Company Profile - Commotion

Commotion: Just the Tickit

A leading wholesale distributor of educational toys for more than 40 years, Commotion is enjoying huge success with its in-house Tickit brand of high-quality, open-ended products specifically developed for (and tested by) infants and pre-schoolers in real-world settings. Toy World caught up with Commotion CEO James Shepherd to find out what makes Tickit so special and how the company is raising brand awareness throughout 2025.

Comprising everything from wooden building blocks and light panels to sensory stainless-steel balls and themed figures, Tickit has been a mainstay of the educational sector for more than 20 years. Countless kids have played with Tickit products at thousands of nurseries, play groups and schools across the globe. Now, the company behind it, Commotion, is doubling down on its product development, majorly expanding its retail presence, bolstering its distribution model and ramping up brand awareness as it aims to land its products in homes worldwide.

Describing 2025 thus far as a game of two quarters, James explains how Commotion’s European business, which accounts for half of global annual sales, ended March up +30% - before President Trump hiked tariffs. Commotion responded by halting invoicing out of China directly to the USA, resulting in a weaker Q2 than was otherwise expected. This is not the company’s fault, of course, and its work behind the scenes this year - launching a redesigned website and wider business rebrand, attending numerous European trade shows, arranging photoshoots for its upcoming launches, and welcoming online and in-person visitors to its Kent showroom - has ensured the global business remains +5% up YOY and poised for further growth.

According to James Shepherd, Commotion’s CEO, one of Tickit’s biggest USPs is the fact that it is thoroughly play-tested by children in educational settings. Every new line and refresh is based upon focus group feedback from childcare providers, parents and kids. Despite this, and the brand’s rich heritage, James says awareness of Tickit is still relatively modest. “We have thousands of Tickit lines within nurseries and schools but very often, teachers and parents don’t realise it’s Tickit their kids are playing with. Our aim is to change this - to raise awareness, which in turn will increase consideration and purchase intent.”

Tickit products offer retail partners a tangible point of difference. A premium range, Tickit toys are robust and durable enough to stand up to being played with by whole classrooms of kids, and this won’t change as it starts landing in homes. The range is also founded on strong ethical and environmental values; any wood used is FSC-certified, the paints are water-based, printing is done with soy ink, and the company is working towards plastic-free packaging. What’s more, Tickit toys are 100% free of screens and digital enhancement. “Kids have got all that to come,” says James, a staunch advocate of screen-free, traditional play. He also loves the infinitely open-ended “small world” experience Tickit offers; individual sets can be combined to create whole worlds limited only by a child’s imagination.

Current Tickit best-sellers include its Wooden Picture Blocks (including newly launched People Who Help Us, Forest Animal and Bird themes) and Touch & Match Boards, while the light-up range of sensory tables welcomes the Discovery Glow Low Table and Discovery Glow Square Table this year. The SiliSoft range is a major new launch for 2025. There are 30+ soft, tactile and hygienic silicone products to choose from at attractive price points in three soothing colourways, with a newborn black and white range on the cards for 2026. Whizz Bikes, another new Tickit range, launched earlier this year. Sales have been very strong, reflecting their build quality, durability and £69.99 price point. Combined with a frame light enough for kids to carry themselves, puncture-proof tyres and a 5-year guarantee, Whizz Bikes tick all the balance bike boxes. All these products reflect Commotion’s strong focus on continuous product development, resulting in a portfolio that always offers something fresh and new for retailers and consumers alike.

While making a beloved brand available outside of its traditional spaces is clearly a big opportunity for retailers, Commotion is working hard behind the scenes to join the dots for consumers. Tickit is far from a start-up brand, but James and his team are treating it like one. The company is investing heavily in marketing and continues to drive its social media presence with child-centric content that demonstrates the kind of educational play Tickit offers. The brand’s photography frequently shows kids playing with Tickit toys and it also works with influencers on reels and videos in which play is front and centre. The approach is paying off. In Europe, Tickit has become a top brand among some of Commotion’s biggest toy retail partners, which place order after order, year after year.

“I’ve been a retailer, I’ve sat on that side of the table, and one of the biggest headaches is returns,” explains James, when asked why it’s proving such a hit. “Tickit is so well made, it never goes back to the retailer it’s bought from.”

Having worked at pace in Q1/2 laying the groundwork for a successful second half, Commotion’s focus is now on execution. The company has much more stock going into Q3/4 than it did last year, its post-rebrand packaging switchover is complete, and it continues to secure strategic partnerships with best-in-class retailers that will elevate Tickit’s visibility. Commotion’s partners are supported with comprehensive marketing and sales tools including professional product photography, videos, activity guides in eight languages, customised graphics, SEO-friendly descriptions, POS and retail case studies. James adds: “These resources help showcase products effectively across channels and save our customers time, so they can focus on growing their business while we help tell each product’s story.”

At the same time, Commotion is not setting out to dominate the retail landscape with its products. Its partners are often seeking an element of exclusivity and a point of difference, which evaporates when all retailers carry the same lines, or when different brands lack a strong USP.

“We offer great customer service and real people you can actually talk to,” concludes James, highlighting what makes Commotion a great supplier to work with. “We have countless marketing assets our partners can use, distribution hubs in both the UK and mainland Europe for fast and reliable delivery, superb payment terms, you name it. We understand the pressures facing retailers - and what it takes to succeed.”