown in the instruction videos that first teach kids and caregivers slowly how to play with a certain toy or game, then how to use it more creatively, and finally how to use it to play with others. The goal is for kids to become familiar with the games and toys so they have an easier time playing with their their friends, families, and peers.

The idea being that the more familarity they have, the easier it will be to play in a social setting.

Currently, there are several different brands from Hasbro’s roster included within the initiative. Kids can take their time learning how to play classic games like Jenga or Chutes and Ladders, or bring their favorite brands into the mix with Transformers and My Little Pony.

There are also guides for toys from Baby Alive, Playskool, and NERF. INCLUSION IN THE TOY AISLE Inclusion is a hot topic lately, and although this program began in 2014, the message is timeless. As a toy manufacturer, it’s important to take note of who’s playing with the toys you produce and who’s not. If there is a possibility to spark joy in more kids, why not attempt to do it?

“If we want to be a community of inclusion and belonging, we need to do things like this,” Quinn says, “which brings the toys onto a level playing field for a lot of kids and parents to understand how to teach their kids to play with the toys and how to use the toys.”

In addition to explaining how to play the games, ToyBox Tools also links to the Autism Project’s greater resources on Autism Awareness, including how to first notice the signs of autism in kids under age 5, a list sensory-friendly activities, and how to find support for those with autism and their families.

But this is not Hasbro’s first major step to provide a more inclusive play experience. Last year, Hasbro made headlines when it lost the “Mr.” in the iconic Potato Head toy brand and included packaging with different types of families. The company also chose to update all of the Community Chest cards in the classic Monopoly game. For more than 85 years the cards had mentions of beauty contests

and the like, so Hasbro gave fans the ability to vote on what the cards should include instead.

And Hasbro was working on its goals towards inclusion way before then. In a world that is becoming more accepting and aware of the many different people that fill it, Hasbro is working toward including kids in the toy aisle and when they go home.

Hasbro’s soft side is tough to overlook. Last year, the company impacted more than 6 million kids and adults through its philanthropic endeavors.

“Since our company’s inception, making a social impact through philanthropy has been part of Hasbro’s DNA,” Coleman says.

Joy should belong to everyone who rolls the dice and passes Go! » As a kid, Nicole Savas either wanted to be a writer or a professional toy player-wither.

Somehow, as a social media editor with The Toy Book, she’s found a career as both. She’s grateful to work somewhere that she can fully embrace both her love of teddy bears and her admiration for the Oxford comma.

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NEW IN TOWN

by HANNAH SACKS, editorial assistant

“WHAT’S THAT?” There’s no doubt that parents have heard this question from their kids before.

Little ones are inquisitive, always wondering what time it is, or are we there yet? In the best cases, this hunger for information never subsides — it’s human nature to wonder about the world.

And at some point, kids begin wondering about themselves and their own families. That’s what Everest, the 8-year-old co-founder of KidQuest, found himself doing during the COVID-19 pandemic. “Always, I’d ask questions,” Everest says. His mother, Ariane de Bonvoisin, agrees: “[He’d ask] when you were a kid, did you have stitches? Because he’s had a lot of stitches.”

THE QUEST FOR SUCCESS Creating a game seemed like an easy way to answer Everest’s many questions, and to wile away the pandemic hours. “We’ve always had the desire to create something as a family, as an entrepreneurial team,” explains de Bonvoisin, who in addition to founding KidQuest with her son, works full-time coaching start-ups. “I’ve always loved helping people create things from nothing, and I’ve always wanted us to find something as a family … we could figure out how to build [together].”

The mother-and-son team launched KidQuest, a question-asking game designed by kids, for kids. Even the name was a product of Everest’s creativity: “We chose it because one, it’s for kids and it’s with questions. So we thought, KidQuest,” he explains. “Kids go on a

quest to find out who their parents, their grandparents, their teachers, and their nannies are.” The game itself is intended to allow kids to connect with their parents on a level they might not have found on their own. “The world has and is continuing to go through a tough time,” de Bonvoisin says. “[KidQuest is] a reconnection tool for families and for people who might not physically be together.”

WHAT’S IN A GAME? In KidQuest, it’s up to the kids to ask the questions. There are eight different categories that span across different topics one might encounter in life. These

categories can include personality, work life, friends, school life, and more. At each turn, the kid draws a card and asks the adult the question on the card.

But because the game was designed by kid, there are some fun and unexpected twists. “Everest was very big on making sure [KidQuest] was a game,” says de Bonvoisin. “So he came up with extra elements to kind of gameify it.”

For example, Everest added the celebration card: “It’s the best card of all,” he exclaims. When a kid draws the celebration card, they get to ask the adult for whatever they want — within reason, of course. There’s also a reverse card so that the game can change directions and adults can have a chance to ask the questions. “We thought it would be a little boring if [kids] just had questions,” Everest says.

Even the design of the game was catered to kids. The first prototype featured cards that were much too big for kid-size hands — in the actual game, the cards can be held comfortably in little ones’ paws. Originally, the game was packaged in a tin, however, Everest felt like a tin case would be easy for kids to break. Now, KidQuest comes in a cardboard box that can handle all the scrapes and bruises that kids may toss at it. “It’s just nice to have games where the kids really are running the show,” says de Bonvoisin. “It sort of changes the balance of power in some ways.”

Not only does KidQuest shift the KidQuest co-founders Ariane de Bonvoisin and her son, Everest. | Source: KidQuest

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KidQuest helps foster a deeper familial connection.

Source: KidQuest

power, but it also helps kids realize that their parents were young once, too. “I think in some ways, it normalizes the parenting relationship,” de Bonvoisin says.

“Everest realized that we were also eight [once] … we also didn’t like spelling tests and didn’t like homework.” It can often be hard for kids to see their parents as anything but a governing figure making them do the things they hate. But when they realize that their parents also had to do chores or complete their homework, it can make doing the work a little easier.

“It’s a bit different when you have it be your own story as opposed to just constantly telling the kid how to be and how to do things,” explains de Bonvoisin.

Everest agrees. He says that when a question comes up that asks about homework, it helps him understand that he is not alone in his experience. When his parents say they didn’t like doing homework, “that just normalizes it so I’m not like, I had homework, and they’re like, just do it,” he says. He continues by explaining that KidQuest has helped him understand who his parents and relatives were when they were younger, helping him to foster deeper relationships with those he loves.

SCREEN-FREE IS THE WAY TO BE In the age of the internet, it can be more difficult to create those deeper bonds within a nuclear family. Because society has shifted to a more technological culture, there aren’t a lot of pillars in place to help maintain familial bonds.

KidQuest aims to bridge this new gap by making families carve time out to learn about each other. “There’s not much that’s creating a family glue anymore,” de Bonvoisin posits. “Storytelling and family

history creates a shared bond, a bit of glue, a bit of roots.” Ultimately, the goal is for kids to be able to use their own experiences — and their family’s experiences ­— to face whatever obstacles the world may send their way. “It builds resilience eventually, where [kids] are going to face this stuff and … be able to pull on some of those stories [themselves] because they happened to [their family],” de Bonvoisin says.

Although KidQuest is a relatively new company, the mother-son team is quickly finding success. “For me, it’s a really cool, new experience,” Everest says. “I’ve done the small thing where you make lemonade and cookies and go to sell it … but I’ve never done something that actually gets out.” Despite the challenges that come with creating, manufacturing, and selling his own game, Everest explains that KidQuest has been receiving lots of support — both from the toy industry and from his own classmates.

WHAT’S NEXT? Currently, the game is only being sold in the U.S. However, Everest, his family, and his friends all live in Europe, and some have been asking why it’s not available there. “We’ve had a lot of [internatonal] interest,” de Bonvoisin says.

“We’ve had a lot of people in Europe ask, we’ve had people in Asia, we’ve had people in the Middle East. That’s sort of our next step, finding distributors internationally that can help.”

Although KidQuest aims to grow internationally in the near future, they do not have plans to expand into other games — and least, not yet.

“Lack of focus often kills businesses, especially small businesses,” de Bonvoi

sin says. “I really want to make sure that people understand what KidQuest is, how it works, and how to play it.”

Despite staying focused, Everest and his mom have a couple big ideas — namely, to translate the game into Spanish and perhaps start their own podcast.

“We might do a podcast about KidQuest where we ask celebrities how they were,” he explains. “And you take the game and ask the Queen of England, did you ever have stitches?”

While they wait for the Queen of England’s answer, Everest and his mother are just happy to see their hard work start to reap rewards.

“That’s the wind in my sails,” de Bonvoisin says. “Some family or some kids are going to get this. It just gives me the fortitude after [Everest has] gone to sleep to go ‘OK, what do we need to do for KidQuest?’” For Everest and de Bonvoisin, it’s enough to know that they’re inspiring others to reconnect. » Hannah Sacks is an editorial assistant at Adventure Media & Events. She writes feature pieces, trend articles, news, and product roundups for The Toy Book, The Toy Insider, and The Pop Insider. When she’s not writing, she can be found with a good book and a huge plate of dumplings.

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MARKETING MEMO

ADVERTISING DURING THE RECESSION Why You Should Fight for Brand Marketing Budgets

by TIFFANY TASKER, head of industry, toys, SuperAwesome AS THE TOY INDUSTRY SPEEDS into the holiday season, the entire world is experiencing a volatile economy: There’s the great technology revaluation, the crypto crash, and inflation, just to name a few of the many contributing factors. This perfect storm indicates hard times ahead and a likely reshuffling of plans and priorities for brands.

Planning for a decrease in sales and revenue — made worse by the glut of inventory from last year’s shipping nightmares — means that many companies are reevaluating their expenses. Advertising budgets, commonly viewed as a discretionary cost, are often first to be cut.

So why should you fight for your brand’s marketing budget? Many studies have shown the impact and efficacy of advertising during declining economical conditions. One of the most well-known studies is McGraw Hill’s from 1980-85, conducted with 600 countries in 16 industries. The study found that post-recession, companies that continued to advertise during the two-year recession saw 256% higher sales than the companies who cut their recession-time advertising. When the recession was over, the companies that hadn’t advertised continued to see slower recovery and growth.

Of course, we live in a world that is very different from the ‘80s. Nowadays, kids visit physical stores less. Product discovery happens online in digital environments like Roblox, TikTok, and YouTube.

Influencer recommendations carry weight and given that kids are using these social platforms as search engines, it’s important for brands to be there and in control of their on-platform messaging. Paid influencer activity is a key tool that brands should continue to invest in, despite the recession’s impacts.

Brands should also consider that they will have to compete with kids’ time in

an increasingly digital world.

According to SuperAwesome’s PopJam report from October-December 2021, ingame products and in-game currency overtook real-world products on kids’ gift wishlists last year.

The good news is that toy brands can utilize this change to drive more business. SuperAwesome’s latest report on how brands can connect with kids in the metaverse found that well-branded content does not disrupt digital experiences for young audiences — it enhances them.

Branded game integrations have a halo effect for brands. 41% of 6-16 year olds in the U.S. say that well-branded content experiences in one of their favorite games would make them enjoy the game more. If kids saw a brand doing something particularly cool in a game, 42% would remember the brand, 35% would ask their parents to buy them something from the brand, and 32% would themselves buy something from the brand.

Finally, parents’ desire to compensate for lost opportunities during the COVID-19 pandemic puts power into kids’ hands — and in a recession, this power dynamic is likely to continue.

COVID-19 compensation changed family dynamics by giving kids the power to choose products and services from an early age. During the pandemic, parents were feeling guilty that their kids weren’t able to experience normal life and were more likely to align to their kids’ well-researched wishlists than ever before. In a recession, the motivation is different, but the behavior is the same.

In an effort to save money and minimize wasteful spending, parents will consult their kids more than usual and stick to kid-approved purchases, especially on higher-ticket items. Thus, it’s extremely important to continue engaging kids

Source: stock.adobe.com

on the platforms they are frequent with kid-specific messaging.

But not all advertising is equal. Video continues to be the most effective and popular means of delivering a brand’s message. In this digital age, brands can tailor their message to the most relevant audiences on each platform. In a recession, working with partners who will help create assets and creatives that will resonate with audiences on each platform is paramount — and remember, multiplatform (over-the-top, YouTube, and in-app) is king. I advocate for using paid influencers more than using influencers as just a public relations strategy. If overall investment in advertising needs to decrease, each strategy must deliver more results than before. A paid strategy means that the brand will have full control over the narrative.

Finally, gaming activations on platforms such as Roblox shouldn’t be seen as just nice-to-have. The dominance of gaming — and the halo effect for brands when paired with a popular game — delivers a high impact on kids’ wishlists.

As ever, authentic alignment matters.

It’s important to work with partners who understand each platform, the brands, and how to execute COPPA-compliant campaigns when making your decision. » Tiffany Tasker is a digital media and marketing specialist for the kids and youth space. With more than 10 years of experience creating digital strategies for toy companies in the U.S., Tasker is now the head of industry, toys at SuperAwesome, an Epic Games company.

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THE TOY INDUSTRY HAS NEVER BEEN SHORT ON INNOVATION, consistently disrupting the status quo with next-gen ideas; state-of-the art technology; visionary retail plans; unique partnerships; and, of course, products that changed the way kids play. Test your knowledge of some of the industry’s most game-changing toys in this month’s Pop Quiz!

Source: Wrebbit3D

3. IN 1862, VISIONARY FREDERICK AUGUST OTTO SCHWARZ OPENED FAO SCHWARZ, AMERICA’S OLDEST TOY RETAILER. IN WHICH CITY WAS THE STORE LOCATED? A. NEW YORK CITY B. BALTIMORE C. SAN FRANCISCO

Source: The Strong

1. IN 1998, FURBY CHANGED THE FACE OF ROBOTIC PLAY, SELLING MORE THAN 40 MILLION TOYS IN THREE YEARS AND ESTABLISHING “FURBISH” AS A BRAND-NEW LANGUAGE. BEFORE HASBRO BOUGHT THE COMPANY AND RELEASED MULTIPLE GENERATIONS OF FURBYS, WHAT COMPANY WAS FURBY’S ORIGINAL CREATOR?

D. PHILADELPHIA 4. WHAT VIDEO GAME CONSOLE INTRODUCED MOTION-CONTROLLED GAMEPLAY IN 2006?

Source: Green Toys

B. FISHER-PRICE AND TED LASSO C. MONOPOLY AND PARKS & RECREATION D. SQUISHMALLOWS AND POKÉMON

7. BEFORE MASTERCHEF JUNIOR GAVE KIDS A TASTE OF REAL COOKING, WHAT PRODUCT HAD KIDS STIRRING UP FUN IN THE KITCHEN?

8. WHAT DOES THE STRONG MUSEUM OF PLAY CONSIDER TO BE THE OLDEST TOY, ALTHOUGH IT WAS NOT INDUCTED INTO THE MUSEUM UNTIL 2008?

2. SOMETIMES THE BEST IDEAS COME IN TWOS. WHICH OF THESE BRANDS HAVEN’T PAIRED UP (YET)?

A. RADIO FLYER AND TESLA

6. JIGSAW PUZZLES HAVE BEEN AROUND FOR GENERATIONS, BUT IN 1991, WREBBIT PUZZLES CHANGED THE SHAPE OF THINGS TO COME. WHAT INNOVATIVE CONCEPT DID IT INTRODUCE INTO THE CATEGORY?

5. IT MAY NOT ALWAYS BE EASY BEING GREEN — BUT GREEN TOYS’ ECO-FRIENDLY PRODUCTS HAVE SET THE GOLD STANDARD BY USING 100% POST-CONSUMER RECYCLED PLASTIC. WHAT IS THE MAIN COMPONENT OF THE COMPANY’S TOYS?

A. BALL B. STICK C. HULA HOOP D. BABY DOLL E. BUILDING BLOCKS

ANSWERS: 1. Tiger Electronics 2. C. Monopoly and Parks & Recreation 3. B. Baltimore 4. Nintendo Wii 5. Plastic milk jugs 6. 3D puzzle 7. Easy Bake Oven 8. B. Stick

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ROBOTS ENTER THE FRAY

Battling robots is a trend that has been gaining popularity. The fact that Comedy Central placed added emphasis on BattleBots by lengthening the broadcast and adding a high-profile host like Carmen Electra is indicative of this growth. And, knowing the way the toy industry works, if there is a big trend that can be translated into toys, it certainly will be. Highlighting this trend are Tiger Electronics’ licensed Battle Bots line, as well as Trendmasters’ Rumble brand.

GETTING OFF THE GROUND

The promotional radio control category is currently in a state of transition. Technology has afforded new features and the subject matter has been expanding. What was once impractical to impossible to make at an affordable price point is now making its mark on the category. “The traditional ground vehicles sold in the ‘90s were almost exclusively cars and trucks — basically fourwheeled vehicles” says Chris Beardall, vice president of marketing for Spin Master Toys.

“That category got stale. Then Mattel broke through with its motorcycle and that gave the category new life.”

FISHER-PRICE PACS IT UP

With cool styling, the Power Wheels Lightning PAC (Powered Action Cycle) can be used to motor around favorite places or as a free-wheeling scooter. Real rubber tires provide a good grip and the adjustable handlebar is the control center with a squeeze throttle and pull hand brake lever. The direct-drive power system brings the rider up to speed gradually and quietly. A 12-volt rechargeable battery (with charger) lets kids go up to 6.5 mph. Maximum driver weight is no more than 150 pounds.

MOTO-TIME WITH TYCO

Tyco R/C’s Moto-X Cycle combines a stunt bike with a detachable articulated rider figure that stays upright with the aid of a gyro stabilizing system. The bike is licensed by one of the hottest riders in the world of freestyle cycling, Travis Pastrana.

HOLDING TIGHT

It’s indisputable that the recent slagging economy has sunken its grip into the toy industry. However, the radio control category has been holding tight amidst the economic suffocation. NPD’s TRSTS note that the category earned $280.3 million with 9,935 million units sold in 2000. Although growth is minimal, the time frame is one during which many categories, even strong ones, slipped.

MGA TAKES ON LAND AND SEA MGA Entertainment introduces Land Sea R/C, which transitions from a rugged land-based radio control vehicle into one that can navigate lakes and ponds, taking the R/C category into less traditional directions.

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