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Industry
FanTOYstic Fact Bicycle playing cards turn 130 years old this year, and while the brand has seen its share of special designs over the years, one of the most innovative decks dates back to the days of World War II. Bicycle’s parent company, the United States Playing Card Company, teamed up with American and British intelligence agencies on a special deck for military personnel fighting abroad. When moistened, the individual cards in these decks would peel apart, revealing maps with escape routes out of German prisoner of war (POW) camps. In 2013, Bicycle released the Escape Deck, inspired by the original map decks, though none of the cards peeled apart. Sections of map are visible on the front of the cards, which form a complete map when placed in the proper order.
TOY STATE PARTNERS WITH WWE Toy State has entered into a licensing agreement with World Wrestling Entertainment Inc. (WWE). The deal includes products developed for the R/C vehicle category for the North American market, the first of which will be in stores later this year. This agreement marks Toy State’s first licensing agreement under the Nikko brand since its acquisition of the company last year. “There are few brands with as loyal and passionate a fan base as the WWE,” says Andy Friess, president of Toy State. “The personality of the brand is perfectly aligned with the attitude and innovation of our toys, and we can’t wait for WWE fans to see our products when they hit the shelves.” Toy State also recently reached a nine-race agreement to be primary sponsor of Tommy Baldwin Racing’s No. 7 car on the NASCAR Sprint Cup Circuit.
AMAZON LAUNCHES STEM TOYS & GAMES STORE On March 31, Amazon launched its STEM Toys & Games Store, a single destination for discovering products that are meant to help children of all ages develop science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM)-related skills. STEM was Amazon’s second most-visited category, as well as the second highest in terms of sales volume, during the holiday season.
DIGIPLUSH LAUNCHES BIRTHDAYLAND
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TOYS “R” US
Digiplush is a new toy, app, and entertainment company featuring brands designed to enhance children’s play experience through physical toys and mobile apps for smartphones and tablets. A partnership between Kids Preferred, Creative Capers Entertainment, and Rethink Entertainment and Media, BirthdayLand is the first brand under the Digiplush venture, which launched at Toys “R” Us in March. BirthdayLand’s initial characters consist of Birthdaykins, a line of birthday-themed plush toys; and the Huggaloons, Bicycle Escape Deck
For this year’s major milestone, Bicycle continues to look back on its storied history. The company’s 130th Anniversary Edition replicates one of the first designs used under the Bicycle brand name, with hand drawn reproductions of all the original artwork.
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MARCH/APRIL 2015