Pages (1)

page S15

Vol. 29, No. 3 May/June 2013

page 23

Chatting with the Industry

page S8

Inside the Mindof a Toy Buyer

page S6

Licensing has become an integral part of toy marketing.According to The NPD Group, toys based on licensesaccounted for 30 percent of all U.S. retail dollars last

year, and about 25 percent in units. This is considerably higherthan estimates made a few years ago, which put the dollarshare at 25 percent.

page 90

page 98

LicensingExpo 2013

ASTRA’s Marketplace

PUBLISHER

Jonathan [email protected]

EDITOR IN CHIEF

Jackie [email protected]

SENIOR EDITOR

Loren [email protected]

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Marissa [email protected]

ASSISTANT EDITORS

Christine [email protected]

Ali [email protected]

EDITORIAL ASSISTANT

Kara [email protected]

PRODUCTION DIRECTOR

Anthony K. [email protected]

CONTROLLER/OFFICE MANAGER

Robert [email protected]

Published by Adventure Publishing Group, Inc.®

Volume 29, Number 3www.toybook.com

Member, International Toy

Magazine Association

U.S. Corporate HeadquartersLaurie Schacht, [email protected]

Adventure Publishing Group, Inc.®307 Seventh Ave., #1601

New York, NY 10001Phone: (212) 575-4510Fax: (212) 575-4521

table of contentsMay/June 2013

Publisher’s ViewpointPage 6

Stat ShotPage 8

TIA PerspectivesPage 9

Industry UpdatePage 10

The Big Toy Book: Baby PaloozaPage 11

5 Questions with KahootzPage 88

Marketing MemoPage 89

Property Profile: Despicable Me 2Page 94

What’s NewPage 113

Raising the BarPage 116

Industry MarketplacePage 120

Flashback:May/June 1993Page 122

Editor’s Page

Page S2

NewsPage S3

Inside the Mind of aSpecialty Buyer

Page S6

ASTRA’s InsightsPage S4

Media CenterPage S65

Small Business TipsPage S64

Kickstarting Your BusinessPage S60

Chatting with theIndustryPage S8

ASTRA MarketplacePage S15

Showrooming Sparks Sales OpportunitiesPage 12

Page 22

Dancing on the Head of a Pin?

Digital Gaming Brands and Toys

Page 90Toy Licenses Are Double-Edged Swords

Page 110

How Transmedia Builds Fan Culture forEntertainment Brands

Page 114

The Ultimate Tablet Playbook for KidsPage 16

Toys and TV: SupermanPage 96

The Last Shoe to DropPage 112

Features

Specialty Toys & Gifts: Page 23

Departments

Licensing Expo 2013Page 98

June in Nashville, Las Vegas,or Maybe Both! Jonathan Samet

publisher

If it’s June, then it’s time for two key industry tradeshows. Each year I write about the ASTRA show as itgets better each year. The ASTRA Marketplace and Acad-

emy will take place in Nashville, Tenn. from June 16 to 19,and once again the show floor is sold out, as exhibitorsshowcase their products for the upcoming holiday season.Kathleen McHugh and her team at ASTRA do a great jobeach year hosting informative seminars on relevant topicsfor the industry, along with wonderful networking and in-formation sharing opportunities for all in attendance. Theatmosphere each year is upbeat as a camaraderie takesplace between the toy manufacturers and retailers helpingeach other prosper and succeed in this difficult and ever-changing retail climate. There is plenty of time to meet andmix, either over lunch or ice cream, at Game Night, or dur-ing other events. These breaks give me the opportunity tomeet and discuss feedback regarding the valuable contentJackie Breyer and her team provide via The Toy Book andThe Toy Report.

In this issue, we have presented our strongest coverageof the ASTRA toy show and the specialty toy market to date.We offer the broadest coverage of toy manufacturers of anytoy publication to help retailers during this crucial timewhen they are finalizing their holiday selections. In addi-tion, we include our annual Q&A with a select panel of re-tailers and manufacturers to offer varying viewpoints ontopics facing the toy industry. I am confident that this issuesupports my ongoing claim that The Toy Book is the leadingpublication for the entire toy industry.

It’s unfortunate that we all cannot be in two places atthe same time. While the ASTRA show is taking place inNashville, the annual International Licensing Expo, whichshowcases many of the entertainment and corporate/brandproperties that are currently or will become available for li-

censing in the near future, is also taking place. Licensingplays an important role in the toy business, as there is sig-nificant potential for toy manufacturers to take advantageof. Licensing provides manufacturers with a proprietarypoint of difference from their competition, as well as built-in awareness with both retailers and consumers.

Due to our expanded ASTRA Marketplace coverage, ourcoverage of the Licensing Expo is limited. For much broadercoverage, visit our sister publication, The Licensing Book, atwww.licensingbook.com. If you don’t receive The Licensing

Book, you should. Send an email to [email protected] and request to receive complementary digital ver-sions of both The Licensing Book and The Toy Book, as wellas our weekly e-newsletters, The Toy Report and Total Li-

censing Report. �

Publisher’sviewpoint

6 • THE TOY BOOK MAY/JUNE 2013


STAT SHOT

Source: The NPD Group/Retail Tracking Service

Top Toy Properties* Across Europe in 2012

Moshi Monsters Playmobil Playmobil Barbie Monster High

Star Wars Barbie Star Wars Hello Kitty & Friends Playmobil

Lego City Disney/Pixar Cars Barbie Disney/Pixar Cars Mickey & Friends

Barbie Helly Kitty & Friends Lego City Spider-Man Nancy

Disney Princess Monster High Disney/Pixar Cars Lego City Barbie

VTech Baby Beyblade Lego Duplo Mickey & Friends Disney/Pixar Cars

Hello Kitty & Friends VTech Baby Lego Technic Disney Princess Spider-Man

Nerf Star Wars Filly Cicciobello Nenuco

Peppa Pig Spider-Man Monster High Hot Wheels Star Wars

Disney/Pixar Cars Disney Princess Lego Ninjago Baby Clementoni Hello Kitty & Friends

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

UK France Germany Italy Spain

*a property includes brand and licensed product sales

Top 10 Licensed Products, January to April, 2013

PRODUCT MANUFACTURER

FURBY ASST. (HOT) HASBRO

MONSTER HIGH TRAVEL SCARIS MATTEL

MONSTER HIGH ASST. MATTEL

SIX SOBRES INVIZIMALS CARDS PANINI

MONSTER HIGH FIESTA DIVINA MATTEL

MONSUNO STARTER PACK 1 CORE GIOCHI PREZIOSI

HOT WHEELS 72 CARS MATTEL

MONSTER HIGH FAVORITES MATTEL

CARS ASST., CARS 2 MATTEL

MONSTER HIGH DOLL PARTY DRESS MATTEL

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

MOSHI MONSTERS MOSHLING FIGURES VIVID IMAGINATIONS

LEGO MINIFIGURES LEGO

LEAPPAD EXPLORER TABLET LEAPFROG

FURBY ASST. (HOT AND COOL) HASBRO

MOSHI MONSTERS BLIND BAG ASST. VIVID IMAGINATIONS

MONSTER HIGH DOLL ASST. MATTEL

LEAPFROG EXPLORER GAME ASST. LEAPFROG

INNOTAB VTECH

CARS 2 CHARACTER CLIPSTRIP ASST. MATTEL

TMNT BASIC FIGURE ASST. GIOCHI PREZIOSI

Spain UKPRODUCT MANUFACTURER



MAY/JUNE 2013 THE TOY BOOK • 9

Something for Everyoneby Kristin Morency, communications specialist, Toy Industry Association

You’re probably already awarethat the Toy Industry Association(TIA) is the trade group repre-

senting the interests of more than 600toy companies across North America, butwhat does that really mean to you? Whatdoes TIA do to serve the needs of toybusinesses of all shapes, colors, andsizes?In addition to hosting major go-to-

market events such as Toy Fair and FallToy Preview, TIA offers a wide range ofnetworking and educational opportuni-ties that are tailor-made for each of themember types we serve. Whether you’rea small business owner or a retailer, atoy inventor or a designer, an in-housecredit or a public relations professional,or any of the other roles that comprisethe association’s family, TIA has some-thing for everyone:• First up is PlayCon, our renowned an-nual educational and networking event

created by play professionals forplay professionals. This year’sconference brought toy industry leadersfrom across the country together inScottsdale, Ariz., where they discussedtopics including licensing, innovations inretail, global trends, and consumer in-sights.• California Toy Day connects the realpeople of the toy industry with politicalleaders in Sacramento, Calif. Given thatCalifornia is home to about 20 percent ofTIA’s members, this annual event letscompanies voice their concerns aboutthe legislation and regulations that im-pact their businesses. Held earlier thisspring, discussions focused on pendingrequirements for listing chemicals on toypackaging, reformulating the chemicalmake-up of certain toys, and taking backproducts at the end of their life cycle. Asimilar event will be held in Washing-ton, D.C. in September.• ToyDesignCon is an event designedto inform and inspire the talented in-house design teams of toy companies.Taking place from June 23 to 25 at theNational Museum of Play, the upcom-ing conference will feature a keynotespeaker from Cirque du Soleil and willcover topics that will get participants’creative juices flowing. • TIA’s National Summer Credit Con-ference has been the foundation of theCredit Interchange Program for manyyears and is an exclusive educationaland networking event for credit profes-

sionals, CFOs, and controllers from TIAmember companies. From July 15 to 16in Chicago, participants will receive valu-able insights about customer creditwor-thiness, problem accounts, and issuesfacing toy company finance and creditdepartments. In addition, this event pro-vides great networking for peers and pre-senters. • Industry-specific research has becomea new cornerstone of TIA’s value propo-sition. For example, if you’ve ever won-dered how your toy company’s financesstack up against industry peers, the2013 Toy Industry Financial & OperatingBenchmark Study will likely provide theanswers you seek. Confidentially col-lected financial information from TIAmember manufacturers, importers, anddistributors has been analyzed to showparticipating companies where theyshine—and where they come up short—when compared to other companies ofsimilar size, category, or distributionchannel. As TIA’s membership base expands

and evolves, so do our offerings. To stayin the loop about everything that’s hap-pening at TIA, including details aboutevents, webinars, and other new re-sources, consult our website, www.Toy-Association.org. You can also subscribeto our free, weekly e-newsletter, Toy

News Tuesday by emailing [email protected]. �

Toy Industry Associationperspectives

Save the Date!June 23–24: ToyDesignCon, Rochester, N.Y.An event to inform and inspire toy companies’ in-house design teams

July 15–16: National Summer Credit Conference,ChicagoEducational and networking event for credit professionals, CFOs, and controllers

Get the latest toy industry news delivered straight to your inbox

each week for free! Subscribe to The Toy Book’s Toy Report. Send

an email request to [email protected], and add that

address to your address book to ensure delivery.

For up-to-the-minute news, follow The Toy Book on Twitter: twitter.com/ToyBook, and

“like” The Toy Book on Facebook: facebook.com/TheToyBook. Visit our blog

at www.toybook.com.


PROPEL EQUITY PARTNERS ACQUIRES ALEX TOYSPropel Equity Partners, a private equity firm, has acquired Alex Toys, a maker of

children’s creative products. Alex joins the Poof-Slinky family of brands, which in-cludes Slinky, Poof, Ideal, Scientific Explorer, and Fundex Games on the Propel Eq-uity Partners roster of toy brands.

Founded in 1986 with the creation of a plastic lunch box filled with arts and craftssupplies, Alex has grown into a manufacturer of children’s creative products designedto foster personal expression and build self-esteem. The brand now features morethan 1,000 items for all ages, and has expanded to include products for imaginativeand dramatic play, fashion and jewelry, and bath and outdoor toys. Alex products aresold in more than 80 countries through a variety of distribution channels. More than70 million Alex products have been sold in the past 10 years.

Alex founders Nurit and Rick Amdur will remain with the company, while FredKeller, president of Poof-Slinky, will take on the additional title of president of Alex.

CPSC REQUIREMENTS COULD ADD $18.7 MILLION BURDEN ON INDUSTRYProposed changes to the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s (CPSC) certifi-

cate of compliance requirements could add complexities and significantly alter theway most companies manage their logistics for inbound freight to the U.S., accord-ing to the Toy Industry Association (TIA). The changes could more than double com-pliance costs for children’s product companies—from an approximate $15 millionannually spent to comply with current certification requirements to nearly $34 mil-lion annually.

Under the amended rule, companies that import regulated finished productsmanufactured outside of the U.S. would be required to file product certificates elec-tronically with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) prior to importation inconjunction with other customs entry documents. Additionally, certifications wouldhave to be identified prominently on the finished product, shipping carton, or invoicewith a unique identifier and be accessible online without password protection.

TIA will submit comments to the CPSC by July 29 regarding the content re-quirements of the certificate, the economic impact of the certification rule, the logis-tics of electronic certification, and more. Members may contact TIA’s Rebecca Mondwith feedback to be included in the submitted comments, or to receive additional in-formation about the rule’s impact. Comments on behalf of individual companies maybe submitted directly to the CPSC at www.regulations.gov (docket number CPSC-2013-0017).

Industryupdate

TCG PARTNERS WITH EONEFOR PEPPA PIG

TCG has partnered with En-tertainment One to manufacture,distribute, and market a new lineof puzzles and activities featuringPeppa Pig in North America. ThePeppa Pig products are expected tolaunch at mass-market, toy, drug,and online retailers in August.

The new product line includesthree 24-piece jigsaw puzzles, 48-piece jigsaw puzzles, and MagneticCreations. Eachpuzzle and activ-ity features PeppaPig, star of the ani-mated TV show forpreschoolers,which airs onNick Jr. in the U.S.

WWE, THE BRIDGE UNVEILNEW CONSTRUCTION LINE

World Wrestling Entertainment(WWE) has signed an exclusive,multi-year agreement with TheBridge Direct to develop and mar-ket construction toys based on itsevents and characters. The agree-ment marks the first time WWEwill enter the construction toy cat-egory. For kids ages 4 to 14, theline includes figures, accessories,and construction bricks, bringingWWE’s events and superstars tolife. The WWE construction toysare expected to roll out at majormass retailers next spring.

The Big Toy Book held its first annual Baby

Palooza event on April 21. Toy Insider Mom

Laurie Schacht hosted the event, along

with Toy Insider Parent Advisory Board Members

Joey Fortman and Charlene Deloach.

Bloggers from Philadelphia to Boston made

their way to New York City to see the latest and

greatest baby and toddler products. Bloggers

shared their experiences through Twitter, Facebook,

Instagram, YouTube, Vine, blog sites, and more. The

event amassed a whopping 11.5 million monthly im-

pressions collectively.

Delta Children’s Products showed off some of its

licensed furniture for kids, including armchairs, beds, couches, and storage

units featuring Minnie and Mickey Mouse, Doc McStuffins, and Cars charac-

ters. VTech showcased its new tablet, the Innotab 2 Baby, designed for babies

ages 9 months and up. Cloud b introduced its latest additions, including Twi-

light Turtle Tunes, the first Cloud b character to feature Bluetooth technol-

ogy. Madame Alexader Doll Co. displayed its newest line of machine-washable

plush, and Mega Bloks had the latest in First Builders construction kits on

display. The First Years introduced the iAlert Convertible Car Seat, which alerts parents’

cell phones if it detects that a child becomes unbuckled while the vehicle is in motion,

is left in the car seat when the vehicle is stopped, or is at risk of freez-

ing or overheating in the car seat.

Bloggers got hands-on experience with all of these products and

more, as they enjoyed lunch and mimosas. Of course, each blogger

went home with a bag full of swag so they could test the products with

their little ones at home.

The next Big Toy Book event will be the Sweet Suite event, held on

July 25 at Chicago’s River East Art Center. The Big Toy Book will wel-

come 500 influential bloggers at this exciting venue. Going beyond

baby products, the Sweet Suite event will introduce bloggers to all of

the latest and greatest toys being launched at retail. If you’re inter-

ested in learning more about these events, contact Laurie Schacht at

[email protected]. �


Now that the general public is web-enabled, a newproblem facing retailers is showrooming, which iswhen a customer visits a store, checks out a product,

leaves, and purchases it somewhere else.Many believe showrooming is to blame for poor retail store

performance, since more of the sales and profits are beingconsumed by e-tailers. If online outlets are so devastating tobrick-and-mortar stores, they should be enjoying 30 to 50percent of the industry’s total sales. However, they have lessthan 5 percent of the PC/CE sales, according to the Con-sumer Electronics Association. In addition, considering thecurrent price of gas, it’s not certain that people check theprices at stores and go online to buy.

Focused ShoppingFew people go out shopping just to browse. They’ve done

extensive research at home on their computers and shop withmobile devices in hand to ensure they have the most currentinformation. They look at products, reviews, comparisons,availability, store locations, and reputations. Despite the re-search, consumers still tend to purchase from the store theyare visiting. They spend hours checking out products theymay or may not buy. That’s not showrooming, that’s shop-ping. It is a common practice, especially during the holidayseason.

Storefront AdvantageIf a person is in a store using his or her smartphone or

tablet to check out a product, that means he or she is activelythinking about buying something. Having people in the store

gives retailers an opportunity to talk with and assist them.It’s not just about selling them something, but developing anin-person rapport.

Some retailers are even providing salespeople with smart-phones, tablets, and apps so they can help the customercheck reviews, availability, and options. They’re also deliver-ing instant coupons and personalized discounts to enhancethe customer’s in-store experience and build store loyalty.

Price MatchingAll things being equal, today’s consumer can show the

sales associate or store manager the price of the product atother stores and request a price match; or, they can simplybuy elsewhere. It isn’t done to damage the retailer. In fact, theconsumer has given the retailer the opportunity to save thesale and perhaps produce add-in/add-on sales.

Simply matching a price shouldn’t be a question this hol-iday season. Almost every retailer realizes consumers have in-stant access to just about everything, and many will matchany price (in print or online).

Let Me Help YouIncreasingly, brands and retailers have introduced their

own web and mobile apps to develop a stronger relationshipwith customers. Outlets are making mobile apps available tocustomers that will make it easier to track their purchaseswhile allowing the retailer to provide more intelligent, targetedproducts and promotional offers.

But, as long as they’re in your store, emphasis should beplaced on customer service to enhance the shopping experi-

Sparks Sales OpportunitiesA more enlightened consumer can help produce a happier customer.

by Andy Marken, Marken Communications

Showrooming


ence. This gives retailers the opportunity to offer suggestionsthat not only help the customer by providing ideas he or shemay not have thought of, but by building sales and profits.

For example, if a consumer is looking to buy an interac-tive HD TV, a sales associate may suggest adding a surroundsound system and a streaming video service. If the customeris seen using an iPhone or an iPad, an associate can pointhim or her toward external speakers, earbuds and head-phones, a protective case, or an add-on keyboard.

Some stores have the capability to check for stock in-store, regionally, and online. In this way, stores have accessto more inventory than just what is in the stockroom, andcustomers are more likely to get what they want with little-to-no effort of their own.

Listening, suggesting, and helping is what good customerservice is all about. Sales will improve, profits will improve,and customer loyalty will increase because the staff is payingattention to the customer, instead of just ringing up the saleand moving on. Customer service is where retail stores havethe advantage, which is why some retailers are changing thetitle of their staff members from salesperson or sales associ-ate to customer associate.

Advantage OnlineAccording to Pew Research Center, younger Millenials—

the connected generation—and Boomers have taken to onlinebuying for reasons other than finding the cheapest price. In

fact, price is much lower on the priority list, especially whenyou look at rising stars in the online arena such as Zappos,macsales, Gilt Groupe, and Amazon, as well as retailers thathave become effective in both spaces, such as Nordstrom.

Last year, in anticipation of a significant increase in on-line research activity (and hopefully sales), the major PC/CEsites were constantly upgrading their servers, software,search activities, carts, and offers. Similar to brick-and-mor-tar retailers, the fourth quarter is a peak selling period for on-line retailers.

Growth on the GoMany online retailers have spent the entire year fine-tun-

ing and refining every aspect of their online store to help cus-tomers buy. As the newest option, mobile commerce givesconsumers an even more immediate opportunity to take ad-vantage of coupons, special offers, and purchases.

The only retailers who rise to the top are those who builddepth into their sites by providing patrons with comprehen-sive product information, comparisons, application informa-tion, customer reviews, open online user forums, supportexperts, how-to information, and no-hassle return policies.

Shopping PositionFor some, nothing beats the convenience of being able to

kick back on the sofa or in a chair while shopping. Perhapsretailers should worry less about the possibility of show-rooming and more about people who don’t even leave the com-fort of home to shop. Retailers are rushing to ensure theirwebsites are accessible from all types of devices because agrowing volume of sales will be either web-influenced or web-impacted in the years ahead.

Consumer ExperienceMobile devices aren’t responsible for encouraging people

to shop around because comparing prices is nothing new.They have, however, empowered consumers. In an instant,anyone can pull out his or her device and text or call friendsand family, use their browser to search for product informa-tion and reviews, make product comparisons, search forcoupons, and make a purchase. That purchase could be in-store, on the store’s website, or at a standalone online retailer.Online retailers like macsales have an advantage because

Source: Forrester


they never close, and they make it easy to move through thesite, purchase, and exchange quickly.

Today’s retailers shouldn’t view showrooming as a threat,

but as an opportunity to develop a more positive, helpful re-lationship with the consumer while guiding him or her towardthe best products. The retailer has the advantage because thesales associate is standing next to the customer showingproducts, giving advice, and offering assistance.

If the retailer has competitive pricing, inviting displaysand layouts, and a well-trained and motivated team, they canmake additional product and accessory recommendationsthat improve customer satisfaction, which in turn improvessales and profits. �

Andy Marken is a marketing and communications consult-

ant with more than 30 years of experience. In addition to con-

sulting with and being a spokesman for major clients, he also

speaks on industry subjects, including management, marketing,

and consumer relations. He can be reached at andy@marken-

com.com.

Source: Nielsen


THE ULTIMATETABLET PLAYBOOKFOR KIDs

As prices drop for standard tablets, the kids’ tabletmarket is competing in a world where kid-appro-priate content, robust parental controls, and

other comparable specifications are critical points of dif-ference for the kids’ marketplace. Today, most tablets de-signed specifically for kids are offered in the $100 to $250price range.

With more than 1.5 million apps available for down-load (including iOS, Android, and Microsoft platforms), itis a critical choice for parents and retailers to offer prod-ucts for kids that have settings to keep kids safe and se-cure. Most of the kids’ tablets showcased in this featureare Android-based with WiFi access, and they all featurekid-friendly content and parental controls. Some compa-nies, such as Vivitar and Fuhu, are signing deals with li-censors to bring kids’ favorite characters to their tablets innew ways, including accessories and pre-loaded apps andcontent.

With so many apps to choose from, a good amount ofstorage is a key selling point. Some kids’ tablets offer appdownloads and storage in the Cloud, keeping content safe.Other tablets provide a combination of internal memory,physical cartridges, and downloadable content. Tabletswith SD ports allow for more storage than the internalmemory provides, allowing more freedom for kids to down-load and save content.

The kid-based tablet market is not a passing fad. Re-tailers are conferring with their toy department and con-

sumer electronics buyers to determine their strategies andproduct offerings. By this fall, most retailers are expectedto whittle down their kids’ tablet offerings to the top five orsix options.

The overall tablet market continues to achieve a highpenetration rate among families with kids ages 2 to 14.According to NPD Display Search Quarterly Mobile PC Ship-

ment and Forecast Report, projected global sales of tabletsare expected to reach 240 million units by the end of thisyear. North America is expected to capture a 35 percentshare of the global tablet market, translating to 85 millionunits. Kids’ tablets make up a percentage of this totalglobal tablet market, and even a small slice of this hugevolume could garner significant revenue for individualmanufacturers.

Last year, kids’ tablets made a huge impact on the toymarket, with introductions such as LexiBook First Tablet,from LexiBook; Kurio, from Techno Source; and Meep!,from Oregon Scientific. This year, many companies will ex-pand their tablet offerings and provide consumers withthe latest innovations in tech for kids.

Reyne Rice is an industry professional with 30 years

of experience in marketing, researching, and analyzing the

toy industry and youth marketplace. She advises clients

and broadcast and print media on the hottest trends in

toys, games, technology, entertainment, and licensing as it

affects the youth marketplace.

by Reyne Rice, toy trends analyst/expert, Tech for Kids journalist/consultant


xx

oo

x

The Lexibook Laptab is a specially designed netbook and tablet in one. It converts from laptop to tablet injust a few seconds. With a large touch screen, a user-friendly keyboard, and an Android operating system, theLexibook Laptab allows kids to listen to music, browse the Internet, watch videos, play, read, and study. Kidscan discover songs and video clips, watch their favorite cartoons by streaming content, or play one of 25 pre-

installed games. A camera allows kids to take photos and personalize them with the photo edit-ing software.

Lexibook Protect allows parents to secure apps and the Internet browsing func-tion. Once connected to WiFi, parents can access the Lexibook Market where

more than 10,000 apps are available, including classic apps, a gamingplatform, activities, music, and educational content. The password-pro-tected parental control feature is also available for the Lexibook Market,allowing parents to use their password to filter their choices for all non-appropriate apps.

For older children, the Office Suite includes a word processor and pres-entation and spreadsheet software to simplify homework. The Power Acad-

emy app can improve and test knowledge in all fields through quizzes andmemos. The Laptab includes 50 books and 52 creative activities for homeor for use with friends, including DIY, recipes, and games.

The InnoTab 2 Baby, from VTech, has special content geared toward young learn-ers and is designed to grow with kids. The customizable welcome screen allows parentsto add their baby’s photo and create a recorded greeting with their own voice. InnoTab2 Baby includes a baby sign language program from Baby Signs Inc., a rotating cam-era and video recorder, an MP3 music player, an e-book reader, a video player, an artstudio, and other fun apps for children to play with as they grow. Parents can addhundreds of additional apps by visiting and downloading content through VTech’sLearning Lodge app store.

The InnoTab 2S Wi-Fi Learning App Tablet includes a library of educationalcontent across a variety of curriculums. From downloadsto software cartridges, the InnoTab 2S combines inno-

vative technology with a developmental learning tool thatgrows with a child. It includes a rotating camera, video recorder,

tilt sensor, photo viewer, video player, MP3 music player, e-reader, artstudio, and microphone. Through a secure wireless connection to the Learning Lodge,parents can easily browse and download a variety of content in-line with their child’sstage of development, as well as with their age and interests. Children can also explorethis content, pick their favorites, create a wish list, and send the list right to their par-ents’ email. Parents can track their child’s progress through the online progress log, offerencouragement, and share when kids reach new learning milestones. Cartridges with li-censed characters teach essential skills in reading, logic, and creativity.


The ChildPad, from Archos, is a 7-inch tablet introducedlast year. The tablet includes a pre-loaded, six-monthparental control application for child-safe web browsing pow-ered by Editions Profil, which is ranked as the most efficientparental control in worldwide benchmarks. The ChildPadcomes pre-loaded with apps for kids, including games suchas Angry Birds and educational, general knowledge apps.This year, the redesigned interface features colored icons andfolders with direct access to games, apps, and books. App-sLib provides access to thousands of apps just for kids, filedin key core folders for easy access.

The ChildPad features a compact, lightweight design,runs on the Android 4.0 operating system, has a 1GHzprocessor, and 1GB of RAM. The tablet also has 4GB of flash

memory for multimedia ca-pabilities (enough space forfive movies, 40,000 pho-tos, or 2,000 music

tracks). Parents canalso unlock Wi-Ficapabilities for web

surfing andemailing.

Vivitar, a Sakar company, will expand its tablet offering with themed packages for the Camelio tablet. Thepackages will focus on core lifestyle brands such as Barbie, Hello Kitty, Hot Wheels, Monster High, My Little Pony,Thomas the Tank Engine, and others. The packages include protective covers with wallpaper and icons, and willhave a “digital” card containing a character that can be transferred to a PC for downloading licensed apps. Forsome licenses, games are available. The Camelio features a 7-inch LCD screen with 800 x 480 resolution, a 1.2GHz processor, 8GB of storage, and runs on the Android 4.0 operating system.

The XO tablet and the XO Learning System split pre-loaded apps into 12 “dream” profiles for children,including such dreams as becoming an artist, a musician, a scientist,a doctor, or a mathematician. Each dream has learning experiences,apps, books, games, and videos designed for kids ages 3 to 12. Thesedream models tailor kids’ learning experiences and help them developspecific goals. Up to three profiles can be installed on the tablet. Eachprofile has a journal mode that shows how much time a child spentand records the websites the child visited. The XO tablet has a dual-core 1.6 GHz processor, 1 GB of RAM, 8 GB of internal storage, and a7-inch LCD screen with 1,024 x 768 resolution.

Oregon Scientific will launch a fully re-loaded version of the company’s popularMeep! kids’ tablet this fall. With a dual-coreprocessor and 1GB of RAM, the next gener-ation will have twice the memory and twicethe power as the original. The new tabletwill be Bluetooth-enabled and will run onthe latest Android operating system. Thetablet will also feature an all-new interface,making it even easier for kids to access theirfavorite apps and other content.

Two cameras—one front-facing and onerear-facing—and a full suite of accessoriesare planned, including wireless add-onsthat take advantage of the tablet’s Bluetoothcapabilities, compelling new apps and pre-loaded content, and a longer batterylife. The next generationMeep! will pro-vide hoursof fun forkids ages 6and up.



FunTab, from Ematic, is a value tablet offered at majorretailers. This 7-inch tablet is designed to educate and en-tertain children at family-affordable prices and comes pre-loaded with Zoodles, an advanced monitoring platform forparents to safeguard children’s online activities. Zoodles letsparents pick and choose between their child’s browsing anddownloading options. Consumers can log on to Zoodles.comto see all of their child’s content and their art gallery in an on-line database. From drawings and video messages to educa-tional progress reports broken down by subjects learned,Zoodles allows parents to manage, review, and discuss learn-ing of topics and activities with their children.

The FunTab features a rubberized texture so little handscan easily grip the tablet while learning, playing, dancing,and laughing. It comes preloaded with more than 50 apps in-cluding Angry Birds, Fruit Ninja, Cut the Rope, and Disney’sWhere’s My Water.FunTab comes with 512MB of RAM and a mi-croSD card slot to addup to 32MB of storage.The battery lasts forup to five hours ofcontinuous play.

Nickelodeon has partnered with Fuhu to take the NabiJr. tablet to the next level by adding pre-loaded Nickelodeoncontent to the tablet and offering Nickeodeon-themed acces-sories. Targeted to preschoolers, kids can interact with theirfavorite Nickelodeon characters with games, videos, books,and tablet accessories, such as character bumpers andstands. Dora the Explorer, Team Umizoomi, and Bubble Gup-

pies accessories arenow available, with theaddition of TeenageMutant Ninja Turtles-inspired accessories re-leasing this summer.

The latest version of the Tabeo: TruTablet, from Archos, includes five hoursof continuous use with enhanced batterylife and upgraded sound quality. Morethan 15 new parent-approved apps havebeen added to the Tabeo App Store andall of these improvements are available tocurrent Tabeo users by using an up-graded free software link.

Tabeo: Tru Tablet combines cutting-edge technology, parental controls, andkid-friendly safety features. Featuring a7-inch capacitive multi-touch screen, 50popular kid-friendly apps, and WiFi con-nectivity, this tablet delivers web brows-ing using the Android 4.0 (Ice CreamSandwich) operating system and offersmore than 7,000 free apps available fordownload. The tablet features a built-inspeaker, microphone, G-sensor, front-fac-ing camera, and slots for expanding theinternal 4GB of flash memory with a mi-croSD card.

The Tabeo includes a soft, removablebumper case that fits around the tablet toprotect the device from accidental bumpsand drops. Parent-friendly features in-clude the built-in browser with a varietyof parental controls, including an optionto set different Internet safety settings forup to eight users or allow Internet accessonly on certain days or at certain times ofthe day.


The toy industry is finding hot licenses from differentmedia these days. Surely we cannot afford to ignorehuge movie franchises or perennially popular TV

shows. However, our end consumers (i.e. kids) are increas-ingly enjoying media through different formats, and so moreand more popular brands are deriving from apps, online vir-tual worlds, and other digital sources.

So does this mean toy companies should rush headlonginto acquiring as many licenses as they can from these for-mats and platforms? Not necessarily. There are certainlysome huge global brands today that didn’t exist five, or eventwo, years ago, and these can clearly drive sales. But theprudent path to success is to analyze each license on itsmerit, regardless of where it originates.

The challenge for most toy companies, though, is thatdifferent measures of success apply today. I find in my reg-ular work that many toy companies are still not entirelyclear what the success criteria should be.

So here are some thoughts on success criteria in thedigital space:

First, metrics are key. In the same way you wouldn’tconsider a TV show with low viewing figures, you need highmetrics to even consider a digital brand. Millions of kids in-teracting with a brand (through an app game, for instance)is a great start, but tens of millions or even hundreds of mil-lions makes it even more likely that merchandise will fly offstore shelves. Of course, regular, ongoing interaction is bet-ter than stats relating to one-off signups.

Second, we overuse the word “toyetic” sometimes, but itis critical a toy range is possible from the brand you are con-sidering. For example, is there a broad enough array ofcharacters, environments, and narrative to allow for cre-ation of a toy product line?

Third, would the toys be attractive? There are many play

experiences available, but not all would deliver an attrac-tive toy that kids would actually want to play with.

Last, but not least, what opportunities are there foryou to have your products integrated within the game ex-perience? This is a key advantage of apps, virtual worlds,and other forms of digital gaming: the ability to drive traf-fic from the app to the point where kids can purchase ac-tual product.

The reality is that there is a clear opportunity in the dig-ital space. Because gaming is a more active—and deeply im-mersive—experience, there tends to be a strong emotionalbond between these brands and consumers.

The most interesting point to note is that currently thereis very significant interest and activity with the top five per-forming brands for each media (which is understandable),but there has yet to be significant downward spread to sec-ond- and third-tier brands or licenses. Yet, if we compareapps with TV, for instance, we can see that even the brandsranking between 10 and 30 in the App Store have signifi-cantly higher followings than an average TV property.

It seems logical and inevitable then that the next fiveyears will see considerable growth and increased prolifera-tion in this space. The question is: what’s your strategy totake advantage of the opportunity? �

Steve Reece is a brand marketing and product develop-

ment consultant in the UK and European toy and game mar-

kets, as well as the author of The Practical Guide to DoingToy Business in Europe. He previously worked for Hasbro’s

European head office in brand marketing and market research.

You can contact him via [email protected],

or visit his blog, www.stevenreece.com.

by Steve Reece, brand marketing and product development consultant

Digital Gaming Brands and Toys

THE DEFINITIVE INFORMATION SOURCE FOR THE TOY AND GIFT MERCHANT

MAY/JUNE 2013

Our annual ASTRA Marketplace issue is one of my favorites, be-cause to me, the specialty toy market is the real heart and soul ofthe industry. So much time, effort, and care go into creating these

products that not only deliver pure joy to kids and their families, but helpbuild developmental skills, encourage school-readiness, promote imaginativeand creative play, and so much more. Here you can find all kinds of toys, in-cluding products that are eco-friendly, built-to-last, and made in the U.S.Flip to page S15 for a preview of products that will be featured at the show.

When you walk the aisles at ASTRA’s Marketplace, you meet the in-ventors, the owners of the company, the people who have at lot riding onperhaps just a single toy launch. You can see in their eyes and hear in theirvoices that they truly believe in their products and have worked hard to bringthem to retail, and, ultimately, to consumers. These are also people who knowhow to have fun, and who aren’t afraid to let loose and play. After all, howcan you make products for kids if you can’t bring yourself to act like one nowand then?

But, of course, this is also a business (We remind ourselves daily as we,too, play with toys for a living). And no matter whether you’re making toysor selling them, a lot of work goes into that process. Here at Specialty Toys

& Gifts, we try to make that job just a little bit eas-ier. In this issue, we show you the results of shad-owing a toy buyer at a trade show for a day andwhat we learned (page S6). We also take a look atKickstarter (page S60), a crowd-funding platformfor creative products that’s really having an effecton our industry. If you believe in your product andneed the funds to bring it to fruition, Kickstartermay be just what you’re looking for.

Also, be sure to read Chatting with the Industry (page S8), our annualQ&A session with specialty toy manufacturers and retailers about the trendsaffecting their businesses today. �

Jackie Breyer,editor in chief

The Heart & Soul of the Toy Industry

ON THE COVER: KIDS PREFERRED RECENTLY REVEALED THE NEW

SPRING LINE OF LUXURY TOYS, APPAREL, AND BOOKS FROM BUN-NIES BY THE BAY FOR INFANTS AND TODDLERS. A VARIETY OF

BUDDY BLANKETS ARE AVAILABLE. FOR MORE FROM KIDS PRE-FERRED, SEE PAGE S18.

Get the latest toy industry news delivered

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ery. For up-to-the-minute news, follow The Toy

Book on Twitter, and “like” The Toy Book on

Facebook. Visit our blog at www.toybook.com.

UGLYDOLL PARTNERS WITH DC COMICS FOR SUPERHERO PLUSHPretty Ugly LLC and Warner Bros. Con-

sumer Products, on behalf of DC Entertainment,have entered into a co-branded collaborationwith DC Comics Super Heroes and Uglydollcharacters. Gund, a division of Enesco, will pro-duce a diverse range of colorful and collectiblesuperhero plush based on the DC Comics andUglydoll character universes. The initial releasethis fall will be a trio that includes two versionsof Ice-Bat as Batman and Babo as Superman.

The plush characters will be offered at retail and will be available through DiamondComics and a range of retailers. Funko is also set to offer a collection of vinyl figures basedon the DC Comics and Uglydoll plush collaboration during this holiday season. Additionalcategories of merchandise and collaborative characters will be announced in coming months.

ASTRA ADDS NEW RESOURCES FOR CHILDRENWITH DISABILITIES

The American Specialty Toy Retailing Association (ASTRA) will present updated in-formation on toys and play for children with disabilities for specialty toy retailers and man-ufacturers at the ASTRA Marketplace & Academy in Nashville, Tenn. An educational session,Connect Children with Special Needs to Toys and Games on Your Shelves, will be offered onJune 16 from 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. and a new publication titled ASTRA Guide to Toys forChildren with Disabilities will be available at no charge for ASTRA members at the Market-place & Academy. Non-members may purchase the publication.

Ellen Metrick of the National Lekotek Center will present the Connect Children withSpecial Needs session at Marketplace & Academy. The session will focus on helping par-ents, grandparents, occupational therapists, and teachers select toys and games for the specialchildren in their lives. It will include a basic understanding of some common disabilities andspecific features of play that children with these challenges can enjoy. Retailers will learnwhat questions to ask customers and how to train store employees to serve this special niche.

The ASTRA Guide to Toys for Children with Disabilities is designed as a handbook formanufacturers, sales reps, and store staff. It summarizes characteristics of common disabili-ties and types of toys that work well for children who have those disabilities. It also includesideas that ASTRA retailers can give to parents for adapting toys and play activities to fit theneeds and abilities of their children.

TCG AND GANZ FORM STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPTCG and Ganz have formed a strategic partnership that merges the expertise and con-

sumer-focused approach to products of both companies. The partnership will focus on thedevelopment of key toy and game product platforms for specialty and mass retailers. Thecompanies remain separate.

TCG, a license-driven toy company, brings mass-market distribution and a focusedin-house team of toy product development specialists. Ganz, a leader in the gift industry andpioneer of web-enabled toys with the creation of its Webkinz brand, will bring innovationthrough its Ganz Studios, as well as penetration into the North American gift and specialtymarket.

SPECIALTY TOYS & GIFTSS3MAY/JUNE 2013

NEWS

CREATIVE KIDSTUFF PURCHASESSENSATIONAL BEGINNINGS

Specialty retailer Creative Kidstuff has pur-chased Sensational Beginnings, a catalog and onlinetoy retailer based in Monroe, Mich. Sensational Be-ginnings will function as a sister company of CreativeKidstuff under the umbrella of a new holding com-pany, GreaterGood Kids LLC.

Creative Kidstuff’s primary purpose in purchas-ing Sensational Beginnings is to help it continue to

thrive as an online leader in the specialty toy business.Creative Kidstuff aims to introduce some of its engag-ing online resources to Sensational Beginnings cus-tomers such as its social media community, newsletter,and tips to help families play. As Creative Kidstuffworks to update the Sensational Beginnings website,customers will be able to purchase all items throughCreativeKidstuff.com.

As part of this new partnership, Creative Kidstuffand Sensational Beginnings are now part of the Greater-Good Network, a family of online activism sites thatharness the power of the Internet to help people, ani-mals, and causes in need. In honor of the new partner-ship, GreaterGood will be launching a program todonate a toy to a child in need for every sale over $75from either Creative Kidstuff or Sensational Beginningsfor the remainder of the calendar year.

Creative Kidstuff launched its own online platformin 2005. Since then, the service has expanded to be-come roughly 13 percent of its annual retail sales. Laterthis month, Creative Kidstuff will relaunch its websiteplatform. Online customers will have access to the newGift Finder that guides shoppers to the just-right pres-ent, and a Buy-a-Toy, Give-a-Toy Program that sup-ports families in need.

Ice-Bat Batman

MAY/JUNE 2013S4SPECIALTY TOYS & GIFTS

Members of the American Specialty Toy Retailing Association(ASTRA)—whether manufacturers, sales representatives, orretailers—are businessmen and businesswomen. When they

gather at ASTRA’s Marketplace & Academy each year, they may comewith a variety of agendas: buying toys, selling toys, introducing new prod-ucts, developing stronger distribution channels, or learning better waysto run their stores.

One thing they all have in common, however, is that their businessesimpact children. The “end user” of all the commerce conducted at Mar-ketplace & Academy is a child who learns while having fun from the playthat results when he or she gets a new toy in his or her hands.

The Benefits of Healthy PlayYears of scholarly research have documented that healthy, develop-

mentally appropriate play helps kids grow up stronger, smarter, and bet-ter adjusted. Children who have had access to positive play experiencesare more likely to develop richer imaginations, more creative problemsolving skills, and a greater capacity for self-regulation.

The connection between specialty toy products and healthy play is animportant competitive advantage for independent toy retailers. How doyou leverage the many developmental benefits of play into the support ofyour marketing and sales efforts?

Using the Importance of Play to Grow Your BusinessIndependent retailers have found a few ways to weave the benefits of

play into their marketing platforms:• Highlight the features of the play, not the features of the toy. When youare discussing a product with a potential buyer, talk about what the childcan do with the toy rather than what the toy can do. Explain why a basictoy that requires a child to use his or her imagination is likely to offermore learning than one loaded with electronic gizmos. Most independentretailers have a big edge on larger stores when it comes to customer serv-ice, and your expertise about play is one of the most significant thingsyou offer that your competitors cannot match.

• Establish yourself as your community’s play expert. Think about it—who in your area knows more about quality toys and healthy play thanyou? Now ask yourself who needs to know that you are the local go-toguru on play? For starters, the answer should be local mommy bloggers,journalists who cover family and education issues, early childhood edu-cators, and other business owners whose clientele includes families withchildren. ASTRA’s WooHoo! Factor consumer-facing website(www.yourneighborhoodtoystore.org) offers resources and more infor-mation about play. You can establish your “play cred” (and increase searchengine optimization while you’re at it) by writing and posting articles onthis site and linking to them on your Facebook page. • Take the play message to the community. Parent organizations, churchgroups, and other local organizations often need speakers for their events.Prepare a brief stump speech about play and contact targeted organiza-tions about your availability. Not only do you build understanding aboutthe importance of play, you introduce your expertise (and also your store)to a captive audience of potential buyers.• Treat play as a helpful, reassuring message to customers. Raising kidsis a joyful adventure, but also a tough and exhausting one—arguably mademore so by the expectations of an achievement-oriented culture. Yourstore may be one of the few places where parents are told (quite accu-rately and supported by research) they can do less and their kids will bebetter for it. This shapes play into a reassuring, supportive message—andpositions your store as a comforting place to visit.

Own Healthy Play in Your CommunityASTRA provides several ways to help you position yourself and your

store as the go-to resource on healthy play, including the WooHoo! Fac-tor website, the Best Toys for Kids awards program, the annual Neigh-borhood Toy Store Day, sample press releases, content that you can adaptfor your e-newsletters and Facebook postings, and more.

In your community, you can and should own the “healthy play” spacein the minds of moms, dads, grandparents, and other buyers. Claim it anduse it to grow your business. �

by Kathleen McHugh, president, American Specialty Toy Retailing Association (ASTRA)

ASTRA’S INSIGHTS

Children: The “End Users” in the Specialty Toy Business


Huge, ornate signs. Giant, five-booth-long exhibits with elab-orate décor. Swag bags full of

product samples. Seemingly endlessstacks of catalogs on thick cardstock andstand-out business cards. At trade showssuch as the American International ToyFair, toy manufacturers will do whateverthey can to get buyers to purchase theirproducts. However, according to BrentTaylor, founder of Okemos, Michigan’sspecialty retail franchise Brilliant Sky

Toys and Books, it all comes down to the products themselves. There are three things Taylor tries to accomplish at Toy Fair: find new

product lines, order from existing vendors, and negotiate terms.

Choosing New LinesWhen buying a new product line, Taylor pays close attention to first-

time exhibitors, as these companies are likely to have products he’s neverseen before. However, only some will make the cut. “It’s about findingsomething that is completely revolutionary or finding the good, new varia-tion on an existing theme that we think is new enough to be successful,” hesays.

When looking at a new product, Taylor considers price point, playvalue, craftsmanship, and quality before making his final purchasing deci-sion. “Does the play value correspond to the price point? That’s ultimatelywhat’s going on in Brilliant Sky customers’ subconscious. For me, it allcomes down to the question, ‘Can I sell this’?”

While looking at the thousands of toys at Toy Fair, there are a few typesof products that Taylor won’t consider at all. If it is a variation on something

he knows to be unsuccessful, Taylor says he will skip right over it. For ex-ample, cardboard playhouses don’t interest Taylor, as they have a high ship-ping cost, a high price point, and a low play value, which doesn’t appeal tomost Brilliant Sky shoppers. Taylor says he usually skips out on tech-baseditems as well, as there is “not much tech in specialty.”

The Smaller SideWhen looking for new product lines, it isn’t always about the larger

products with a high price point. Even in the specialty sector, impulse andadd-on items are important to increasing consumers’ purchases. Just likeanything else, these items still need to be carefully chosen. “We are stilllooking for the best quality and highest value items that fall into that cate-gory. If it’s an item that retails for $1.99, we still want to make sure it’s some-thing that is really worth the price,” he says.

Inside the Mindof a Specialty Buyer

Brent Taylor, founder of specialty toy retail franchise Brilliant Sky Toys and Books,discusses what he looks for when attending trade shows.

by Marissa DiBartolo

Brilliant Sky Toys and Books is a specialty retail franchise that was founded byBrent and Sonia Taylor in 2002.

Brent Taylor

In addition to increasing an average purchase by up to 25 percent, Tay-lor says impulse items are important for consumers who are looking forsmaller items, including kids who come to Brilliant Sky with minimal al-lowance money, or parents looking to reward their child for something small.But he still proceeds with caution. “We are careful not to get too heavilyinto the novelty-type items because typically those are not going to be thethings with the greatest play value across all of the spectrum of things thatwe carry,” Taylor explains.

Look for Good DealsSome manufacturers offer special deals or terms to buyers at conven-

tions like Toy Fair. The three most common, according to Taylor, are freeshipping, a percentage discount, and extended dating terms. A standard in-voice has a 30-day term, but on an extended deal, manufacturers might allow60 or 90 days to pay the invoice. “In today’s world, free shipping has becomea big one just because of the cost of transporting goods,” he says. Taylor alsogenerally tries to avoid purchasing from international companies becauseshipping costs can get too expensive, but if those companies have a deal forfree shipping, then it can be worth considering.

Make the Most of Your TimeTime is limited at toy shows, so it is important to go in with a game plan

and know what you want to accomplish each day of the show. On the firstof the three days they attend Toy Fair, Taylor and his wife, Sonia, cover asmuch of the show floor as possible. “We spend very little time in the booths.We’ll grab a flyer and make notes of booth numbers we want to come backto,” says Taylor. Then, at the end of the day, Taylor and Sonia reconvene intheir hotel and figure out a priority list of things to go back to on the secondday to get to know the product better and take a look at pricing.

“We either do some buying at that point, or we will stash that informa-tion and do a second review on the second night.” Even after the third day,no final decisions have to be made. Sometimes the Taylors bring informa-tion back to Michigan and decide at home whether or not they want to buyproducts they saw at the convention.

As a specialty retail buyer, Taylor is looking for products that don’thave a lot of mass saturation. At Toy Fair, this leads him downstairs to the

lower level where more of the smaller companies are located. However, heand Sonia do walk the floor upstairs and spend time with bigger companiesas well. “We will spend time with the larger companies if they are compa-nies that we do a lot of business with or if there is a large vendor that has alot of new product introductions that I haven’t seen,” says Taylor.

However, he says it’s important not to get hung up with the big namesif they aren’t introducing anything new or interesting. “Time is the mostvaluable resource at Toy Fair. There is never enough time to see and doeverything, so we’ve got to be careful about investing too much time withvendors,” he says.

Ask for SamplesAccording to Taylor, asking for product samples can be helpful in mak-

ing a final purchasing decision. In addition to sample items, if he purchasesa product line that will need to be demoed in-store to assist in selling it, hewill ask the manufacturer for a demo product. “Most vendors are more thanhappy to do that because they understand that if it equates to more retailsales, then ultimately it’s going to equate to more sales for them as well,”Taylor explains.

At this year’s Toy Fair, Taylor and his wife purchased about 15 newlines, including Stuffies, Dabble from INI LLC, blankZ from Always BeenCreative, and wooden garden pinwheels from DB & Co. �

Brent and Sonia Taylor founded Brilliant Sky Toys and Books in Michi-gan in 2002. The pair franchised the company six years ago, and there arenow 15 Brilliant Sky locations across the country. The Taylors buy prima-rily for their own specialty store and negotiate terms with vendors for thefranchised stores. This year’s American International Toy Fair marked thecouple’s 10th Toy Fair as specialty buyers.

MAY/JUNE 2013

It’s about finding something that is com-pletely revolutionary or finding the good,

new variation on an existing theme that wethink is new enough to be successful.”

“

A view of the show floor from the 110th American International Toy Fair hostedat the Jacob K. Javits Center from February 10 to 13.

S7 SPECIALTY TOYS & GIFTS

Thea Brownbuyer andhead honcho,World of MirthRichmond, Va.

Mark Carsonco-founder,Fat Brain Toys

Ann Kienzleowner, *playChicago, Ill.

How do you work with retailers to mer-

chandise toys in a way that promotes sales?

Simon: We provide a wide variety of visualmerchandising tools for our retail partners—everything from colorful point-of-sale (POS)signs, easy-to-use racks, and finished displayprops to fully designed and customized Alexboutiques within their retail shops. We helpthem market with in-store experiential eventsand promotions to draw consumers to theirstores. We offer Alex Play Days kits for hold-ing events, and we provide consumer promo-tions for participating Alex retailers, completewith company-sponsored public relations, so-cial media, advertising, and “free gift withpurchase/BOGO” offers for their consumers.

McGuire: We work with retailers to selectthe right items for their stores and designplanograms. We listen to retailers’ adviceabout making sure the packaging is clearabout what you are buying and what you dowith it. We have developed special displaysthat showcase our product and play day pro-grams to allow retailers to demo our productat in-store events. We produce and offervideos to the stores to promote our products.We offer demo samples to stores.

What are you doing to drive customers to

your store year round? What types of con-

sumer outreach garner the strongest re-

sponse for your store?

Osborne: We have two large promotionsyearly: Wonderfest and Elfstravaganza. Won-derfest partners with the Cooper River BridgeRun Kids Run, a component of the CooperRiver Bridge Run’s activities. We had 8,000people attend and hosted national toy ven-dors, local child entrepreneurs, child enter-tainers, and fitness activities to promotewellness, while benefiting five local chil-dren’s charities. Elfstravaganza kicks off ourholiday season and Neighborhood Toy StoreDay while featuring national toy companies,holiday activities, children’s charities, and abook signing with the author of Elf on theShelf. Both Wonderfest and Elfstravaganzaprovide each attendee with a free toy, freefood, drink, activities, and entertainment. It isall about children, family fun, and an oppor-tunity to provide “magic” for the communitywhile helping children’s charities.

Carrying a strong local gift section in thestore created by local child and adult entre-preneurs, and helping local children’s chari-ties started by children, run by children, andfor children has been incredible for keepingour store front and center in the community.Wonder Works is seen as the “heart” centerof the community and we feel so blessed toprovide this to our community.

Brown: We use social media to keep in touchwith our customers and let them know whennew things are happening at the shop. It is

Chatting with the IndustrySpecialty Toys & Gifts spoke with specialty manufacturers and retailers from around

the country to get their take on marketing, merchandising, and distribution strategies;the latest industry trends; and how they keep their customers happy.

SPECIALTY TOYS & GIFTS S8 MAY/JUNE 2013

Ted McGuirepresident,Thames &

Kosmos

Janet Simonvice president,

marketing,Alex

ChristineOsborne

owner,Wonder Worksmultiple locations,

S.C.

hands down the easiest and quickest way toget information in front our our fan base; it isliterally right in their hands most of the time.

Kienzle:We try to have events all year round,including our weekly story times, a class, ora partnership we have with local parenting af-filiations. We get the biggest responses fromFacebook and our newsletter.

Carson: During the off-season, we focus a lotof attention on free events to engage our cus-tomers. We host a themed event the last Fri-day of every month called “Fat BrainFridays” where we invite the public in for re-ally great interactive activities. One monthmight be science-focused while anothermonth might be crafts. By far our most pop-ular event is our Beach Party, where we de-posit 10 tons of sand in our parking lot andlet the kids go nuts. We also hosted a Cele-bration of Mind event last fall, where we at-tracted over 1,000 visitors for a full day ofmind-expanding activities.

What are you seeing as your retail partners’

biggest concerns when buying product?

Simon: Many retailers are concerned withprices and the cost of inventory, and feel thatthe big-box competition is problematic. Top-performing shops are seeking new, trendy,high-quality offerings to separate themselvesfrom the mass experience. Equally as impor-tant, they are looking for products that haveyear-round appeal, are implosive or seasonal,and can even out the sales pattern over thecourse of the year.

Specialty retailers are concerned withtraffic in their geographic areas, the high costs

of rent and service, and the cost of stockingtheir stores 12 months a year, when the buy-ing cycle for toys is so skewed toward thefourth quarter. They have to invest way aheadof the return to keep their store appealing andinviting even in slow times, and that is risky,so they are also looking for promotions, dat-ing programs, and products that fit the currentseason to minimize the time between invoiceand sales through the register.

McGuire: For our retail science kits specifi-cally, there is always a concern that the seri-ous educational qualities are well-balancedwith play value and approachability. Our goalis to make science kits that sit right in thesweet spot between fun and learning. In a toystore, striking this balance is critical for sellthrough.

Are you utilizing social media to build

neighborhood awareness?

Osborne: We continue to send weekly e-blasts out to our 48,000 contacts and twicedaily postings to our 11,000 Facebook fans.These focus on new product videos, store ac-tivity shots, and planned in-store events.

Brown: We are fortunate to be in a smalllocal shopping district. People know thatspending money here goes directly to thelocal economy. For the store itself, we workyear-round with local non-profits, parent-teacher associations, and other groups to helpfoster a greater sense of our place in the com-munity as a whole.

Kienzle: Yes, we started our Facebook pagebefore the store even opened and had fans fol-

MAY/JUNE 2013 S9 SPECIALTY TOYS & GIFTS

lowing our build out progress. It’s the easiestway to communicate with fans. We often getcomments on our posts throughout the week. Weare also on Twitter and Instagram.

What are your current top-selling

products/lines/manufacturers? Have there

been any surprise hits so far this year?

Carson: Stomp Rockets have been a perennialbest-seller for us and the Boogie Board LCDcontinues to be very strong. Our own Tobblesand Chalktrail have been hot sellers for us aswell. The re-introduction of Spirograph fromKahootz has been a pleasant surprise (then again,it was one of my childhood favorites!).

Osborne: Several of our products that werestrong sellers for the 2012 holiday season con-tinue to be strong sellers this year, such as Boo-gie Board by Improv and Beanie Boos by Ty.Summer items starting strong this year are

Waboba’s Big Kahuna, Tiki Toss by MellowMilitia, Foam Pogo Jumper by InternationalPlaythings, and the No Button by Zany Toy.

Brown: Our surprise hit of the year so far hasbeen the giant badminton set from Brer Rabbit.I also brought in a small amount of very niche li-censed items that our customers really seem tolike.

Kienzle: Books are a top seller for us. It’s al-ways in our top three categories. Outside ofbooks, one of our strongest toy brands isSchylling. We’ve also found success with the re-launch of Brio and the Fisher-Price retro items.

Are you seeing a shift toward products with

higher value, versus products that are simply

less expensive?

McGuire: Yes, consumers are increasinglyprice sensitive, and there is a lot of competition

on price. Good products needto pack a lot of value, and thekeys to this are clever designchoices that optimize value tothe users, and of course an ef-ficient supply chain. Everycomponent in our science kitsis designed and selected withits ultimate value to the user asthe top criteria.

Carson: I don’t know if I cansay I’m seeing a true shift yet,but I will say that customersaren’t solely concerned withprice. Especially from a gift-giving perspective, customerswant to give something ofquality—something unique—and they’re willing to pay a lit-tle extra for those traits.

Kienzle: I don’t know that I would call it ashift, but we definitely have customers that ap-preciate items that are made in the U.S. and arewilling to pay slightly more for that. There isalways a need for “pick up” items, but we findour customers are willing to invest if the valueis there.

What are the major trends affecting your busi-

ness in the year ahead?

Simon: We continue to see a trend in do-it-your-self (DIY) projects for tweens. Providing prod-ucts that they can make themselves, personalizetheir own way, be proud of the results, and thatactually fit into their lifestyle and have utility iskey. Our duct tape items such as the Tote Bagand the Messenger Bag are still top of the charts,jewelry is as strong as ever, and our “tech”items—such as earphones—are getting rave re-ceptions. Knitting, crocheting, sewing, and em-broidery kits have taken on a new life. Self



World of Mirth

expression through our spa items, tattoos, hairchalks, and related personal items are verystrong as well. The idea that tweens are comingback to the craft table to make their own stuff isa very strong trend.

In addition, we also see that solid evergreenitems such as tried-and-true crafts and art sup-plies remain strong and seasonal, active, out-door products continue to be on the rise. Lowtech with high results is our focus.

McGuire: New technologies. We are launchingour first tablet-enabled science kit, which fea-tures a buildable, programmable remote-controlcar (among other models) and augmented real-ity technology to let kids drive the car througha virtual reality city.

Also, more online activities. We are work-ing to provide more good digital content to helpconsumers find and buy our products online andin stores. We are gauging the effectiveness ofthe parade of new social mediatools coming in and out ofstyle.

Carson: One area wherewe’re focusing a lot of effortis educating consumers aboutthe specialty toy market. Theconsumer demand for qualitytoys is there, just not theawareness. Our goal is to beout front letting consumersknow that there are alterna-tives out there to the ever-pre-sent mass market.

Which holiday selling tech-

niques did consumers re-

spond to best in 2012

(layaway, price matching, gift

wrapping, etc.)? Which serv-

ices do you plan to provide

this holiday season?

Osborne: Layaway starts at Wonder Works onSeptember 1 and is always a wonderful way tocapture customers’ interests and dollars for theholiday season. Gift wrapping is a given andcustomers not only love it, they expect it as partof Wonder Works’ service. This year we willfocus on large businesses in the community, andprovide them with a Toys in Transit program,where we will share the hot holiday toys withthem, take orders, fill orders, wrap them, and de-liver them with our Magic Mobile.

Brown: We did not do anything extra last holi-day and had our best season to date. We offerfree gift wrap all year round, and we do not havelayaway or price matching. We rely on our greatcustomer service and the fact that we have hard-to-find items that we are actually knowledgableabout to keep our customers happy and comingback.

Kienzle: We always offer gift wrapping and it’sa huge hit. We also do personal or private shop-ping experiences (with food and wine if possi-ble) and we do a delivery program so that thecustomer doesn’t have to wait for the items tobe wrapped; we deliver a few days later.

What is your distribution strategy when it

comes to specialty?

Simon: Since 2009, Alex has partnered withover 100 U.S. specialty retailers to create uniquein-store boutiques that showcase the breadth ofthe Alex brand and create value for store pa-trons. Customized boutiques are Alex retailstores within a retail store (e.g. Alex-brandedproduct section in a Learning Express and/orother specialty toy stores across the country).Our visual display team works directly with theretailer on how best to utilize their space toshowcase Alex and then designs and installs theAlex boutique, including visual merchandising,



Play Logan Square

POS, racks, and finished displays.

McGuire: Specialty toy is and has always beenthe core of our distribution strategy. With theirwell-curated stores, educated sales associates,and constructive feedback, specialty toy retail-ers have been our invaluable partners in bringingour product to consumers in the U.S. market. Weare not by any means a specialty-only line, butwe are careful about to whom and how much wesell.

How are you dealing with the issue of “show-

rooming,” where consumers are browsing in

brick-and-mortar stores and then price-com-

parison shopping online?

Kienzle: We are in a fortunate situation of agrowing neighborhood and we have a legion ofpeople who understand that in order for the com-munity to grow, they need to support local busi-nesses. I occasionally run into customers taking

pictures so I assume it’s for showroming, but ithasn’t been an overwhelming problem for us.We also like to think we offer a great experience;we know their names and their kids’ names, andwe make an effort to go above and beyond forour customer.

How are you addressing the continuing issue

of “age compression” in developing toys that

will appeal to an older child?

Carson: That is a tough one, but the conven-tional wisdom that apps are making toys andgames obsolete is a bit overstated. In fact, I’mseeing quite a bit of evidence that parents andgrandparents are seeking out physical entertain-ment to combat the overabundance of virtualplay. From a development perspective, wespend a lot of time building multiple levels ofplay into many of our toys and games. One ofmy pet peeves are toys that are targeted to a verynarrow age and/or gender. Our ideal product is

one that’s intuitive enough for a baby to playwith but versatile enough that even an adultfinds it intriguing.

Simon: This follows our view on trends. Wecontinue to grow our offerings to kids that are“aging out” of starter crafts or beginner art proj-ects, but remain highly interested in DIY proj-ects that are trendy and show great personalizedresults that they can be proud of showing off intheir world of peers. Room décor, jewelry, totebags, scrapbooks, fashion look books, pin-boards, and even personal items like lip gloss,hair chalk, and tattoo body art are all part of oureveryday product lines. These fit right into theworld that they and their friends inhabit everyday. Moving from “toys” to lifestyle has keptthe Alex brand current as the kids grow fromone stage to the next.

McGuire: Science kits by nature appeal to olderchildren, especially thehigh-tech or advanced sets.Nonetheless, we are devel-oping more kits for youngerkids (ages 4 to 6) than wehave in the past.

Which marketing/adver-

tising channels have been

most successful for you?

Carson: We’re still heav-ily focused on traditionalonline channels like paidsearch, but our marketinghas become increasingly“multi-touch,” where westay top-of-mind with ourcustomers through email,social media, direct mail,and, on a local basis,through lots of face-to-faceevents and sponsorships.



Wonder Works


ASTRAMARKETPLACE &ACADEMY 2013

ADORA’s BathTime Puppets, for kids ages 1and up, are designed for mom and baby to play with in thebath or pool. Each BathTime Puppet is made of machine wash-able terry cloth, allowing the puppets to get wet and then dryoff in time for more play.BathTime Babies, for kids ages 1 and up, are dolls made

for the bath or pool. Each BathTime Baby comes with its veryown washcloth and removable an-imal-themed bath robe that, whentaken off, shows the doll’s cuteswimsuit-printed body. The doll’sexclusive QuikDri body will dryin no time, making it always readyfor play. The dolls feature open-close eyes, are handmade, andcan be machine washed.

The Striation Pink Tee Pee Playhouse, fromPACIFIC PLAY TENTS INC., stands nearly 5 feet tall and nearly 4feet wide. Made of durable 100-percentcotton canvas, the easy-to-set-up teepeecan be used indoors. The bright walls fea-ture interesting designs and there is an easyaccess opening as well as a mesh windowfor ventilation purposes. The StriationPink Tee Pee Playhouse features acotton canvas floor for extra com-fort and wooden poles forextra durability. The teepeealso comes in a carrybag for easy storage.

Cloud b Lights Up with Twinkles to Go OctoTwinkles to Go Octo, from CLOUD B, is the compact solution for soothing sleep, and is based on the original Twilight Turtle that trans-

forms any room into a starry night sky to help comfort children to sleep. This spherical octopus projects blue or green stars and images offriendly little fish busily blowing bubbles. The smiley-faced plastic shell sits on a soft base of round bubbly octopus arms,illuminating its magical imagery in soothing colors to help ease a child’s fear of the dark. Twinkles to Go Octo offersa 45-minute timer option to ensure complete darkness during a child’s deep sleep, as recommended by pediatri-cians.

Cloud b takes it patented Twilight Turtle technology to a new form with the Twilight Carz—Red Light-ning. By night, Twilight Carz help soothe even the most restless sleepers, and by day they transform into push-and-play race cars, featuring fully functioning wheels. Light projections in either blue or red are set to a45-minute timer, ensuring complete darkness during the child’s sleep. Red Lightning features projections oflightning bolts, with illuminating headlights and taillights.

Cloud b has enhanced its Sleep Sheep with a sound-activated sensor. Now when baby awakes in the mid-dle of the night, Sleep Sheep—Smart Sensor responds and restarts its soothing soft sounds of nature or thereassuring sound of a mother’s heartbeat. It’s the perfect companion for a calm and restful night for bothbaby and parents. Sleep Sheep—Smart Sensor, wearing an adorable night cap, offers the choice of a 23-minute or a 45-minute timer, activated to restart by sound.

Pacific Play Tents Adora

Striation Pink Tee Pee PlayhouseBathTime Babies Monkey

Twinkles to Go Octo

Hape Unveils Play Sets, DollsHAPE’s City Parking Garage provides toy cars with a place to park without needing to worry about two-hour parking limits on imagi-

nary city streets. The City Parking Garage has three levels of parking and a helipad for the city’s high rollers. The structure is connected byramps and by a garage elevator that services the entire structure. The set comes with three cars and one helicopter.It is designed for kids ages 3 and up.

Quadrilla Music Motion Marble Run adds a musical element to the marble run formula. Music Motionincludes xylophone keys that are placed into different building pieces. It can be combined seamlessly with otherQuadrilla marble run sets and is crafted with high-quality birch and rubber woods and has metal xylophonekeys. This set is designed for kids ages 4 and up.

Hape’s Walk-Along Snail is a googly-eyed snail with a block-holding shell, which spins on the snail’s backwhen kids pull it along. One side of the shell has three differently shaped holes (triangular, circular, and square)for kids to practice shape sorting, while the other side has an elastic-banded opening to allow for easy re-moval of shape blocks from the snail’s shell. The shell is removable, ensuring functional fun, while alsopreventing pinched fingers. This toy is designed for kids ages 1 and up.

Hape’s Mighty Band is an all-in-one musical platform, which includes a wooden drum, a cymbal, a guiro,a xylophone, two drumsticks, and a clapper. The entire set is made with solid Maple and Baltic birch plywood andfinished with child-safe paints. This set is designed for kids ages 2 and up.

The Garden Gear Stacker has a puzzle gear cog base, flower- and garden-themed felt, and wood pieces tostack in any number of ways. There are even two little insect friends, a butterfly and a bee. The internal structureof the stacker is constructed with an elasticized post to ensure safety in play. This set is designed for kids ages 1and up.

Doll families can sleep easy knowing that they are under the watchful eye of the wooden male and female he-roes of the wooden doll Fire Station. Hape’s Fire Station comes with a working garage door, a fire alarm bell, afire pole, a bed, exercise equipment, a desk, and even a little firefighter dressed in trusty black and yellow firefighting gear. This set is de-signed for kids ages 3 and up.

Hape’s new Wooden Doll family members rock stylish haircuts and are dressed in modern fashions. Their features are all meticulouslyhand-painted with child-safe paints. Kids can choose from Grandfather, Grandmother, Dad, Mom, Daughter, Son, or Younger Daughter.These dolls are designed for kids ages 3 and up.

The Red Octopus Puppet, from FOLKMANIS, is true to life with vivid coloration and eightmovable arms. Each arm features realistic printed suction cups on the underside. Easy to wriggle

around, the Red Octopus Puppet fits like a glove and instantly comes to life.The Desert Tortoise Puppet holds the secret to longevity. With lifelike coloration and a pat-

terned fabric shell, the puppet is very realistic. Users can articulate the movable mouth and legs andthen retract them into the tortoise’s shell.

Folkmanis



Wooden Dolls

Desert Tortoise

Bananagrams Knows Word GamesIn Appletters, from BANANAGRAMS INC., new readers work together to build a word worm by adding words to

the head or tail. Unexpected twists and turns can happen, so players must stay on their toes. If a player forgets therules, he or she might get called a “Rotten Apple.” The first player to use all of his or her tiles wins. In addition,there are three extra challenge games. Appletters helps to develop spelling skills, enhances strategic think-ing, encourages cooperation, promotes turn-taking, and improves concentration. The game is designedfor children ages 5 and up.

PairsinPears also mixes fun with learning. Packed with eight educational activities, plus two com-petitive word games, PairsinPears grows with players from the pre-reader stage all the way through adult-hood. With developmental activities such as pattern grouping and letter hunt for parents to play with theirpre-readers, and wordplay activities such as rhyming and fill in the blank for early readers, kids will learnwhile playing. In addition, two fast, fun games will have players racing to build word grids in friendly com-petition. This game is designed for children ages 3 and up.

Both Appletters and PairsinPears have been revamped using fan input.

New to the Kimmidoll line is theKimmidoll Junior Beanbag Toy, from KIDS PREFERRED.Each doll has its own colorful personality so kids can collectthem all. The Kimmidoll characters help promote a messageof friendship.

Baby Abuelita dolls are modeled after Latin Americangrandparents. Each doll sings a special selection of tradi-tional Spanish lullabies, exposing children to fundamentalSpanish words and Hispanic heritage. Kids can press thedoll’s hands and listen to melodies, includ-ing “Duérmete mi niña,” “Tengo unavaca lechera,” and “Los pollitos dicen.”Baby Abuelita Rosa and Baby AbuelitoPoncho each stand 16.5 inches tall andare crafted from soft, child-friendly ma-terials. The dolls are designed for kidsages newborn and up.

Rainbows and Storms, from GRIDDLY GAMES,puts a twist on conventional game play and adds a splash of color

to traditional Chutes and Ladders-style games. For kids ages 5 andup, Rainbows and Storms is a design-your-own sticker board gamethat offers a flurry of activity.

Show Me the Kwan is a word game that doesn’t require playersto be great spellers. The definition of Kwan is to be the most ex-traordinary and an unstoppable force. To play Show Me the Kwan,roll the dice and be the first to pick the letter that matches the cate-gory for each round. There are 13 dice; 12 contain letters and onesays, 1st, 2nd, or last, which defines the letter placement in the word.Topic: food; Letter: A. If die says 1st,then the word must begin withthe rolled letter: apple. If 2ndletter: banana; or last letter:banana. Collect points andbe the first to get Kwan. It isa fast-paced, mind-teasing,dynamic party game.

Griddly Games



Kids Preferred

Kimmidoll Junior Beanbag Toy

Make Your Own Glitter Chalk, from THE ORB FACTORY, lets kids ages 6 and up mix, mold,and create their own glitter chalk. Kids combine plaster, water, color, and glitter into one of four differ-ent molds, including a butterfly and a flower. Once the mixture dries, the sparkling chalk is ready. Fourbright colors of liquid and four colors of glitter can be mixed and matched for completely customizedcreations.

With the Curiosity Kits Lava Rock Volcano, kids ages 6 and up can combine art and science to de-sign their own volcano and chemical reaction. Using plaster and paint to turn a domed base into a real-istic volcano, kids can then add a tube, a funnel, and a squeeze bottle to control the size and timing ofthe eruptions. Kids can create the chemical mixture with vinegar and baking soda, and add fake gravel andred coloring to make foaming lava.

Loop, tie, and knot Cute Cord jewelry with Imaginista Cute Cords. Kids will learn to tie beautiful knots using five different cords tomake headbands, bracelets, rings, necklaces, and more. Kids can add anchor charms for a nautical theme.

Follow a simple numbered legend and add tiles and jewels to the Sticky Mosaics Magical Melody Music Box. This jewelry box craftplays music each time it’s opened.

The Orb Factory



Thames and Kosmos Knows Science FunWith the Scope Constructor, from THAMES AND KOSMOS, kids build their own microscopes, telescopes, and binoculars. This kit teaches

young scientists how microscopes and telescopes work by letting them build these scopes from simple, reconfigurable parts. Kids will dis-cover first-hand how lenses bend light and learn how they can be combined together to make images larger and clearer for different appli-cations. Kids can build many types of scopes and learn how their various components function. Kids can experiment with different lenses,different tube lengths, and different body configurations; construct binoculars and a spotting scope; and examine three prepared slides undertheir microscope, plus prepare their own slides. This set is recommended for kids ages 8 and up.

Air + Water Power Plus lets kids build their own models powered by air pressure and water to learn about the laws of physics. Alarger, super-charged version of Thames and Kosmos’ original Air + Water Power kit, this kit allows kids to build more powerful modelsusing two different air-and-water-powered systems: water-jet propelled cars and hydro-pneumo (water-air) powered engines. The hydro-pneumo system in this kit uses a larger, more powerful self-contained air-and-water turbine system as a motor. Two pressurized air-watertanks are included in this kit, allowing kids to build two water-jet pro-pelled cars simultaneously and race them against one another. Kidscan construct 30 models, including pressurized water guns, air-and-water turbine-driven cars, rocket cars, and jet boats. The water-jet pro-pelled cars are a fun outdoor activity, while the self-containedhydro-pneumo powered models are designed for both indoor and outdooruse. Kids can compete with their friends to see whose water-jet pro-pelled car goes the fastest, and whose hydro-pneumo car goes the far-thest. This set is recommended for kids ages 8 and up.

Air + Water Power Plus

Cirplexed!, from MINDWARE, is a 360-degree game of colorful strategy. Each tile features quarter circlesof different colors. Each player must create his or her own game board by drawing and placing tiles, in an at-tempt to create the most single-color circles. Cirplexed! can be played with two to four players ages 6 and up.

Get the Picture is a brain-bending spin on dot-to-dot puzzles. Two players or teams of kids ages 8 andup race to identify their mystery images by following secret clues. The clue windows on the game board re-veal a series of dots to connect, or a special puzzle-solving hint to decipher. Each player records his or herguess of what the image might be after every clue. Players continue opening windows, connecting dots, andguessing until they can get the picture.

In PicWits, players try to match their picture cards with the judge’s caption card. Each player is dealta hand of photo cards. The judge plays a caption card, and each player must choose one photo card thatbest matches the caption. Each player’s photo card will be assessed against the cards of the other play-ers. The judge chooses the card he or she likes best, and that person wins the round. The player with the mostmatches wins the game. PicWits is designed for four or more players ages 10 and up.

Q-bitz Extreme takes the original Q-bitz and adds the challenge of curving patterns and a special round of game play where playersmust create a pattern in reverse. The player who collects the most cards wins the game. Each game includes four wooden trays and sets ofcubes and 80 pattern cards. The game is designed for two to four players ages 8 and up.

The Q-BA-Maze 2.0 Mega Stunt Set puts the laws of motion to the test. Kids can build up the marble maze and watch the marblesmake their way down the track. The pieces interlock in endless configurations, while double-exit cubes keep kids guessing on which waythe marbles will go. The Mega Stunt Set includes 108 cubes, two cascade stilts, and 30 steel marbles. The set is designed for kids ages6 and up.

Smart Toys and Games Makes Kids Use Their NogginsWith SmartMax Build & Light, from SMART TOYS AND GAMES INC., children can create

houses, towers, and other bright structures with easy-to-manipulate magnetic balls and multi-colored bars, two of which are lit with LED lights.

Bunny Peek A Boo is a game for children ages 2 to 5. Three sturdy wooden blocks and arabbit character help children develop spatial perception skills as they pull the rabbit out of thebox with this 3-D puzzle. Bunny Peek A Boo includes 60 challenges that prepare children formore difficult single-player logic games.

Back 2 Back is a single-player logic game that takes puzzle building vertical with a grid-shaped vertical game board. Players ages 7and up must attempt to fill both sides of the grid with the 11 colorful and varied puzzle pieces. The game features a travel case and a book-let with 60 challenges for testing even the sharpest minds.

New to the IQ series, IQ Link draws players 8 and up into its mesmerizing challenges as they work to fit 36 colorful, fun-shaped puz-zle parts into the 24 free spaces on the game board. This compact game can be taken on-the-go and comes with 120 challenges for brain-building fun.

In the single-player logic game Vikings, players ages 6 and up rotate a variety of puzzle pieces built into the board to navigate shipsout of a storm. Contents include the game board, four Viking ships, nine rotating puzzle pieces, and a booklet with 48 challenges.

MindWare



Tomy Introduces Additions to Chuggington LineTOMY releases new additions to its Chuggington Wooden Railway line, including more characters to its collectible lineup of engines,

as well as feature-packed train sets and destinations. All are made with classic, high-quality wood construction, which is compatible withother major wooden railway toys. The Chuggington Wooden Railway Wilson’s Lift & Load Fig-

ure 8 Set is a great starter set for budding engineers. The simple yet fun features, such as acargo lift and load destination, will engage children and entertain withclassic train play.

Tomy’s new toddler line is comprised of interactivetoys that develop a child’s core skills. Whack’em Rac-

ers requires kids to place the racing drivers at the topof the starting line, make sure their cars are lined up be-neath them, and smash them through the hole into theircars and watch as they speed off. This toy is appropri-ate for kids ages 18 months and up.

Pic ’n Pop Ball Blaster gets toddlers on the move. One click of the button launches a colorful ball, then kids roll over the balls withthe blaster to pick them back up and get ready to shoot them again. The blaster comes with four balls and is designed for kids ages 18 monthsand up.

Encouraging early development of the senses, Tomy’s Lamaze line of toys sparks creativity, introduces discovery,and supports healthy sensory development. With Lamaze Classic Play Franky the Hanky Whale, babies will

love pulling hanky after hanky from this cuddly toy. Put the colorful tissues in Franky’s mouth and babypulls them out of the spout. Baby will love the surprise play. Franky is designed with fabrics of multi-

ple, premium textures in bold colors and patterns to stimulate developing vision. This toy is designed forkids ages 6 months and up.

The Everyday Lamaze Giggle Bunny Ball encourages kids to grab the bunny’s looped earand shake him around to hear his contagious laughs. The loop ear is easy for baby to grasp whilehigh-contrast colors and patterns stimulate baby’s vision. Thistoy is designed for newborns and up.

Tomy spotlights its complete line of toys based on the preschoolTV series Pajanimals. Snuggle Up Story Mat is a premium fleecenap mat, sized for kids ages 2 to 6, featuring favorite Pajanimalscharacters and themes with a pillow that flips open for story time.This mat includes a soft book that transforms into a pillow.

Tomy International, the exclusive licensee and distributorfor Pokémon in categories including figures, accessories, plush, play sets and more, debuts its all-new linefor the kids’ entertainment franchise. Catch Pokémon like a Pokémon Trainer with the Catch ’n ReturnPoké Ball. Kids put a Pokémon figure on the stand, pull back the Poké Ball, aim, and release. Whenkids make a successful catch, the Poké Ball will come right back to them. Once they’ve caught theirPokémon, the Poké Ball pops open with the push of a button so kids can send their new Pokémon into battle. Each pack contains a 2-inchPokémon figure with colorful detail; a Pokédex ID Tag with its height, weight, and type; a Catch ’n Return Poké Ball, and a stand. EachPoké Ball holds a 2-inch Pokémon character and works with the included stand.


Franky the Hanky Whale

Catch ’n Return Poké Ball

Chuggington Wooden Railway Wilson’s Lift & Load Figure 8 Set

Paddle Tether Ball, from ALEX TOYS, can be played with one or two players and will get kids moving andswinging. Paddle Tether Ball helps kids develop hand-eye coordination and is adjustable to four different heights(up to 72 inches). Complete with a soft ball and wide paddles, the base can be filled withsand or water for stability and placed on any flat surface.

With Busy Bead Maze—Race Around, kids ages 18 months and up can move thechunky bead pieces shaped like a car, a plane, a bus, and trucks around the colorfulmaze. The sustainable tabletop design provides a sturdy surface for little learning handsto explore, move, and discover. The beads can also travel through and under thetabletop. Busy Bead Maze is visually stimulating, and helps develop hand-eye co-ordination and an understanding of cause and effect.

Kids ages 3 and up can use My Tape Town to create their own cityscape. Kids can tape buildings and add windows, roads, cars, trees,and more with stickers and easy-to-tear tape in six colors.

With Earphone Couture, kids ages 8 and up can turn earphones from plain to cool. Kids can add fluffy pink yarn and charms to makeearphones that rock. The kit includes 20 yards of fluffy yarn, guitar and peace sign charms, jump rings, and pink earbuds.

Fun, style, and fashion come together with Super Mani Pedi Party. Kids ages 6 and up can paint their nails in cool colors and thenstyle them with glitter, sequins, and funky nail appliques that stick on easily. The kit includes a nail file, more than 70 nail appliques to de-sign unique styles, toe separators, plastic tweezers, and a brush.

Blue Orange Games Kicks Spot It! Up a NotchSpot it! Party, from BLUE ORANGE GAMES, includes eight colorful card hold-

ers and the Hand Mascot—a totem of the character on the game’s logo. The cardshave a new set of funky symbols, including items such as a gnome, a plunger, andheadphones. If seasoned Spot It! players are too quick to recognize the symbolsin the original Spot It! game, the Party edition will level the playing field.

Spot It! Party lets players choose from six individual mini-games with sep-arate rules and objectives. Games such as The Tower get a big twist with the in-troduction of the Hand Mascot. In addition to match-making, players have tokeep their eyes peeled for their chance to steal or pass the Hand Mascot, whichcan make or break a win.

Players ages 10 and up can engage in six new mini-games, including TheRace, Dynamite, and Double Frenzy, which add memory and multi-tasking tothe Spot It! challenge. The winner of the most mini-games during a play sessionearns the title of Spot It! Master.

Alex Toys



My Tape Town

The Route 66, from BERG USA, is named after the legendary Route66, which runs from Illinois to California. It features super slick tires—including a

special front tire—wide handlebars, and is shown with an optional roll-bar. The Route 66is designed for kids ages 5 and up.

The Berg Extra AF Sport is available in silver and black or red and blue. The top-qualitykart features a full-size frame, a front swing axle, and a striking front spoiler. The kart is de-signed for kids ages 5 and up.

The Jeep Adventure is a light, compact pedal-kart. The frame is made of powder-coatedtubular steel featuring sturdy all-terrain tires. Both the seat and the steering column are ad-justable. The kart is designed for kids ages 4 to 12 and features the BFR drive system, which allows kids to pedal forward and in reverse,and has a coaster break to stop.

Berg Buddy Hot Rod is built on a black powder-coated tubular steel frame. It is equipped with special racing tires for extra grip, andhas fire branding on the chain guard. The kart is designed for kids ages 3 to 8 and features an adjustable steering column and seat. The HotRod also features the BFR drive system.

Fat Brain Introduces Chalktrail for ScootersFAT BRAIN TOY CO. brings the fun of Chalktrail for bicycles to scooters. Kids ages 4 and up can use Chalktrail on any

scooter for creative, colorful fun. Get riding to draw figure eights, wavy meandering paths, perfect circles, and fascinatingdesigns by retracing the same route again and again in succession. No tools or parents required—just kids, wheels, chalk,fresh air, and fun. Chalktrail promotes healthy riding while enhancing kids’ creative skills.

In Cheese Louise, players can spin, stack, and switch out pieces of cheese to cover all the toppings on the bread.Peanut butter, jelly, pickle, ketchup, mustard, and olives must not be seen through the holes of the Swiss cheese. CheeseLouise is a condiment-crazy challenge that tempts players’ speed, critical thinking, and acute visual skills. Thegame is designed for one to four players ages 6 and up.

Fish to Fish provides fin to fin fun. The different fish move in formation only if the player has fast eyes,faster fingers, and can sequence swiftly. Start with one fish, then select another exactly like it with only onedifference. With 32 fish jumping from their places into the hands of players, Fish to Fish is a fast-paced race forone to five players ages 8 and up.

In Pixel Flip, as players begin to master making matches, subtle color differences will pixelate in their colormemories until they are struck by new realizations. Designed for two to six players ages 5 and up, Pixel Flip helps improve memory and vo-cabulary skills.

In Speed Bump, players must spin, switch, and swap the road sign tiles to match the sign outlines on the challenge card. Once eachplayer’s tiles are turned correctly, he or she must hit the speed bump buzzer to let the other players know that they’ve just run into a SpeedBump themselves. If the tiles are correct, that player wins the round. Speed Bump features multiple levels of play and is designed for two tofour players ages 6 and up.

Separation Anxiety requires players to visually separate the words on each card and then identify the two words that can be most eas-ily associated. With two types of challenges, Separation Anxiety is brain-twisting, eye-crossing fun for players ages 12 and up.

Berg USA



Route 66

Chalktrail

In WordARound, from THINKFUN, players tryto be the first to unravel, decipher, and shout out the word oneach circular WordARound card. The first to do so wins thatcard. The player with the most cards wins. This fast-paced cardgame is designed for playersages 10 and up.

The goal of LaserMaze is to direct thelaser beam through a se-ries of mind-challengingmazes, providing a men-tal workout as users flextheir strategic-thinking musclesby maneuvering the lightthrough the course. Laser Mazeis for ages 8 and up.

The Legends Longbow, from ZING, is the ultimate soft-foam bow and arrow combo. With a wood-like appearance, kidscan be modern-day marksmen and practice their archery skillsindoors or outside. The soft-foam Zonic whistle-screaming ar-

rows squeal through the air at distances of up to 125feet, while the Zartz suction cup arrows

stick to almost anything. Kids hook theammo into the safe and secure loadingzone, line up the shot, and let it fly.

The Legends Slingshot is a modern day sling-shot with a classic appearance that kids can use to hone

their hand-eye coordination and accuracy skills. TheLegends Slingshot is capable of launching soft-foam ammo up to 45 feet. Kids load the ball into

each slot of the loop system, pull back, and let it rip.

Pom Tree Has Creative Play SetsPOM TREE introduces a new product line: Stuck on Fun. Welcome to the world of Pom Tree Village,

a friendly new town where kids can build delightful 3-D houses and shops, and decorate them with theirchoice of characters, stickers, and accessories. The line includes Playtown & Playscape Creativity Kits,Sticker Tubs, and Sticker Storybooks.

Stuck on Fun Playtown kits assemble easily and don’t require glue. Each kit includes all the ma-terials needed to construct a 3-D building and includes mixed-media materials such as foam, felt, chip-board, and stickers. As they set up the town, adding 3-D buildings and characters, kids can decorate eachbuilding with colorful stickers, move furniture, make up stories involving the characters, and put bushes,pets, and accessories into place. Each building is open in the back, and the doors open and close for a real-istic touch. All sets include plenty of stickers for hours of decorating fun. Coordinating Sticker Tubs are sold separately and can be usedfor additional embellishments.

Stuck on Fun Playscape kits offer lots of creative fun. Loads of colorful chenille stems, pom poms, pony beads, and mixed media stick-ers provide materials for creating lots of craft projects. Kids can create bookmarks, flowers, pom critters, jewelry, and much more, and thenadd decorative stickers for a finishing touch.

Join Lily and her best friends, Charlotte & Ella, on their extraordinary day on the town in the new Sticker Storybook. There’s so muchto do—shop, tend to the backyard garden, paint pictures, dance, fly a kite in the park, and end the day with a pajama party. Decorative stickerpages are included, allowing each page to be customized.

ZingThinkFun



Pom Tree Tree House

Legends Longbow Legends Slingshot

University Games Introduces New Range of GamesMy Studio Girl, a new craft line from UNIVERSITY GAMES, offers numerous activities for kids

to create, play, and display. The easy-to-make sewing kits, air dry dough sculptures, paper machékeepsakes, and activity play sets can be created, collected, or gifted.

WWZ is a strategy game that has the human player cooperating to take on the zom-bies and prevent human extinction from the pandemic. However, players maybecome infected and become zombies themselves, forcing them to switchsides.

In Dumb Ass, every player has a chance to be a winner by picking the wrong an-swer and advancing around the playing board. The reader announces four items thatappear to have a correlation. Players then choose which item does not belong by usingtheir answer tokens. The players with the correct “wrong” answer then rolls the die to moveahead on the board.

Ligretto is a card game that will keep players on their toes as they race to get rid of all of their cards first. Speed andtiming is the key to success, especially when playing with up to 12 players. The Ligretto dice game is just as fast and requires all play-ers to roll their dice and line them up in numerical order at the same time.

In the original two-player code-breaking game Bulls and Cows, one player tries to break a two-, three-, or four-number code establishedby the opponent in as few guesses as possible. Bull chips and cow chips indicate whether a code guess is the correct number or if the num-ber is in the correct sequence.

Very Hungry Caterpillar Twirl and Toss is a skill and action game starring the iconic caterpillar. Children toss their fruit and try to bethe first to land all three pieces on the twirling, motorized caterpillar to win.

With the Outfitters Collection, on-and-off-the-road travelers can play their favorite classic gamesanywhere they go. The Front Porch Classics Outfitters Collection features four lightweight, compactwooden games, each packaged inside a canvas and nylon stuff sack with a mesh window and draw-string toggle closure. Games include Outfitters Dominoes, Outfitters Cribbage, and Outfitters Man-cala.

New to the Brain Box line of games are Brain Box Nature and Brain Box U.S. Presidents. Bothgames ask players to review a flash card for 10 seconds and then flip the card over to try and answerquestions based on what was on the front of the card. This brain teaser helps kids learn informationon new topics. Brain boxes are travel-friendly and are compact for easy storage.

Puppet Playland, from EDUSHAPE, can be played using just the puppet or it can beintegrated with the book. This toy acts as baby’s first book and encourages social play, roleplay, and narrative thinking skills. Puppet Playland features a lovable puppet character whotravels through the ocean, sky, city, and forest in the soft and colorful cloth book, stimulatingbaby’s imagination all along the way.

EduShape


NEAT-OH! INTERNATIONAL LLC releases new additions to its patent-pending ZipBin line of inter-active storage products that unzip to become activity or play surfaces, and then zip back up to storage binform. Neat-Oh! features several licenses, including Lego, Lego Star Wars, Barbie, Hot Wheels, and StarWars.

The Lego Chima ZipBin Battle Case lets kids take control of their own Chima kingdom. Kids canhold jousts between their favorite tribes on the fold-out ramp and easily store their pieces when they aredone. The case folds flat when not in use and easily wipes clean with a damp cloth.

The Lego Friends Heartlake Wristlet provides five pockets to help girls store and travel with theirLego Friends figures in style. Unzip the wristlet from trendy accessory to completely flat surfacewith 3-D pop-up scenery.

The Lego Friends ZipBin Heartlake Place Transforming Toy Box unfolds to unveil a beauti-ful landscape. This ZipBin features a satin handle and immersive playmat for girls looking to enhance their experience of Heartlake Place.

Barbie Black Bow Clutch and Closet will ensure every fashionista is dressed to the nines for all occasions. Barbie ZipBin Clutch isthe perfect finishing touch for any outfit, featuring pink woven designs on the front and a dreamy dressing room for Barbie on the inside.

Hot Wheels Racing Battle Case has space to store up to 20 Hot Wheels cars. The Battle Case acts as a launch site for all of the biggestraces. Flip out the track and slide four Hot Wheels cars down in the ultimate race to the finish. This durable,

portable, and functional case makes both play and storage easy with 20 dividers built in to keep carsorganized and accessible.

ZipBin Crash Racer BackPack with Car Assortment is the flashiest way to bring Hot Wheelshot rods everywhere. Unzip the fiery red exterior into a two-lane smash and crash raceway. The carbody is perfectly integrated into the shape of the backpack. Kids can throw it over their shoulder andspeed away with the authentic Hot Wheels car included.

Star Wars ZipBin Stormtrooper Toy Storage & Carry Case lets kids join the ranks of the Em-pire’s most elite soldiers and strike fear in the heart of the Rebel Alliance. This soft-sided storage case fits

favorite Star Wars figures for on-the-go play, and comes in Darth Vader and Yoda styles.

Omnicor’s Wikki Stix Teach Kids SkillsWikki Stix, from OMNICOR, are a tactile and sensory-engaging product ideal for honing fine

motor skills, kinesthetic learning, and working with the visually impaired, as well as the en-tire autism spectrum. This product was designed to meet the needs of occupational therapistsand other specialists working with kids with special needs, along with parents and teachers.This kit includes a resource manual and six activity cards, including two face cards for non-verbal expression of mood. There is also a grid board for construction and building as wellas a therapy bag bonus unit. This kit includes 144 Wikki Stix in a carrying bag.

Neat-Oh!



Star Wars Stromtrooper Toy Storage & Carrying Case

Heartlake Place Transforming Toy Box

Peppy Mouse House Sassy Pet Sak, fromDOUGLAS, is a petite purse that carries a removable mousefor holiday fun. The Sak features mint candy print, candy but-tons, a candy cane-striped handle, and fluffy snow-white fauxfur, with the little mouse peeking through.

The Candy Mint RuffleTote is a dressy purse featur-ing a candy mint print, candycane-striped straps, embroi-dered candies, and white rickrack borders on the ruffles. Itis 8 inches wide.

Rolly Snowman stands 8inches tall and has a carrotnose and button eyes. Rollysports a knitted, red and greentasseled hat and a sewn-in redscarf. He also has candy canecording around his body.

The Incredible Creatures Goldfish, from SAFARI LTD.,has shimmery scales and whispy fins. This hand-painted, life-sized replica measures 4.5 inches long and 3.4 inches high.

The midnight-black, winged Mythical Realms Areion hasa fierce spirit. Stare into its untamable brown eyes and let it showyou the way to the mythical world. This hand-painted replicameasures 5.5 inches long, 4.25 inches wide, and 5.25 inches high.

The Wild Safari Dinosaurs Gryposaurus is a duck-billeddinosaur from the Cretaceous period. The hand-painted replicameasures 8.5 inches long by 3.24 inches high.

All three replicas are designed for kids ages 3 and up, and allSafari Ltd. products are 100-percent guaranteed and lead free toensure children’s safety.

Top Trumps Has Moshi Monsters FeverMoshi Monsters Turbo, from TOP TRUMPS, features six exclusive packs containing characters from

the Moshi Monsters world. Kids can play with the top Moshlings, find out where to buy Moshi stuff, dis-cover Moshi foods, learn more about Moshi places, explore the secrets of Moshi missions, and meet newMonstro-Citizens. Slot the packs into the Hub, spin the Turbo-Spinner, and start playing the fast MoshiMonsters game in hopes of becoming the Turbo Champion.

The Top Trumps Trash Pack deck gives kids the chance to interact with their favorite TrashPack characters. Players can see who has the most smelliness, ugliness, and grossness; who has thehighest germ rating; and who is the rarest in this new deck featuring the second series Trashies.

Fans can celebrate the return of the Doctor Who series to TV screens this spring with a special-edition pack of Top Trumps DoctorWho Series 7. Featuring both old favorites and new faces, the deck reveals which character brings the most terror, which is the bravest,and which might keep the most secrets.

The ultimate in Star Wars collectibles, the Star Wars Death Star Tin is shaped like the ultimate battle station, the Death Star. The tinincludes two full packs of Star Wars Top Trumps, covering all six movies. The Death Star also contains four exclusive Super Cards and theTIE Fighter sound effect.

Safari Ltd.

Douglas



Wild SafariDinosaurs Gryposaurus

Peppy Mouse HouseSassy Pet Sak

From JURATOYS U.S. CORP.’s Janod linecomes the Clock Owly Clock, a wooden double-sided owlto help kids learn to tell time. One side features clock hands forlearning to tell time and the other side has a chalkboard. Theclock can be set down or hung up and features solid woodnumbers and has been stained with water-based paint. It in-cludes a box of chalk and a brush. The panel is created withplywood and the pieces are made from beechwood. This toy isappropriate for kids ages 3 to 7.

Heroes Hologram Pyramid, alsofrom the Janod line, lets kids discoverfive face-changing superheroes. Thecardboard square stacking pyramid iscomposed of 10 elements, which arealso five characters. On five of these10 elements there is a holographiccard representing a moving face.This toy is appropriate for ages 1and up.

Plan Toys Knows Eco-Friendly FunWith Fairy Tale Blocks, from PLAN TOYS, kids can create their own version of hap-

pily ever after. This block set also includes a prince. Kids can explore their imaginativeside with the 35-piece Castle Blocks set. The set includes wooden knights, horses, and avariety of colored and non-colored blocks.

Monkey Bowling features five funky monkey pins and a monkey ball. Kids must knock downas many of the pins as they can to win.

Kids can watch the marble balls and hear the click clack sound when they roll down the curvytracks with Curvy Click Clack. The dimple details are designed to slow down the balls and ball holders are provided on the base.

The Chalet Dollhouse with Furniture is an eco-friendly dollhouse featuring two units, a larger unit with three levels and a smallerunit with two levels, which can be rearranged. The skylight roof comes with two movable staircases and is easy to access from every side.The entire set comes with five sets of furniture, including living room, bathroom, kitchen, children’s bedroom, and master bedroom. Thedollhouse is designed for kids ages 3 and up.

Kids can ride into the imaginary depths of the wild with the sturdy Rockin’ Alligator. It features a stable rocker base, foot rests, andhandle bars.

Juratoys



Speed Stacks, from SPEED STACKS INC., are specially de-signed Sport Stacking cups endorsed by the World SportStacking Association (WSSA) for competition. Sport Stackingis a sport of fitness, agility, concentration, and quickness.

The Speed Stacks StackPack provides what kids needto get started in Sport Stacking. The StackPack includeschoice of cup color, a Gen3 StackMat (timer and mat), andthe StackFast DVD with instructions, World Championshiphighlights, Sport Stacking techniques, and competitions.

New to the line are Speed Stacks Minis. Available in arainbow pack, Minis are 2.5 timessmaller than regular size Speed Stacks.

Speed Stacks

Speed Stacks StackPack

Clock Owly Clock

Castle Blocks



Rubbablox Truck Set, from RUBBABU, is astand-alone product or an addition to the Building Blocksset. This handy truck lets kids dive further into the world ofimaginative play. The set is soft and safe, both for little handsand for the Earth.

Nitro the Monster Truck is a soft and velvety toy thatruns just as smoothly over carpet as it does on hard surfaces.This toy provides visual appeal, encourages tactile involve-ment, and engages the mind of young children as well as olderchildren.

For big time play, the Monster Car and Jumping Track

gives young ones a big handful of imaginative engine-revving, monster car happiness. Both piecesare made from soft, all-natural foamrubber.

Tool Set with Apron is atactile and colorful tool set fea-turing a 100-percent cottonkids’ apron.

COROLLE’s Babi Corolle collection offers first dolls forkids as young as newborns. Dolls, including the Babipouce

Pink Happiness with a pillow-soft body and face delicatelyscented with vanilla, will appeal to newborns. All Babi Corollefirst dolls are machine washable.

New to the bathtime doll family is Bébé Bath, completewith snorkeling accessories. Floaties, flip-pers, and a snorkel mask add to water playfun in the tub. Filled with polystyrenebeads that dry quickly, Bébé Bath canalso be played with out of thewater. This 12-inch soft baby dollis designed for kids ages 18 monthsand up and features sleeping eyes andsmooth vinyl skin.

Plus-Plus, from GEARED FORIMAGINATION, is a building brickmade in Denmark with a simpleshape and lots of possibilities.Plus-Plus is available in Minifor kids ages 3 and up andMidi for kids of all ages.

Topobots are eco-friendlywooden robots made in the U.S.Kids can assemble one Topobot orcollect them and mix them up.

Cube Books, by ZooBooKoo, pack lots of information onto12 faces of a cube that can be turned inside out. The educationalbooks are available in different themes, including planets, humanbody, multiplication, and spelling.

FSUSA Has Classic ToysThe Original Bozo

Jumping Ball, fromFSUSA, is back. These col-orful, retro, Bozo the Clownjumping balls are made ofhigh-quality, durable, phtha-late‐free PVC. Jumpingballs are designed for chil-dren ages 3 to 12 and can beused for indoor and outdoorplay. They inflate easily with an air compressor.

FSUSA also offers new Retro Times Wood Toys and

Games. Pick‐up sticks, yo‐yos, and train whistles are among theofferings in the new line.

CorolleRubbabu

Geared for Imagination

Babipouce Pink Happiness

Rubbablox Truck Set

Cube Books



Never lose a water fight again with the 2-footMonster Water Cannon, from WESTMINSTER, which shootsup to 100 feet. The Monster Water Cannon attaches to any gar-den hose and includes a sturdy, detachable tripod for 360 de-grees of water blasting.

WahZooka, for kids ages 8 and up, is a water bazookawith a compact, lightweight de-sign for spontaneous, outdoorfun. Kids simply add a water-filledplastic bottle and the WahZooka is ready foraction. It shoots up to 30 feet and is engineeredto fit most plastic drink bottles with a water-tight sealing band.

Atom 7 Robot, for kids ages 6 and up,is a walking, talking, shooting, moving,spinning, flashing, and turning robot.This robot shoots soft foam discs andcreates a light show.

Kidz Delight Knows Educational ToysThe Space Tablet, from KIDZ DELIGHT’s Smithsonian Kids

line, features a high-tech, sleek design with close to 30 touch-sensitive icons to trigger sounds and speech with a light touch.Kids will learn facts about planets, stars, the moon, meteorites,astronauts, and other space-related subjects. Discovery modeincludes educational and age-appropriate facts. Kids can choosequiz mode and find the requested planet or answer true or falseto a statement given by the tablet. This toy is appropriate forkids ages 4 and up.

With Interactive Animal Cubes, kids can learn 30 animalnames and sounds by inserting the cubes into the platform. Theset includes five cubes and one main platform. Kids can playwith five different themes, including pets, backyard creatures,wild animals, and farm animals. Kids can alsochoose between discovery mode for addedlearning and quiz mode to test their knowl-edge. Animal Cubes are appropriate for kidsages 18 months and up.

First Phone, from the iLOL line, hasbeen specifically designed to developfine motor skills, while giving kids theopportunity to play with grown-ups’most sought-after devices. Kids canspin the roller to change the top rowof icons and trigger sounds andmusic. By pressing on the keys,kids will hear sounds and animal names and learn colors. Kidscan open the folder to trigger the “Happy Birthday” song orpress on the call and hang up keys to place a pretend call. Eachaction triggers speech, sound, music, and light. First Phone isdesigned for kids ages 6 months and up.

The Mini Tablet, also from the iLOL line, features a mov-ing slider underneath the mirror, allowing kids to see picturesthat magically appear and listen to the alphabet or number song.The language keys allow kids to switch between English andSpanish. The quiz key will require kids to find the requestedanimal, musical instrument, or color. The Mini Tablet is appro-priate for kids ages 1 and up.

Daydream Toy Takes to the SkySkyTrix, from DAYDREAM TOY, can climb high into the sky,

dive, loop, boomerang, or become a long-range glider. The world-wide, patent-pending SkyTrix glides like a plane, soars like a kite,performs tricks like a yo-yo, and plays catch like a flying disc. Aplane on a tether, SkyTrix doesnot require batteries or gyro-scopes to keep it balanced inflight. As kids get the feel of thetether, they can start showingtheir skills by doing tricks suchas casting, snap backs, andloops. SkyTrix is available in anassortment of three colorfulwing designs.

First Phone

Westminster

Monster Water Cannon

Paris Nighttime Shadows, from MAG-ICFOREST, inspires creative play with Paris-themed shadowpuppets from the French children’s brand Moulin Roty. Theset, for kids ages 3 and up, includes the Eiffel Tower, jazzman,sleepwalker, the Countess, and more.

The Sevi Medieval Castle is a set of 26 pieces, includinga working drawbridge, towers, walls, a dungeon, a secret pas-sage, play characters, and more. This set is made of wood andis appropriate for kids ages 3 and up.

The Jolly Roger is one of 16 newwooden boats fromOGAS. Hand-madein Germany, the 9-inch pine hull issourced from man-aged forests andsupports a real clothmainsail.

The On Track Responsibility and BehaviorSystem, from KENSON KIDS, was created for kids ages 8

and up and incorporates household chores, daily to-do lists,and money management into life lessons that teach organiza-tional skills, accountability, and self-reliance. It’s an all-in-oneparenting tool for the entire family. It instills independence byestablishing clear expec-tations and logical conse-quences. The systemhelps reduce constantlecturing and yelling. Itcomes with everythingneeded to get started forone or two children. Ad-ditional check lists areavailable so the wholefamily can be included.

Zeenie Dollz Save the Planet One Fashionista at a TimeZeenie Dollz, from ZEENIE DOLLZ LLC, are powerful, stylish, and vibrant eco-warriors. Each Zeenie, in addition to being a trendset-

ter, possesses a secret identity and unique eco-power that helps protect the Earth. The new line of 12-inch dolls are made completely of re-cyclable, non-toxic plastics. In addition to their sustainability, the Zeenie Dollz come standard with 12 ball joints offering flexibility andmovement during play time. The fashionista dolls sport the latest in groundbreaking style and inform girls about environmental issues.

Zennia embodies Mother Earth, the protector of our planet. As the giver and sustainer of life on Earth, Zennia is passionate about com-bating the evil anti-environment villains that threaten to destroy the world. To help her, Zen-nia is joined by a team of five eco-warrior fashionistas: Evee, protector of the skies anddefender against pollution; Kazumi, guardian of the polar regions and defender againstglobal warming; Lina, defender of the rainforest and defender against deforestation; Sini,overseer of farmland and defender of mistreated and abused animals; and Yana, protectorof the oceans and defender of marine conservation.

A portion of every Zeenie Dollz sale will be given to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).Zeenie Dollz will contribute 3 percent from the sale of each doll purchased through the Zee-nie World website to WWF with a minimum commitment of $25,000 by December 31.

Kenson KidsMagicforest



Sevi Medieval Castle

Part of the In My Room brand, Wall

Friends, from UNCLE MILTON, bring kids’ favoriteDisney characters to life in their rooms. With just the push of abutton, they light up andtalk with fun, familiarphrases, allowing kids tointeract with their WallFriends. Available char-acters include Jake andthe Never Land Pirates,Lightning McQueen,Mickey Mouse, DocMcStuffins, MinnieMouse, and Cinderella.

CONSTRUCTIVE EATING’s Transforming Lunch Totes arefabric lunch totes with zipper patterns that completely unfurl intoan oversized placemat. The Transforming Lunch Totes fea-ture full, vivid artwork on both the exterior and in-terior, with construction and garden fairiesdesigns. The Transforming Lunch Totes will besold both as standalone items and also as fullyloaded combo packsthat will includeplates and utensils.

FoxMind Games Provides Single-Player FunArchelino, from FOXMIND GAMES, is a reimagining of Noah’s Ark, where all animals invited not only

want to have their place, they also have their preferences. Players must keep a watchful eye to satisfy allthe animals’ demands. The kangaroo desperately wants to sit next to the lion, but this place is also covetedby the panda who wants to chat with the zebra. What about the giraffe who does not want to sit all the wayat the back? As players become more astute at solving these progressively more complex puzzles, they

are invited to handle more fussy requests with patience and determination to keep itall calm and friendly on the ark. Archelino is designed for kids ages 4 and up.

Conezilla is a game of memory and tactic that will have children and adults ral-lying for second and third servings. The object of the game is to be the first to build

the most spectacular 10-scoop ice cream Conezilla. Each player starts with a cone andone scoop of ice cream. All other scoops numbered from two to 49 are placed face down on the

table. Players take turns flipping over a scoop and decide whether to add it on top of their growing cone orflip it back into place. Players can only add a scoop to a cone if its value is superior to their current top scoop. This game is for kids ages6 and up and is appropriate for two to four players.

In Crazy Office, players must take into account some simple constraints and correctly interpret logic queues to try to prevent chaosfrom taking over the office. Place the boss, employees, and office equipment in their right place. Fifty-five gradually evolving challengesallow players to progress at their own pace moving from beginner to expert. This single-player game is appropriate for ages 7 and up.

Kulami is a tactile game of strategy. Ten wooden tiles are arranged to form an ever-changing board on which opponents compete tocapture the largest number of tiles. By placing their marbles cleverly, players can limit their adversary’s possible moves and gain the ad-vantage to clinch the victory. This game is appropriate for two players, ages 9 and up.

Constructive Eating Uncle Milton



The Rubik’s 2x2 Cube, from WINNING MOVES GAMES,features a new mechanical design, smoother play, and is fasterand more reliable. With no stickers, there can be no cheating.The Rubik’s 2x2 Cube is designed for players ages 8 and up.

With Stop It!, game play is simple. Players do not waitfor turns, meaning everyone is always in the game. There arefive colored suits of cards, and everybody plays cards se-quentially on the table. If an opponent is on aroll and playing lots of cards, aplayer can slap a Stop It!card and bring him or herto a screeching halt. Thefirst player to go out ina round scores points.Stop It! is designed forplayers ages 10 and up.

Ohio Art Bugs OutOHIOART has added the Insect Series to the nanoblock line.

The Praying Mantis miniature insect has more than 120 as-sorted size pieces and measures 3.25 inches wide by 2.25 inchestall. The Asian Giant Hornet has more than 130 assorted sizepieces and when completed measures 4 inches wide by 2.75inches tall. The Hercules Beetle, which is the largest of the rhi-noceros beetles, has more than 110 assorted size and colored

pieces and when completed measures merely1.25 inches wide by

1.375 inches tall.The nanoblockinsects are de-

signed for childrenages 8 and up.

MAY/JUNE 2013

Winning Moves Games

Rubik’s 2x2 Cube

Asian Giant Hornet

Aeromax Expands My 1st Career Gear Line, Adds Astronaut Get Real GearAEROMAX TOYS introduces additions to the My 1st Career Gear line and unveils its

new Astronaut Get Real Gear.The Jr. Astronaut Space Gloves, for kids ages 2 and up, feature official NASA

patches, textured palms for easy grip, and an elastic inner cuff. The gloves are fully lined.The Jr. Astronaut Space Boots are exactly what a little astronaut needs to complete hisor her Jr. Astronaut’s dream mission. The official-looking space boots with NASA logosand patches include a special zipper compartment and are intended to be worn over shoes.The Jr. Astronaut Back Pack holds a budding astronaut’s space gear. The top compart-ment fits an astronaut suit or boots and the bottom compartment stores an astronaut spacehelmet. The side pockets provide storage for tools, and the three-way harness system en-sures comfort and a realistic look and feel. Jr. Space explorers can hop on the ExplorerInflatable Shuttle and blast off. The inflatable shuttle is intended for both indoor andoutdoor adventures. Ideal as a floating ride-on, this shuttle boasts genuine-looking in-strument panels, gauges, a built-in portal view of Earth, and the red and white stars andstripes of the U.S. After touring the stars and the moon, move the furniture and make wayfor a shuttle landing. The shuttle boasts a 45-inch wingspan and spreads 43 inches in

length. This product is designed for a weight limit of 90 pounds.Aeromax also introduces new additions to its My 1st Career Gear for kids ages 3 to 5 years old. Each detailed

My 1st Career Gear shirt slips on easily and fastens at the front with a simple hook and loop closure. One size fitsmost tots. Even at this young age, kids can put on the gear by themselves.

My 1st Career Gear Zookeeper shirt features a parrot peeking out of the top pocket. This career gear will haveyoungsters giving a caring eye to every squirrel, bird, cat, and dog in the neighborhood. Arm patches and pocketsquares illustrate the various roles of the zookeeper. A matching green safari hat is sold separately to complete thelook.

My 1st Career Gear Pit Crew lets kids quickly learn car-fixing lingo from wrench to car jack. This jerseyfeatures a checkered flag on one shoulder and a pit crew patch on the other. A personalized name tag slips intothe pocket. A matching race cap, sold separately, makes the look official.

My 1st Career Gear Builder is a little builder vest to get youngsters thinking about measuring, cutting, andfixing. The bright yellow top with orange stripes looks just like the crew on a construction job. Aeromax adds de-tails such as a tool belt, pencil, and name badge. A matching yellow construction helmet, sold separately, adds to theillusion.

My 1st Career Gear Train Conductor lets little conductors check their pretend pocket watches and punch tick-ets as the train makes its scheduled stops. Among the train conductor’s vest details are a sharp white shirt with redtie and “brass” buttons. The blue conductor’s cap, sold separately, has gold trim.

Also recently introduced are the My 1st Career Gear Astronaut and the My 1st Career Gear Magician.



Harrisville Designs FusesCreativity with Practicality

The PotholderPRO, from HARRISVILLE DESIGNS, allowskids to weave a potholder that is more practical and largeenough for adult hands to utilize in the kitchen. The 100-per-cent custom-sized cotton Pro Loops and large metal loom,combined with kids’ creative skills, will result in a profes-sional, yet creative, potholder. The kit includes a sturdymetal loom, custom cotton loops, and a two-year warranty.

Glitter Butterflies Art Kit, from HOTAL-ING IMPORTS, includes four nature images on heavy boards broughtto life by glitter highlights.

Forest Animals Paper Lace Art Kit features delicate lacedesigns ready for kids to color in with double-ended Djeco Mark-ers. Foam tape is included to add animal figures, making the finalcreation 3-D.

Brightly colored animals make up the Animal Parade Giant

Puzzle, which has 36 pieces and measures more than 52 incheslong when completed.

Wonderful Walk Puzzle is one of a series of nine gallerypuzzles designed to encourage children to appreciate art and be-come interested in painting. There are three categories of GalleryPuzzles: three with 200 pieces, three with 350 pieces, and threewith 500 pieces. AllGallery Puzzles meas-ure 38.2 inches by 12.9inches when com-pleted.

Memo Fish is amemory game featur-ing brightly coloredwhimsical fish thatteaches kids how to re-member numbers.

Measure once, cut once. Ezzzy-Jig, from PEPPERELL BRAIDING CO., simplifies braceletproduction time by making consistently sized bands. Kids only have to measure onceand cut once. The Ezzzy-Jig guides kids to make bracelets the same size, every time.The Ezzzy-Jig works best with buckle closures. Pre-mounted 15-millimeter and 12-millimeter buckles are included. Buckles can be swapped out with a different size byunscrewing the plastic mounts with a Phillips head screwdriver.

Hotaling Imports

Pepperell Braiding Co.



Kids can build their own 3-D princess, dinosaur, or alien withNotchsters, from DUNECRAFT. The easy 3-D puzzles let kids create three free-standing Notchsters in minutes. Kids can pop out the pieces and connect them using thenotches. Styles include Rockin Dinos, Pretty Princesses, Sea Friends, Playful Pets, Mys-tical Magical Monsters, and Awesome Aliens.

Kids can grow more than 20 kinds of wildflowers with the Flower Fountain. Thetwo-pack contains more than 3,000 seeds that will sprout in a week and will help attractbutterflies and birds.

The LED Light Cubes feature 15 powerful micro LED lights, including red lightsto promote flowering, blue lights to foster foliage,and both for overall beautiful growth. The light

cube also plugs into any USB portor into a computer. New styles inthe line include Tropical Jungle andCarnivorous Creations.

Drop a bomb and getplants growing with SeedBombs, which are availablein six different styles. Kidscan throw them, crush

them, water them, and watch them grow.

Canine Cardz is a newdog-themed card game, from ZAZZYPALS. Kids can play eight different

games, grab dog bones,and unleash their cre-ativity with a bonus ofDraw-A-Dog cards andart supplies. Designedfor kids ages 5 andup, Canine Cardzcan be played withone to five players,

and is gender-neutraland travel-friendly.The game is based onoriginal art of realdogs and features theirtrue stories.

The Puppet Co. Lets Kids Have Tangle-Free FunGiant Marionette Birds, from THE PUPPET CO. LLC, are made from fabric and have weighted feet

to improve movement. Large and brightly colored with three different styles to choose from, all of themarionettes have new beaded, anti-tangle hand controllers.

The figurative marionette collection of fairytale characters includes a prince, a princess, and a pirate.Featuring detailed faces and costumes, each marionette comes in its own presentation box, which is easy tostore and display. These marionettes also feature anti-tangle hand controllers.

Traditional Story Sets are boxed sets containing full-bodied and flat-printed finger puppets. Each setincludes a hard-back book published by The Puppet Co. to ensure the puppets match the correspondingstories. The story sets come in re-usable storage boxes.

My First Puppets are hand puppets that are suitable for newborns. The puppets also fit an adulthand, and feature embroidered faces.

The new collection of Dinosaur Finger Puppets includes six different dinosaurs for kids to col-lect. Each one is free-standing and much larger than The Puppet Co.’s normal finger puppets.

Zazzy Pals

DuneCraft



Giant Marionette Birds


From JC TOYS GROUP INC.’s La New-born Collection comes the 17-inch La New-

born Siblings. Made in Spain, each anatomicallycorrect boy and girl comes dressed in adorable matching five-piece outfits. The 15-inch Real Boy and Real Girl La Newborn fea-ture a full head of rooted hair. Both styles, also made in Spain,include knit outfits. The Mini La Newborn dolls fit right in the palmof kids’ hands. The Mini LaNewborns are ideal forsmaller children and show offa new outfit and a cute littlehead of hair hidden behindthe matching caps. There arethree different expressions tochoose from.

Kids can hit the trails and start scouting with Nature Trax,from BEACH AND NATURE CO. Nature Trax is an animal trackscasting kit that comes packaged in a reusable backpack, com-plete with casting kit, laminated guide cards, and a water bottle.

Kids can expresstheir creativity and tapinto their inner-explorerswith the Piece of theBeach kit. Each kitcomes with everythingkids need to create a last-ing keepsake of a funtime at the beach.

Beach and Nature Co. JC Toys

Nature Trax

Real Boy and Real Girl La Newborn

Greenpoint Brands Soothes InfantsMy Natural Soft Comfort Teether, from GREEN-

POINT BRANDS, provides teething and sensory stimula-tion for growing infants. The teether is 100-percentbaby-safe and features a plant-based bio-resin materialthat is better for baby and the environment. It is made free fromBPA, phthalates, PVC, and latex. This multi-sensory teether isdesigned to soothe and stimulate sore gums.

There are three characters launching in the collection—Green Dino, Purple Pony, and Blue Elephant.

From PLAYROOM ENTERTAINMENT’s line of partygames comes Geek Out, a new game that revealswhich player is the most knowledgeable about geekysubjects. In the game, players draw cards asking themto list things that fall under a certain category, such asscience fiction. Before beginning, however, other play-ers may try to steal points (and bragging rights) by bid-ding to name even more.

Say What You Meme is a new laughter-inducingparty game where players get to create their ownmemes and decide which is the funniest. Just like thepopular Internet memes found on social media sites,players get a chance to try their hand at combining hi-larious images with witty text. It will be up to their op-

ponents to decide whose is the most clever.Slangology is a game of slang definitions for modern times. In the game, one

player draws a card that shows several slang words and definitions. That player acts asa judge for the round and reads one of the words aloud. Each player then writes a def-inition. The judge then reads all the definitions aloud, including the correct one, with-out revealing which player wrote what. Then all players vote on which definition theybelieve is correct and which one they believe is definitely not correct by placing to-kens with values of three points, two points, and negative one point. Players earn pointswhen other players believe their definition is correct.

Playroom Entertainment

S50 MAY/JUNE 2013


USAOPOLY will debut three original games set for release this summer. CrossWays is a fresh, light strategy game designed for kidsand adults ages 8 and up. Players must place their markers and make paths across the board. But watch out—CrossWays is packed with offen-

sive and defensive surprises, and the path to victory is not always a straight line. Tapple is a fast-paced category word game that challenges players ages 8 and up to beat the timer.

Players choose a category card and have 10 seconds to name a word matching the category, press the firstletter of the word on the Tapple wheel, hit the button to reset the timer, and pass the wheel to thenext player. The player who can’t think of a word in time is eliminated from the round. Letters al-ready pressed may not be used again. The player who collects the most cards wins.

Ratuki is a fast flippin’ card game that has kids and adults ages 7 and up shouting “Ratuki” (ra-too-kee) as they battle to collect the most cards. Two to five players build piles of cards with thenumbers 1 to 5. The first to slam a 5 on the top of the pile and shout out “Ratuki” gets the pileof cards. Ratuki helps build hand-eye coordination and dexterity, and teaches Roman numer-als and Spanish numbers. All three games will launch at retail this summer.

USAopoly

Early learning is fun and exciting with the electronic,portable Smart Play Pad, from SMART PLAYLLC. More than 30 touch sensor keys teachlanguage and pronunciation skills to helpprepare kids for kindergarten. Four gamemodes provide kids with fun ways to dis-cover letters, phonics, numbers, music, andmore. A bilingual feature helps kids learnthe alphabet and numbers in English andSpanish. The Play Pad is designed for chil-dren ages 2 to 6.

Smart Play

S52 MAY/JUNE 2013


B KIDS is set to unveil its first collection of infant and preschoolwood toys. Designed to reflect a traditional charm with a modern flair, thecolorfully crafted toy line is durable and entertaining. The Sorting Cube is a vibrantwooden cube that helps kids ages 2 and up with skill building. It encourages the de-velopment of motor skills and enhances learning through discovery. The cube featuresa mixture of block shapes, including a cylinder, a star, a triangle, a cube, and a heart.

The Pounding Shape Bench helps foster shape recognition, colors, and size dif-ferentiation skills. Kids ages 1 and up can tap the shapes through the holes using thesoft, wooden hammer. They can then turn the bench over and tap them back to con-tinue playtime.

The Tap ’n Tilt Roller Rack helps foster early shape, color, and size differenti-ation skills. Toddlers can tap the ball through the holes and watch and listen as theyroll back down the track. Designed for kids ages 18 months and up, the Roller Rackalso includes a rattle ball that makes rattle noises.

Toddlers ages 1 and up can learn the letters of thealphabet with the See ’n Spin Alphabet Rack. Thetwo-sided blocks feature letters and simple shapesfor developmental skills.

Race ’n Drop Track features fourslightly curved ramps and stops, whichallow the racing cars to roll down backand forth in a continuous motion. The setincludes two colored racing cars and alight-up sound ball for kids ages 18months and up.

B kids

Pounding Shape Bench

Haba Cuddles Up with New ProductsThe Cuddly Elephant, part of the new Uppsala series, from

HABA, has a modern design with soft shades of beige, brown, blue,and yellow. The cuddly elephant containsthree rustling knots for babies ages newbornand up to teeth on. It also includes a clothband for attaching pacifiers.

Haba is introducing three soft, 8-inchdolls packaged in a decorative can: Mirle, Mirli,and Miro. Desgined for kids ages 6 monthsand up, the dolls have sewn-on shoes and re-movable clothing. Mirle, Mirli, and Miro aremachine washable in cold water on the delicatecycle and can be air-dried.


Mirli

Each set of Mumbly’s, fromMARKY SPARKY TOYS, contains threefunky, magnetic game characters. Kidscan play two basic games with Mumbly’s. InTins, each player sets their base tin in front ofthem and stands or sits some distance away fromtheir opponent, who does the same thing. The lidis used for scoring. Each player takes a turn lob-bing one of their three Mumbly’s at the base tin andthe first player to 24 wins the game. In Feats,kids must complete all 24 feats before their op-ponent or in the fewest attempts.

Marky Sparky Toys

New to the Air Hogs line is Air Hogs AtmoSphere, from SPIN MASTER. The levitating sphere doesn’t requirea remote control and hovers above any surface. Kids can control it with the palm of their hand or watch it fly au-tonomously in any space. AtmoSphere smoothly bounces off walls and ceilings for non-stop flight.It comes complete with a palm-sized charging cradle for easy recharging. AtmoSphere is designed for kidsages 8 and up.

With Boom Boom Balloon, kids never know when the balloon will go “boom.” Players ages 7 andup roll the die and carefully push in a stick until it clicks. Players watch as the balloon squishes,squeezes, stretches, and strains. The player who makes the balloon pop on his or her turn is out.

Kids can fly Flutterbye Fairies with the palm of their hand. Each fairy includes a base and is de-signed for kids ages 6 and up.

Zoomer is an interactive dog that listens and learns. Featuring lifelike expressions and voice acti-vated commands, Zoomer learns more tricks the more kids play with him. Zoomer has a flexible tail forreal wagging action, a rotational core so he can fully roll over, LED eyes with blinking and tracking capabilities, andchest sensors to track objects so he knows when his belly is being scratched.

Spin Master



Flutterbye Fairy

Get Personal with Choose FriendshipWith the My Image Bracelet Maker, from CHOOSE FRIEND-

SHIP CO., kids can use their own photos, with www.myphoto-sizer.com or the free My Photosizer app, or choose graphics fromthe included art starter sheets to create trendy personalized photobracelets.

Kids can personalize wearable pins and stickable magnetbuttons with the My Image Button Maker. It comes with pre-printed artwork, and the product makes it easy to size and printkids’ own photos.

My Lanyard Maker is designed to make lanyards easierthan ever to create. No more struggling with tangled laces andconfusing knots. My lanyard maker’s innovativeloom is designed for anendless variety of pat-terns, and has room tostore supplies in itsside drawers.

Manhattan Toy Sorts Out FunThe Roll-Along-Bear Shape Sorter, from MANHATTAN

TOY, lets kids take shape sorting on the go. This smiley-faced,shape-sorting bear includes rolling wheels and a pull cord witha breakaway safety feature. Both sides of this bear-shapedrolling cart feature cutouts for easy shape sorting practice. TheRoll-Along Bear Shape Sorter, designed for kids ages 1 and up,comes with four colorful chunky wooden shapes.

The Baby Stella Take Along Travel Crib is designed foreasy pack up and travel. The Baby Stella Take Along Travel Cra-dle has an easy-to-assemble design that allows set up of BabyStella’s cradle anywhere. The cradle also includes a soft zip-pered carrying case so it can bebrought on trips. The cradlefeatures colorful pastel fab-rics and can be taken apartto fit inside the carryingcase. It is designed forkids ages 3 and up.


What’s It?, from PEACEABLE KINGDOM, is a game where creative minds must think alike. Play-ers roll the die to get the category for the first round. Flip over a doodle card and turn the timer to start counting

down 30 seconds. Players try and guess the doodle based on the category on the die. The object is to try to think like the other players. After30 seconds, players stop writing and total up the matching answers. The group receives one point for every match-ing answer. The Doodler scores a point for every non-matching answer.

With Stack Up!, players spin the spinner and start stacking. Can kids stack 12 blocks before the StackSmasher gets to the tower and topples it? If the spinner lands on a color, kids stack a block. Spin a challenge andkids add a tricky task, like stacking with one eye closed or while singing “Happy Birthday.” Spin the Stack Smasherand kids are one space closer to the big topple.

In The Great Cheese Chase, one player spins the spinner. If a player lands on a 1 or 2, move any mouse for-ward one or two spaces. If the spinner lands on Tiger the Cat, move Tiger one space. Players take turns spinning.If Tiger lands on a mouse, that mouse goes back to the start. Land on the catnip and tuck it aside to use later tomove Tiger back one space. Get all three mice to the attic before Tiger gets there and everyone wins.

Peaceable Kingdom

The Calico Critters Outback Koala Family, from INTERNATIONAL PLAYTHINGS, features the mother, Sheila, who owns her own eco-friendly shop. Father Bruce is the leader of the Cloverleaf Corners Environmental Awareness Society. Sister Adelaide wants to start her owneco-fashion company when she grows up, and baby brother Joey is very attached to his mother and loves playing outside. The Koala Fam-ily is designed for kids ages 3 and up.

Gamekeepers includes everything players need in one box. Kids can unfold the box and it becomes thegame board. Four classic games are cleverly presented in this format, including Snakes and Ladders, Check-ers, Chess, and Parchisi. Gamekeepers is small enough to take on-the-go but is large enough for four-playergame play. Game pieces store neatly inside the lid.

The Lightshow Mic turns kids into stars. They can press the music button and choose a rock, classic, orjazz song to sing along to. The Lightshow Mic features a glowing, multi-color light show and comes in try-

me packaging. It is designed for kids ages 18 months and older.With the Magic Nail Lab, kids ages 8 and up can create their own special formulas and

custom nail art. Kids can put the stickers on their nails, then hold their nails under thelight and watch them glow in the dark when the lights are out. The kit includes every-thing neded to do several experiments. The nail polish removes easily by soaking nailsin warm water.

International Playthings



With Threadz, from PLASMART, kids can weave and knit easily. Three different kits are available, including beanie, scarf, and purse.Each kit includes yarn in hip colors and is appropriate for kids ages 6 to 12.

Kids can scribble colorful transfers onto themed backgrounds with Scribble Down transfer activity packs. Scribble Down can be usedfor travel, party bags, restaurants, and rainy day activities. Kids ages 4 and up can scribble col-orful transfers on 8.25- by 11.5-inch backgrounds with six different designs to choose from.

The Original DoodleArt is a line of color-it-yourself posters. Kids ages 8 and up can choosefrom five 24- by 34-inch full-sized posters and two MiniKits, each with four 11- by 14-inchposters. All posters and kits come with 12 non-toxic, dual-tipped markers.

Morphology is a guessing game where creativity wins. Players must pick a card, build theword on the card using the included pieces, and animate the pieces to make the word come tolife. Teammates must guess the word within one minute. The first team to reach the final lily padwins—but there are a lot of surprises along the way. Morphology is designed for four or moreplayers ages 8 and up.

The PlasmaBug is a sturdy, compact, and lightweight ride-on toy with four standard wheelsand one caster wheel for easy maneuverability and balance. It swivels and navigates small in-door spaces easily, and its front and rear storage compartments let kids ages 18 months and uptake toys along for the ride.

PlaSmart

PlasmaBug

Kids ages 14 and up can experience maximum stability and ma-neuverability with the power to cut through the air where traditional helicop-

ters would have struggled. The LiteHawk Quattro four-bladed, multi-rotor helicopter,from BORGFELDT CANADA, performs stunning aerobatic maneuvers with ease. Thanks to digi-tal self-leveling and 2.4Ghz technology, kids can execute agile and explosive stunts indoorsor out. The Quattro is equipped with LED running lights for nighttime play as well.

The LiteHawk Champ racing boat is a scaled-down version of an F1 water racing vehi-cle for kids ages 14 and up. The Champ’s high-powered outboard motor pushes the tunnelboat up to speeds greater than 18 miles per hour as it skims over the water. The water-cooledmotor and waterproof electronics keeps things running efficiently race after race.

Capable of taking off and landing on water, the LiteHawk Swift Seaplane can also handle snow and ice conditions. With its superiorstability, kids ages 14 and up can perform glides, loops, and rolls with the Swift. It also features a brushless motor and 2.4GHz digital pro-portional radio technology.

Borgfeldt

Canada

LiteHawk Champ


S58 MAY/JUNE 2013


LITTLE KIDS INC. has partnered with Color Your Time Inc. to exclusively dis-tribute the Putty Peeps line in the U.S. Putty Peeps is “the putty with personality,”featuring a new, patented, high-quality putty with unique properties. Putty Peeps be-have as both a liquid and a solid, are non-toxic, non-sticky, and never dry out.

Putty Peeps can be shaped, twisted, or bounced. Kids can add the eyes and watchtheir creations come alive. Let it sit and slowly“melt,” before playing with it all over again.Putty Peeps are packaged in a cool,reusable tin on a “putty personality” blis-ter card with the eyes peeking out. PuttyPeeps are recommended for ages 4 and up.The Putty Peeps product line includes anassortment of five metallic colors, three glow-in-the-dark colors, and three heat-sensitive color-changing colors.

Little Kids

WordTeasers Gets SportyWordTeasers: Funny Sayings 2, Sports Idioms, from WORDTEASERS, is

the companion deck to WordTeasers: Funny Sayings. In Funny Sayings 2, allof the questions incorporate idiomatic questions that come from sports, eventhough the questions themselves are not about sports. “Who in your house usu-ally calls the shots?” (from billiards); “When was the last time you felt you werebatting a thousand?” (from baseball); “What holiday does your family celebratewith no holds barred?” (from wrestling). These are just three examples of the

questions in this fast-paced game for conversation loversand sports enthusiasts alike. The origin

of the idiom andother fun trivia inQuick Quiz orDid You Knowformats are on theback of each card.

SPECIALTY TOYS & GIFTSMAY/JUNE 2013

The Showtime Stage Micro-

phone, from THE ORIGINAL TOY CO., has aslot to insert an iPod, an MP3 player, or a CD player in themicrophone base. It includes 10 pre-recorded demo songsand three sound effects. The microphone also features an ad-justable microphone stand, volume control, and an autopower-off.

The Electric Keyboard with

Microphone is a 24-key tableelectronic keyboard with an ad-justable microphone. It in-cludes four pads to playdrums, six demo songs,and four differentrhythms: blues, rock,samba, and waltz.

The OriginalToy Co.

Electric Keyboardwith Microphone

Diggin Active Orbits into FunDIGGIN ACTIVE INC. is bringing power-packed fun to the

backyard this summer with Punch Paddles. Punch Paddles isa new paddle ball game where each kid wears a huge soft fistto punch the ball back and forth. The fists include inner han-dles for extra punching control. Punch Paddles comes withtwo oversized fists and one large ball for easy punching andis designed for kids ages 6 and up.

The Orbito is a new patent-pending throwing disc. Kidscan grip the soft balls orbiting the disc to createmassive spin for longer throws and easy catch-ing. The Orbito has an eye-catchingflight pattern and is designedfor kids ages 8and up.

For more products being showcased at ASTRA,see page 125 in the digital edition of The Toy Book.

Click on our cover at www.toybook.com.

NOTICE OF PUBLIC SALE PURSUANT TO SECTION 9-610 OF THE ILLI-NOIS UNIFORM COMMERCIAL CODE

May 21, 2013PUBLIC NOTICE is hereby given that, pursuant to Sections 9-610 et

seq. of the Uniform Commercial Code of Illinois (810 ILCS 5/9-610), AMERICANENTERPRISE BANK (“AMERICAN ENTERPRISE”), an Illinois state charteredbank, will on July 17, 2013, at the hour of 10:00 a.m., at the Law Offices ofDeutsch, Levy & Engel, Chartered, 225 W. Washington Street, Suite 1700,Chicago, Illinois 60606, sell at PUBLIC AUCTION to the highest bidder, for cash,100% of

(1) Patent 6749482 (the “Identified Patent”), together with any reissues,continuations or extensions thereof and all goodwill associated therewith;

(2) all products and proceeds of the foregoing, including, without limi-tation, any claim by the Grantor against third parties for past, present or future in-fringement of the Identified Patent (items 1 and 2 being herein collectively referredto as the “Patent Collateral”).The interest of AWESOME TOYS, LLC in and to the Patent Collateral was pledgedas security for an obligation incurred by AWESOME TOYS, LLC. AMERICAN EN-TERPRISE is the holder of the interest in to the Patent Collateral pursuant to thatCertain Patent Security Agreement dated January 14, 2008.

TERMS OF SALE25% down on the highest bid in the form of cash, cashier’s check or

certified funds to close the auction. The balance in cash, cashier’s check or certi-fied funds is due within 24 hours of the close of bidding.

Upon payment in full, in the amount of the bid, the purchaser will re-ceive a Secured Lender’s Bill of Sale to all right, title and interest in the IdentifiedPatent and Patent Collateral.

In the event that AMERICAN ENTERPRISE is the successful bidder, ithereby reserves the right to credit the amount bid, less any and all costs and ex-penses of sale, upon the indebtedness due to AMERICAN ENTERPRISE. Fur-thermore, in the event that no satisfactory bids are received, AMERICANENTERPRISE hereby reserves the right to adjourn and continue the Public Salewithout further notice. The amount of indebtedness due to AMERICAN ENTER-PRISE, excluding attorneys’ fees and costs, through January 31, 2012, is$1,287,339.26.

The interest in and to the Patent Collateral which is being offered forsale will be sold in its “AS IS” and “WHERE IS” condition without any representa-tions or warranties of any kind or nature, including but not limited to mer-chantability, fitness for a particular purpose, quality or quantity of title. A copy of thePatent Security Agreement is available for inspection at the offices of Deutsch,Levy & Engel, Chartered, and the patent is available for examination at the UnitedState Patent and Trademark Office, Washington D.C. If interested, contact AaronB. Zarkowsky at (312) 346-1460 to arrange a time to inspect the file.

Prospective bidders are encouraged to examine the Patent SecurityAgreement file and to check U.S. Patent Offices and other sources of information.

If the sale is set aside for any reason, the purchaser of the sale shall beentitled only return of the deposit paid. Purchaser shall have no further recourseagainst AMERICAN ENTERPRISE or its attorneys.

AWESOME TOYS, LLC, any Secured Party, or any other party havingan interest in the collateral may, at any time prior to the sale on July 17, 2013, re-deem the collateral to be sold pursuant to this Public Notice by tendering to AMER-ICAN ENTERPRISE all obligations secured by the collateral as well as theexpenses, including attorneys’ fees and Court expenses, incurred by AMERICANENTERPRISE in holding and preparing the collateral for disposition and arrang-ing for the sale.

Deutsch Levy & Engel, Chartered, Attorneys forAMERICAN ENTERPRISE BANKBy: /s/Aaron B. Zarkowsky

Aaron B. ZarkowskyAaron B. Zarkowsky ([email protected])Karen Kavanagh Mack ([email protected])Deutsch, Levy & Engel, Chartered225 W. Washington St. Ste. 1700Chicago, IL 60606(312) 346-1460(312) 346-1859 facsimilewww.dlec.com

KickstartingYour Business

Crowd-Funding Platform Paves the Way to Successfor New Specialty Toy Companies

S60 MAY/JUNE 2013SPECIALTY TOYS & GIFTS

by Marissa DiBartolo

Breaking into the toy business is not easy. While professional inventorshave experience pitching products to major manufacturers, those newto the industry can have a hard time getting their new toy—even if

it’s amazing—to take off. Sometimes all that’s missing is the proper fundingto get a product off the ground. That’s where Kickstarter comes in.

Kickstarter is a website that offers a way to fund creative projects, includ-ing films, games, music, art, design, technology, and toys. The crowd-fundingplatform allows project creators to set a funding goal and a deadline and if con-sumers like a project, they can pledge money toward setting it into motion.Since its launch in 2009, more than 3.8 million people have pledged more than$571 million, funding more than 39,000 creative projects.

A number of new toy companies are bringing their products into devel-opment using Kickstarter. Bettina Chen and Alice Brooks, co-founders ofMayKah Inc., used Kickstarter to fund the first round of manufacturing forRoominate, an engineering toy for girls. The two discovered the platform whenthey were invited to back a project created by a friend. “We thought, ‘maybethis is the way for us to get our toy out in front of a lot of people’,” says Chen.She and Brooks set a goal of $25,000 based on how much it would cost them

to produce 500 Roominate kits. After 30 days, Roominate’s Kickstarter cam-paign raised $85,964.

Michael Rosenblatt, founder of Atoms Express, smart building blocks thatallow kids to rev up their construction creations on a technological level, usedKickstarter to test the market for his product as well. “I thought that Kickstarterwas a really neat way to figure out if anyone else thought it was good beforewe sunk a lot of time and money into it,” he says.

However, running a successful campaign takes round-the-clock work. Itis important to get the campaign in front of as many people as possible to ensurea project will be backed. Rosenblatt and his team made the decision to hire apublic relations firm to boost awareness about Atoms Express’ Kickstarter cam-paign. “We had them talking to major media and then we had two people work-ing full time talking to people on social media. That combination seemed towork pretty well,” Rosenblatt says. Atoms Express reached its goal of $100,000in 22 days, and by the end of the 45-day campaign, the company raised$183,232.

Rosenblatt stresses that one of the most important things to accomplishwhen using Kickstarter is to build momentum for the project early on. DebraSterling, founder of GoldieBlox Inc., launched her Kickstarter campaign for

Atoms Express building blocks in red, green, and blue, from Seamless Toy Co. Inc.

Roominate, a buildable room with electrical components, from Maykah Inc.

GoldieBlox and the Spinning Machine, an engineering-based toy and book forgirls, with a goal of $150,000 to fund the production ofthe first 5,000 units. GoldieBlox reached its goal in amere four days. The company ended up with$285,881 and turned its production run from5,000 units to 40,000. “In order to be success-ful on Kickstarter, we did quite a bit of prepwork,” says Sterling, “We spent about sixweeks working on a PR strategy, where weidentified different publications, people on Twitter, bloggers,and influential women-in-tech and created databases of whothese people are. We secured exclusives with Tech Crunch and The Atlantic.We also got a Kickstarter celebrity, Tim Schaeffer, a video game designer whoraised $3 million, to make a cameo in our video with his daughter and then hepromoted it to his backers,” she explained. In addition, GoldieBlox was fea-tured on the Kickstarter homepage for most of its campaign, and was also cho-sen as a Staff Pick.

According to its website, Kickstarter charges 5 percent on what each proj-ect raises. However, Chen and Brooks agree this is a small price to pay for thesuccess Kickstarter helped them achieve. “The pushing of our project that theydid for us definitely made that worth it. The fee pays for itself many timesover,” says Brooks. Sterling agrees, and says she would pay Kickstarter 50 per-

cent for all of the success her business has seen because of the platform. “It lit-erally transformed my business in a month,” she says.

In addition to helping new toy companies find funding fortheir prospective products, Kickstarter speeds up the productlaunches significantly. “We started with the concept of Roomi-

nate last April and we delivered our product byChristmas. I think that just having that short de-velopment time is really going to change theway people release new products, especiallytoys,” says Maykah’s Brooks. Kickstarter also al-lows companies to test the market for their productquickly. “The ability to test your idea early and tobe able to say, ‘we have revenue and the companyis only two months old,’ that’s pretty impressive. Intalking to investors, we had something to sell be-fore millions of dollars are invested,” says Rosen-blatt.

Aspiring toy designers and manufacturers with great ideas now have aplatform readily available to take their concept from imagination to reality inas little as a few days. Good ideas, persistent PR work, and public support canbring a new toy company to fruition, creating a more diverse specialty mar-ketplace full of new quality products. �

S61MAY/JUNE 2013 SPECIALTY TOYS & GIFTS

PRoducts Launched on Kickstarter

Goldie Blox and theSpinning Machine,

from GoldieBlox Inc.

Tek Recon, Tech 4 KidsGoal: $50,000Raised: $50,430, as of June 3Campaign Dates: May 9 to June 9 (In progress)

By adding app-enhanced gameplay features, Tek Recon, from Tech 4 Kids,takes the blaster category to the next level.Tek Recon Blasters include the HammerHead and the Havok, both featuring high-performance rapid fire blasting (rubberrounds) with real recoil kickback. Eachblaster has a long blasting distance with modifi-able blasting modes and fast trigger blasting withquick clip reload. The smartphone-enhanced featuresinclude reality/digital convergence (RDC), Heads-upDisplay (HUD), GPS, downloadable upgrades and links to aglobal social community, a flashlight for night vision and sur-veillance video, and inter-team walkie talkie features.

iBuku Pets, Arbor CubeGoal: $25,000Raised: $25,585Campaign Dates: November 14 to December 15, 2012

iBuku Pets are huggable, protective toys that helpkeep parents relaxed, iDevices intact, and kids enter-tained. Easy for clumsy little hands to hold, the simpledesign features ergonomicsculpting and is ultralight-weight. iBuku Pets fea-ture a neat innerpocket that purpose-fully integratescharging while en-hancing sound or on-the-go fun.

Romo, RomotiveGoal: $32,000Raised: $114,796Campaign Dates: October 7 to November 21, 2011

Romo, from Romotive, is a smartphone-enabled robot kids cantrain. Romo comes to life when an iDevice is plugged into the roverbase. Designed for kids ages 8 and up, Romo can be controlled,trained, and programmed. Romo zips along at a maximum speed of 3feet per second, can be tilted 15 degrees forward or up to 45 degreesback, and can be charged anywhere using the included custom miniUSB cable. Romo’s software is updated every month, so there is al-ways something new he can do.Romo responds to human reac-tions, can be driven using an iDe-vice, and captures data throughpictures. When not in play mode,Romo can also be used as a dock-ing station to charge iDevices.

Currently distributed only inthe U.S., Romo is available at ro-motive.com and will hit storeshelves this summer.

S62 MAY/JUNE 2013SPECIALTY TOYS & GIFTS

Fairytale House Collection, Storytime ToysGoal: $20,000Raised: $33,871Campaign Dates: April 7 to May 7, 2013

Storytime Toys’ Fairytale House Collection is a set of threetoy houses that are based on the tales of Goldilocks and theThree Bears, Hansel & Gretel, and the Three Little Pigs. Everyhouse comes with a corresponding storybook to provide chil-dren ages 3 to 6 with a foundation for pretend play, while en-couraging them to develop their reading skills. Each set alsoincludes storybook characters and furniture.

Each Storytime house can be easily assembled by a youngchild without the use of any tools or screws. Toys houses andstorybooks can be stored in a portable carrying case with a han-dle and Velcro closure. When full, the case is light enough tobe carried by a child and it can be stored on a bookshelf.

Made of a composite of recyclableEVA foam and paper cardstock, eachpiece of the house is as stiff and durableas wood, but much more lightweight.The toy houses and storybooks all

feature hand-painted wa-tercolor illustrations andcontain details that spark

children’s interest andimaginations.

Box Play for KidsGoal: $12,000Raised: $12,176Campaign Dates: April 8 to May 8

Box Play for Kids produces eco-friendlystickers that repurpose—or upcycle—com-monly found boxes, cartons, and tubesinto fun, simple toys. The stickers areprinted on 100-percent recycled, un-coated paper, letting kids customize their stick-ers using pencils, crayons, or markers. Recommended for kids ages 2 andup, all Box Play for Kids stickers are produced in the U.S. There are morethan 35 different designs available from five different collections, includ-ing animals, buildings, transport, sea life, and Asian.

UboolyGoal: $25,000Raised: $28,487Campaign Dates: February 24 to March 24, 2012

Kids can turn a phone into a cuddly critter with Ubooly.Insert an iPhone or iPod touchand watch Ubooly come tolife. This smart toy growswith the user and includesfree monthly updates deliv-ered automatically over Wi-Fi. Ubooly includes morethan 150 games and activi-ties, has a cuddly exterior,and is made for kids ages 4and up.

• Holiday Gift Guide in the November issueof Woman’s Day magazine, read by 20 Million*Consumers (*MRI Fall 2012).• Extensive Online Presencea comprehensive companion website,thetoyinsider.com, features links toparticipating advertisers’ and retailers’websites.• Widespread Media CoverageLaurie Schacht, the TOY INSIDER MOM,appeared in over 100+ National and MajorMarket TV segments, along with hundreds ofprint and online features.• Participation in National Sweepstakesand Guerilla Marketing Programs toshowcase participant’s products.

Want to ReachMillions of Consumers

During the Holiday Season?

To participate in the 8th Annual The Toy Insider™ contact:Jonathan Samet — 212.575.4510 x 2321, [email protected]

Laurie Schacht — 212.575.4510 x 2320, [email protected]

Nothing Succeeds Like a Good Plan

The key to a successful buying trip is preparation.


Most merchants are buyers as well as consummate shoppers—shopping the markets, trade shows, competitors, and trends—but there is one trick to make shopping more effective: a plan.

Shopping the Competition Many retailers either do not recognize the importance of shopping the

competition, or go about it haphazardly. Competitors can be invaluable inhoning a competitive advantage and identifying any strengths and weak-nesses that can lead to increased profits.

The first step is to identify the competition. While many independent re-tailers think that their competitors are other small retailers in town, largerretailers that sell the same products are perhaps the fiercest competitorsand can often teach the most.

Next, learn about the competition by reading their advertisements, vis-iting their websites, and talking to vendors and customers. Laying the foun-dation for fruitful competitive visits heightens perceptions and identifiesareas of their operation to analyze. List these areas, as well as any specificsto observe. You may want to note strengths and weaknesses, quality andvalue offered, price ranges, philosophy, uniqueness versus basics, or gen-eral competitiveness.

While some believe in openly comparison shopping, it can be the bestway to be shown the door. It is better to have a plausible story to explainthe visit. Shopping the competition is a good way to learn from the successof others and to form a plan for the future.

Planning a Buying Trip ProperlyPlanning properly can make a trip significantly more successful. Mak-

ing travel plans and reservations early often saves money and gets better ac-commodations. Registering for a trade show, seminar, or meeting in

advance saves time and reserves a place at events that may be closed later.Assemble documents for placing orders well in advance—business

cards, copies, credit references, resale certificates, and tax number. Beforeinternational trips, gather passport and visas, and research any vaccine re-quirements.

Prepare a shopping list. Determine voids to fill by reviewing trends,categories, and best sellers; review slow sellers to determine which itemsto replace. Tally the estimated cost of each item, and prioritize, trim, and fi-nalize the list based on available funds.

Review catalogs and websites, set a schedule, and make appointmentswith vendors ahead of time. List each vendor’s location, a contact, and dis-cussion points for that vendor.

Start a new notebook (paper or electronic) for each market, trade show,or major market trip to reference later. Include the shopping list, marketschedule, and an item template to facilitate taking notes.

Preparing for a buying trip in advance leads to more efficient shopping,greater business results, and the confidence that nothing succeeds like agood plan. �

Joanna (Jody) Bradshaw’s newly released book, Be a MillionaireShopkeeper, reveals how an independent shop can compete with big re-tailers by learning the tricks of the trade that increase sales and prof-itability. She is also the author of Jody, which chronicles her 45-year careeras a senior retailing executive at Bloomingdale’s and Macy’s, and her en-trepreneurial experiences as cofounder and president of HØME Ltd. Formore information, visit www.millionaireshopkeeper.com.

by Joanna Bradshaw

Recess Monkey,the trio of teach-rock-ers, will release theirninth CD, Deep SeaDiver, produced byRECESS MONKEY onJune 18.

Deep Sea Diveris an ocean-themedmusical-of-the-sea,

features the rockers shipwrecked on the beach of a distant, lost is-land. Seeking to create “the Recess Monkey-est Recess Monkeyalbum ever,” the duo presents hilarious lyrics that are more over-the-top than ever before. All tracks on the album will be accom-panied by creative, underwater-themed music videos. The“Tambourine Submarine” music video will debut on June 18 atRedTri.com.

SPECIALTY TOYS & GIFTSS65

MEDIA CENTER

In Brick City, renowned modeler Warren Elsmore recreatesiconic buildings and landmarks utilitzing only Lego bricks for his

creations. Created by BARRON’S

EDUCATIONAL SERIES INC.,Brick City portrays more than100 beautifully colored photo-graphs of Elsmore’s work, in-cluding the Eiffel Tower,Buckingham Palace, the TajMahal, St. Basil’s Cathedral,and even the new World TradeCenter.

The book includes build-at-home instructions and two,

glossy posters displaying the featured Lego landmarks in stun-ning detail.

WORM HOLE PRO-DUCTIONS presents KeyWilde and Mr. Clarkeas they travel on a fan-tastic adventure onPleased to Meet You.The duo received greatacclaim for their mostrecent album, Rise andShine, and hThe asbeen working to per-fect their antifolk repertoire and tight harmonies since 1990.

Produced by Grammy-winner Dean Martin, the album fea-tures 15 tracks that range from rocker and bluegrass with “BiggaBagga” and “Chuckers” to sweet lullabies such as “Falling Star.”The album offers something for every member of the family.Each track illustrates a different lyrical tale.

Twinkle Toes DVDMusic Video Collection byINCEPTION MEDIAGROUP FEA-TURES a dazzling fashionistaGrace Hastings. Also knownas “Twinkle Toes,” Graceconquered her terrible case ofstage fright in the film, Twin-kle Toes and now she returnsto the stage in the musicvideo collection proving sheis no longer afraid to shine.

Kids can dance along tothe thirteen music videos from the hit animated movie with an ad-ditional four original, exclusive tunes and performances by LauraBaruch, the voice of Grace. The DVD is accompanied by a bonusCD, so kids can sing along with Twinkle Toes anywhere they go.

MAY/JUNE 2013

1. Why did Kahootz bring back the original versionof Spirograph, which has not been on the market inthis form for many years?

The original Spirograph was in-vented by Denys Fisher and first broughtto market in Europe with great success.Initially distributed in the U.S. by Ken-ner and ultimately becoming part of theHasbro portfolio in 1992, Spirograph, inone form or another, has maintained aconstant presence in the toy world fornearly 50 years. We saw in the market atremendous amount of nostalgia andpent-up demand for the original Spiro-graph, which was as much a sophis-ticated drafting tool as it was a toy.Our first goal was to re-introduce the classic Spirograph,which parents and grandparents of today’s children fondlyremember from their own youth. Our second goal was to re-engineer and update it in a way that appeals to a new gen-eration of aspiring Spirograph artists.

2. What kind of success is Kahootz seeing with thenew Spirograph?

The reaction from retailers has been overwhelming. Re-tailers are seeing sales results that are far higher than an-ticipated. We’re also having tremendous success in the giftand specialty store market. Several toy catalogs will featureSpirograph this fall. Museums, independent toy stores, andonline retailers are having especially strong sales.

3. What sort of marketing and merchandising are youplanning for the new generation of this classic toy?

The program was built with two initial steps. First, to re-launch the initial kit, featuring the gears and wheels that weloved as children—with improvements. Second, and moreimportant to our ultimate goals, is to launch a complete arts,crafts, and activities lineup that includes a scrapbook kit, apaint canvas, a coloring book, and a card making kit, all with

a foundation in the iconography of the Spirograph. In 2015,Spirograph will celebrate its 50th anniversary, and we are

planning a collectors’ kit and promo-tions for the consumer and to help drivesales for retailers. The true strength ofSpirograph is its name. The imagery iswhat people connect with.

4. Kahootz has an interesting his-tory. Can you tell us how the com-pany came about?

In 2002, the partners at Kahootzco-founded Giddy Up, a children’s ac-tivity company. We became part of the

Elmer’s Kids Group in 2006. Thecompany was sold in 2011, and

there was a group of talented people based in Ann Arbor,Mich., who had spent their career in the toy industry andvery much wanted to create a new company, doing what wedid best. Joe Yassay, Colleen Loughman, Brent Oeschger,and myself were the original partners who founded the com-pany. We’re proud to have since added more talent to theteam. There are some really amazing ideas out there, butin some cases, a creator, inventor, or company may havelimitations on their ability to create, produce, stock, andsell products. We are capable of taking on a project at anystage. Our first project was to launch a new line of col-lectible toys, Pomz, that is selling in the specialty market.Our second project, with the support of our friends at Has-bro, was to relaunch Spirograph.

5. What’s on the horizon for Kahootz?Now that we have live product in the market and more

than 550 customers ordering consistently, we are more capa-ble of taking on new projects. We are in constant communi-cation with several inventors, companies, and others who havesome great ideas. We have several new projects that we’reworking on and will launch at Fall Toy Preview in Dallas inOctober, and again at New York Toy Fair next February. �

5 WITHDoug Cass, co-founder

QUESTIONS


Marketingmemo

Whether you’re launching a new brand or product,opening a new store, or creating a new property,you’ve got to know who you are. The inability to

share exactly who you are and what makes you special—inone succinct sentence—is one of the biggest reasons thatnew brands, products, businesses, and licenses fail.

Consumers have dozens, sometimes hundreds, ofchoices. Why should they choose you? What is the real ben-efit to them? What makes you better than the competition?You’ve got to be clear so that they can see you as the bestchoice. But how do you cull all of your passion into one sin-gle sentence?

In marketing speak, X marks the spot, as in “XXX is theonly XXX that can XXX.” So how do you fill in those Xs andcreate an effective positioning statement? Let’s start with alist of questions and answers:• What are you selling?• Why would someone need or use this kind of product?• What is the benefit of using your product?• What special features or characteristics does it have?• Who else sells this kind of product?• What is different and better about your product?

Answering the first four questions should be simple. Thelast two may require a bit of homework, such as a visit toyour local stores and some online research, but having aclear picture of your competition is vital. You need to knowhow they market themselves and what claims they make inorder to know how to make your brand stand out in the con-sumer’s mind.

After doing your competitive research and answering theabove questions, you probably feel pretty clear on who you

are. The next step is to make sure that what you came upwith is actually meaningful to the consumer. Do they care?Are your special qualities important to them? There areprobably lots of special things about your idea, but you needto make sure that the ones you bring to the forefront of yourmarketing strategy are the ones that consumers will actu-ally care about. The best way to find out is to ask them. Askyour friends, stop consumers in the aisle at your local shop,or conduct a survey online to get the information you need.

Once you’ve got confirmation that your positioningstatement is clear and meaningful, pat yourself on the back.You now have more than a sentence. You have a stake inthe ground. You’ve made a commitment to who you are andwhat you have promised your consumers you will be. Usethis sentence as a check point when coming up with newproduct ideas for your brand, new promotions for yourstore, new licensing partners for your property, and newmarketing campaigns. Do they fit with your promise?

What makes you so special? It sounds like a hostilequestion, but I mean it sincerely. Your idea is specialenough for you to do the work it takes to get to market. Getclear on what it is that makes you special and commit toconsistently delivering to consumers and you can build alasting brand. �

Amy Opheim is the owner of C3, a consultancy helping

toy industry partners create clear, concise, and compelling

marketing strategies. For more information on C3’s marketing

and copywriting services, call (562) 972-1855 or email amys-

[email protected].

by Amy Opheim, owner, C3 Marketing and Copywriting

Creating an Effective Positioning Statement to Spark Consumer Interest

Wh O a RR e YY O U ?


Licensing has become an integral part of toy marketing.According to The NPD Group, toys based on licensesaccounted for 30 percent of all U.S. retail dollars last

year, and about 25 percent in units. This is considerably higherthan estimates made a few years ago, which put the dollarshare at 25 percent.

Movie and TV Licenses Lead the Pack—For NowThis year will see a large and diverse offering of toys based

on movie and TV licenses. Here are the highlights:

Action Figures are the toy category most driven by movieand TV licenses—more than 50 percent of all sales dollars forthe category in the U.S. are either spent on movie or TV

licensed products. In comparison, only 5 percent of total salesdollars are media-license driven in the dolls and preschoolcategories.

The movies in the table above are expected to represent 30percent of all movie ticket dollars spent this year in the U.S.This being the case, it behooves us to consider what theprobable future shape of the U.S. movie and TV industry lookslike.

First, movie ticket sales:

While cinema ticket sales have been marginally up duringthe past 10 years, bond analysis firm Fitch Ratings offers asomewhat-pessimistic outlook. The company forecasts a“modest” decline in ticket sales this year, and long-termchallenges that should “cause concern” for lenders. Studioswill find it “difficult to replicate” the success they had last yearwith hits including The Avengers and The Dark Knight. In fact,cinema chains AMC and Regal are very much concerned aboutthe sharply negative trend they foresee for the remainder of thedecade. One solution being discussed is the consolidation oftheaters from the current 39,000 screens down toapproximately 20,000. This has caused disputes between


by Lutz Muller

Movie CategoryRelease Date 2013

Master Licensee

Retail Sales Forecast 2013 U.S. Only $ Millions

Box O�ce Forecast 2013 U.S. Only $ Millions

Transformers Beast Hunters (TV)

Max Steel (TV)

G.I. Joe: Retaliation

Iron Man 3

Star Trek Into Darkness

Hulk and the Agents of Smash (TV)

Man of Steel

Marvel Avengers Assemble (TV)

X-Men Wolverine

Thor 2: The Dark World

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

Scaris (TV)

Oz the Great and Powerful

Frozen

The Smurfs 2

The Croods

Turbo

Despicable Me 2

Planes

Action Figures

Action Figures

Action Figures

Action Figures

Action Figures

Action Figures

Action Figures

Action Figures

Action Figures

Action Figures

Action Figures

Dolls

Dolls

Dolls

Preschool

Preschool

Preschool

Preschool

Preschool

2/13

3/25

3/29

5/3

5/17

6/13

6/14

7/7

7/26

11/8

12/13

3/1

3/8

11/4

6/31

3/22

7/1

7/3

8/9

Hasbro

Mattel

Hasbro

Hasbro

Hasbro

Hasbro

Mattel

Hasbro

Hasbro

Hasbro

Glorbil

Mattel

Jakks Paci�c

Mattel

Jakks Paci�c

Mattel

Mattel

Hasbro

Mattel

50

45

90

135

50

45

65

15

10

135

65

35

20

65

40

30

40

25

40

n/a

n/a

130

375

315

n/a

270

n/a

140

350

300

n/a

300

280

90

150

145

205

100

12,000

10,000

8,000

6,000

4,000

2,000

0

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013

U.S. Movie Ticket SalesIn U.S. $ Millions

Licenses for ToysAre Double-Edged Swords

studios and theater chains. Studios are pushing for shortertheatrical windows before films move to other distributionchannels, while theaters want to keep films running on theirscreens for as long as possible to maximize revenue.

These events indicate that the importance of movies as toydrivers is bound to decline over time.

Shifting GearsParents are moving away from TV as their main source of

information for toys as well. Jeff Adelson of Levelwing says,“Online toy sales have climbed substantially in the last 10years, and parents are doing their research about toys online.Thirty-nine percent of toy purchasers cited online retailers astheir most oft-used resource, with 43 percent citing videosharing sites. Therefore, toy manufacturers must begin user-generated content initiatives (both written and video reviews),as well as content development about their products online.Only 24 percent of toy purchasers said that they relied ontraditional media, like TV and magazines, for their toyinformation.”

Manufacturers must consider how the prime consumergroup, kids ages 2 to 11, are viewing TV. Cynopsis Mediareports audience numbers for this age group in comparableweeks in early April between 2010 and 2013 for the top 10basic cable ad-supported networks:

Approximately 30 percent of all toy sales are made forproducts that carry licenses, and the most important driversare movies and TV series. Mattel and Hasbro are the mainbeneficiaries of this year’s offering, and are, therefore,

dependent on licenses to a substantial degree.The two main drivers for toy sales—movies and TV—are

losing impact, and manufacturers must seek alternatives.Factors to consider are why licenses have become so importantto the toy industry, and whether or not they are good for amanufacturer to have.

The Good and the BadThere are pros and cons for toy licenses. The main benefit

is that the license typically has a built-in consumer followingthat will benefit the product carrying the license. Movies suchas Spider-Man, Star Wars, and The Smurfs are a classicexample of this. Not only will such a license make negotiationswith major retailers easier and quicker, it will also likelyprovide a ready consumer pool that is predisposed to buy theproduct. In short, rather than building a consumer franchise,manufacturers can essentially rent it via a license.

The main negative is cost. A good license will cost anywherefrom 10 to 20 percent of net sales, with hefty minimumguarantees and upfront payments being the norm. Anothernegative is that license agreements are limited in time—usuallythree to five years. This means that a toy manufacturer cancreate a business around a license and then lose it if thelicensor elects not to extend the license period. Lastly, it is timeconsuming to satisfy the demands of the licensor throughreports, meetings, and discussions.

There are more insidious problems attached to licenses.Steve Reece, a European toy consultant, said, “Thosecompanies who focus only on the short term tend to exhibit anover reliance on licensing and/or transient technology, neitherof which act to effectively lay down solid, dependable, long-term foundations for their business. Technology can provide ashort-term boost to sales and a competitive advantage, buteven patented technology has its limitations in terms of trueprotectability. Licensing is a powerful, and normally essential,part of a toy company’s product approach. However, once acompany enters the licensing treadmill it tends to rely on asignificant proportion of its revenue coming from hot licenses,and retailers also rely on the company to supply less licensedmerchandise. When the company has a weaker year forlicenses, revenue falls, as do retail listings on other non-


4,100

4,000

3,900

3,800

3,700

3,600

3,500

3,400

3,300

3,200

Kids ages 2-11

TV Audience Top TenIn 1,000 viewers ages 6-11 per week

April 5-11, 2010

April 4-10, 2011

April 2-8, 2012

April 1-7, 2013

licensed products.”In other words, a license can change the way a business is

seen and built. A license can be an effective shortcut, but amanufacturer surrenders a lot of control over its fate to thelicensor, whose business imperatives can be very different fromits own. It can also affect the way a business is run—ratherthan planning optimally for what is best for the business, themanufacturer must plan to satisfy quarterly licensingrequirements.

DIY BrandingFor these reasons, the logical alternative is for toy

manufacturers to build their own brands, making sure that allmeasures to protect their intellectual property have beentaken. Once the brand is firmly established, the manufacturercan seek licensees. An example of this is the Monster High brand, owned by

Mattel. Monster High fashion dolls were released in July 2010,and are now the No. 2 fashion doll after Barbie (also owned byMattel). Not only has Mattel introduced the brand in a varietyof toy categories other than fashion dolls (e.g. vehicles and playsets), it has licensed the brand to at least 25 companies,including Sakar, Crayola, Majesco, and Universal Studios, fornon-toy products such as clothing, backpacks, and cosmetics.Monster High fashion dolls account for an estimated 67percent of total Monster High sales; other Mattel toy categoriesaccount for another 15 percent, and nearly 20 percent go tonon-toy products sold by third-party licensees. Monster High fashion dolls have affected the Barbie brand,

according to Google Trends.

Mattel’s overall fashion doll sales have increased, and thattrend is expected to continue this year.

Mattel’s fashion doll business is an example of successfullymixing licenses with brands. The Disney Princess brand has adevoted following, is loved by retailers, is profitable for Mattel,and represents about 20 percent of the company’s total fashiondoll empire. Its loss would be a major blow, but it would not befatal. Barbie is a mature brand, stagnant or gently declining,and still represents about 47 percent of the total. Monster Highis new, rapidly growing, already at approximately 33 percent,and is expected to continue expanding at a rate that exceedsthe decline of Barbie.

Less Is MoreLicenses have their place in the toy business but are best

used in moderation. A license can be lost for any number ofreasons, and its place in a business should never be sodominant that its loss will jeopardize the survival of thecompany. �

Lutz Muller has been active in the global toy and video game

market since 1984. He has lived and worked in Europe, Asia,

Latin America, Australia, and the U.S. His insights are based on

his daily contacts with toy buyers at big-box stores in the U.S.

and Europe; his proprietary retailer panel in the U.S.; and his

third-party manufacturing contacts in China.


3,500

3,000

2,500

2,000

1,500

1,000

500

0

2010 2011 2012 2013*

Mattel Fashion Doll SalesWorldwide U.S. $ Millions

Barbie

Princess

Monster High

Total

2011 2012 2013*

M

Average Jul 2010 Jan 2011 Jul 2011 Jan 2012 Jul 2012 Jan 2013

A

B

N

ML

K J

I

H G

F E

D

C

100

80

60

40

20

Interest over timeThe number 100 represents the peak search interest News headlines

Barbie

Disney Princess

Monster High

THE ADVENTURES OF AN INVENTOR

ROLOPADbenjamin kinberg

Rolopad, the adventures of an inventor, occurred to me one day while leafing

through an old Rolopad and I thought it could be interesting to recount the odds

and ends of the various characters encountered in my journey into, through and

out of the playthings world, many of whom have departed for sunnier or colder

climes known and unknown.

benjamin kinberg is a native New Yorker having been born and dwelling in theBig Apple for most of his life except for several years in Europe following his wife,

Raina Simeonowa, Bulgarian coloratura soprano, around in her engagements in

opera theaters in Germany and Austria. His basic activites include songwriting

and product design with the latter exceeding the former by a wide margin

regarding income.

375 pp. $ 23.95 Authorhouse.com

Licensor:Universal Partnerships and Licensing

Did you know. . .• Despicable Me’s breakout stars, the Minions, aregetting their own film next year.• Despicable Me’s directors provide the voices forthe Minion characters.• The recently launched Despicablimp is one ofthe largest airships in the world and will travelapproximately 20,000 miles during its six-monthjourney to promote Despicable Me 2’s July 2013release. The Despicablimp may be tracked inreal-time via GPS at the Despicablimp Com-mand Center (www.despicablimp.com ).

Propertyprofile

U.S. Release:July 3

Fans should get ready for more Minion madness with Despicable Me 2. ChrisMeledandri and his acclaimed filmmaking team create an all-new animated ad-venture featuring the return of (former?) super-villain Gru (Steve Carell), hisadorable girls, the unpredictably hilarious Minions, and a host of new and outra-geous characters. Once Gru leaves behind a life of super crime to raise Margo,Edith, and Agnes, he and the Minions have some free time on their hands. But justas he starts to adjust to his role as a suburban family man, an ultra-secret organi-zation dedicated to fighting evil on a global scale comes knocking. Now, it’s up toGru and his new partner, Lucy (Kristen Wiig), to find out who is responsible fora series of spectacular crimes. After all, it takes the world’s greatest ex-villain tocatch the one vying to take his place.

More Fan Favorites“Given the box office success of the first

Despicable Me film, and the love and demandfor our breakout stars, the Minions, we havean opportunity to broaden the merchandiseprogram with the second film. We are work-ing with first-rate partners to develop inno-vative products across a wide range ofcategories that will appeal to consumers of allages. The portfolio of products embody theunpredictably hilarious Minions, Gru, andthe girls, and we look forward to seeing fansimmerse themselves in the world of Despica-ble Me 2 this summer.”

—Amy Taylorexecutive vice president,

Universal Partnerships and Licensing


Funko will release fourPop! Vinyl Figures based onDespicable Me 2 charactersAgnes, Gru, and Minions Carland Dave. Each figure measures

3.75 inches tall and features Pop!Vinyl Figure format faces.

Funko

Soon, fans will be able to see their fa-vorite characters in vivid View-Master 3D.In partnership with Fisher-Price, BasicFun has developed the Despicable Me 2View-Master. The View-Master features anew internal design that provides a 50percent brighter and larger image with asmoother operation and a newfocus on 3-D ad-ventures, in-cluding 21images acrossthree reels to tellthe Despicable Me

2 story.

Hasbro’s Monopoly: Despicable Me 2Edition Game lets players get mischievous.Players must spin the Minion to make a move,collect Banana Bucks fast, and race to pur-chase Despicable Me properties.

Hasbro’s Operation: Despicable Me 2Edition Game features Stuart, who has acci-dentally swallowed some unicorn fluff. Playersmust operate, acting as one of the Minions.

The Despicable Me 2 Talking Figures line, from Thinkway Toys,includes collectible characters from the upcoming sequel. Talking

Dave the Minion, Tim the Minion, and Stuart theMinion have moving heads and eyes. Kids can push

a button to hear their voices and sound effects.They each feature poseable arms and soft skinupper bodies. Dave and Stuart stand about 8inches tall and Tim is more than 9 inches tall.

Talking Gru is also poseable and talkswith the push of a button. Kids can turnhis body from side to side and move his

head and arms as well. A display stand is includedwith the 11-inch figure.

Also available are the Agnes’ Unicorn plush andthe Bedtime Agnes doll. All of the Despicable Me 2

products are designed for children ages 4 and up.


Basic Fun

Rubie’s Costume Co. will have Halloween prod-ucts based on Despicable Me 2, including non-gymbags and totes, buckets, pails, cosmetics, makeup,gloves, mittens, hats, caps, masks, and toy weapons.

Hasbro

Thinkway Toys

Rubie’s Costume Co.

Ceaco has developed two 100-piece puzzles featuring (former?)super-villain Gru, his three girls,and the Minions. Kids can recreatescenes from the sequel to enjoyMinion madness all over again athome. The puzzles are designed forkids ages 3 and up.

Ceaco

In 1938, Joe Schuster and Jerry Siegel created a characterwho would come to life first in a comic book and quicklygraduate to star status as the subject of a series of theatri-

cal films, a live-action TV series in the early 1950s, a Saturdaymorning animated TV series in 1978, and a full-length live-ac-tion motion picture produced by Warner Bros. Pictures.

The writer-artist team created Superman for the comicsand sold their character to National Comics (now DC Comics)for a small sum of money. They signed away all rights to theircreation, never anticipating that he would become a worldwideicon.

Superman first appeared in Action Comics No. 1. The issuesold so well that the publisher gave him his own title, Super-

man, in 1939. Both titles were published on a monthly basis.Superman’s extraordinary abilities, chiseled good looks,

red cape, and S scrawled across his chest drew envy from hislegions of male fans. His powers were astonishing. Possessingsuper strength, super speed, the ability to fly, invulnerability tobullets, and X-ray vision, Superman seemed almost invincible.However, the creators wanted to make him more human, sothey gave him one enemy: Kryptonite. An element from hishome planet, Krypton, Kryptonite was the only substance thatwould harm him. Superman escaped from Krypton before theplanet’s demise—his parents put him in a rocket and sent himblazing through outer space until he finally landed on Earthas a baby.

Superman is the symbol of great power and good. He hasethics and is kind to all he encounters—with the exception ofthe bad guys. However he even treats villians with respect be-cause he does not want to hurt anyone, no matter how deadly.

With the great success of thecomic, other companies saw the potential for Superman as aproduct, a TV star, and a movie star. A series of theatricalshorts were made, as well as a series of animated theatricalfilms—with some fine animation—which are still in demandtoday.

Later, a series in the early 1950s hit TV airwaves (in first-runsyndication). That show, starring George Reeves as Superman,was a solid hit. It still runs on TV today in various parts of theworld.

Filmation created an animated TV series in the 1960s forthe CBS Saturday morning schedule. In 1978, Superman hitthe big time with his own major motion picture by WarnerBros. That film became a huge hit and spawned sequels in1981, 1983, and 1987.

Superman did not appear in the movies again until 2005with Superman Returns. It did well at the box office, but didn’tquite live up to Warner Bros.’ expectations.

As for toys and the world of licensing, Superman has beenfeatured in numerous toy lines, model kits, Halloween cos-tumes, food products, syndicated newspaper comic strips, andeven a Broadway play in the 1960s. Hanna-Barbera devised aTV and licensing program with Kenner Toys in which the toysran along with the television show for a season, giving all thecharacters in the show more exposure. The cartoon series tookplace in the 1980s and 1990s, and Superman was a regular castmember in the animated television hit The Super Friends byHanna-Barbera, as well as The Justice League animated TVshow by Warner Bros. TV.

An off-beat, live-action primetime show aired in the 1990s,


TV and Toys: The Best Marriage Ever

by Stuart FischerMan of Steel actionfigure, from Mattel

Superman

titled Lois and Clark, which focused on the relationshipbetween Lois Lane and Clark Kent, but the portrayal ofSuperman remained loyal to the comic book.

Because Superman was the first comic book su-perhero to gain national attention, some think that heis not a flexible character. DC Comics has attemptedto broaden his horizons in an effort to keep him con-temporary. Yet, consumers may not be ready for himto appear in a drastically different way, because thatwould be tampering with a solid image that one gen-eration after another has adored.

The upcoming film, Man of Steel, due out June 14,will be produced in part by Christopher Nolan, whowas producer on all three of the recent Dark Knightfilms. Nolan also co-wrote the Man of Steel screenplay.Superman will be played by Henry Cavill, a relativeunknown compared to his co-stars, who include Rus-sell Crowe, Lawrence Fishburne, Christopher Meloni,Kevin Costner, and Diane Lane.

In anticipation of Man of Steel, global master toylicensee Mattel unveils its wide-ranging toy line, in-cluding action figures, vehicles, play sets, and col-lectible figures. Mattel will also introduce Man of SteelQuickShots, featuring elements of flight and strengthincorporated into the toy. Also supporting Man ofSteel are global licensees such as Lego, with con-struction sets inspired by memorable scenes from thefilm. Rubie’s Costume Co. will create a new line ofMan of Steel-inspired costumes and accessories forboth kids and adults. Thinkway Toys will create a fullrole-play line, R/C vehicles, and interactive figures,while Jakks Pacific will create a range of Man of Steeland Superman collectible figures and novelty toys. �

Stuart Fischer has worked at Universal Studios,

where he helped develop shows to be sold to networks,

as well as Hanna-Barbera Productions, where he de-

veloped shows to be sold to the networks and to the

first-run syndication market. Fischer has written the

books Kids’ TV: The First 25 Years and The Hanna-Barbera Story: The Life and Times of TV’s GreatestAnimation Studio, as well as various magazine and

trade journal articles. He also created his own comic

book, The Man-O-Saurs.


Man of Steel Pop! Vinyl Figure,from Funko

General Zod Pop! Vinyl Figure, from Funko

Man of Steel Metropolis Showdown, from Lego’s DCUniverse line

Man of SteelFaora, GeneralZod, and Jor-Elfigures (from leftto right), fromMattel’s Movie Masters line

Toys Inspired by Man of Steel


Neat-Oh! International

Neat-Oh! International LLC brings innovative prod-

ucts to the market that help consumers simplify

their lives. The company’s flagship products are

those belonging to its patent-pending ZipBin line of trans-

portable and collapsible interactive storage products that

unzip to become activity or play surfaces, and then zip back

up to storage bin form.

New from Lego are the Lego City ZipBin Storage Basket

and Playmat, which unzips to become a playmat and stores

Legos when zipped back into its basket shape; Lego Chima

ZipBin Battle Case, featuring a fold-out ramp; Lego Friends

ZipBin Heartlake Wristlet, with five pockets for Lego storage

and 3-D pop-up scenery when unzipped; and Lego Friends

ZipBin Heartlake Place Transforming Toy Box, which folds

flat to become a playmat, and is big enough to store all kids’

Legos when zipped up.

Neat-Oh! also introduces the Barbie Black Bow Clutch

and Closet, part of the ZipBin line. The clutch features pink

woven designs and a dressing room for Barbie

inside, for girls ages 3 and up.

New for Hot Wheels is the Hot

Wheels Racing Battle Case,

featuring a flip-out track and

space to store up to 20 Hot Wheels

cars. The Hot Wheels ZipBin Crash

Racer Backpack with Car Assort-

ment includes two blue cars, two

red cars, one green car, and one

yellow car. The car body is per-

fectly integrated into the shape

of the backpack and unzips

into a two-lane raceway.

Neat-Oh! also debuts soft-

sided display ZipBins from Star Wars. Star Wars-themed

ZipBins are available in Darth Vader, Yoda, and

Stormtrooper varieties.

Star Wars ZipBin Yoda Toy Storageand Carry Case

Licensing Expo2013

Activision Publishing

Activision Publishing Inc. launched its first part-

nership with McDonald’s with Skylanders Gi-

ants Happy Meals. In North America, the

inaugural Skylanders Gi-

ants Happy Meal program

ran from April 12 through

May 2, and will roll out in

other countries later this

year. Customers who pur-

chase a Happy Meal at

participating McDonald’s

restaurants receive one of

nine toys from Skylanders

Giants, each with its own

play feature, and a coupon

for $10 off the Skylanders Gi-

ants starter pack. The Happy

Meal program includes fig-

urines inspired by Spyro, Gill

Grunt, Drobot, Chop Chop, Ignitor, Jet-Vac, Tree Rex,

Crusher, and Kaos.

Activision will introduce a new game, Skylanders

Swap Force, which lets gamers reconfigure 16 new Swap

Force inter-action figures into more than 250 unique

combinations by swapping the top and bottom halves of

the toys. Swap Force figures feature new abilities, in-

cluding flying, climbing, digging, bouncing, and tele-

porting. Players embark on an adventure in an

unexplored area of Skylands—the Cloudbreak Islands,

home to a magical volcano, which erupted and blasted

the Force apart and sent them to Earth with the ability

to swap parts. Players must reassemble the Swap Force

and send them back to Cloudbreak to save Skylands.

Activision has more than 135 licensees worldwide,

spanning categories including party goods, bedding,

games, apparel, plush, toys, and costumes.

Skylanders Power A Gamepack


Mattel

With a portfolio of iconic brands and popular properties, Mattelunveils new partnerships and product offerings for infants andtoddlers, kids, tweens, and adults.

Kids can sing along to Barbie doll’s favorite songs with the Barbie World

Tour Party Mix and Barbie Holiday Party Mix CDs, from Mood Entertain-ment. These CDs feature popular hits performed by kids, for kids. In con-junction with Fisher-Price, Mood Entertainment offers a line of infantboard books that are tailored to infants and toddlers and will be mer-chandised alongside Mood’s music program.Kids can rock ’n roll with Barbie and her friends with the Mega Bloks

Barbie Rock Star Stage, by Mega Bloks. Kids can build the ultimate con-cert, complete with amplifiers, glittering blocks, and a sparkling disco ball.The stage elevator and large video screens let the fans see Barbie performfrom anywhere at the concert. Hot Wheels and construction toys combine for a new way to play with

the iconic brand, as Mega Bloks launches Hot Wheels Test Facility andHot Wheels Cars. Boys can build their own fantasy world of thrilling vehi-cle experiences with more than 30 stunts, two customizable cars, and fig-ures with the Hot Wheels Test Facility.The Camelio tablet by Vivitar (Sakar), a fully functioning, Google-certi-

fied Android device that supports the Google Play Store, features Barbie,Monster High, and Hot Wheels personality packs. Personality packs in-clude the capability to install branded apps, content, wallpaper, and widg-ets directly onto the Camelio tablet, and comes with a branded themedcase.Fisher-Price partners with TCG to introduce children to game play via

a new line of preschool games that leverage some of the brand’s most iconicand nostalgic toys. Each game in the collection helps to develop criticalcognitive, physical, and social skills.

DreamWorks Animation

DreamWorks Animation (DWA) isnow the hub for family-friendlyintellectual properties on a global

scale, as the studio’s portfolio of new andclassic franchise properties offers oppor-tunities across all categories. Led by mas-ter toy partner Mattel, the studio’s nextfranchise, Turbo, will race into theatersJuly 17, followed by the debut of Turbo

F.A.S.T., exclusively on Netflix this fall.Properties inspiring theatrical and tel-

evision franchises, including Turbo,Madagascar, How to Train Your Dragon,and The Croods, will lead the charge atretail, along with classic properties Oliviaand Where’s Waldo?, which is currentlycelebrating its 25th anniversary. DWA continues to build on its roster

with new programming for feature filmsand franchises for next year, including Mr.

Peabody & Sherman (March 7), How to

Train Your Dragon 2 (June 18), and Happy

Smekday! (working title, November 26).B.O.O.: Bureau of Otherworldly Operations

and Trolls are also poised to make theirmark with audiences and at retail.

Turbo

Licensing Expo2013

Mega BloksHot WheelsTest Facility


Saban Brands

Saban Brands is celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Power Rangers franchise this year. The company kickedoff its year-long celebration early this year with the debut of its all-new series on Nickelodeon, Power Rangers

Megaforce. With more than 190 licensee partners, the brand is providing Power Rangers Megaforce-licensed prod-ucts, as well as creating limited-edition, 20th anniversary and “throwback” Mighty Morphin Power Rangers products.

The Paul Frank property has more than 150 strategic partnerships and collaborations in the fashion and lifestyle cat-egories. In addition to brick-and-mortar and online retail partners, Paul Frank prod-ucts are available in more than 60 standalone stores around the world.

Following the announcement of its acquisition of Zui.com, Saban Brands will glob-alize the property by launching the first worldwide network of kid-connected sites withparental controls. Saban Brands’ digital arm, The Playforge, continues to expand withnew games, including Eat Eat Hooray!, which launched last month, and multiple up-coming titles to be released this year.

Saban’s new animated series, Digimon Fusion, will air on Nickelodeon this year. Thecompany will also debut Julius Jr., a new animated preschool series inspired by thePaul Frank family of characters, this year on Nick Jr. in the U.S. Saban Brands haspartnered with Fisher-Price, who will serve as the global master toy licensee for JuliusJr. Vortexx airs on The CW for five hours each Saturday. Saban Brands has made thisaction, adventure, and comedy entertainment property available to kids all week longthrough MyVortexx.com. The site features episodes to watch online, games, points, andrewards.

Saban Brands will open international offices in Europe and Asia later this year. The company also merged its inter-national and domestic licensing and merchandising teams to create a Global Consumer Products division.

Penguin Group

Grosset & Dunlap, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers Group, is partnering with infant development brandSassy to publish a series of books specifically designed to foster babies’ development. Developed in collabora-tion with Sassy’s team of early childhood development experts, the Sassy: Inspiring the Senses series is designed

to be interactive, engaging, and inspiring to all the senses. Interactive components, patterns, colors, textures, words, anddesigns will be introduced at age-appropriate stages, stimulating a baby’sphysical, intellectual, emotional, and social skills.

Grosset & Dunlap will launch the series with four books in the fall. Eachinteractive book will focus on a different stage of development, while intro-ducing characters, animals, shapes, and objects throughout the books. Thebook series will also reflect Sassy’s design style.

The partnership between Penguin Young Readers Group and Sassy wasdeveloped by Sassy’s licensing agency, Lisa Marks Associates Inc., as part ofa broader, comprehensive licensed products program.


SMC Entertainment Group

SMC Entertainment Group Inc. (SMC) continues to grow its diverse portfolio of licensees for the 3-D, CGI-animatedseries, The Jungle Book. Currently airing in 165 countries around the world, the property continues to expandand diversify its licensing offerings with six new partners. The Jungle Book and SMC’s other properties, includ-

ing Angry Little Girls!, H20: Just Add Water, and Dance Academy, will be ondisplay at the International Licensing Expo.

SMC Entertainment has recently signed the following U.S. licensees:Inkology for stationery and activity products; KellyToy USA Inc. for amuse-ment plush characters; Newcastle Fabric for fleece blankets and kits; NewcoInternational for children’s upholstered furniture, bean bags, bean bagchairs, toy boxes, foam furniture, adult furniture, nightstands, desks, anddressers; and LA Rugs for children’s play rugs.

SMC continues to expand the licensing program for H2O: Just Add Water,internationally distributed by ZDF Enterprises. The licensing program targetsgirls ages 6 to 12. The Teen Nick television series is available for the first timeon DVD at all major retailers and digital content providers by Cinedigm. SMCEntertainment recently signed U.S. licensees Goodie Two Sleeves for T-shirts, beach bags, and pillows; California Cos-tume Collection Inc. for children’s Halloween costumes and wigs; and Zazzle for customizable products including hood-ies, T-shirts, skateboards, posters, mugs, postage stamps, and more. The consumer products program is currentlylicensing in more than 140 international territories with plans to continue to expand in new markets.

The Jungle Book

Disney Consumer Products

Disney has partnered with Thinkway Toys to produce R/Cs and flying planes based on the characters in the soon-to-release Planes. The line features TV-promoted U-Command Dusty, a full-function, infrared-controlled toywith lights, sounds, and animation; and IR Dusty and El Chu. The outdoor flying range features Charge ’n Fly

Dusty, a rechargeable flying plane, and various sizes of gliders, including a Bub-ble Maker version of Dusty. These lines will be available this summer with Planes

2 slated for release next fall.Tollytots will introduce Under the Sea Surprise Ariel, Ariel’s Bath Vanity, the

Magical Mermaid Kitchen, and Ariel Musical Light Up Dress based on The Little

Mermaid.Jakks Pacific will launch a role-play, dress up, and plush line based on Disney

Junior’s animated TV series Sofia the First. The line includes Sofia’s Talking Mag-ical Amulet, Sofia the First Transforming Dress, Sofia the First Royal Tiara, anda Sofia the First Soft Doll.

Licensing Expo2013

Sofia’s Talking Magical Amulet, from Jakks Pacific

Nickelodeon Consumer Products

Nickelodeon Consumer Products (NCP) will show a portfolio based onsome of the most popular entertainment brands for preschoolers, kids,and adults. NCP represents properties including SpongeBob

SquarePants, Dora the Explorer, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Team Umi-zoomi, and Bubble Guppies.

Nickelodeon will extend the brands’ presence across all retail channels withmovie-branded products timed to Paramount Pictures’ 2014 major theatricalreleases of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in the summer and SpongeBobSquarePants, set for holiday release.

Nickelodeon is also set to launch new merchandising and promotional pro-grams for Peter Rabbit and Dora and Friends. Peter Rabbit was launched as are-imagined CGI-animated preschool series based on the Beatrix Potter chil-dren’s books. The upcoming series, Dora and Friends, is an animated Dora theExplorer spin-off starring Dora as a 10-year-old who goes on city adventures

with a group of new friends. Nick celebrates international preschool

property Dora the Explorer with a toy and li-censing program that includes products fromMega Bloks, Fisher-Price, and Briarpatch, in-

cluding Skate & Spin Dora & Boots,Dora Sizzling Surprises Kitchen,and Dora the Explorer Carnival Fi-

esta Game. SpongeBob SquarePants will have a new

line of SpongeBob Hot Wheels from Mattel and aKrusty Krab Playset from Imaginext. Additionally,

Nickelodeon will unveil products and new merchandisingpartners for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Bubble Gup-pies, and Team Umizoomi.

Nickelodeon will also showcase two upcoming pre-school series for the 2014 and 2015 retail seasons. Paw

Patrol stars a pack of six heroic puppies who are led by a tech-savvy 10-year-old boy named Ryder, with curriculum that focuses on citizenship, social skills,and problem-solving. Blaze and the Monster Ma-

chines is a preschool show that features a cur-riculum dedicated to all areas of STEM (science,technology, engineering, and math). The seriesfollows an 8-year-old boy named AJ and hismonster truck, Blaze, on adventures.

Hasbro

Hasbro continues to innovateand aggressively extend thereach of its global brands,

including Transformers, Nerf, MyLittle Pony, Littlest Pet Shop, Mo-nopoly, Play-Doh, Tonka, Magic TheGathering, and Furby. At LicensingShow, Hasbro will present brandedplay statements across all cate-gories, from fashion apparel, pub-lishing, digital gaming, domestics,and youth electronics to plush, nov-elty, and trading cards.

Aurora is releasing 24 My LittlePony styles, including 12 smallponies with personalized carryingbags (Fancy Pals style) and six softplush ponies available in 6.5 inchand 10 inch sizes.

Peter Rabbit

SpongeBob SquarePants


Licensing Expo2013


Discovery Communications

Discovery Communications reaches more than 1.8 billion subscribersin 218 countries and territories, through 155 worldwide televisionnetworks led by Discovery Channel, TLC, Animal Planet, Science and

Investigation Discovery, as well as U.S. joint venture networks OWN: OprahWinfrey Network, The Hub, and 3net, the first 24-hour, 3-D network. Acrossthe Nordic region, Discovery owns and operates SBS Discovery Media, a port-folio of 20 television brands, featuring nonfiction content, and locally pro-duced entertainment programs, sports, and scripted series and movies.Discovery also provides educational products and services to schools, andowns and operates a diversifiedportfolio of digital media serv-ices, including Revision3. Animal Planet will continue

to grow its direct-to-retail part-nership with Toys “R” Us by in-troducing new products to theAnimal Planet-branded toy line,which reinforces the appeal ofthe brand to children and par-ents. Animal Planet recently in-troduced Hide & Seek Pets, thefirst interactive activity app for kids ages 3 and up developed in partnershipwith partner Cupcake Digital. The sale of Animal Planet products fund R.O.A.R. partnerships with or-

ganizations that protect domestic animals, wildlife, and their habitats. Discovery Kids is a real-world entertainment brand for kids. Targeted to

children ages 5 to 12, the Discovery Kids brand is trusted by parents, andhelps children exercise their minds and bodies. Keeping with the core valuesof Discovery Kids, Big Tent Entertainment has inked several new deals thatexpand the brand’s presence both at retail and online, while encouraging kidsto use their imagination and actively explore the real world around them.

New deals include partnerships with retail outlets, social media site Kaza-ana (digital interactive content), and licensees including Basic Fun (View-Mas-ter), NKOK (arts and crafts and R/C), Quality Playing Cards (card games andplaying cards), MerchSource (inflatable bowling sets, wall maze, and toytablets), MasterPieces (paint-your-own wooden mobile), and Walgreens (out-door activities assortment).

Space Mission Maze Globe

Sega

Sega will lay the foundation fora multi-tiered campaign forthe Sonic brand, including

new games and merchandise. SegaLicensing is looking for a full slate ofpartners across all categories with aconcentration on toys, apparel, bedand bath, food and beverage, andamusement. The campaign will alsoset its sights on Latin America for ex-pansion as Sonic increases its foot-print around the globe. This year, the Sonic brand will see

new video game titles and merchan-dise slated to close out the year. Alsoon tap at this year’s Licensing Expo isa celebration of the 25th anniversaryfor the SegaGenesis gam-ing console.

Licensing Expo2013

Sony Pictures Entertainment

Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) seeks promo-tional partners, licensees, and/or retail partnersfor The Smurfs 2, The Mortal Instruments: City of

Bones, Cloudy 2: Revenge of the Leftovers, Popeye, andGhostbusters.

In the interactive space, The Smurfs 2 licensing pro-gram includes Beeline, which is continuing to updateand revamp its Smurfs Village mobile game. Ubisoft willhave games for both console andhandheld, along with a new socialgame for Facebook. Zuuka willoffer electronic books for iOS andAndroid devices. In the toys andgames category, Jakks Pacificwill celebrate the release ofThe Smurfs 2 with a newlineup of collectible figures,plush, fashion dolls, andplay sets. Jakks will intro-duce The Smurfs MicroVillage, a line of highlydetailed 1-inch figuresand play sets with connectingplatforms that allow collectorsto expand and bring theSmurfs Village to life.

SPE has opportunities forworldwide promotions andlicensing for the CG-animated Cloudy 2: Revenge of theLeftovers, due in theaters September 27 in the U.S.

Popeye (3-D) tells the origin story of the world’s firstsuperhero, Popeye the Sailor Man. In this all-animatedCGI tale of Popeye’s first sea adventure, the lovablelower-class Popeye must team up with his least likelycompanion—the upper-class Olive Oyl—on a mission tofind his long-lost Pappy. SPE has opportunities forworldwide promotions and licensing with certain re-strictions. The film is due in theaters next September.

Lawless Entertainment

Suzy’s Zoo was established by artist Suzy Spafford in1968 as a line of greeting cards and has grown tofeature more than 200 named characters in a range

of social expression products. The three brands, Suzy’sZoo, Little Suzy’s Zoo, and Wags and Whiskers, feature il-lustrations that use clean, bright, natural colors and real-istic shapes creating a familiar-seeming and friendlyuniverse.

The Suzy’s Zoo Storybook Series app is available on theApp Store and includes the first book free of charge. Twoother titles are currently available, and a total of six titleswill be released. In addition to the success of Suzy’s Zoodigital apps, three Nook eBooks and three iBooks have alsolaunched.

Multiple deals have been concluded, including PioneerBalloons for latex, foil, bubble, and punchball balloons;Hoffman California Fabrics for 100-percent cotton, screen-printed fabrics; StickerYou for personalized stickers;Joanna Sheen Ltd. for craft items;Flickback Media for greeting cardsand calendars; Dalmatian Pressfor books and coloring books; FunRugs for rugs; Suncrest for nurs-ery bedding and accessories; BlueSky for books; and UniversityGames for board, card, travel, andelectronic board games, Color-forms, and jigsaw puzzles.

Lawless Entertainment hasalso been appointed as worldwide representative for TVproduction, publishing, licensing, and merchandising forchildren’s property Raising Maddie. Created by authorSuanne-Margaret Hastings, Maddie is a little girl with un-tamable, corky, ginger-red hair who keeps friends, family,and caregivers on their toes with her vibrant spirit and apassion for her most prized possession—her magical shoes.Maddie also has a special “Bunky Bag” that comes alive,exposing all kinds of fabulous character shoes.


Smurfette plush, from Jakks Pacific

CBS Consumer Products

CBS Consumer Products manages a diverse portfolio of more than 200 iconic properties. The expanding popularityof the Star Trek franchise continues this year with the theatrical release of Star Trek Into Darkness, while Hasbroand Namco will lead retail activity that includes nearly 100 new licensees worldwide. Hasbro has developed a line

of premium Kre-O Star Trek building sets featuring spaceships and characters fromthe franchise. The Kre-O Star Trek sets will offer Kre-O bricks as well as new Kre-Ofigures in the likeness of popular characters.More than four decades after they first squared off on an isolated desert planet,

William Shatner comes face-to-face again with the menacing Gorn species of StarTrek fame, in a new video game in partnership with Namco. The two former foes fightagain in Star Trek The Video Game. Mattel offers a line of die-cast models inspiredby the franchise under license from CBS Consumer Products. The detailed minia-tures include the U.S.S. Enterprise.3-D Systems will allow fans to create personalized Star Trek figurines through

the use of its 3DMe technology. CDM has created 3-D glasses for the upcoming filmStar Trek Into Darkness. Flashman Studios has created digital avatars. Funko will re-lease Pop! vinyl figurines and Pop! plushies this fall. Power Up/BDA will offerbranded cell phone cases. Ruckus GH Inc. will create a Gorn collectible statue forMay release and iCup will manufacture branded housewares, available in June.Crowded Coop will release branded pet accessories. Checks In The Mail will createStar Trek checks. Card.com will release Star Trek debit cards. Buckle Down is creating Star Trek-themed seatbelt buck-les, BioWorld offers T-shirts and accessories, and Palm Beach Beaute will create four Star Trek-inspired fragrances.

Delta Children

Delta Children’s toddler collection continues to grow with the launch of new Disney licenses, including Doc Mc-Stuffins, Sofia the First, Monsters University, and Planes. The product launches coincide with the movie launches.Among Delta’s offerings are a 3-D bed at Toys “R” Us,

and a Cars bed, molded to look like Lightning McQueen, at Wal-mart.Delta Children’s licensed collections also include Mickey

Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Disney Princess, Jake and the NeverLand Pirates, Cars, Spider-Man, Sesame Street, Dora the Ex-plorer, and Hello Kitty.Delta offers more than 200 licensed items, including beds, table and

chair sets, toy boxes, organizers, and upholstered furniture.

Monsters University bedroom furnishings


Licensing Expo2013

The Joester Loria GroupThe Copyrights Group, worldwide master licensing agent for The

Snowman, has appointed The Joester Loria Group as the exclusivelicensing agent for the property in North America. TJLG will developa retail-driven licensing program designed to connect consumerswith the holiday classic.

The Snowman is an animated film, adapted from Raymond Brigg’schildren’s book, which has been seen by morethan 20 million viewers in the UK. Tocelebrate its 30th anniversary, thesequel, The Snowdog, will launchin the U.S. this Christmas. TJLG will launch consumer

products focused on gift-givingand creating holiday memoriesfeaturing the hand-drawn art-work from the film. Key mer-chandising categories forconsumers include plush,games, food, apparel, fashion, ac-cessories, housewares, seasonaldécor, and crafts.

The Hive, the top rated Disney Jr. series in the UK began airing onDisney Jr. in the U.S. in October 2012. Centered on a cheerful castof characters and their playful adventures, The Hive is designed toentertain and encourage imaginative play with preschool children.TJLG will execute a retail-driven program, with merchandising cat-egories to include toys, plush, games, publishing, apparel, roomdécor, confectionery, and more. Key categories will be in market nextyear with a number of limited exclusive offerings for this holiday sea-son.Annoying Orange continues to drive sales of licensed product with

new categories including tattoos and stickers, talking pens, squisheeballs, erasers, and puzzles this spring, and bedding, pillow, bath,and beach products expected this fall.

Sakar

Sakar will showcase new products forbrands including Teenage MutantNinja Turtles, Nerf, and The Voice.

The durable Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtlesportable iPod speaker features a Ninja Tur-tles design and allows users to play musicfrom their devices. Those that prefer to keeptheir tunes to themselves can use theTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles earbuds withmicrophone. The buds feature one of the tur-tles.The Nerf two-piece walkie-talkie set has a

listening range of 1,000 feet. Each walkie-talkie features a built-in clip, a side on/offtrigger, and a Morse code button. Also forNerf is the 640 x 480 resolution digital cam-era. The camera features a simple interfaceand a range of settings for kids to adapt tolight conditions, take stills, or shootvideo.The Voice High

End Karaoke fea-tures enhanced vocaleffects, echo, andbalance, and in-cludes dual mic jacksand one microphone.The machine has aCD/CD+G player anda monitor with lyricsdisplay, and featuresaudio voice controland a 20-track pro-grammable memory.

Nerf digital camera


Dancing on the Head of a Pin

I’ve been in the toy industry for 23 years and, like manyothers, I’ve witnessed a lot of change. One of the biggestchanges I’ve seen is the astonishing consolidation of retail. When I joined Mattel in 1990, we talked about the “top 20

retailers” frequently. That number dropped over the years totop 16, top 12, top 10, top 8, top 6, top 4, and finally to the top3. While the mass channel was consolidating, the specialtychannel was shrinking and now represents less than 10percent of toy sales (though “dot coms” will continue to grow).Not only do manufacturers have fewer customers, but the

few that are left are also practicing “just in time” inventorymanagement on all but their biggestbets. In fact, retailers areno longer willing to trulycommit to a new productthat is not from one of thebig guys. Initial orders areminiscule, and oftendistribution is a limitedmarket test, or even morelikely, less than chain-wide. If itcosts at least $1.5 to $2 millionto launch an effective TVcampaign, and total retailercommitments equal only $1.5 million,how do we make the math work?The implications of this shrinking, noncommittal retailer

landscape are far-reaching for our industry. For awhile now,we all have been struggling to make the old launch paradigmwork within this changing landscape. The launch paradigmwas to develop a great product, promise to put it on TV,generate enough volume commitments from the big retailers tofund the TV, and full-speed ahead.With so few customers and toe-in-the-water orders,

launching a new product in this industry today is like dancingon the head of a pin. The tolerances around success are soexacting, it is hard to hit it exactly right and achieve asuccessful and profitable new product launch (unless you areone of the few who gets lucky and creates a craze—but bewarethat lightening doesn’t strike the same place twice).Furthermore, virtually all the risk is on the manufacturer todevelop an innovative product, fund media and tradepromotion, and clean up any inventory issues that may ensue. We need to find ways to more effectively introduce

innovative products to drive categorytop-line vitality and profitability.

A presentation at PlayCon last monthby Jerry Storch, chairman of Toys “R”Us, showed that the industry has been

declining by an average of 1.6 percentper month for the past six years. Ifwe had been growing at a modest3 percent per year instead, ourcategory today would be billionsof dollars larger.

Top-line isn’t the onlyissue. A financial benchmarking

study commissioned by the TIA isunderway, currently with 40 participating toycompanies. As was presented at PlayCon, the

average net income in 2012 (before taxes) for toymanufacturers was less than 5 percent of net sales. Aparadigm shift occurs when the old rules no longer work—inother words, a breakdown occurs, which in turn leads to abreakthrough. I suspect that we have been living through a“pre-paradigm shift” environment for the past few years, andthat’s why it feels like we are dancing on the head of that pin. If a new launch paradigm is around the corner, what might


by Nancy Zwiers, CEO, Funosophy

that look like? Here are some possible ideas and avenues toexplore:

Can we revive the model of incubating a new product in specialtyprior to launching at mass?

Specialty-focused companies do this as a matter of course,but could this launch strategy be adapted to mass-focusedcompanies? Perhaps if more of us launched new products inspecialty, the channel can be revived as the place to find thelatest products. Why not develop the idea of “toy boutique”merchandising and engender a greater perception of cutting-edge prestige with our new product launches? Perhapsachieving a well-defined toy statement in fewer outlets is abetter new product launch model than one or two facingsamidst massive clutter in 2,000 big-box stores. Why notconsider limited geography and concentrated localized “high-touch” marketing efforts to create deeper engagement with theconsumer and create a success story upon which we couldbuild? This might be more effective than rolling the dice inmass at the outset and being at the retailers’ mercy for in-storeexecution.

Can we leverage the dot coms and focus our launch strategieson achieving discoverability in this largely democratic merchandisingenvironment, where every product gets the same space?

At last year’s PlayCon, Amazon business leaders sharedthat more content sells more product; the more the consumerknows about your product, brand, or company, the higher theconversions of purchase. LeapFrog is one company leading theway with savvy online merchandising. Amazon leaders saidthat handmade videos with low production values (i.e. cheap toproduce) actually do better than expensive slick videos. Howabout making a 60-second product demonstration and/ortestimonial that costs $5,000 instead of a 30-second TVcommercial that costs more than $150,000 to make? Theinverse relationship between credibility and production valuesis promising for the small guys.

Can we leverage the unprecedented access to consumers andreduce our reliance on retailers who act as such stringent and,frankly, unsupportive gatekeepers?

The available avenues leading directly to consumers havenever been more plentiful. What launch strategies that have

yet to be invented can turbo charge by word-of-mouth? Ithought it was interesting that USA Today sponsored a “SaveOur Show” initiative, where viewers could show their supportfor TV shows that are at risk of being cancelled. Can we rallyour consumers behind products that have developed a smaller,but more loyal, following? At last month’s PlayCon, ScottMcCall, head of toys, seasonal, and celebrations at Walmart,admitted that the “age of the retailer” is over, and we haveentered into the “age of the consumer.” An empoweredconsumer can be our friend.

We are in the play business, not the toy business. Whilewe recognize that there are many forms of play, we should alsoknow that physical products will always have a place in a kid’stoy box. Children have an innate need to touch, feel, andmanipulate physical objects, and that need goes well beyondtouching and swiping screens. The toy industry has beendelivering play longer than any other industry. Ourunderstanding of what boys and girls want is better thananyone else’s, and yet, perhaps we are behind the curve in thedigital world.

Can new business models for partnering and combining forcesin the digital age support us in claiming a bigger share of the playpie?

What creative ways of combining the power of digital withthe manipulative value of physical product have yet to beinvented? We are still exploring the optimal way to harness thepower of apps to support our business—and, while there is nosecret formula, we should not give up on expanding what playcan look like beyond the confines of traditional toys. In timesof great change, no one knows the right answers, yet. Theoptimal behavior is to try a lot of things and see what works.Instead of dancing on the head of a pin, let’s dance our wayinto the unknown with the fearless and playful sense ofexploration and discovery. n

Nancy Zwiers is chief Funosopher and CEO of Funosophy,

Inc., a leading brand-building and new brand invention firm. For

more information on company research or consulting services,

call (562) 243-2909 or email [email protected].


The last major regulation stemming from the landmarkConsumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA)came into effect on February 8. The Testing and

Certification Rule—also known as 1107 Rule—requires that alltoy and other children’s product certifiers, including importers-of-record and U.S. manufacturers, must undertake anddocument that those products were not only third-party testedand certified, but that they were also subjected to either aperiodic (third-party lab) and/or production (in-house) testingplan. In addition, any certification sample failures or materialchanges in the product must be monitored and appropriatelyresponded to, and the certifier must institute policies andemployee training to prevent—and report to the ConsumerProducts Safety Commission (CPSC)—any attempts to exerciseundue influence over third-party labs.

As burdensome as these new requirements may be, theyare only one part of the growing web of federal, state, andinternational toy regulations, especially new and emergingchemical safety state laws. Here are some general tips tomaximize compliance while minimizing costs:

Ignore Periodic Testing—Do Production TestingThe 1107 Rule theoretically requires periodic (lab) testing

at least once a year during product manufacture, but allowsthat to extend every two years if a company also undertakesin-house (production) testing. Since products are typically notmade continually for longer than two years, and since in-housetesting is much cheaper, work to develop or expand your in-house (factory) testing capabilities for the F963 regulation,lead, and as many other applicable CPSC standards aspossible.

Develop an Effective Lead and Metals Testing ProgramHalf of all CPSC “holds” of toys and other children’s

products at U.S. ports-of-entry are due to lead violations. This,

coupled with the growing number of state laws requiringreporting, warning, or eliminating lead and other heavy metalsin children’s products, means that heavy metals removal andtesting should be job No. 1. On this front, there is a bit ofrecent good news: this February, the CPSC approved the use ofHigh-Definition X-Ray Fluorescence (HDXRF) instruments forthe measurement of lead in the substrate materials of toys andother children’s products for the first time. This comes on theheels of the agency’s 2011 approval of HDXRF for lead painttesting, making these instruments the only viable lead paintand substrate alternative to traditional “wet chemistry” testing,which requires elaborate equipment, lab conditions, andsample destruction. HDXRF can also be used to screen andmeasure for other heavy metals, making it a recommended partof any toy testing program.

Use the Component Part Testing (1109) RuleThis rule allows U.S. importers and retailers to effectively

push much of the testing and certification burden imposed bythe 1107 Rule to their (typically overseas) suppliers, as long asthey do so while exercising due care that the supplier did whatthey were supposed to do. This will not only save on testingand administrative costs, but, if done correctly, it can also helpprotect U.S. importers and retailers from possible civil fines forstandards violations that occur.

It is possible to comply with the new federal and stateproduct safety laws and regulations while managing to stay inbusiness. Instituting an informed and risk-based testing andcompliance program is the first step. �

Quin Dodd is an independent attorney practicing exclusively

in the area of federal, state, and international product safety law

and compliance. From 2005 to 2008, he served as counsel and

chief-of-staff to former Acting Chairman of the CPSC, Nancy A.

Nord. He can be reached at: [email protected].


by Quin D. Dodd, Esq., principal, Law Offices of Quin D. Dodd LLC

The Last Shoe to DropTips for Minimizing the Growing Costs of Compliance

with New CPSC Testing and Certification Rules

Inspired by modern design and functionality, Weerol by Weefab is a modern, bent-plykit that quickly and safely assembles up to five modular toys. Weerol was created for chil-dren ages 18 months to six years and is a modern, customizable, reconfigurable, active toyplatform that evolves with children as they grow and adapt new play styles. From first stepsto motor skills and role play, Weerol is along for the ride.

Constructed from renewable sources and non-toxic, water-based adhesives and paints,Weerol has a low impact on the environment and promotes a healthy, safe environmentfor kids as well.

Innex Brings Retro FunInnex Inc. is launching its Super Retro Console and

Adapter by Retro-bit,which allows kids toplay old-schoolgames for Nintendo,Super Nintendo, Gene-sis, and Game Boy Ad-vance without having to bephysically transported back tothe 20th century.

The Super Retro Trio is equipped with three cartridgeslots, six controller ports, two 16-bit game controllers, anS-video connection, an AC adapter, and an AV cable.

Bring Dolly Along for the RideFrom SCS Di-

rect, the Ride AlongDolly bicycle seatcomes in bright pinkor purple with fun,girl-themed decals.It attaches easily toany bicycle and in-cludes pinwheel andbow handlebarstreamers, a cus-tomizable name

plate, and a bike basket with motion-activated lights.

That’s How Weerol

Mic-O-Mic CanBuild It

With Mic-o-mic, kidscan build and rebuild afriendly world of colors andshapes.

Designed by Interna-tional Playthings LLC,these fun construction kitsrange from beginner and

intermediate up to advanced levels. Kids can choose fromSmall Chopper, Medium Sports Car, and Large TowTruck styles.

What’snew

iHome and Disney JoinForces

Kid-Safe Headphones from iHome andDisney are the perfect combination ofiHome’s technological savvy and theadored animation of Disney. The newheadphones are available in MinnieMouse fashion with a pretty-in-pinkbow on top, a Lightning McQueen-approved Cars version, and a Cin-derella style for little princesses. Theheadphones are kid-safe and feature a built-in volume lim-iter that protects little ears.


Marketers are discussing the merits of transmediafor brands these days as though it was somethingnew. It isn’t. In fact, entertainment brands such as

Marvel and DC Comics have used transmedia with great suc-cess for a long time.

Defining TransmediaTransmedia is all about storytelling, according to Henry

Jenkins, provost’s professor of communication, journalism, andcinematic arts at the University of Southern California. Story-telling has always been an important aspect of brand buildingbecause it forms emotional connections with consumers. Jenk-ins, a longtime observer of media and popular culture, says,“Transmedia storytelling represents a process in which integralelements of a fiction get dispersed systematically across multi-ple delivery channels for the purpose of creating a unified andcoordinated entertainment experience. Ideally, each mediummakes its own unique contribution to the unfolding of the story.”This is quite different from offering the same content to fans onvarious media platforms, which is defined as cross-media sto-rytelling, not transmedia storytelling.

Using Transmedia in Brand MarketingSince fans are turning to many communication platforms

to consume their favorite entertainment, it’s important forbrands to tell stories where their audiences are. It maintains vis-ibility, freshness, and relevance. Entertainment properties andtransmedia were made for each other. Digital and traditionalplatforms can be used to provide insight and give glimpses andbackstory information about favorite pop culture heroes. Fansare looking for new angles, clues, and tantalizing tidbits thatmove their understanding of complex characters and universesforward. Transmedia enriches and deepens the customer expe-rience—the first goal of brand marketers.

DC Comics expertly uses its comic books to lay the ground-work for new Batman and Superman stories ahead of the re-

lease of new films by its parent company, Warner Bros. Newglimpses into these heroes and additional background gives fansa richer experience when they view the latest movies. It not onlydeepens their understanding, but also serves to create strongeremotional bonds for fans who share information with like-minded friends. In essence, this approach also helps to marketnew film releases in an additional thrust beyond the expectedpromos and movie trailers.

Popular heroic figures from television programs, digitalgames, and movies are also perfect for transmedia storytelling.Content is gradually disseminated on various platforms—in-cluding YouTube, social media sites, digital games, separate mi-crosites, and live events—to create buzz and build anticipation.They’re naturally geared toward fans sharing with other fans,even prompting creation of their own user-generated socialmedia about favorite entertainment properties.

Taking this approach created the biggest movie blockbusterin recent history with The Avengers, leading to a global gross ofmore than $1 billion in a little more than two weeks. A long-term strategy was put into place and gradually unfolded. Moviesabout each of the individual superheroes featured in The

Avengers were released over a span of several years. Marvel’sparent company, Disney, published chapter books for kids tofill them in on the superheroes’ backstories. An animated seriesbased on The Avengers brought the characters’ personalitiesand stories forward with the same feel as the films. Marvelworked with its video game licensees to bring The Avengers he-roes back to prominence. All of these threads were artfullywoven into the feature film that brought the superheroes to-gether. Release in foreign markets first, rather than the U.S.,helped whet fans’ appetites as the blogosphere came alive withmillions of positive posts and comments.

Marvel’s approach lays out a blueprint for entertainmentbrand owners to follow. Comic books have long been populatedby crossover from various superheroes; why couldn’t that bereplicated on film? Why couldn’t multiple delivery channels be

by Ted Mininni, president, Design Force Inc.


How Builds Fan Culture for

Entertainment Brands

Transmedia


leveraged to tell bits and pieces of the superheroes’ stories? Whyshouldn’t it be planned, strategized, and patiently unfolded overa period of time?

Characters, plot lines, and theirworlds are increasingly complex; so,immersing fans in bits and pieces ofthe story keeps them hungry for more.Since one fan is unlikely to have everypiece of a carefully crafted andplanned story, they naturally gravitateto friends who share their passion sothey can exchange notes, fill in thegaps, and try to see the entire picture,even as it is changing and being aug-mented by new information. This givesbirth to a fan culture that is increas-ingly engaged, zealous, and emotion-ally invested in a favorite property.

Licensed Consumer Prod-ucts: Another PowerfulTransmedia Opportunity

Making new aspects of the storyavailable in licensed consumer prod-ucts and product packaging presentsanother exciting opportunity for en-tertainment properties. Think of whatcan be done with QR codes on ap-parel labels, hangtags, and productpackaging, or how clues or glimpsesabout new storylines concerning the entertainment propertymight appear in brand communication or visuals on licensedproduct packaging. How about invitations to a microsite forfans to get more information about their favorite superhero?What about a special, embedded code that unlocks hiddenclues in a digital game? The possibilities are endless. It keepsthe rapt attention of enthralled fans from being diverted to allof the other entertainment possibilities available.

Nonetheless, this doesn’t just happen. A strategy has tobe put into place. It has to be planned and shared with the li-censees so they can become true partners in delivering trans-media content. It’s advisable to put a licensing program styleguide together to give licensees the support they need to cre-ate licensed products and execute packaging that become ad-ditional transmedia platforms. The style guide must be

flexible enough to accommodate the ongoing saga of the en-tertainment property.

It’s important to let the consumer be in control of the ex-perience and carry the elements ofthe property’s story across multiplechannels; it only whets fans’ appetitesfor more. That doesn’t only apply tothe channels in which they access in-formation and share it. Part of the ex-perience should also include feedbackand conversations with brand ownersso they can see how their transmediastrategies are influencing fans. Tap-ping into them one-on-one providesthem with insight that can be used toshape the story as it progresses. Inessence, property owners and fansmust take the journey together.

Entertainment properties, like allbrands, are now firmly in the businessof content creation across traditionaland digital platforms. Consumer prod-uct brands engage in this, but enter-tainment properties afford even richer,deeper storytelling opportunities be-cause their characters’ stories are soemotive. Fantasy is a powerful andcompelling factor. Immersive uni-verses exist around entertainmentproperties’ mythologies. Using trans-

media and integrating it into the many channels at their dis-posal enables marketers to fully engage fans—to turn them intosuperfans. It also makes entertainment properties on-demand24/7 in many formats. Transmedia makes it possible to fullyoptimize each channel and bring brand marketing into the newage of consumerism.

Thus far, we’re seeing merely a glimpse into the many tan-talizing possibilities. �

Ted Mininni is president of Design Force, Inc., a leading pack-

age and licensing program design consultancy for the consumer

product and entertainment industries. He can be reached at (856)

810-2277. Mininni blogs about package and licensing program

design at www.designforceinc.com.

Warner Bros. utilized transmedia opportunities in the rollout of The Dark Knight Rises


Raisingthe bar

Espionage, illegal deals, an agent defecting, assumednames, theft of sensitive documents, stolen body parts,spies in disguise, copying secret drawings, payments of

hundreds of millions of dollars: an international spy network?No—claims in a legal thriller about Barbie and Bratz dolls. Mat-tel and MGA Entertainment have been fighting since 2004about who stole the Bratz dolls from whom. For now, the dis-pute has ended. A U.S. Court of Appeals has affirmed in parta trial verdict of almost $150 million in legal fees to MGA, butthe Court also threw out more than $150 million in damagesthat the trial court had awarded to MGA for the theft of tradesecrets by Mattel.

“They started it…”The fight began in 2000 when Mattel sued its former em-

ployee for defecting to its competitor, MGA, and taking withhim drawings of a new line of dolls that looked, well, bratty.“Unlike the relatively demure Barbie, the urban, multiethnic,and trendy Bratz dolls have attitude,” wrote the appellate judgein a 2010 appeal. When the Bratz dolls came out in 2001, theythreatened Barbie’s popularity. As the appeals court told thestory, “Barbie was the unrivaled queen of the fashion doll mar-ket throughout the latter half of the 20th century. But 2001saw the introduction of Bratz, ‘The Girls with a Passion forFashion!’ This spunk struck a chord, and Bratz became anovernight success. Mattel, which produces Barbie, didn’t relishthe competition. And it was particularly unhappy when itlearned that the man behind Bratz was its own former em-ployee…”

“It’s not fair…”The former employee, Carter Bryant, had worked in Mat-

tel’s Barbie Collectibles department designing for more expen-sive Barbie dolls (for display, not for play). While at Mattel,Bryant went to Mattel competitor MGA Entertainment, withpreliminary sketches for the bratty-looking new dolls and adummy that was made by using a Mattel doll’s head, a Barbiebody, and Ken (another Mattel doll) boots. As a consultant forMGA (while still working at Mattel), Bryant worked on a sculptfor the new doll—the first of the Bratz line. Bryant didn’t tellMattel.

Soon MGA’s new dolls—Cloe, Yasmin, Sasha, and Jade(originally Zoe, Lupe, Hallidae, and Jade in early sketches)—moved in on the doll playground to challenge Barbie and hercrowd. When Mattel found out, it sued Bryant, claiming thatunder his employment agreement, Mattel owned his work, in-cluding his ideas (even those created during non-workinghours) while he worked at Mattel.

“It’s my doll…”So who owned the Bratz dolls, anyway? In 2008, a jury de-

cided that Mattel owned Bryant’s drawings and ideas becauseBryant had created them while he was employed by Mattel. Thejury also found that the Bratz drawings and sculpt, which hadbeen found to be Mattel’s intellectual property, infringed Mat-tel’s copyright in the drawings. That was because the juryfound that the Bratz dolls were “substantially similar” to atleast some of Bryant’s drawings. The lower court judge had in-structed the jury that some features of the Bratz drawings and

by Howard N. Aronson

Whose ToysAre Whose?

sculpt couldn’t be protected by copyright because they weren’toriginal, they were common to almost all dolls:

The resemblance or similarity to human form •The mere presence of hair, heads, two eyes, eyebrows, lips,•

nose, chin, mouth, and other features that track humananatomy

Human clothes, shoes, and accessories•Age, race, ethnicity, and “urban” or “rural” appearances•Common anatomical features relative to others (doll nose•

and relatively thin, small bodies)On the other hand, the lower court instructed the jury that

some features of the Bratz drawings and sculpt were originalenough to be protected by copy-right:

Particularized, synergistic com-•pilation, and expression of thehuman form and anatomy that ex-presses a unique style and conveysa distinct look or attitude

Particularized expression of the•doll’s head, lips, eyes, eyebrows,eye features, nose, chin, hair style,and breasts, including the accentu-ation or exaggeration of certainanatomical features relative to oth-ers (doll lips, eyes, eyebrows, andeye features) and de-emphasis of

certain anatomical features relative to others (doll nose andthin, small doll bodies)

Particularized, non-functional doll clothes, doll shoes, and•doll accessories that express aggressive, contemporary, youth-ful style.

Following these instructions, the jury found MGA liable forinfringing Mattel’s copyrights, and concluded that Bryantthought of the “Bratz” and “Jade” names while employed byMattel. Mattel sought more than $1 billion, and in 2008, thejury awarded Mattel only $10 million.

Mattel wins round one, gets to keep BratzAfter the 2008 verdict, a California district court handed

over all the Bratz trademarks to Mattel, prohibiting MGA frommarketing any Bratz-branded products, including Bratz dolls.The court also prohibited MGA from producing or marketingBratz female fashion dolls, and any dolls substantially similarto Mattel’s copyrighted Bratz dolls. MGA had been kicked outof the Bratz playground.

What did the employment agreement cover?When MGA appealed, the court wasn’t so sure that Mattel

really did own the Bratz dolls. In 2010, the Court of Appeals,reviewing the 2008 verdict and the lower court’s rulings, heldthat the jury itself—and not the trial judge—should have de-cided whether or not the employ-ment agreement between Matteland Bryant covered only what hecreated during work hours.

The Court further found thatalthough the employment agree-ment between Mattel and its em-ployee “could be interpreted tocover ideas… the text doesn’t com-pel that reading.” If the jury had de-cided differently on these issues, itwould have meant finding that Mat-tel didn’t own Bryant’s off-duty cre-ations after all. The appeals courtalso decided that Mattel couldn’town all the Bratz trademarks, because MGA had contributed tothe development of the brand, beyond what Bryant originallybrought to MGA.

Were the dolls “substantially similar” to the draw-ings?

To prove copyright infringement, Mattel had to show threethings: that it owned copyrights in the sketches and sculpt;that MGA had access to the sketches and sculpt (which MGAdid); and that the MGA dolls are substantially similar to thesketches and sculpt. Rejecting the lower court’s instructionsabout what features of the Bratz drawings and sculpt were pro-tectable, the Court of Appeals said, “MGA’s Bratz dolls can’t be


Bratz doll Barbie doll

considered substantially similar to Bryant’s preliminarysketches simply because the dolls and sketches depict young,stylish girls with big heads and an attitude,” and “producingsmall plastic dolls that resemble young females is a staple of thefashion doll market. To this basic concept, the Bratz dolls add ex-aggerated features, such as an oversized head and feet. Butmany fashion dolls have exaggerated features—take the over-sized heads of the Blythe dolls and My Scene Barbies as exam-ples. Moreover, women have often been depicted withexaggerated proportions similar to those of the Bratz dolls—fromBetty Boop to characters in Japanese anime and Steve Maddenads. The concept of depicting a young, fashion-forward femalewith exaggerated features, including an oversized head and feet,is therefore unoriginal as well as an unprotectable idea. Mattelcan’t claim a monopoly over fashion dolls with a bratty look or at-titude, or dolls sporting trendy clothing—these are all unpro-tectable ideas. This error was significant. Although substantialsimilarity was the appropriate standard, a finding of substantialsimilarity between two works can’t be based on similarities inunprotectable elements.

The appellate court reminded the lower court that copyrightprotects the expression of ideas, and not the ideas themselves.

MGA wins round two, gets to keep BratzIn a second trial in 2011, the jury found that Mattel didn’t

own the copyrights in the Bratz sketches and sculpt, so Mattellost its copyright claim. As a result, Mattel had to pay MGA’s legalfees on the copyright and related claims—a total of$137,365,177—because MGA had contributed to copyright law.The Court of Appeals, quoting the District Court, said, “MGA’s‘failure to vigorously defend against Mattel’s claims could haveushered in a new era of copyright litigation aimed not at pro-moting expression, but at stifling the competition upon whichAmerica thrives’.”

After the second verdict and the award of attorney fees toMGA, it was Mattel’s turn to appeal to the Ninth Circuit. Mattelargued that because its copyright claim was objectively reason-able, and not frivolous or in bad faith, Mattel shouldn’t have topay the defendant’s fees. But in its 2013 decision, the Court ofAppeals said that frivolousness and bad faith were no longer

needed to award attorney fees.

“You’re both wrong...”As for MGA, the Court of Appeals has now instructed the

lower court to dismiss MGA’s trade secret counterclaim becausethe court shouldn’t have considered the claim as related to Mat-tel’s trade secret claims. “…that Mattel’s employees stole MGAtrade secrets by engaging in chicanery (such as masqueradingas buyers) at toy fairs…[t]hat both Mattel and MGA claimed theystole each other’s trade secrets… that the same information mayhave shuttled back and forth between Mattel and MGA isn’t asufficient nexus…” Thus, MGA will not get the more than $150million in damages on that claim, although MGA could try tobring that claim again.

“From now on, play nicely”At this point, although Barbie and Bratz aren’t fighting, the

parties—especially Mattel—have come out bruised, leading theappeals court in its recent opinion to admonish both sides to“take a lesson from their target demographic: play nice.”

And next time…Toy manufacturers should seek to protect themselves from

similar disputes by ensuring that their employees sign agree-ments at the time of hire that make it clear, for example,whether the company owns creative work related to the prod-ucts of the employer carried out in non-working hours, sepa-rate and apart from non-compete provisions, whenappropriate. In addition, when an employee leaves the com-pany, the employer should remind the departing employee ofthe obligations of the agreement, which survive employment. �

Howard N. Aronson has provided legal counsel to toy indus-

try companies for the past 30 years. He is the managing partner

of Lackenbach Siegel LLP, an intellectual property law firm rec-

ognized for its nine decades of handling toy company issues.

Contact Howard at [email protected] or (914) 723-4300.


Place a classified in

Please contact Anthony Guardiola212-575-4510 x2322

[email protected]


The Toy Book Volume 29, Number 3THE TOY BOOK (ISSN-0885-3991) is published bi-monthly by Adventure Publishing Group, Inc.® Editorial and advertisingoffices are located at 307 Seventh Ave., Room 1601, New York, NY 10001, Phone (212) 575-4510. Periodicals Postage paidat New York and additional mailing offices. Copyright © 2013 Adventure Publishing Group, Inc.® All rights reserved. Nopart 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 thepublisher. Printed in U.S.A. Subscription rates: $48 one year, foreign $200. The Toy Book is a trademark of AdventurePublishing Group, Inc.® Registered in the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office. Postmaster: Send address changes to: The ToyBook, c/o Adventure Publishing Group, PO Box 47703 Plymouth, MN 55447.Opinions and comments expressed in this publication by editors, contributing writers, or solicited or unsoliciteddocuments are not necessarily those of the management of The Toy Book.

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dedicated toy professionals.

Our geographical areas of sales coverage and accounts include:• NEW ENGLAND…Connecticut North to Maine and Upstate N.Y.Accounts… CVS Drug, BJ’s Whle Club, Benny’s, TJ Maxx, I Party andCW Price.• N.Y. METRO…N.Y. City and New Jersey. Accounts… Toys R Usand their DOTCOM and Global Divisions, FAO Schwarz, Xmas TreeShops, Shepher Distributors, Burlington Coat Factory, Buy Buy Baby,Marlon Creations, ToyZam, Bed, Bath and Beyond, Steven’s Intl.,TRUExpress and NY area Supermarket Chains. • MID-LANTIC…Pennsylvania, Wash D.C., Northern Virginia andWestern Ohio. Accounts…Rite Aid Drug, Group Sales, Boscov’s, LissBros, 5 Below and Big Lots.• K mart USA // JC Penney Catalog // Universal Studios Orlando //Gordman’s // Duckwall // Pamida // AAFES• CANADA…Walmart, Toys R Us, Canadian Tire and Big Lots.

We employ a staff of 5 toy sales specialists. Our contact information islisted on our above shown letterhead. We welcome your inquiries.

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ABC Kids Expo .............................................................................S45

Adora..............................................................................................S13

Adventure Publishing Group .........................................................123

ALEX.............................................................................................S17

American Enterprise Bank.............................................................S59

Bananagrams..................................................................................S37

Benji Kinberg ...................................................................................93

BERG Toys ....................................................................................S53

Blue Orange Games .........................................................................S2

Cloud B ............................................................................................S5

Daydream Toys ..............................................................................S51

Delta Childrens Products .................................................................99

Eastcolight......................................................................................S47

Fat Brain Toys................................................................................S21

Folkmanis .......................................................................................S11

Forum Publishing ...........................................................................120

Funosophy ......................................................................................119

Griddly Games ...............................................................................S52

Interactive Toy Concepts..................................................................13

Kahootz Toys....................................................................................15

Kids Preferred ................................................................................S25

Lexibook...........................................................................................17

Maisto.............................................................................................124

Mindware .......................................................................................S55

Neat-Oh! International .......................................................................7

Ollie’s Bargain Outlet ....................................................................120

Omnicor .........................................................................................S57

Pacific Play Tents...........................................................................S31

Playtime Sales & Marketing ..........................................................120

Pom Tree ........................................................................................S39

Sakar International ...................................................................19, 105

Smart/Tangoes................................................................................S43

Speed Stacks ..................................................................................S35

Thames & Kosmos.........................................................................S27

The Orb Factory.............................................................................S50

The Toy Insider ..............................................................................S63

TOMY ............................................................................................2, 3

ToyFest West ..................................................................................S49

TUV Rheinland ..............................................................................S41

UL ..................................................................................................S33

University Games...............................................................................5

Warner Bros. Consumer Products ..................................................103

Worx Toys ......................................................................................S58

Zing Toys .......................................................................................S19

Advertiser Index

THE AD INDEX IS PUBLISHED AS A COURTESY. WHILE EVERY EFFORT IS MADE TO BE ACCURATE, LATE ADDITIONS AND CHANGES IN LAYOUT MAY RESULT IN ERRORS OR OMISSIONS.


Flashback: May/June 1993

From copycat and trademark infringement warnings to western Cabbage PatchKids and DoomSlayer Trolls, we’ve pulled some of our favorite ads from the Mayand June 1993 issues of The Toy Book.

Ads from the Past

CONTACT: JONATHAN SAMET OR LAURIE SCHACHTADVENTURE PUBLISHING GROUP307 7TH AVENUE, SUITE 1601NEW YORK, NY 10001

TEL: 212-575-4510 FAX: 212-575-4521WWW.ADVENTUREPUB.COM

The VoiceReaching Both

Trade and Consumers

The Global Game Changers children’s brand, from PIXEL EN-TERTAINMENT, was created in an effort to nurture a lifetime of givingback, by taking it beyond coat drives and planting flowers and mak-ing it personal with a simple equation: my talent + my heart = my su-perpower. The Make Me A Superhero activity kit engages childrenin becoming spirited philanthropists who can answer the question,“What’s your favorite way to give back?” The kit includes an illus-trated hardcover storybook that tells the story ofthe GGC Alliance and their first threereal-life recruits. Kids get a 26-inch longIgnite Good! Superhero Cape made ofsatin polyester with Velcro closure. The52-page Superhero Activity Book featurestrading cards, puzzles, games, coloringpages, finger puppets, and more. The Mis-sion Up! Card Game lets kids combine Tal-ent Cards with Heart Cards to brainstormcreative ways to give back. Kids can alsoshow their dedication to giving back with thegreen Ignite Good! GGC wristband.

SmartLab Toys Gets Gross and DestructiveDemolition Lab: Triple Blast Warehouse, from SMARTLAB TOYS, lets kids build unlimited warehouse structures and then demolish

them with strategically placed blasters. With Demolition Lab: Breakdown Building, kids can construct a five-story buildingand then demolish it with the powerful quad-blaster, taking out four walls at once. Also available isthe sky-high Mega Smokestack, which looks old and outdated. All three Demolition Lab productsteach kids about energy, momentum, and gravity.

The You-Build-It Headphones are light-up headphones that flash to the beat of kids’ music.Kids can build the customizable headphones and learn about electricity, sound, and technology,with no tools required.

That’s Gross Science Lab features a motorized toilet bowl mixer with real flushing soundsand a lab book packed with 26 gross experiments, including Foaming Flush, Snot Slime, Potty Putty,and Stink Bubbles.

All of these products are designed for kids ages 8 and up and will be available in the fall.

BeginAgain Teaches KidsAbout Animals from A to ZBEGINAGAIN’s Animal Parade A to Z Puzzle is

made from eco-friendly rubber wood with non-toxic,child-safe stains. This 26-piece puzzle features oneanimal for every letter. Uppercase on one side andlowercase on the other teaches alphabet letters whiledeveloping fine motor and problem-solving skills.The puzzle measures 18 inches long, 5 inches wide,and 1 inch deep.


Pixel Entertainment

Max Traxxx Glow in the Dark Racing System, from SKULLDUGGERY, features a new sideby side Mega Loop. This new racing set includes 20 feet of glow-in-the-dark track, two Light Up Marble Rac-ers, and the loop apparatus. This set works great by itself or as an add-on to other Max Traxxx products.

Glow Racers are 1:64-scale racers that produce luminosity unlike any other glow product on the market.High concentrations of glow-in-the-dark material—fueled by a flashing, purple light-up marble—generate aradiance that zooms through the dark. Utilize MaxTraxxx Glow in the Dark Racing System to reveal Skulldug-gery’s Tracer Technology, a glowing luminescent trail streaking in the wake of each Glow Racer.

The latest edition to the Marble Racer line, Marble Jet brings flashing fun to the wild blue yonder. Com-plete with crack-and-peel decals and wheels for racing on 1:64-scale racetracks, Marble Jet will provide daytimefun and nighttime thrills.

Mood Racers are souped-up sports cars that race on 1:64-scale racetracks and change color depending onthe temperature. Modeled after the 1970s fad, Mood Racers change color based on touch and temperaturechanges.

Faber-Castell/Creativity for Kids Laces Up FunWith Stunt Derby Racers, from FABER-CASTELL/CREATIVITY FOR KIDS, kids ages 5 and up can customize six pull-back stunt cars and

then race, jump, and crash them into the derby arena. The set includes six cars, stickers, markers, and accessories. Kids can also add ramps,grandstands, and a ring of fire using the stickers and cut-outs included.

Girls ages 7 and up can turn shoelaces into a trendy purse with the I Love Laces Shoelace Purse. With no sewing required, girls canweave their way to a purse in no time. The complete set includes 68 feet of laces, a lacing loom, and more.

Creepy Bugs Window Art includes everything kids ages 6 and up need to create three bug-filled petri dishes and creepy windowclings. The glow-in-the-dark window paint will add a glowing effect to the creepy creatures.

Kids ages 7 and up can create instant art with Tape-a-Doodle. With more than 90 yards of pre-printed tape, kids can transform the spiral-bound doodle book with colorful markers and five taperunners featuring polka dots, peace signs, zebra stripes, smiley faces, and hearts. The journal in-cludes 20 pages.

Snap! Journal has more than 125 pieces, so kids ages 7 and up will have everything they needto capture doodles, dreams, pictures, poems, and keepsakes. The kit includes embellishments suchas three rolls of Japanese-style washi tape, pearl and rhinestone accents, transparent pages, can-vas and acetate stickers, markers, a tape runner, and keepsake envelopes.

X-Treme Sticker Maker Set now includes glow-in-the-dark stickers. Kids ages 6 and up canuse the superhero-, sports-, race car-, video game-, and space-themed stickers. The kit also in-cludes a comic-style sticker book for play and display.

Skullduggery



Kids can wear Flashbanz,from TOYSMITH, on their wrists, at-tach them to backpacks, or snap thelight-up bracelets together for ex-tended possibilities. With an easyclasp, three light modes, and 16hours of glow, Flashbanz are per-fect for parties or night-time play.

The Nightzone Football usesnew Lightband technology to lightup the game. Kids can switch on thesuper-bright Lightband and throwstreaking spirals and blazing passeswith no charging or accessoriesneeded.

Artsee Studio transforms any iPad into an interactive art stu-dio. With a multi-functional stylus, five interactive stamp tools,and an intuitive interface, kids of all ages can quickly turn a blankcanvas into an explosion of color, sound, and movement. The freeapp is packed with games and activities that will educate and en-tertain. When playtime is over, the tools can be snapped into theprotective case for storage.

Learning Resources BringsFun to Kindergarten Prep

Cook it! My Very Own Chef Set, part of the Sproutsline from LEARNING RESOURCES, is a modern, six-piece setfeaturing soft, rubberized parts and easy-grip handles. Theset includes a pan, strainer, pot, lid, slotted spoon, andserving spoon. Designed for kids ages 2 and up, the piecesstack for compact storage. Also new to the Sprouts line isthe Picnic Set, Ring It Up! My Very Own Cash Regis-

ter, and Fresh Picked Fruit & Veggie Tote.Kids grades kindergarten and up can stack, pattern,

and match the multicolor shapes, with the Mental Blox

Critical Thinking Game. The included 20 activity cardskeep strategic thinking skills in good shape. Kids canrecreate a hidden arrangement or listen to verbal instruc-tions. The set of 20 plastic, chunky pieces feature four dif-ferent shapes and three different attributes to challengekids.

Prep kids for kindergarten on-the-go with the ABC& 123 Electronic Flash Card. The portable, handheldgame boosts alphabet and early number skills. Kids mustmatch uppercase and lowercase letters, fill in the missingletter or digit in a sequence, and pair up number values.Sound effects provide helpful feedback. Also available isthe Count & Color Electronic Flash Card.

The Primary Science Plant & Grow Set includes anobservation jar and rooting tray, encouraging little greenthumbs. The pots are clear for obser-vation, and the trowel issized for littlehands, mak-ing it easyto use forkids ages 3and up.

Flash Jet Fighter, from PLAY VI-SIONS, is a realistic, detailed modern jet fighter that charges ina few seconds. Flights last up to 45 seconds and the Jet Fighter willtravel up to 500 feet. The model comes fully assembled and is madeof durable foam to preventbreaking.

Living Sands is anew moldable sand prod-uct. Kids can mold andsquish the 100-percent or-ganic sand compound. It issoft to the touch, water-sol-uble, and never dries out.


Toysmith

Play Visions

Nightzone Football

ABC & 123 Electronic Flash Card

BEAD BAZAAR’s hand-crafted, jumbo-sized pull toys are the perfect pet friend for kids ages18 months and up. Allie the gator and Scotty the doghave segmented wood bodies connected by rubbery fabricand come with their own ribbon collar and nametag. Theywiggle happily as they are pulled and played with. Their

rubber-rimmed wheels allow for smooth pullingwithout scratching floors.

Allie and Scotty encour-age toddlers to walk and

run. Pull toys boost coor-dination, balance, physicalstrength, and play an im-portant roll in contribut-

ing to a child’sdevelopment of fine motorskills and imagination.

The Rainbow Knitting Kit provideshours of creative fun. Kids can use the colorful, soft bun-dles of yarn to create a long, fluffy scarf with bead em-bellishments. Kids can spool knit a pretty flower todecorate a knitted purse and add a button closure. Kidscan knit their own unique jewelry chain and add flowersand beads along the way. Knitting helps to improve man-ual dexterity and develop a greater sense of confidence inthe ability to create one-of-a-kind designs.

Ann Williams Makes Friendships EasyMaking necklaces with Loopdedoo, from ANN WILLIAMS

GROUP, is super easy. Loopdedoo Necklace Links allow girls to cre-ate necklaces in sections, then mix, match, or twist them togetherwith pretty new links. Girls can swap out the links, wear them short,or combine them for longer lengths. This kit includes materials formaking six interchangeable necklaces.

The Loopdedoo Bracelet Chains Kit allows kids to createthread-wrapped chain bracelets perfect for every girl’s friendshipbracelet collection. They feature sophisticated sparkle, they’re a snapto make, and they simply clip on and off. This kit includes materialsfor making six chain bracelets.

The Loopdedoo

Headband Kit letskids take advantage ofthe new headbandfashion trend. Girlscan design and maketheir own stretchyheadbands in minutes.This kit includes mate-rials for making sixheadbands. All kits areappropriate for kidsages 8 and up.

Zip-Itz, from PLAYDIN, are magical plush creatures that came to life after amysterious machinery malfunction at the Zany Zipper Factory. Adorned with rainbow-teeth

zippers that open to reveal secret pockets, Zip-Itz can hide all kinds of treasures. Each creaturehas a unique personality, fabric pattern, design, and story. Kids can create their own virtual Zip-Itz and play in the Zany World of Zip-Itz at zip-itz.com.

Cotton Candy Cutesies are sweet plush characters with wispy, cotton candy-like hair. EachCutesie has a distinct personality based on its flavor, including rainbow cookie, orange cream soda,bubblegum, and hot cinnamon.

Bead Bazaar

Playdin



Scotty the dog

Cotton Candy Cutesies


American Greetings Properties

American Greetings Properties (AGP) has newinitiatives for its properties in the U.S. andabroad this year. The Care Bears, set high

above the earth in the enchanted land of Care-a-Lot;Strawberry Shortcake, which recently introduced anew character, Huckleberry Pie; and Holly Hobbie, abrand with more than 40 years of heritage, serve asthe cornerstone brands for AGP. Newer propertiessuch as Boofle, a puppy made out of grandpa’ssweater; packages from Planet X, a comedy-filledmystery for boys ages 7 to 11; and The WotWots, apreschool property that focuses on a brother-and-sister alien duo exploring their new surroundings onEarth, round out the AGP portfolio.Design Studio by American Greetings offers an

extensive art library that contains illustrations,graphic design, photography, and editorial designedto help sell products at retail. Offering everyday, sea-sonal, and holiday designs that are relevant and ontrend, Design Studio shows manufacturers how touse design in a way that is more about making a“lifestyle connection” than just licensing an appeal-ing pattern or design. Design Studio also works with

retailers looking forexclusive seasonalthemes for private-label programs.

Planet X

Sesame Workshop

Sesame Workshop continues its partnership with Has-bro. Products from Hasbro’s Playskool brand will fea-ture a full range of Sesame Street characters. Fans can

look forward to Big Hugs Elmo, which hugs kids back, andthe Sesame Street Roads & Rails collection, which includesthree vehicle-themed play sets featuring Elmo, Ernie, orCookie Monster.Sesame Workshop has partnered with Qualcomm and cre-

ated an app called Big Bird’s Words, available this year. Thisapp will feature the first use of Qualcomm Vuforia augmentedreality platform’s text-recognition capability. Within the app,children are guided, via the use of a virtual “wordoscope,” tosearch for and find new words in their environment.This year marks the 30th anniversary of Big Bird in China,

the iconic one-hour special that aired on CCTV in China and onNBC in the U.S. Sesame Workshop will celebrate with specialevents, a social media campaign, and online activity. SesameStreet’s Big Bird Looks at the World, which is produced withShanghai Media Group’s Toonmax Media, will continue to air.Through the lens of scientific investigation, children are en-couraged to ask questions, make observations, and form con-clusions in this 100-percent locally produced TV series. A new indoor themed ride, Sesame Street Spaghetti Space

Chase, debuted at Universal Studios Singapore. Guests on-board this high-flying adventure will find themselves fully im-mersed in fun surroundings, special effects, and their friendsfrom Sesame Street.

Licensing Expo2013


Zodiak Rights

More than 40 licensees around the world have signed on forZodiak Kids’ Tickety Toc licensing program. Products willlaunch in key markets, including the UK, the U.S.,

Canada, and Australia across key categories, including toys, pub-lishing, DVD, and apparel. In the UK, master toy partner Vivid Imaginations will launch a

range of toys in July, while master publishing partner Igloo Bookswill release titles this month. Apparel (Blues/Cooneen & Miserli) andDVD (Anchor Bay) follow this fall. North American agents Estab-lished Brands (U.S.), and Studio Licensing (Canada) have appointedJust Play LLC as master toy partner. Initial toy lines will debut at re-tail this fall in the U.S. and Canada, as will publishing (Scholastic)and DVDs (Anchor Bay). Mega Brands has been signed for puzzles,Franco for bath and bedding, and Cupcake Digital for mobile apps. In Australia, Tickety Toc is represented by Fusion Licensing,

which has secured a number of licensing partners, including HunterProducts as master toy licensee. Tickety Toc product will be avail-able at retail in Australia this fall.The official Tickety Toc website, www.ticketytoc.com, launched

in May. Designed for mobile, desktop, or tablet, the website will fea-ture games and competitions, as well as a product section with di-rect retail links.

Tickety Toc

Spin Master

Spin Master Ltd., one of the leading chil-dren’s toy and entertainment compa-nies, will have a booth at this year’s

Licensing Expo, the first time in Spin Master’s19-year history. The Spin Master booth willfeature opportunities for licensing initiativeswith Air Hogs, Kawaii Crush, Spy Gear, andTech Deck. Spin Master has a roster of brands that

progress beyond the toy aisle, which will havenatural extensions into full-scale licensingprograms. With these additional opportunitiesit will build long-term sustainable franchisesthat children will continue to know and lovefor decades and beyond.


Entertainment One

Entertainment One (eOne) will present global opportunities for its portfolio of children’s properties, including PeppaPig, Ben and Holly’s Little Kingdom, Humf, Justin and the Knights of Valour, and Janet and John, at the Li-censing International Expo.

Peppa Pig has expanded into international markets by securing strong broadcast partners and licensing agents in keyregions where the show achieves high ratings. The past 18 months have seen Peppa-licensed merchandise launch in theU.S., Australia, Spain, Portugal, Italy, CEE, Russia, Scandinavia, and Greece, with retail launches poised this year forAsia, Benelux, New Zealand, and Canada. There are plans for licensed merchandise in Latin America next year.

The U.S. licensing program for Peppa Pig follows a nationwide exclusive with Toys “R” Us last year, when the brand’sfirst line of toys, books, and DVDs debuted at retail. Fisher-Price will debut new items in the toy range this year.

Ben and Holly’s Little Kingdom merchandise will launch in Spain thisyear, where toys and publishing will kick-start the licensing program.Broadcasters Clan (Spain) and RAI (Italy) have signed on for the secondseries, and Eurodata TV figures recently placed the show as the fourthmost-watched program in Germany on KiKA for kids ages 3 to 13. Inthe UK, the property has 36 licensees and has extended into liveand digital events with last year’s launch of its first live stage showand app. eOne is debuting a new look for the product range, with arefreshed color palette and logo on packaging.

Peppa Pig

Evolution

As the exclusive consumer products agency for Rubicon Group Holdings (RGH) Entertain-ment’s portfolio of intellectual properties throughout the global marketplace, Evolution isin development on new licensing programs for Monster In My Pocket, a popular brand

of collectible monsters for boys, supported by a soon-to-be-named master toy partner, digitalapps and games, and an animated TV series, which will debut next fall.

Life and Adventures of Santa Claus, a new 3-D, CGI-animated theatrical feature film slated forrelease next holiday season, will be supported with licensed products in apparel, toys, pub-lishing, and seasonal.

Legends of Oz, Dorothy’s Return, from Summertime Entertainment, is based on the original book se-ries written by Roger Stanton Baum, the great grandson of Oz franchise creator L. Frank Baum. This 3-D, CGI-animated family feature film picks up where the 1939 film left off and is slated for theatrical releasenext year, along with a movie soundtrack by Sony Music and the DVD/Blu Ray release from 20th Cen-tury Fox Home Entertainment. Evolution is managing the licensing and retail program for the brand, encompassing li-censed merchandise, packaged goods, console and handheld video games, virtual worlds, social games, casual games,iPhone and iPad apps, and other mobile experiences for launch concurrent with the theatrical release of the film.

Legends of Oz

Licensing Expo2013


Pretty Ugly LLC

Pretty Ugly LLC has licensed Uglydoll to Kanga games for the Uglydoll Card Game. The game is sold in China, Tai-wan, Hong Kong, and the Philippines. Players ages 6 and up turn over cards until there are three matching Ug-lydolls. Players must race to grab a match before all the cards are snatched. The player with

the most cards wins.Universal Partnerships & Licensing will expand the digital category of the Uglydoll world, or Ug-

lyverse, by launching interactive and wireless content, such as apps, games, widgets, and virtualgoods. A feature film based on the Uglydoll characters is in development at Illumination Enter-tainment. The film will be produced by Christopher Meledandri and distributed worldwide by Uni-versal.

Boldface Group Inc., a celebrity beauty licensing company founded by beauty industry veteransfocused on celebrity and designer brands for opportunities in the beauty, home care, and fragrancemarkets, has entered into a licensing agreement with Pretty Ugly to expand the category of beautyand personal care products. Boldface will create a range of products and accessories that will speakto the personality of the Uglydoll brand and its followers. Products will include bath, soap, shower,body care, lip balms, fragrance, and bath accessories.

HIT Entertainment

This September, Hit Entertainment will debut the latest Thomas & Friends direct-to-DVD, feature-length movie, King of the Railway (Lionsgate Home Entertainment). Movie-inspired toys fromFisher-Price will be available across three different train systems for the first time. Partners, in-

cluding Mega Brands, Ravensburger, Random House, and Egmont, will create more than 65 tie-inKing of the Railway-themed products across books, games, engines, play sets, apparel, bedding, andaccessories. A King of the Railway-inspired app and a dedicated microsite with new games and char-acter reveals will extend the brand experience to digital and social media.

Mike the Knight launches in the key categories of toys, publishing, and home entertainment thisyear. Fisher-Price rolled out Mike the Knight toys globally starting this spring. The first Mike the Knighthome entertainment title, Knight in Training, hits U.S. retailers in June. A new Mike the Knightgame app will also be released in June. Global publishing partner Simon & Schuster will launchMike books at nearly all major retailers in the U.S. and the UK. In the U.S., Mike the Knight continues its consumer prod-ucts launch with new categories including party goods, puzzles, costumes, and a full apparel and accessories line.

Fireman Sam rolls out new CGI episodes, and a feature-length special has been greenlit. Master toy licensee Char-acter Options continues to roll out a range of toys internationally, including play sets, vehicles, and figurines.

To commemorate more than 25 years of sharing, caring, imagining, and learning, Hit is launching the Barney 25 Mil-lion Hugs campaign (www.ShareBarneyHugs.com). The campaign will also support the launch of a new Barney toy linefrom Character Options at Toys ”R” Us in the U.S. this fall. The line includes figures, play sets, and plush.

Mike the Knight

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