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Toys & Family Entertainment is a monthly magazine showcasing the hottest trends in the toy and family entertainment business.

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Page 1: Toys & Family Entertainment, January 2009
Page 2: Toys & Family Entertainment, January 2009
Page 3: Toys & Family Entertainment, January 2009
Page 4: Toys & Family Entertainment, January 2009

Volume 4, No. 2

January 2009

FeaturesA Picture IsWorth a

Thousand WordsTechno Source Combines

Technology with Arts & Craftsby Nancy Lombardi

22 Sports Toys: WhereInnovation and Fun Collideby Chris Adams

24 Sports Toys:Product Presentationby Chris Adams

26 Toy Fair 2009 Previewcompiled by Laurie Hahn and Paul Narula

ON THE COVER: Techno Source is launching Smiley Central Studio withIAC. It combines arts and crafts with online play.

COVER BY DESIGN EDGE

ON THIS PAGE (CLOCKWISE FROM THE TOP): MGA’s Little Tikes GrandSlam Hitting Trainer, Playmobil’s Family Home, Action Products’OLogy Germ Soap, and Spin Master’s Bakugan Display Case

Observations & Opinions page 6

Sizzlers page 8

Specialty Sizzlers page 9

The Ticker page 10

Merchandise Makers: Pressman Toy page 12

Entertainment Marketplace: The Smurfs page 14

Store Check: FAO Schwarz Boutique in Macy’s page 16

Industry Forum: TIA page 18

You’re Hired! page 32

Calendar of Events page 3430 :

Klutzby Laurie Hahn

Departments

Exclus

ive!20

Page 5: Toys & Family Entertainment, January 2009
Page 6: Toys & Family Entertainment, January 2009

CATCH MORE

FLIES WITH HONEY

6 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT JANUARY 2009

OBS

ERVA

TIO

NS

&O

PIN

ION

S

PUBLISHED BY ANB MEDIA • Volume 4, Number 2

PUBLISHER BOB [email protected]

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER ANDY [email protected]

ADVERTISING MANAGER DAYNA [email protected]

CONTROLLER MARY [email protected]

EDITOR IN CHIEF JIM [email protected]

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR NANCY [email protected]

MANAGING EDITOR CHRIS [email protected]

EDITOR AT LARGE CHRISTOPHER [email protected]

ASSISTANT EDITORSLAURIE HAHN; [email protected] NARULA; [email protected]

WEB MASTER ERIK [email protected]

WEB CONTENT MANAGER BRENDAN [email protected]

CONTRIBUTORS

ANDREW DOBBIE; [email protected] NUCCIO; [email protected]

LAURA QUARTUCCIO; [email protected]

HONG KONG REPRESENTATIVE TONY LEESMART REGENT PRODUCTIONS LTD., 66–72 STANLEY STREET, ROOM 603,

KAI TAK COMMERCIAL BUILDING, CENTRAL HONG KONGPHONE: 2815 0166 • FAX: 2815 6911 • [email protected]

PUBLIC RELATIONS REPRESENTATIVE JOSSLYNNE WELCHLITZKY PUBLIC RELATIONS, 320 SINATRA DRIVE, HOBOKEN, N.J. 07030

(201) 222–9118 EXT. 13 • [email protected]

INTERESTED IN A SUBSCRIPTION?CONTACT [email protected]

ANB MEDIA, INC.229 WEST 28TH STREET, SUITE 401, NEW YORK, N.Y. 10001

PHONE: (646) 763–8710 • FAX: (646) 763–8727

TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT and SPECIALTY EMPORIUM are published monthly by aNb Media, Inc. Copyright 2009aNb Media, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, or byany means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval sys-tem, without written permission from the publisher. Printed in the U.S.A. TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT andSPECIALTY EMPORIUM are registered trademarks of aNb Media, Inc. Opinions and comments expressed in this publi-cation by editors, contributing writers, or solicited or unsolicited documents are not necessarily those of management.

WWW.ANBMEDIA.COM

I’ve spent 25 years in the toy business, and 2008 was one of themost difficult the industry has ever seen. However, I always tryto look at the glass as half full rather than half empty. Negativeenergy generally produces negative results. Yet if one looks atthe positive, there will be a better chance of devising a game

plan for the tough times, which can hopefully turn things around faster.Right now, I can’t think of a better industry to be in. Imagine being

in the floor-covering business, apparel business, or auto industry. We’rein the business of making entertainment products for children. That’sthe last expense a parent will cut back on. Plus, there are new consumers

entering the market every day. The fact is many industries hadnothing that was deemed “hot” during the past holiday season.Our industry had items such as Bakugan, Girl Gourmet CupcakeMaker, Elmo Live, Star Wars Clone Wars Voice Changer Helmet,Imaginext Spike the Ultra Dinosaur, Tech Deck, games forNintendo’s Wii System, EyeClops Night Vision Infrared Goggles,and the list goes on and on. Those who were innovative, oracquired the right properties and used good applications, and thenpromoted the items found success in this economic climate.

After this tough economic year, I would say the biggest issue facingthe industry is caused by uneducated politicians. I am all for the safestproducts for children—after all, I am a father of three girls. There is noquestion that lead levels need to be at the safest level possible. But let’snot forget that those levels are already safe. In my 25 years coveringthe business, I have not seen one child who has had lead poisoningfrom a toy. From old paint in a house, yes. From swallowing jewelry,yes. From toys, NEVER. Now manufacturers are spending largeamounts of money to test for something that’s never been a factor.What can we do? The industry must continue to educate politiciansfrom the local level to highest reaches in Washington.

The industry’s best defense is to create innovative products, look forproperties to enhance product lines, and promote smartly for the world wenow live in.And try to accentuate the positive. It’s easier to be negative, butit’s counterproductive. Everyone knows you catch more flies with honey.

BY JIM SILVER

Page 7: Toys & Family Entertainment, January 2009

BANZAI SKIMBOARD SURFER

Page 8: Toys & Family Entertainment, January 2009

8 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT JANUARY 2009

SIZZL

ERS

Here is an alphabetical listing of the hottest-selling items in the toy industry, based on

a combined survey of both offline and online retailers, reflecting the previous month’s sales.

SIZZLERS: WHAT’S MOVING OFF STORE SHELVES?WHAT ARE THE HOTTEST WEB ORDERS?

NERF N-STRIKE

VULCAN

Hasbro

PIXOS

Spin Master

ROCK BAND

Harmonix

SPIKE THE

ULTRA DINOSAUR

Fisher-Price

STAR WARS:THE CLONE WARS

CLONE TROOPER

VOICE CHANGER

HELMET

Hasbro

TAG

LeapFrog

TECH DECK BOARDS

Spin Master

WII FIT

Nintendo

BAKUGAN

BATTLE BRAWLERS

Spin Master

BEN 10 ALIEN

CREATION CHAMBER

Bandai

ELMO LIVE

Fisher-Price

EYECLOPS NIGHT

VISION GOGGLES

Jakks Pacific

GIRL GOURMET

CUPCAKE MAKER

Jakks Pacific

HYPER DASH

Wild Planet

LEGO STAR WARS

ASSORTMENT

LEGO

MY MEEBAS

Mattel

MyMeebas

Bakugan Battle Brawlers

Girl Gourmet Cupcake Maker

Page 9: Toys & Family Entertainment, January 2009

JANUARY 2009 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT 9

SPECIALTYSIZZLERSThis is an alphabetical listing of the hottest-selling items in the specialty segment

of the toy industry, based on a survey of independent toy and gift retailers,reflecting the previous month’s sales.

SPECIALTY SIZZLERS: WHAT’S MOVING OFFSTORE SHELVES IN THE SPECIALTY MARKET?

CALICO CRITTERS

ASSORTMENT

InternationalPlaythings

CALIN DOLL

ASSORTMENT

Corolle

DINOSAUR

ASSORTMENT

Playmobil

DOINKIT DARTS

Marky Sparky

FANCY NANCY

CLOTH DOLL

MadameAlexander

KNIGHTS AND

HORSES FIGURES

Papo

MAGFORMER

SETS

RainbowProducts

PLASMACARS

PlaSmart

SNAP CIRCUITS

Elenco

TEACHING CASH

REGISTER

LearningResources

Calico Critters

Calin

Snap Circuits

Page 10: Toys & Family Entertainment, January 2009

A RECAP OF INDUSTRY HEADLINES

10 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT JANUARY 2009

THE

TICK

ER

KB TOYS FILES FOR BANKRUPTCY;GOING OUT OF BUSINESSLast month, KB Toys filed for

bankruptcy protection for the sec-ond time in four years and plannedto begin going-out-of-businesssales at its stores immediately. The86-year-old company said in a fil-ing in U.S. Bankruptcy Court inDelaware that its debt is “directlyattributable to a sudden and sharpdecline in consumer sales” because of the poor economy, according toa report from The Associated Press. KB Toys, which says it has about$480 million in annual sales, said in the filing that it had debts between$100 million and $500 million and total assets in the same range.Along with going-out-of-business sales, KB Toys also plans to sell itswholesale distribution business, according to the filing. The companyoperates 277 mall-based stores, 40 KB ToyWorks stores that are main-ly in strip malls, 114 outlet stores, and 30 short-term holiday stores. Ithas 4,400 full-time employees and 6,515 seasonal employees.

MATTEL AND BANDAI PICK JAVITS AS SOLENEW YORK TOY FAIR LOCATIONMattel, Inc., and Bandai America will exhibit exclusively at the Toy

Industry Association’s (TIA) annual InternationalToy Fair in New York City, February 15–18.The switch to Javits in 2009 marks a

change in strategy for the global toycompanies and is being viewed as anaffirmation for the convention center-based trade event. Mattel has addedmore than 20,000 square feet of privateexhibit space in the Galleria in addition tothe 3,500 square feet of space located on Level3 where it has traditionally exhibited.Bandai has committed to 1,800 square feet of exhibit space for its

first exhibit in Javits to celebrate the sale of the 100 millionth PowerRangers action figure in the United States.

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THE MIGHTY DOLLARby Andrew Dobbie

Given the extraordinary convulsions in the financialmarkets in 2008 it is a testimony to the faith in the mightygreenback that the pound sterling and the Euro havedeclined in value dramatically relative to the dollar sincethe financial tsunami engulfed us. The pound sterling wasworth U.S. $2 at the beginning of June and at the time ofwriting this had declined to $1.50. Because FOB prices oftoys are usually designated in U.S. dollars, that means thatto maintain percentage margins in the supply chain, pricesto consumers in pounds would have to rise by 33 percent.This comes on top of general price increases in dollars,which have been as high as 20 percent, due to labor ratehikes and raw material price rises—now thankfully declin-ing again due to the sharp drop in the crude oil price.How is the consumer in the UK going to react to huge

price increases, which are bound to occur in 2009? I sus-pect that the unit sales of well-known toys will decline inpercentage terms by far more than the price will rise,resulting in much reduced sales revenue. New toys thathave no previously known price will not be quite so sus-ceptible to consumer rejection, but we must bear in mindthat toys are rarely “must- have” purchases. There are somany toys on the market that cheaper substitutes are oftenacceptable gifts. And of course toys compete with manyother categories as gifts. Electronics continue to decline inprice and compete with toys for even younger kids.Lest my U.S. readers feel insulated from the effects of

turbulent exchange rate fluctuations, you should keep aneye on the exchange rate of the Chinese Renminbi to theU.S. dollar. The Chinese government has let the Renminbirise a little against the dollar in the last couple of years. Ifit let it float freely, the U.S. toy market would be hit bysimilar pricing problems that the UK is now experiencing.

Page 11: Toys & Family Entertainment, January 2009

JANUARY 2009 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT 11

INFANT/PRESCHOOL TOY OF THE YEARKota the Triceratops—HasbroTink’s Talking Café—Jakks PacificGiddyip ’N Go Pony—Little Tikes’50s Diner—The Step2 CompanySit-to-Stand Alphabet Train—VtechElmo Live—Fisher-Price

GIRL TOY OF THE YEARPretty Pedicure Salon—Creativity for Kids/

Faber-Castell USABarbie iDesign Ultimate Stylist Cards and

CD-ROM—MattelMrs. Goodbee Talking Dollhouse—

Learning Curve BrandsDisney Hannah Montana’s Malibu Beach House—

Play AlongPlaymobil Horse Farm—PlaymobilClickables Fairy Charms Starter Set—

Techno Source

BOY TOY OF THE YEARHandy Manny 2-in-1 Transforming Tool Truck—

Fisher-PriceNerf N-Strike Vulcan EBF-25—HasbroEyeClops Night Vision Infrared Stealth Goggles—

Jakks PacificLegends: King Arthur Battle Action Castle—

MEGA BrandsSprig Adventure Series Discover Rig—Sprig ToysAir Hogs Zero Gravity Micro—Spin MasterBakugan Battle Brawlers Battle Pack Series 1

Spheres—Spin Master

GAME OF THE YEARBananagrams—Bananagrams LLCHaunted Ruins 3-D Adventures Pop-Up BoardGame—Basic ConceptsThe Cat in the Hat, I Can Do That!—

I Can Do That! GamesMonopoly Here and Now: The World Edition—

HasbroPictureka!—HasbroRush Hour—ThinkFunZingo!—ThinkFun

OUTDOOR TOY OF THE YEARCrayola 3-D Sidewalk Chalk—CrayolaPower Wheels A.T. Rex—Fisher-PriceCosmic Keep Away—HasbroFropper—International PlaythingsJunk Ball—Little KidsBackyard Safari Bug Vacuum—Summit ProductsBanzai Skim Board Surfer—Toy Quest

EDUCATIONAL TOY OF THE YEARComputer Cool School—Fisher-PriceIdbids Eco-friendly Starter Kit—IdbidsLeapFrog TAG Reading System—LeapFrogZillions Touch Screen ATM—Summit ProductsV-Motion Active Learning System—VtechDiscovery Kids Smart Animals Scanopedia—

Jakks PacificEyeClops BioniCam—Jakks Pacific

ACTIVITY TOY OF THE YEARCrayola Color Wonder Magic Brush—CrayolaClipo Creativity Table—HasbroGirl Gourmet Cupcake Maker—Jakks PacificStar Wars AT-TE Walker—LEGOCircus Ring—PlaymobilPixOs Super Studio—Spin MasterKidiArt Studio—Vtech

ELECTRONIC ENTERTAINMENT TOY OF THE YEARUltimate Wall•E Programmable Remote Control

Robot—DisneyImaginext Spike the Ultra Dinosaur—Fisher-PriceFurReal Friends Biscuit My Lovin’ Pup—HasbroU-Dance—Tiger ElectronicsKidiJamz Studio—VtechRS Tri-bot—WowWee

MOST INNOVATIVE TOY OF THE YEARThe Pieceless Puzzle—CadacoImaginext Spike the Ultra Dinosaur—Fisher-PriceKota the Triceratops—HasbroEyeClops Night Vision Infrared Stealth Goggles—

Jakks PacificSprig Adventure Series Discover Rig—Sprig ToysAir Hogs Zero Gravity Micro—Spin MasterBakugan Battle Brawlers Battle Pack Series 1

Spheres—Spin Master

SPECIALTY TOY OF THE YEARDeglingos—All New MaterialsCreate Your Own Pop-Up Books—

Creativity for Kids/Faber-Castell USA18-inch Fancy Nancy Cloth Doll—Alexander DollTotem Boys/Girls—KidsonroofCircus Ring—PlaymobilSprig Adventure Series Discover Rig—Sprig ToysWind Power—Thames & Kosmos

PROPERTY OF THE YEARBarbie—MattelFancy Nancy—HarperCollinsStar Wars: The Clone Wars—LucasArts

EntertainmentDisney Fairies—DisneyHandy Manny—DisneyBakugan—Cartoon NetworkYo Gabba Gabba—Wildbrain

TOY OF THE YEARThis is an overall category award for the entireprogram. Voting members chose from the list ofnominated toys or filled in the name of anotherproduct on the ballot.

9TH ANNUAL TOTY AWARDS NOMINEESThe Toy Industry Association (TIA) released its list of 74 nominees for the 9th annual Toy Of The Year (TOTY)Awards, which reflects

the most exciting new products from a diverse range of toy companies. The TOTY Awards will be held at Pier 60 at Chelsea Piers onFebruary 15 at 6:30 P.M. Jack Pressman, founder of Pressman Toy, and Joan Ganz Cooney, creator of Sesame Street, will be inducted intothe Toy Industry Hall of Fame. Below is a list of the nominees.

Page 12: Toys & Family Entertainment, January 2009

When PressmanToy was found-ed in 1922, itwas literally adifferent com-

pany. Jack Pressman (father of currentpresident Jim Pressman) formed a part-nership with another businessman, MaxEibigz, to create K. Pressman andCompany. It wasn’t until 1947 that JackPressman split off from Eibigz to createthe stand-alone company Pressman Toy,which has remained under the same name andremains a family-owned business under thereins of Jim Pressman, who took over thecompany in 1979. Now, Jack Pressman willbe inducted into the Toy Industry Hall ofFame during next month’s Toy Fair for hiscontributions to the early toy business. “Weare honored and excited that my father and thefounder of this company, who started thiscompany 87 years ago, is being recognized asone of the earliest founders for the modernday toy industry,” says Jim Pressman.

While the name is the same, the companyhas morphed from its roots. It was originallyan all-purpose toy company with products inmultiple categories, but today Pressman Toyfocuses primarily on games and puzzles.Pressman feels that this specified focus allowsthe company to bring more to the market,pleasing the consumer, which in the endserves the retailer. “When we look at games,we look at what we can bring to the con-sumer,” says Jim Pressman. “We try to bringsomething that is going to be a satisfyingexperience.We believe that what we stand foris something that can deliver that.”

Pressman’s games cover a wide range ofaudiences, from young children to adults andfamilies. Many of its games are licensed,while others are classic games, such asRummikub and Mastermind. Both of thesegames have been around for roughly 30 yearsand both continue to do well. “What’s niceabout games is that they’re generational,” saysPressman. “You play it as a kid, you grow up,and you buy it for your kids and play it withthem.” The company’s longevity has playedneatly into that trend, allowing its classicgames to gain popularity again as the genera-tion that grew up on them plays with childrenand grandchildren. Pressman points to thetrend of nostalgia in licensing and indicatesthat it lends itself to toy and game products aswell and that Pressman’s classic games havebeen enjoying additional attention from for-mer childhood fans.

The games market is a crowded one, withmany companies competing for a spot on toystore shelves. There are a number of factorsthat set Pressman apart. One of these is price.“Everything in our line is under $20, and a lotof it is under $10,” Pressman says. The abili-

ty to keep its prices down has helpedPressman during this economic crisis.Coupled with its low costs is Pressman’sability to bring big-ticket licenses to themarket. The company produces gamesfor popular children’s licenses, such asBen 10 and Pokémon, as well asteen/adult licenses such as The Officeand Seinfeld. Licensing has helpedPressman reach a wider audience. Notonly do licenses bring in fans of a partic-ular property that may not have been

interested in the game otherwise, they estab-lish a media presence for Pressman. “We usedto advertise on TV and it would be a veryeffective way of reaching children,” saysPressman. “In today’s fragmented world, it’smuch harder to reach them. Licensing hastaken over what television used to do.”

The future for Pressman Toy looks bright.“I think that companies like us, in times likethese, become more important, when lower-priced games can be more important in enter-tainment value,” Pressman says. The compa-ny will continue to produce a full line ofgames, licensed and unlicensed, for adults andchildren. In keeping with its goal of beingfriendly to consumers, Pressman will bereleasing a large number version ofRummikub for the older set of players. Thecompany will also be introducing a newSeinfeld trivia game. For younger audiences,Pressman has a number of new Pokémonproduct introductions lined up. Overall, thegoal andmission of PressmanToywill remainthe same. “We respond to the world around usto deliver to the retailer and to the consumerwhat they need now,” says Pressman.

PAST AND FUTUREBY PAUL NARULA

MER

CHAN

DISE

MAK

ERS

12 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT JANUARY 2009

Rummikub is one of Pressman’s oldest and most popular games.

Page 13: Toys & Family Entertainment, January 2009

CHANGING IMPRESSIONS

MORE THAN 10,000 PEOPLE READ HER BLOG DAILY

YOU’RE NOT CLICKING WITH HER

WE CAN CHANGE THAT.

www.coynepr.com

AUTO • BEAUTY • ENTERTAINMENT • FASHION • FOOD & BEVERAGE • HEALTHCARE • JUVENILE • PET • RETAIL & RESTAURANT • SPORTS • TECHNOLOGY • TOYS • TRAVEL & TOURISM

Page 14: Toys & Family Entertainment, January 2009

After celebrating their 50th anniversary last year, the future looks brightblue for The Smurfs. In an effort to reinvigorate the brand, SonyPictures Consumer Products (SPCP), which represents the licensing andmerchandising for both the classic and film property in the U.S. andCanada, developed publicity/marketing stunts and retail events. For the

first time, a Smurf balloon made an appearance in the 2008 Macy’s Thanksgiving DayParade. SPCP signed a three-year deal with Macy’s for the balloon and a Smurfs floatto appear in the annual parade.

It all started on October 23, 1958, when Belgian cartoonist Peyo (aka PierreCulliford) created the blue heroes in the pages of the Belgian magazine Spirou. Johanand Peewit, the heroes of a cartoon taking place in the middle ages, suddenly hear asmall voice yelling, “Can’t you look where you smurf? You nearly smurfed me!” Andthen a small, blue gnome emerges from behind a rock.

Since then The Smurfs have become legendary. The stars of comic books, the bigscreen, and the long-runningNBC television series (the 256half-hour episodes are still airedaround the world today), TheSmurfs have also inspired recordalbums, video games, toys, and acollection of figurines.

According to SPCP, a newlive-action/animation Smurfsfilm is in the works, tentativelyscheduled for release in Q4 2010.SPCP hopes to introduce film-

based licensed merchandise targeting kids of all ages around the movie’s release.Until then, many licensees are signing on to produce licensed product around the

classic Smurfs property. Jakks Pacific is the master toy licensee and launched an ini-tial product line late last year. Junk Food signed on to produce a line of Smurfs appar-el. Too Faced produced a collection of Smurfs beauty products. SPCP has deals inplace for all apparel including sleepwear for men, boys, women, juniors, and girls;accessories including handbags, totes, wallets, and socks; room décor; and bakery,however, at press time, the specific licensees for these categories could not beannounced. SPCP’s goal is to bring on unique licensees that offer nostalgic productsfor every generation of Smurfs fan. With new products and a film in the works, TheSmurfs sure have something to smurf about as the property enters 2009.

SONY PICTURESCONSUMER PRODUCTSBY LAURIE HAHN

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14 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT JANUARY 2009

NEED TO KNOW

• The animated Smurfscartoon aired for nineconsecutive years from1981–1990.

• The Smurfs are onlythree apples tall.

• The Smurfs often usethe word “smurf” or“smurfing” to replacecertain nouns, verbs,and adjectives.

• There are more than100 Smurfs in the village all with different personas andcharacteristics.

• The Smurfs comicshave been translatedinto 25 different languages with morethan 25 million copiessold in French alone.

Page 15: Toys & Family Entertainment, January 2009

JANUARY 2009 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT 15

JAKKS PACIFICAs master toy licensee, Jakks Pacific will be pro-

ducing a variety of Smurfs toys. Two new products forthe fall are Smurfs Plush and Smurfs Figure Packs.

Each 12-inch Smurfs Plush (shown) featuressounds and comes with a DVD. Kids can sing ahappy song with the plush and squeeze its hand tohear phrases and sounds. The DVD features anepisode of the classic ’80s cartoon, as well as abonus music video. The plush are for ages 3 and up.

Smurfs Figure Packs come with 2.25-inch classicfigures. Kids can collect them all—Smurfette,Handy, Papa, Gargamel, and Azrael. Each SmurfsFigure Pack comes with either two Smurfs or oneSmurf with accessories.

JUNK FOODFor the classic Smurfs

property, Junk Food will pro-duce a variety of T-shirts andlong-sleeved shirts. Apparelwill feature favorite Smurfscharacters, as well as phrasessuch as “I Love Smurfette.”

TOO FACEDToo Faced will produce a line of Smurfs-branded beauty products,

such as So Smurfy Illuminating Face Powder. The collection, a five-itemrange of color items for the eyes, lips, and face, launched in Decemberat Sephora. The items, which also include eye shadow, lip gloss, and liq-uid eyeliner, are heavy on blues, pinks, and lavenders.

Page 16: Toys & Family Entertainment, January 2009

Macy’s, one of the classic namesin retailing, celebrated its 150thanniversary in 2008. Duringthat time the company part-nered with another name that

defines retail experience—FAO Schwarz.Earlier in 2008, FAO and Macy’s announced that

they would be joining forces to open nearly 75 full-sized stores and approximately 200 smaller shops.Specific locations can easily be found on macys.com.

The smaller shops, like the one in the San FranciscoMacy’s on Union Square, is nestled within the chil-dren’s apparel department. Measuring about 300 squarefeet, the boutique showcases a variety of plush, FAOexclusives, “green toys,” and a handful of promotionalitems, such as Barbie and the Diamond Castle Dolls.

Strategically placed signage at the main entranceand the escalators directs shoppers to the boutique.The shop is obviously positioned to take advantageof foot traffic through the department and cleverlymerchandised so that hugging of the plush in pass-ing is decidedly encouraged.

On the day we visited, traffic was fairly heavy dur-ing an afternoon at the beginning of the holiday shop-ping season. Consumers were purchasing plush andthe discount racks were heavily picked over.

Many of the visitors were tourists—not surprisingas the Union Square neighborhood is a tourist shop-ping haven—and none of the people purchasing itemssaid that they had planned to purchase toys on this par-ticular trip. In one case, however, a child’s instantaffection for a stuffed dog helped seal the deal.

FAO Magic Comes to San Francisco Macy’s

16 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT JANUARY 2009

BY CHRISTOPHER BYRNESTOR

ECH

ECK

Signage directs shoppers to the FAO Schwarz boutiquesin Macy’s (top right). On the bottom right is a snapshot

of the FAO Schwarz boutique store in Macy’sUnion Square San Francisco.

Page 17: Toys & Family Entertainment, January 2009

LZR44685_M6635_TFE_Jan_Ad.indd 1 12/17/08 4:35:50 PM

Page 18: Toys & Family Entertainment, January 2009

It’s a new year and the Toy IndustryAssociation (TIA) is gearing up foranother great Toy Fair. The mem-bership department has been dili-gently working to acquire new

members, enhance member benefits, andcontinue to provide valuable informationabout the safety issues facing our industry.

VISIT US AT THE TIA INFORMATION BOOTHOnce again, the TIA’s information area

will be set up in the Crystal Palace just offthe show floor at the Javits Center.Representatives from the membershipdepartment will be on hand to help you nav-igate through the valuable benefits youreceive as a TIA member. Join theAssociation and network with fellow toyindustry colleagues in this central meetingpoint before hitting the trade show floor.

Be sure to ask about the Toy SafetyCertification Program (TSCP), an ANSI-accredited program led by an expert teamthat addresses safety in toys and identifiesand remedies problems before toys enter thesupply chain. The program offers a web-based, cost-effective certification solutionallowing participants to create electroniccertificates for regulators and retailers toaccess at ease. And don’t miss the annualToy Safety Update to learn about develop-ments in toy safety regulations taking placeFebruary 16 at 9 A.M. in room 1D of theSpecial Events Hall at the Javits Center.

Also, sign up to be a part of the CreditInterchange Program, a comprehensiveresource available at no cost that providesqualified members the opportunity to accessimportant retail industry news, SEC filings,and credit reports outlining payment history.We are about to launch a new software mod-ule for greater efficiency and ease of use.

Finally, take a look into the TIA’s manycost-saving programs such as our compre-hensive business insurance offeredthrough HUB International, the discount-ed advertising and creative services fromBlue Plate Media Services, and discountedretail analysis software and consultingfrom Enhanced Retail Solutions.

FIND THE PERFECT EMPLOYEEWITH THE TIA JOB BANK

TIA now offers a web-based career cen-ter that connects job seekers with prospec-tive employers in the toy industry. The TIAwill supply internet lounges located on lev-els 1 and 3 for candidates to browsethrough job listings. Create a companyprofile and post all available job offeringsto find the perfect candidate.

MEET MEDIA EXECUTIVES AT BLUE PLATEMEDIA SERVICES’ MEDIA LOUNGE

TIA program partner Blue Plate MediaServices is happy to offer Toy Fair 2009participants the opportunity to meet withtop media executives and learn about thetoy industry media landscape. On Tuesday,February 17, Blue Plate Media will host amedia lounge in room 1E of the JavitsCenter where both members and non-members can meet with media providers.

Blue Plate Media’s president David Beckerwill also be available to discuss mediasolution packages that will allow you tobuy media more effectively to maximizethe impact of your targeted message.

TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ENHANCED RETAILSOLUTIONS’ NEW WEB-BASED SOFTWARE

TIA is pleased to announce a new prod-uct offering from partner Enhanced RetailSolutions. Their new web-based softwareservice, weeklyanalyst.net, allows users totrack sales, inventory, and store-level per-formance for all retail accounts in oneplace. With a subscription, receive a con-sistent platform storing all data; a robustsystem to track items; and valuable sell-through information for Wal-Mart, Toys“R” Us, Target, and others.

SIGN ON AND EXHIBIT AT TOY FAIR 2009Toy Fair attracts more than 13,000 buy-

ers representing 7,000 unique retail outlets.There’s simply no better place to expandyour opportunities in this $22 billion mar-ket. TIA members receive significant sav-ings on booth space and a 30 percent dis-count on material handling charges foradvance crated or skidded shipments. Visitwww.toyassociation.org and click on ToyFair 2009 for more information.

If you are interested in receiving moreinformation about the benefits TIA offersor joining TIA, please contact the TIAmembership department at [email protected].

Laura Quartuccio is the Toy IndustryAssociation’s membership manager.

NEW YEAR, NEW OFFERINGS FROM TIA

18 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT JANUARY 2009

BY LAURA QUARTUCCIO, TIA

INDU

STRY

FORU

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Every day millions of emails are sent and received—essen-tially a letter from one person to another. But the trouble ismost people are not very good at written communication—especially kids. Luckily, a picture is still worth a thousandwords. Combine a written email message with a Smiley

emoticon from internet company IAC and the receiver will know justwhat the sender implied. Apparently this tacticworks because more than three billion Smileyshave been sent since 2003, according to IAC.

Now IAC is partnering with Techno Sourcefor a new kid-targeted, COPPA-compliant web-site and product line called Smiley CentralStudio. (IAC’s original Smiley brand and site,SmileyCentral.com, will continue to operateseparately.) IAC will build, maintain, and ownthe Smiley Central Studio site. It will becomepart of its vast portfolio of sites, which nowinclude zwinky.com, evite.com, match.com,and countless others.

Smiley Central Studio is a new concept that will marry both theself-expression and communication aspects of the original Smileyswith the classic arts and crafts category.

“We saw an opportunity for bite-sized experiences online,” saysEric Levin, president of Techno Source. “This is not to change howkids are communicating or playing but to enhance what they arealready doing. Creativity is a huge category for the toy industry but it’salso a very important part of childhood development.”

Techno Source is the master toy licensee for Smiley Central Studio.It’s Techno Source’s first master toy deal. The company will create aline of plush characters, bobblehead figures, cell phone charms, andbasic figures as well as basic and deluxe activity sets to make jewelry,room décor, etc. The product line, for ages 6 and up, will be availablein fall 2009. Each item will be less than $10 at retail. And each productwill come with a code to visit the website, smileycentralstudio.com.

“We want to do for online creativity what Webkinz did for virtualworlds,” says Levin. “The worlds were out there before Webkinz but,for the first time, Webkinz got kids engaged. They had first-moveradvantage. We think we have the same opportunity also with first-mover advantage in arts and crafts.”

Not only will Techno Source be first to market but they are workingwith a classic, proven play pattern. Levin comes from the consumer

software industry and worked on CD-ROMs such as Kid Pix and PrintShop. Just a few years ago, CD-ROMs for kids was a huge industry. Butas he points out, “When activity CD-ROMs lost out to the internet noone really picked up the torch in the creativity space,” he says. “Wethink there is a real opportunity both online and offline.”

While Levin has the technology and activity background, WayneNathan, co-founder of Techno Source, has the clas-sic activity background, having spent six years atRose Art. So while this may seem like a departurefor Techno Source, Smiley Central Studio marriesthe company’s strengths, according to Levin.

“We see this as a further extension of what wehave been doing, which is taking classic play patternsand updating them through technology,” Levin says.

IAC agrees. “We were looking for a partner whowe could collaborate with to create the next genera-tion of creative and collectible online toys utilizingour incredibly popular Smiley Central characters,”says Mike Primiani, senior vice-president of strate-

gic partnerships and product operations for IAC.The concept is collect (buy the product), click (use the code on the site),

create (make Smileys online), and communicate (seamlessly insert theminto your communication through the included downloadable application).

The PC-only site features an elaborate rewards model. As kids earnpoints on the site they unlock layers. Each product purchased unlocks dif-ferent features on the site as well. Once a Smiley character (or an evite, wall-paper, calendar, etc.) has been created by the user, it can be saved and cri-tiqued by others in the Smiley Gallery, or the Smileys can be sent to others.

It is the transmission of the Smileys that really makes this a magi-cal experience for kids. When a product is initially purchased andaccess is granted to the site using the code, there is an application todownload. This allows kids to seamlessly drop their Smiley into theirGmail or Yahoo browser, for example, much the same way adults nowuse the application. The permanent icon is added to the email program.When a child writes an email and then clicks on the Smiley icon, thecustomized Smiley appears in the email.

A television ad campaign is in development. In addition, IAC says itmakes one billion impressions per month through its numerous websites,which will obviously help support the brand. Combined support fromIAC and Techno Source coupled with seamless technology, classic playpatterns, and a low price point should have everyone smiling.

A PICTURE IS WORTH A THOUSAND WORDSTECHNO SOURCE COMBINES TECHNOLOGY WITH ARTS & CRAFTS

20 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT JANUARY 2009

BY NANCY LOMBARDI

Techno Source’s Smiley Central Studio productline will encompass two sizes of plush,

bobbleheads, figures, cellphone charms, andactivity kits (not shown). All items will retail for

less than $10 and contain a code to link towww.smileycentralstudio.com.

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Innovation and fun are two words that continually came up indiscussions with sports toy manufacturers. For all of the bene-fits that sports toys can offer children, the benefits can only bereaped when children actually engage with the products. Inorder to get kids to engage, the products must be fun.

While a May 2008 report in the Journal of the AmericanMedical Association says that childhood obesity rates may be lev-eling off after surging for nearly two decades, experts still warnthat the rate at which children are becoming overweight is stillvery high—more than triple the rates of those in the 1960s and1970s. By adding a healthy dose of fun and innovation into theirofferings, sports toy manufacturers are doing their part in the fightagainst childhood obesity.

“Getting kids moving is very important—so you have to makeit fun for them,” says Isaac Larian, president and CEO of MGAEntertainment, which offers a Little Tikes line of sports toys.“Kids should be able to play sports in the traditional play patternand learn the rules, but also be able to entertain themselves andjust have fun.”

Manufacturers go to grueling lengths to ensure that their sportstoys are fun. They fine tune their products through a series of meet-ings, focus groups, and trials. It sounds like strenuous work.

“When we first started to invent Junk Ball, every time we got anew prototype in, we would stand in the hallway and play catchfor a half an hour,” says Jim Engle, president of Little Kids. “Thenyou decide that since it is a beautiful day that you should go to thepark and see how it works.”

Tough work, huh? While developing Junk Ball was a literal dayat the park for Little Kids, that research has certainly paid off. Thebrand has established itself in the marketplace and is poised forgrowth this year. While it was too early for Engle to discuss thedetails, expect product introductions in the third and fourth quartersthat take Junk Ball beyond the baseball space and into other sports.“There is always opportunity for well-thought-out, innovative prod-uct in this category,” Engle adds.

Innovation is key to establishing a presence in this category. Forinstance, longstanding brands like Nerf and Frisbee continually inno-vate to maintain their iconic status in the sports toys world. Nerf has

had some hits through licensing entities, such as NFL teams andPeyton Manning, but that is secondary to the products themselves.

“Licensing is complementary to the category, but innovation isking,” says Jonathan Berkowitz, global brand director for Nerf. “Kidswill look for what enhances their play first and foremost.”

Active AvenuesToday’s kids have more options than ever before when choosing

avenues for an active lifestyle. Not only are traditional sports likebasketball, football, and baseball holding their own, but team sportslike field hockey, lacrosse, ice hockey, and indoor and outdoor soccerare attracting increased attention. In addition, individual sports haveseen the greatest rise in participation over the past 15 years.

22 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT JANUARY 2009

BY CHRIS ADAMS

Sports Toys:Where Innovation and Fun Collide

MGA’s Little Tikes TotSports T-Ball Set

Page 23: Toys & Family Entertainment, January 2009

“Individual sports have been properly promoted and children havebeen given opportunities to participate,” says Mike May, spokesmanfor the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association. “People involvedin these sports realize that when you get a child involved there is achance that they’ll stay with the sport for a very long time.”

Giving kids more options of sports to participate in translates intoincreased opportunities to offer the wealth of advantages that anactive lifestyle offers. Sure, sports are beneficial from a physical fit-ness standpoint. But the benefits transcend the physical realm.

“It is well known that sports provide positive physical benefits,which carry with them positive mental benefits including greaterenergy, sharpness, and calm,” says Chris Guirlinger, vice-presidentof marketing and licensing at Wham-O. “In addition to these bene-fits, sports teach children valuable social skills in terms of how tointeract with each other, resolve conflicts, work together as a team,and enjoy competition.”

Fun Way to PlayWhen most people think of sports toys, they often think of safer,

smaller versions of adult sporting goods items. There is oftencrossover between sports toys and sporting goods classifications.Also, typically, toys involve a simple play pattern that doesn’t have

the same level of rules, regulation, and difficulty of a sporting gooditem meant for regulation play.

“We focus on developing children’s products that spark theimagination and inspire open-ended play,” says MGA’s Larian.“We look for ways to make traditional play more fun yet pro-vide a value for parents—for example, by adding lights orsounds or fun characters.”

And sometimes sports toys combine a few different play patternsto make a new twist on an old favorite. The popularity of the Frisbeehas really grown over the years with this approach. People young andold have applied the rules of football and golf to the popular flyingdisc and these spin-off sports have thrived.

The simplicity and open-ended play patterns that the Frisbeeoffers has played a role in its sales strengths during the current eco-nomic downturn. Wham-O’s Guirlinger says that its sales forfourth quarter 2008 were ahead of those for 2007 and that listingsfor first quarter 2009 are ahead of those for 2008. “Mom is lookingfor toys that are affordable and will last so she can stretch herbudget farther,” he adds. “We pride ourselves on making a qualityproduct that will hold up over time.”

Active PromotionThere are many different avenues for achieving success within the

sports toy category. The key is for manufacturers to properly executewhatever game plan they utilize.

“There are an infinite number of opportunities out there,” saysIssa Sawabini, partner at Fuse Marketing, a youth marketingagency that connects brands with youth through sports, music,fashion, and other relevant cultural interests. “Marketers mightwant to try an experiential program where they take their brandsto kids while they participate or they may take a more media-based program that lives by delivering great content through tel-evision and other media.”

Regardless of the marketing approach, Sawabini says, “Being activeand making sure that your brand is promoting a healthy, active lifestyleis really important. Any brand that is marketing in this space needs toconsider its message and how it is promoting an active lifestyle.”

JANUARY 2009 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT 23

Wham-O’s Frisbee UltimateKit with Bag and DVD

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24 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT JANUARY 2009

Little KidsXtreme Sky Slasherz are pocket-sized

boomerangs that take different flight pathsdepending on how they’re thrown.

In addition, Little Kids plans toexpand its Junk Ball into other sportsin the third and fourth quarters ofthis year. Details are expected shortlyafter Toy Fair.

Today there are a wide range of sports toys to help get kids active. After all, the means togetting kids active doesnʼt matter, just that theyʼre up, moving, and having fun. Below are arange of items designed to suit that purpose.

HasbroFor its Nerf line, Hasbro plans to combine its Vortex Howler

concept with its Pocket Vortex ball, while adding on NFL licenses.This small, foam football can be thrown great distances while mak-ing a howling soundas it flies.

Sports Toys BY CHRIS ADAMS

Saturnian 1 SportSaturnian 1’s Fun Gripper Grip

Zone 10.5 Junior Football (shown) iseasy to grip and throw thanks to thecompany’s patented Fun Gripper tech-nology. An 8.5-inch model is also avail-able. In addition, the company intro-duces the Fun Gripper Lacrosse Stick,which comes with a 2.5-inch bean ball.

MGAEntertainment

MGA Entertainment introduces a range of LittleTikes sports toys. The Little Tikes Drive, Chip & PuttGolf Trainer (shown) is a five-in-one golf set that isadjustable for indoor and outdoor play. The tetheredball arm rotates for safe hits off the tee and chippingindoors, while the free ball hits off the tee and can bechipped and putted outdoors. It includes two balls, twoclubs, and a storage base.

The Little Tikes Grand Slam Hitting Trainer is agrow-with-me pitch trainer that helps little ones devel-op a range of baseball skills. The beginner setting is anadjustable-height T-ball with abrush on top, while advancedpitching function offersadjustable heights for highand low balls and adjusts forspeed. All of the includedpieces store in its base andits post doubles as ahandle.

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JANUARY 2009 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT 25

MooseMountainMoose Mountain’s ESPN

Electronic Coast to CoastBasketball features electronictiming and scoring, electronicarcade sounds and phrases,flashing lights, two different-sized hoops, two basketballs,and four games to choose from.

Aviva SportsAviva’s Kiddie

10’ Ice Rink is aninflatable ice rink thatcan be set up right inyour backyard. It ismade of a tough PVCvinyl that is designedto weather the cold.Just add water andwait until it freezes.

Pelican InternationalPelican International’s Snosorus is an inflatable pull sled that includes a

padded seat and backrest. It includes a pull rope. The lively looking sledfeatures two handles, double-welded seams, and a repairkit. It is constructed ofcold-resistant PVC.

Wham-OWham-O’s Frisbee Ultimate Kit with Bag and DVD

includes everything needed to play ultimate Frisbee.Its two UPA-approved Frisbee discs, one in competi-tion white and one glow-in-the-dark, are 175g regula-tion models. It also includes an instructional DVDcalled Ultimate 101: Laying Out the Game. In addi-tion, it includes an ultimate Frisbee disc carrying bag.The company also offers a starter Frisbee golf set—

Flyright Frisbee Golf Starter Set—that includes every-thing needed to get started in the sport.Wham-O also produces a range of snow sleds. The

Woody (shown) is a 46-inch new update of the classicwooden sled. It seats two people and includes a struc-tured foam top for added comfort. Attached to thewooden base are tracking rails that offer added controlas well as four handles.

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26 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT JANUARY 2009

TOY FAIR 2009

Nelvana Enterprises’ Max and Ruby are entertaining and mis-chievous bunny siblings now showing on Nick Jr., Noggin, andTreehouse TV. With the new Max and Ruby plush by JakksPacific, children can snuggle up with their favorite bunny buddiesand follow along on their adventures through the accompanyingstorybook and read-along CD.

Planet Toys has signed on as the NorthAmerican toy partner forGrossology, Nelvana’s animated series for kids ages 6–11, which

is on Discovery Kids inthe U.S. and YTV inCanada. Planet Toys willmanufacture science kitsand distribute the Anjarline of roleplay itemsand action figures basedon the science-basedcomedy series.

NELVANA

Kids can draw the wackiest, cra-ziest pictures they’ve ever seen withScratch Art’s Scratch Magic WackyScratch. Use the wood stylus toscratch the black coating and revealdesigns that will pop off the pageand create the illusion of movement.Each package includes four sheets, astencil, and a wooden stick.

SCRATCH ART

In Patch Products’ Pass the Pup, a fast-paced preschool game,one player will be left holding thepuppy when the music stops.When the pup’s belly ispressed, the song “Who Letthe Dogs Out?” plays for a ran-dom length of time. Playersquickly pass the pup aroundthe circle until the musicstops. Whoever is caughtholding the pup will have tobark, howl, roll over, or dosome other puppy activity.The pup also serves as a soft and cuddly compan-ion for preschoolers. Pass the Pup is for two or more players ages3 and up. It uses two button-cell batteries, which are included.

PATCH PRODUCTS

Creativity for Kids introduces new craft kits for boys in 2009.Customize a cool car with Custom Street Machine. Paint the carand then add rub-on transfer designs and 3-D stickers. The car ismade of solid wood with chrome-effect rims, and comes with astand to display the model. The kit is for ages 5 and up.

CREATIVITY FOR KIDS

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JANUARY 2009 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT 27

Action Products releasedthe OLogy line of productsunder its Action Toy line,created in partnership withthe American Museum ofNatural History. Germ Soap(shown) lets kids make theirown glycerin soaps in theshape of common bacteria,while also learning about the role microorganisms play in theecosystem. Other items include a collection of stylized woodkits that can be easily assembled and painted, a star gazer kit, acompass adventure kit, a shark adventure kit, and wall wrapsthat allow kids to create a room of wonder. A collector’s card ispacked with each product. To feed kids’ hunger for science andfun and to get the free Field Guide, kids are directed to go towww.fieldguide2adventure.com where they can download andprint a personalized OLogist certificate and enjoy additionalonline OLogy activities.

ACTION PRODUCTS

New products from Playmobilinclude the Research Submarine(shown). The Submarine comeswith an underwater motor and twoarms that grasp. The depth of thesubmarine in water can be adjust-ed with the hand pump. It also

includes two figures. It requires one AA battery, which is notincluded. The Research Submarine is for ages 4 and up.

Playmobil’s Family Home is a two-story house with attic win-dows that tilt, an extendable marquee, a terrace, furniture, and agrill. It includes four figures. The house also has a functioningdoorbell. It requires two AAA batteries, which are not included. Itis for ages 4 and up.

PLAYMOBIL

Play Visions’Club Earth division introduces the Splashy DashyOtter. This otter is battery operated and glides, turns, and twirls inwater, making random swimming motions in the pool and bath.

Play Visions has added a new twist to its Clackers—a maracashape on the ends and small beads inside. This combination pro-

duces a swishing soundwhile kids play with theMaraca Clackers.

PLAY VISIONS

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28 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT JANUARY 2009

2009 will see more expansion from the Pokémon line with sev-eral new Pokémon video game and TCG releases, the U.S. DVDrelease of Pokémon: Giratina and the Sky Warrior, the 12th sea-son of the television series, and an international QSR promotion.It will be punctuated by a series of TCG and video game tourna-ments leading to the Pokémon World Championship in August.

POKÉMON

The new Charge Large board game focuses on credit card man-agement and financial success. The game pits players in a compe-tition to become a Black Card Member. Each player starts with anentry-level Gold Credit Card and cash and must upgrade by mak-ing strategic investments and managing their cash and credit. Thegame is intended to teach players how to manage credit cards.

ARK BRAND

PlaSmart’s new i-Gami featuresunique plastic pieces that bend,fold, and snap together. Based onthe Japanese paper-folding art oforigami, i-Gami allows childrento create sharks, helicopters, flow-ers, dinosaurs, and more. There are ninekits, ranging from 54–600 pieces in size.

PLASMART

CopCorp’s It’s Happy Bunny brand will be expanding with theaddition of new licensee Anico International. Anico will be pro-ducing a full line of It’s Happy Bunny plush products for chainstores and small retailers. The line will include plush hand pup-pets, wrist wallets, and hanging plush pocket organizers.

COPCORP

ModelWorks’ new ActionJetz are sturdy toy planes with han-dles to help kids see the action as they fly the plane around theroom. The collection includes the F-18, A-10 Warthog, B-2Bomber, and F-16. ActionJetz tie in to the online world at action-jetz.com where kids can create their own personalized avatar, learnabout planes, and hang out with other kids.

MODELWORKS

TOY FAIR 2009

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JANUARY 2009 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT 29

Spin Master will expand its Air Hogs line with the new Wind Chaser Stunt Kite. The Wind Chaser can be controlled via the remote control thatdoubles as a cord-winder and handle to make kite stunts easy for kids to perform.

2009 will also see expansions to the Bakugan Battle Brawlers line of toys. The BakuganDisplay Case (shown) is a lightweight case for transporting Bakugan that comes with anadditional large-size Bakugan as a bonus. The Bakugan Hand Launcher gives players theability to launch Bakugan Brawlers with backspins, sidespins, and other techniques todirect the ball more accurately. The new Bakugan Character Super Pack includes oneBakugan monster, one metal Gate card, and one two-inch figure.

Spin Master will be expanding the PixOs activity line with new 3-D Character Kits.These new kits let kids make three different three-dimensional shapes using the PixOsdesign trays and PixOs pen.

The Tini Puppini Sparklini Hair Salon lets girls add sparkles to any Tini Puppini’s hair-do or to their own. It comes with 60 reusable sparklini hair sparkles.

SPIN MASTER

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There are many variations of thegenesis story of Klutz. The onethat John Cassidy, co-founder ofKlutz, is telling these daysbegins with three California

friends leading trips down a river.Cassidy, B.C. Rimbeaux, and Darrell

Lorentzen graduated college in the late 1970s, atime period when the atmosphere, as Cassidysays, was not career-oriented. “At that stage inour lives we weren’t interested in going to workevery morning,” he says. Instead, the friendslead tourists on white water trips and found thatone of the things they had to be on those tripswas entertaining. Because Cassidy andRimbeaux knew how to juggle, they wouldgather their passengers around and teach themhow to juggle using rocks. “It occurred to usthat there was a lot of interest in it and it didn’tseem like anyone had commercially tried topublish a book on juggling,” Cassidy says.This was also the time period of the Pet

Rock and Cassidy and his friends wanted apart of the “make a fortune in about 45 min-

utes and then retire to a lifetime of excess andindulgence” lifestyle, as Cassidy puts it. Sothey raised some money, wrote, and self-pub-lished a book on how to juggle—Juggling forthe Complete Klutz. Each person brought hisor her own skill to the task: Cassidy, theEnglish major, put the instructions in bookform; Lorentzen, the business major, wroteup a business plan; and Rimbeaux, the psy-chology major, secured a bank loan.Packaged with the book were three bean-

bags so that consumers had the tools to putinto practice what they were reading. “Wewere trying to make it practical because youcan’t learn how to juggle with balls becausethey roll,” Cassidy says. “And since so muchof juggling, at least in the beginning, is aboutdropping, balls are the worst things.”Over the course of one fall/Christmas,

the three friends sold their book in a hand-to-hand way, distributing the books viabicycle and backpack all over the PaloAlto, Calif. area. The book wasn’t an enor-mous failure, but the friends’ get-rich-quick scheme hadn’t panned out. Instead ofbeing a popular hit, the book had simplysold well and continued on that same path.After four years, each of the friends got

married and had children. It was Cassidy’schildren that sparked an idea. “I started look-ing at the Klutz book as maybe containingmore than we’d originally thought,” he says.“There may be something there. . . the idea oftaking a book and publishing it or marketingit with the tool of its trade attached.”

Rimbeaux and Lorentzen stayed financialpartners in Klutz while Cassidy pursued hisidea. Now 33 years and 140 titles later, Klutzis a publishing industry staple, becoming apart of Scholastic in 2002.There are hundreds of things Klutz books

teach consumers and the company continues tocome up with new ideas. A new book, set for aspring 2009 release, is called Tricky Video. Inthis book, kids learn how to make videos usingcell phone and digital video cameras. “All thekids are running around with cell phone cam-eras and video cameras and this is a book onhow to have fun with those things and make itlook like your dog is talking or your head fallsoff or some special effect kind of thing donevery low-tech,” Cassidy says. Example videoswill be available on the Klutz website.A link toeach video is included within the book.Klutz has been around long enough to

make a name for itself in the book industrybut also to see many changes. Cassidy saysthat Klutz ships to fewer retailers than it oncedid. There has been consolidation among thechains and there are less independent book-sellers. In addition, the emergence of theinternet has changed how people shop forbooks. “The U.S. probably buys as manybooks as it did 10 years ago but [consumers]go to fewer places to do it,” he says. “We’vebeen around long enough to see these trendscome and go. The only constant is change.”However, the one thing that will neverchange is the company’s commitment toshowing children how to have fun.

LEARNING HOW-TO WITH

30 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT JANUARY 2009

BY LAURIE HAHN

The newest Klutz book teaches kids how to makevideos with cell phone and digital video cameras.

Page 31: Toys & Family Entertainment, January 2009

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32 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT JANUARY 2009

YY OOUU’’

RREEHH II

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COPYRIGHT PROMOTIONS LICENSING GROUPKELLY ELWOOD, MANAGING DIRECTOR, CPLG CANADACopyright Promotions Licensing Group

(CPLG) named Kelly Elwood to managingdirector, CPLG Canada. She will head up theToronto office. Prior to this, Elwood spear-headed the international consumer productsdivision for Cookie Jar Entertainment. CPLGCanada is the Canadian affiliate of the CPLGgroup of companies, recently acquired byCookie Jar Entertainment.

SESAME WORKSHOPDRISCOLL & POLVERE, NEW HIRESSesame Workshop hired Karen Driscoll as vice-president

of marketing services and Diana Polvere as vice-presidentof market intelligence. Driscoll will oversee the devel-

opment and execution of market-ing plans and programs in supportof Sesame Street and The ElectricCompany. She will lead a teamresponsible for both consumer andtrade marketing programs thatbuild affinity and affection for theSesame Street brand, growing itsaudiences across multiple distribu-tion platforms. Driscoll will alsohelp shape and drive campaignideas, connecting activities acrossdepartments and proposing syner-gies to maximize resources andopportunities. Most recently, sheworked as a marketing consultantfor Worldwide Biggies, a digitalentertainment studio.Polvere will provide producers

and businesses with valuable insights about their audiences,markets, customers, and performance relative to the compe-tition. She will lead a team responsible for primary con-sumer market research, syndicated research, and mediaresearch. Polvere comes from American Express, where sheled a team in their global marketplace group, providingresearch insights for key business initiatives, new productdevelopment, product line strategy, brand communications,and positioning.

Karen Driscoll

Diana Polvere

LIONSGATE ENTERTAINMENTMICHAEL RATHAUSER, SENIOR VICE-PRESIDENT, MARKETINGLionsgate Entertainment promoted Michael

Rathauser to senior vice-president of marketingfor its home entertainment businesses. He willcontinue to oversee the strategy, marketing, andmanagement for Lionsgate Family Entertainmentas well as the StudioCanal library. Rathauserhas helped develop partnerships with children’s entertainment brandsincluding Marvel, Scholastic, American Greetings, and Mattel. He has alsobeen responsible for overseeing the StudioCanal library, which includesTerminator 2: Judgment Day, Total Recall, and Rambo.

ENTERTAINMENT RIGHTS PLCDEBORAH DUGAN, CEO Entertainment Rights Plc appointed Deborah

Dugan to CEO. Dugan has served as presidentand CEO of Entertainment Rights North Americasince April 2007, prior to which she was presi-dent of Disney Publishing Worldwide.

Page 33: Toys & Family Entertainment, January 2009

JANUARY 2009 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT 33

AT&T lays off 12,000. Mattel lays off 1,000. Citigroup lays off 50,000.Viacom lays off 850. NBCUniversal lays off 500. These are staggering numbers,but when repeated over and over throughout the course of a news day they real-ly just start to sound like, well, numbers. But each of these numbers is an indi-vidual employee who worked late, rescheduled a vacation, came in on Saturday,or neglected time with their children for their job. Each of them has their ownindividual story. For some, a layoff may be the push they need to start somethingthey really wanted to do. But for the vast majority, job loss is devastating.And that brings us to PAUL NAWROCKI, a toy industry veteran. Google

his name and see that he has become an international media sensation. Heis now, quite literally, the poster-child of the economic crisis. After beinglaid off from Sababa months ago he started looking for a job the same way

everyone else does. . . and he got nowhere. And, as they say, drastic timescall for drastic measures. So Nawrocki put on a suit, donned a sandwichboard detailing his plight, and stood in front of New York City’s GrandCentral Terminal in an effort to find a job (see picture below). His out-of-the-box thinking has catapulted him into the media spotlight. Even thoughhe is making headlines he is also still looking for a full-time position.We have certainly been in touch with many people who have recently been

laid off and we thought we’d profile two of them this month: Nawrocki andRACHEL BRENNER (formerly of Steve and Barry’s). The goal is to find eachperson a new position. If your company is hiring for these positions, pleaseread below and contact these individuals. If you would like to be profiled in anupcoming issue, please contact Nancy Lombardi at [email protected].

PAULW. [email protected]

HOME (845) 831–1802 • CELL: (646) 584–3900

SEEKING: I would like a position in a company that works as ateam for the common goal, that can find a sense of fun in the toybusiness even though it is business. I would like to work for a

company that is financially stable with realistic goals for the company and its employ-ees. I live in Beacon, N.Y., which is easily accessible to most of the tri-state area.

PREVIOUS POSITION: director of operations, New York-based Sababa Group, Inc.

PREVIOUS RESPONSIBILITIES: I was in the middle of operations, sales, and product devel-opment to coordinate production—taking into account sales projections, time lines fromproduct development, lead times, and MOQs from vendors. I acted as liaison betweenthe N.Y. office and Hong Kong contacts and vendors. I placed master purchase ordersfor production of inventory to cover our projected needs for domestic inventory andFOB orders from our customers. I oversaw the order processing department for theinput and fulfillment of our domestic orders, FOB orders, and international orders.

STRENGTHS: I am tenacious and reliable. I always make a point of understanding theprocesses around me so I can work with the limitations that exist while looking forways to improve the system. Proficient in Excel and Word.

PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE: I have worked in almost every area of operations, from salesadministration to import management. I have traveled to see vendors in China duringpeak shipping season for a month at a time.

RACHEL [email protected]

SEEKING: full-time corporate and/or consumer public rela-tions position in New York City. Also interested in free-lance opportunities and/or work-from-home situation.

PREVIOUS POSITION: senior manager of public relationsSteve & Barry’s (New York-based national apparel retailer)

PREVIOUS RESPONSIBILITIES: I handled media relationsand corporate communication, also serving as companyspokesperson. My work included the launch and on-going publicity efforts for brands including SarahJessica Parker, Venus Williams, Stephon Marbury,Amanda Bynes, WWE, Hershey’s, and Marvel.

STRENGTHS: I am a media relations and communicationprofessional with experience in attaining bottom-lineresults. I’m a team player skilled in working with all levelsof management. I have expertise in television, print, andradio media; crisis communication; company profiles;media-plan development; market and competitive research;and staff management. Proficient in Excel and PowerPoint.

PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE: public relations and communica-tion intern for Hadassah (an international non-profitwomen’s organization) in Jerusalem, Israel

ONE LAYOFF IS A TRAGEDY, ONE MILLION IS A STATISTIC

Page 34: Toys & Family Entertainment, January 2009

34 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT JANUARY 2009

CALEND

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INDUSTRY-RELATED TRADE SHOWS

FEBRUARY5–10 Nuremberg Toy Fair nurembergtoyfair.com Nuremberg Exhibition Center Nuremberg, Germany6–8 New York Comic Con nycomiccon.com Jacob Javits Convention Center New York City7–10 San Francisco International Gift Fair sfigf.com Moscone Center San Francisco12–14 Global Pet Expo globalpetexpo.com Orange County Convention Center Orlando15–18 Toy Fair 2009 toyassociation.org Jacob Javits Convention Center New York City17–19 MAGIC Marketplace magiconline.com Las Vegas Convention Center Las Vegas

MARCH6–9 Halloween Costume & Party Show hcpshow.com The Sands Expo & Convention Center Las Vegas7–10 Western States Toy & Hobby Show wthra.com The Fairplex Pomona, CA

APRIL14–17 GAMATrade Show gama.org Bally’s Las Vegas Las Vegas18–20 Hawaii Market Merchandise Expo douglastradeshows.com Exhibition Hall, Blaisdell Center Honolulu27–30 Hong Kong Gifts & Premium Fair hkgiftspremiumfair.com Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Center Wanchai, Hong Kong

MAY6–8 ToyCon 2009 toyassociation.org Wigwam Golf Resort and Spa Litchfield Park, AZ19–21 All Candy Expo allcandyexpo.com McCormick Place Chicago

JUNE2–4 E3 e3expo.com Los Angeles Convention Center Los Angeles14–17 ASTRA astratoy.com St. Paul Rivercentre St. Paul, MN24–28 Origins Game Fair originsgames.com Greater Columbus Convention Center Columbus, OH

LICENSING INTERNATIONAL EXPO 2009TUESDAY–THURSDAY, JUNE 2–4; MANDALAY BAY CONVENTION CENTER,

LAS VEGAS

FALL TOY PREVIEW

TUESDAY–THURSDAY, OCTOBER 6–9; DALLAS MARKET CENTER, DALLAS

Page 35: Toys & Family Entertainment, January 2009

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T F E 0 1 0 9

Page 36: Toys & Family Entertainment, January 2009

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