TOY FAIR NEW YORK 2020
STATE OF THE INDUSTRY
JAMIE UITDENHOWEN President, Toy Retail Showrooms, a wholly owned subsidiary of Tru Kids Brands
Toys “R” Us stores are officially back in the U.S. What different strategies did you implement in these locations? The experiential nature of the new stores is very different than those of the past in terms of size, layout, and product count, but at the same time still allow parents and kids to engage with top brands and discover products they love. Exclusive playscapes where kids can unleash their imaginations and create meaningful interactions with Geoffrey the Giraffe, the Toys “R” Us brand’s treasured mascot, and the more than 40 brands carried in store [are at the heart of the new stores]. Upon entering the stores, guests are greeted by a giant, larger-than-life plush Geoffrey the Giraffe. [They] can explore; read; have fun climbing up steps that have the lyrics “I Don’t Wanna Grow Up, I’m a Toys ‘R’ Us Kid” into Geoffrey’s Tree House; or head to Geoffrey’s Magical Mirror play pod, where a 3D, virtual Geoffrey comes to life and mimics your every movement. The Play-A-Round Theater, an open event space where kids and adults come to play, learn, and discover — together — [is also unique to our stores]. These unique experiences create endless opportunities to explore new interests, learn new skills, collaborate with new friends, or discover a new favorite toy. Target is powering the new Toys “R” Us shopping experience in the U.S. What are the benefits of this partnership? Our e-commerce strategy with Target provides a way to reach consumers immediately and from a wide demographic. Target also powers the online sales for our new experiential stores, providing customers access to a deeper assortment of curated products. Combining our voice on trends and play with the power of Target’s inventory, shipping, and customer service is a win for consumers. What can consumers expect from Tru Kids Brands this year? Last year, our focus was on reimagining the Toys “R” Us brand in the U.S. and creating the best possible experience for shoppers and our brand partners. We delivered on that through an omnichannel approach with the relaunch of toysrus.com, the new store experience, and our partnership with Candytopia to create limited-run, experiential events. We plan to open additional stores this year and will proceed with a thoughtful expansion strategy incorporating insights and feedback from our first two locations. Throughout this year, we will continue to develop our strategy around the store experience, with plans to open larger flagship experiences in major U.S. markets over the next three to five years.
GEOFFREY GREENBERG Co-President, Just Play
Which products or categories do you expect to drive sales this year? How does this differ from last year? Last year was an interesting year in that there were several stellar properties, with Disney•Pixar’s Toy Story 4, Frozen 2, and Ryan’s World taking a lot of market share. While we believe that these properties will continue to deliver, this year’s fall entertainment slate is much quieter in terms of new toy line launches, and it will allow for dollars to shift back to other lines. What business strategies are working now that wouldn’t have worked in the past? Two of the biggest impacts in recent years have been influencer content and e-commerce. Stars like Ryan and JoJo Siwa have not only garnered reach comparable to linear and theatrical entertainment, but they have also established extremely high engagement levels. Nowadays, parents are very aware of the creators that their children are watching, and new additions, such as Ryan’s Mystery Playdate and JoJo Siwa’s D.R.E.A.M. tour, add to the mass awareness not just of kids, but parents alike. Previously, licensed lines without linear content or theatrical support would never make it to retail. Changes in retail e-commerce have also made a profound impact on the way we launch, market, and sell toys, [which] continue to evolve with consumer behavior. As we saw in the last few months of the year, there will be an increasing emphasis on dotcom’s part in the retail experience as consumers shop closer to a holiday. The gap between brick and mortar and e-commerce will continue to [close], and the shopping experience will become more seamless as technology and operations advance. Toys that embrace classic play are continuing to edge out products that incorporate technology. How does this affect your product design plans? Much of our portfolio falls within the preschool audience. During these early years, toys play a very important [role in] a child’s development. Learning doesn’t necessarily have to be overly complicated and/or incorporate complex technology. At this young age, kids are expanding their imagination, communication skills, and social skills, and working on problem-solving, among other things. Our new Blue’s Clues & You! [toy line] includes role-play items, plush, figures, and playsets that provide kids with an engaging way to develop through play, including interactive features, music, and, of course, clues. For example, our Blue’s House Playset has clues and hidden surprises that allow kids to explore and problem-solve. We are always thinking about play value and how the brands we develop can provide the best experience.
64 THE TOY BOOK | FEBRUARY 2020 | toybook.com
State Q&A_2-20.indd 64
2/6/20 4:28 PM