toys & family entertainment, june 2011

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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, June 2011
Page 2: Toys & Family Entertainment, June 2011
Page 3: Toys & Family Entertainment, June 2011

Table of Contents

June 2011volume 6, no. 6

26 LEgO’s Success Strengthens Construction Categoryby Chris Adams

28 Construction: Product Presentationby Chris Adams

30 Everyone’s A gamer—Even If They Don’t Know It

by Laurie Leahey

32 video games: Product Presentationby Laurie Leahey

34 Specialty Emporium: Out of the boxby Jennifer Lynch

36 ASTrA Showcasecompiled by Chris Adams

48 Licensing Show Highlights the Active Summer of 2011by Chris Adams

50 Licensing Show 2011 compiled by Laurie Leahey and Jennifer Lynch

(left to right) Ludorum’s

Chuggington, Rovio’s Angry

Birds, which is managed by

Striker Entertainment for

licensing, Voltron classic from

Classic Media, Cartoon

Network’s Adventure Time,

Cloud B’s Pink Twilight

Ladybug, Alex’s My Busy

Town, and Hasbro’s Kre-O

Transformers Optimus Prime

in robot mode

on the coverLEGO’s Cars 2 Ultimate Build

Lightning McQueen and

Nintendo’s newest handheld,

the 3DS, which lets players

play 3-D video games without

the use of special glasses.

COvEr bY DESIgn EDgE

on this pagefeatures departments4 Observations & Opinions

6 Sizzlers

8 Specialty Sizzlers

10 The Ticker

12 Entertainment Marketplace:

Build-A-Bear Workshop

14 Merchandise Makers:

Round 5

16 Industry Forum: TIA

18 Industry Forum: ASTRA

20 Industry Forum:

Design Edge

22 Industry Forum:

BFG Communications

24 Industry Forum:

Shopatron

64 You’re Hired

66 Calendar of Events

Page 4: Toys & Family Entertainment, June 2011

From PlayCon to Licensing Show

4 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT JUNE 2011

ObservatiO

ns

& O

pin

iOn

s

PUBLISHED BY ANB MEDIA • Volume 6, Number 6

PUBLISHER BOB GLASER

[email protected]

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER ANDY [email protected]

ADVERTISING MANAGER DONNA MOORE

[email protected]

CONTROLLER MARY GROGAN

[email protected]

EDITOR IN CHIEF JIM [email protected]

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR NANCY LOMBARDI

[email protected]

MANAGING EDITOR CHRIS ADAMS

[email protected]

EDITOR AT LARGE CHRISTOPHER [email protected]

EDITOR LAURIE [email protected]

ASSISTANT EDITOR JENNIFER [email protected]

WEB MASTER ERIK [email protected]

WEB CONTENT MANAGER BRENDAN [email protected]

CONTRIBUTORS

MARK GRONDIN; KATHLEEN MCHUGH; KEVIN MEANY;MATT NUCCIO, [email protected]; TIA STAFF

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 is published eight times per year by aNb

Media. Copyright 2011 aNb Media. All rights reserved. No part of this pub-

lication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, or by any means, elec-

tronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information

storage and retrieval system, without written permission from the publisher.

Printed in the U.S.A. TOyS & Family EnTErTainmEnT and SPECialTy EmPOrium

are registered trademarks of aNb Media. Opinions and comments expressed

in this publication by editors, contributing writers, or solicited or unsolicited

documents are not necessarily those of management.

WWW.ANBMEDIA.COM

Last month I attended PlayCon. It’s the Toy Industry Association’s newly

named annual industry gathering, which took place for several days in

Arizona. The conference featured social gatherings as well as various meet-

ings and presentations. Some presentations were motivational speakers,

others were panelists discussing pertinent issues related to the toy industry.

This year, PlayCon featured several breakout sessions. There was a lot of talk specifi-

cally about social media. Social media is a place where aNb Media is deeply entrenched.

Last month in this space I wrote about how powerful social media has become in

today’s world and how most toy companies have been slow to adapt to, and utilize,

social media as part of their marketing campaigns. Several presentations at PlayCon

featured statistics about how more buying decisions are now based on word of

mouth. More of today’s moms are relying on social media, and recommendations

gleaned from these sources, to influence purchases. In question-and-answer sessions,

several people raised the expected return-on-investment (ROI) concern. How can a

toy manufacturer quantify money invested in social media? How does it drive sales?

It may be very hard to say that $100,000 invested in a social media campaign will

result in a $1 million or even $10 million increase in sales. Yet, social media is here

to stay. It’s becoming more influential and, yes, more invasive, with each passing

day. And you will see ROI—even if it doesn’t happen overnight.

On our consumer website TimetoPlayMag.com we offer a variety of ways to

reach moms through social media. Connect through the Time to Play Facebook page,

the weekly Time to Play Live game show on Twitter, or by visiting

TimetoPlayMag.com. We are helping toy companies promote their products through

social media. We invite you to visit our various destinations to see how it’s working

for others. Email me at [email protected] to discuss cost-effective opportunities.

Switching gears a bit, this month’s main attraction is Licensing Show in Las Vegas.

2011 looks like it will be a banner year for licensed toys, specifically movie-licensed

toys. Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides recently opened to huge box-office

numbers. More movies with licensed goods are slated for release throughout the year.

The next, most notably, is Cars 2. While performing well at the box office is not a guar-

antee that product will move off retail shelves, it certainly helps to have millions of peo-

ple, especially children, familiar with the characters. Recently, I have been hearing from

some toy manufacturers that licensing toys from popular movies has gotten too expen-

sive and too risky. The window in which to sell toys from a movie is only open for so

long before it slams shut. While this is true, if the characters truly resonate with kids,

they will still want to purchase, and play with, the toys long after the movie has left the

box office. The best example of this is the Disney/Pixar property Cars. Since it hit

screens in 2006, it hasn’t even needed a movie to sell a ton of product.

Lastly, I look forward to seeing everyone at the ASTRA Marketplace & Academy

starting June 19 in Anaheim, Calif.

BY BOB GLASER

Page 5: Toys & Family Entertainment, June 2011
Page 6: Toys & Family Entertainment, June 2011

PowerRangersSamuraiDeluxe

Megazord

6 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT JUNE 2011

SizzlerS

Sizzlers: What’s Moving Off Store Shelves? What Are the Hottest Web Orders?

Angry Birds Plush with sound

Commonwealth

APPles to APPles

Mattel

BeyBlAde MetAl Fusion

hasbro

CArs 2: die-CAst AssortMent

Mattel

Kid-tough digitAl CAMerA

Fisher-Price

lego ninjAgo AssortMent

lego

lego stAr wArs AssortMent

lego

Mini lAlAlooPsy doll AssortMent

MgA entertainment

Monster high doll AssortMent

Mattel

Power rAngers sAMurAi ACtion Figure AssortMent

Bandai

sCriBBle & write

leapFrog

squinKies

Blip toys

steP2 wAterwheel PlAy tABle

step2

thor lightning hAMMer

hasbro

trAnsForMers: dArK oF the Moon AssortMent

hasbro

Zhu Zhu PuPPies

Cepia

MiniLalaloopsy

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.

Kid-ToughDigital Camera

Thor LightningHammer

Page 7: Toys & Family Entertainment, June 2011
Page 8: Toys & Family Entertainment, June 2011

8 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT JUNE 2011

SpecialtySizzlerS

Specialty Sizzlers: What’s Moving OffStore Shelves in the Specialty Market?

TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT continues its monthly poll of individual specialty retailers. Rather than polling retailersnationwide, this month we asked TOY HOUSE & BABY TOO’S Phil Wrzesinski for the current top sellers. Listed below,in alphabetical order, are what consumers recently purchased in store as well as online at TOYHOUSEONLINE.COM.TOY HOUSE & BABY TOO is located in Jackson, Mich., where it has 30,000 square feet of selling and warehousespace. The store opened in 1949 and has been in business for three generations.

4M SCIENCE KITS • TOYSMITH“These are the perfect size, price, and lessons for homeschoolers,” says Phil Wrzesinski ofToy House & Baby Too. “We even have science camps that have ordered these by the case.”

CALICO CRITTERS • INTERNATIONAL PLAYTHINGS“These are always a strong item for us,” he says. “The families were especially popular atEaster, which has kicked off a mini-resurgence.”

DJUBI • MOONRACER

INDESTRUCTIBLE BOOKS • WORKMAN PRESS“These are made out of virtually indestructible material,” Wrzesinski says. “These booksare hands down our best-selling titles, even though they don’t contain a single word!Parents love the fact they are rip-proof, chew-proof, and waterproof. And making upstories to go with the pictures makes these an excellent parent/child interactive item.”

KLUTZ LINE OF BOOKS • KLUTZ“One of my Phil’s Top 10 Toys. We have seen fabulous sell-through across the line,”he says. “The juggling book continues to be one of our consistent best-sellers.”

PLAYMAT ASSORTMENT • NEAT-OH!

SUNNY PATCH TOYS • MELISSA & DOUG

TWILIGHT TURTLE AND LADYBUG • CLOUD B“This is the single best-selling item in the store,” he says. “It helps to have a darkroom for showing it off—we use our men’s bathroom.”

WHITE MOUTAIN 1,000-PIECE PUZZLES • WHITE MOUNTAIN“With the economy the way it is, puzzle sales have picked up dramatically,” Wrzesinski says.

ZOOBIES BLANKET PETS • ZOOBIES“A beneficiary of all the Pillow Pets advertising, our Zoobies are flying off the shelf, especiallywhen the customer sees that it comes with a blanket and is well made,” he says.

TwilightLadybug

ZoobiesBlanketPets

Calico CrittersTreehouse

Page 9: Toys & Family Entertainment, June 2011
Page 10: Toys & Family Entertainment, June 2011

Mattel to Fund ReseaRch PRojects about Play

Mattel announced that it would fund four university research projects focused on the impact of play

in children’s early development. The Mattel Play Research Grants recipients will explore a wide

range of play-focused topics over the next 12 months, including the impact of play on creative

thinking, problem solving, and the development of language, social, and cognitive skills.

The first four inaugural grants have been awarded to Anna Shusterman, Ph.D., Hilary Barth,

Ph.D., and Emily Slusser, Ph.D., of Wesleyan University; Ted Hutman, Ph.D., of University of

California Los Angeles; Susan Menkes, M.A., of Claremont Graduate University; Kathy Hirsh-

Pasek, Ph.D., Kelly R. Fisher, Ph.D., and Kuba Glazek, Ph.D. candidate, of Temple University;

and Roberta M. Golinkoff, Ph.D., of University of Delaware.

The Wesleyan University “Understanding the Power of Play: Study” will focus on assessing the

cognitive benefits of independent, self-directed play with toys. University of California Los Angeles’

“Mother-Child Play Interactions with and without Toys: The Impact of Toys on the Development of

Language, Social, and Cognitive Skills: Study” will examine the benefits of toy play and will identify mechanisms of change in mother-

child interactions during a critical stage of development. The Claremont Graduate University “The Influence of Play Platform, Age, and

Executive Functioning Skills: Study” will investigate the impact of playing with emerging play platforms on children’s comprehension of

material, as well as the extent to which executive functioning skills contribute to children’s comprehension. Temple University’s

“Exploring Contextual and Play Material Constraints on Creative Thinking and Problem Solving in Early Childhood: Study” will explore

the impact of play-based (free play, guided play) and didactic instructional approaches on children’s problem solving and creativity, as well

as examine how toy structure during free play influences children’s play behaviors and creative problem solving.

disney stoRes to exPand

Disney Store announced that it plans to open its interactive concept stores in more than

40 locations this year. The company says that by the end of 2011, it will have 60 new con-

cept stores in 16 major markets in North America and eight countries.

New and remodeled Disney Store locations to open throughout the fall and winter

of 2011 include:

• Disney Store’s Florida Mall location in Orlando will be remodeled this fall with the

new design, and Pembroke Lakes Mall in Pembroke Pines, Fla., will open an all-

new location.

• Locations in Canada’s West Edmonton Mall in Edmonton, Alberta, and Southcentre Mall in Calgary

will open this fall.

• Kenwood Towne Center in Cincinnati will receive the first newly designed Disney Store in the state of Ohio.

A Recap of Industry HeadlinesFor More News, Visit www.aNbMedia.com • Sign up to Receive FREE Weekly News Blasts

10 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT JUNE 2011

The symbol to the left is a special type of bar code called a QR code. If you have a QR code app installed on

your smartphone (there are many free versions available), snapping a picture of the code to the left will direct

your phone’s internet browser to www.aNbMedIa.coM where you can read the latest industry news, sign up

for free weekly news blasts, access the content of Toys & Family EnTErTainmEnT, and much more.

T HE

TICK

ER

Page 11: Toys & Family Entertainment, June 2011

JUNE 2011 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT 11

• Texas will celebrate the opening of Disney Store locations at La Plaza Mall in McAllen and Houston Galleria in Houston.

• The first newly designed Disney Store in Missouri will open at the St. Louis Galleria.

• California will get two new locations this fall with stores opening in the Galleria at Roseville in Roseville and Westfield Fashion

Square in Sherman Oaks, Calif.

Thinkway Toys inTroduces Lazer sTunT chaser

Thinkway Toys’ new Lazer Stunt Chaser line includes remote-control vehi-

cles that chase after a light beam that is projected from their remote control.

The 1:32-scale dual-sided vehicles feature a different design on each side, and

can be driven with either side facing up. The cars are designed to exhibit speed,

agility, and control and to perform flips, stunts, and jumps. Each of the

Dragonfire and Flameout sets includes a Lazer Stunt Chaser car with a built-in

rechargeable battery, battery deck charger, wireless infrared remote control,

stunt ramp, and instruction guide. Two accessory items are also available—

Lazer Stunt Chaser Double Roll Turbo Jump Stunt Zone and the Lazer Stunt

Chaser Cyclone Force Stunt Zone.

Luken and cLassic Media To Launch new neTwork

Luken Communications, an owner and operator of television broadcast stations in the U.S., has teamed up with Classic Media to

create a new network called PBJ. PBJ will bring iconic characters and shows from the 1950s, ’60s, ’70s, and ’80s to television nation-

wide, 24 hours a day.

PBJ is set to launch this summer with titles from Classic Media’s portfolio including The Archie’s, Mr.

Magoo, The Lone Ranger, Gumby, Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids, and more. Luken will make PBJ

available to broadcasters, cable, and satellite.

asTra coMMissions web shopping sTudy

The American Specialty Toy Retailing Association (ASTRA) announced that it has commis-

sioned a study, which will explore the effects of discount internet sales from all aspects. The find-

ings will be presented at ASTRA’s Marketplace & Academy in June. ASTRA commissioned

researcher Stacy Mitchell of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance to work with manufactur-

ers, retailers, and others to identify concerns and develop solutions for navigating this new

frontier. A preliminary report will be presented at the ASTRA annual membership meeting,

Monday, June 20 from 8—9:30 A.M. in Anaheim, Calif.

hexbug To be Licensed by pdQInnovation First International, creators of Hexbug Micro Robotic Creatures, announced that

it has signed with PDQ, Building Q’s sister company. PDQ will both license the Hexbug brand as well as

seek out appropriate and strategic licenses to apply to the toy line. Woody Browne, managing partner of PDQ, and Scott Shahmanesh, of

Brandemonium, are working in tandem to develop a licensed program of core partners and products.

Lazer Stunt Chaser

Page 12: Toys & Family Entertainment, June 2011

In 1997, a new retail concept was

introduced that allowed children to

make their own stuffed animals.

Kids get to choose which furry

friend they want to make and then

go through a series of steps with the guid-

ance of a Build-A-Bear store employee,

or Bear Builder associate. Stuff the bear,

stitch it up, fluff it up, dress it up, and take

it home. Kids can name their bear and

print out a personalized birth certificate.

During this step, the bear is registered in

the Find-A-Bear ID tracking system,

which helps kids find their bear if it gets

lost. Kids can also add pre-recorded

sounds or songs to their bear or record

their own special message.

Build-A-Bear Workshop offers its

“retail entertainment experience” in more

than 400 stores worldwide, including

company-owned stores in the U.S., Puerto

Rico, Canada, the UK, and Ireland, and

franchise stores in Europe, Asia,

Australia, Africa, the Middle East, and

Mexico. There are also make-your-own

Major League Baseball mascot in-stadi-

um locations and Build-A-Dino stores.

The in-store experience extends even

further with Build-A-Bear Workshop’s free

virtual world website, Bearville.com. On

this site, kids bring their new furry friend to

life by using the code found on its birth cer-

tificate. Create a unique online character

and play games to earn Bear Bills, which

can be used to purchase virtual clothes, fur-

niture, and other items for the bear.

A Squared Entertainment (A2) is the

licensing agency for Build-A-Bear

Workshop. There are several licensees

currently onboard, but A2 is looking for

more in categories including toys,

mobile/interactive, publishing, games and

puzzles, infant, novelty, apparel, acces-

sories, food/candy, home furnishings, sea-

sonal and costumes, social expressions

and party, and stationery. The recent sign-

ings of international subagents (Wild

Pumpkin for Australia and New Zealand,

and Bulldog Licensing for the UK) will

offer children around the world Build-A-

Bear products that allow them to create

and use their imaginations.

A SquAred eNtertAiNmeNtBY LAURIE LEAHEY

ENTE

RTAI

NM

ENT

MAR

KET

PLAC

E

12 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT JUNE 2011

Need to KNow

• Since 1997, more

than 90 million stuffed

animals have been

made worldwide at

Build-A-Bear

Workshop.

• Build-A-Bear

Workshop has a large

online presence. Its

virtual world,

Bearville.com, has

more than 19

million accounts. There

are more than one

million fans of Build-

A-Bear Workshop on

Facebook and more

than 15,000 followers

of the company’s

Twitter feed.

Buildabear.com receives

two million unique

visitors per month.

Page 13: Toys & Family Entertainment, June 2011

JUNE 2011 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT 13

coloRbÖkColorbök produces Build-A-Bear

Workshop craft and activity sets. The Build-

A-Bear Workshop MIBI Mobile includes

four metal frames, 21 grams of baking crys-

tals, six jump rings, and a suction cup. It is

for ages 6 and up.

conAgRA FoodSBuild-A-Bear Workshop fruit snacks are

available in grocery stores nationwide.

These bear-shaped fruit snacks come in dif-

ferent flavors and have 100 percent of the

daily recommended value of Vitamin C.

PeM AMeRIcAPem America manufactures Build-A-

Bear Workshop bedding sets for bears and

kids. The bear bedding is sold exclusively at

Build-A-Bear Workshop stores, with the

opportunity to order the matching bedding

for kids. Shown is the Friendship is Furever

bedding set. Also available is the Sports set.

PlAyMAteS And enteRPlAyTwo of the newest licensees to join the

Build-A-Bear Workshop licensing program

are Playmates Toys and Enterplay.

Playmates Toys will develop a toy line that

includes mini figures and playsets. The line

will launch at specialty and mass-market

retailers in 2012.

Enterplay will create a line of Build-A-

Bear Workshop fun packs. The global spe-

cialty and mass-market program includes

trading cards, novelty items, mini plush with

trading cards, and other trend products. The

trading cards will tie into Bearville.com.

PulASkI FuRnItuRePulaski Furniture’s Build-A-Bear

Workshop furniture contains interchangeable

panels for the drawer fronts to easily change the

colors and alternate drawer knobs.

FRIMA StudIoSBuild-A-Bear Workshop and FRIMA

Studios created a free Build-A-Bear

Workshop app for the iPod Touch, iPhone,

and iPad. Kids can play games (such as

Bearachuting), win virtual gifts, sync win-

nings to their Bearville.com accounts, watch

videos, get Build-A-Bear Workshop news,

find stores, and more.

Page 14: Toys & Family Entertainment, June 2011

Until 2008, Damon Lau was

the owner of a Toronto-

based boutique ad agency,

focused on working with

consumer products compa-

nies and specializing in niche campaigns. But

on the side, Lau had a hobby for mixed mar-

tial arts (MMA). “I was originally just one of

those hardcore fans,” he says. “I watched the

sport as much as Canadians watch hockey.”

Lau has always used marketing techniques

and worked with products and companies that

in some way were a personification of him.

So, in 2006 it made sense that he took on a

client in Toronto who focused on the MMA

space. This introduced him to other people

involved in the sport, including his now-

friend and fighter Randy Couture, whom Lau

describes as the “Wayne Gretzsky of MMA.”

“We [Couture and I] were having dinner in

2007, and we were talking about how the

sport had blown up but how even at that stage,

there were limited partners working with the

UFC,” he says. From there the conversation

moved from ideas about creating gag cauli-

flower ears (an injury unique to fighters) for

fans to toy action figures. The latter idea

stuck. With the means to make it happen,

what started as a pet project for Lau quickly

grew into a full-time business, Round 5.

Within a few months it had signed top

fighters, including Couture, for the first round

of MMA action figures. By mid-2009 a

licensing agreement with the UFC earned

Round 5 the rights to more UFC fighters and

the attention of retailers. As the sport grew in

popularity, so did the demand for Round 5 fig-

ures. “Three years ago, I would never have

imagined that I could convince my Walmart

buyer to buy a UFC product,” Lau says.

But getting shelf space is only half the bat-

tle. Deciding what fighters to make into fig-

ures can be a gamble. “The joke in this office

is we almost have to try to predict who the

winners are nine months to a year ahead of

time,” says Lau. “Everyone likes winners, or

key personalities. And people who are popu-

lar now may not be popular in a year and a

half from now.” At the Toronto UFC Fan

Expo in April, Round 5 released an exclusive

action figure of the UFC welterweight cham-

pion in Canada, Georges St-Pierre. Selling

only 1,000 units, there was a line of about 250

people waiting before the doors to the show

opened. “We had people literally running

down the aisles to our booth,” Lau says. “It

really was like a Black Friday type of experi-

ence.” The item sold out on the first day,

and sold on eBay for six times its original

cost, according to Lau.

It’s clear these fans are devoted and Round

5 relies on input from these consumers just as

much as from UFC insiders, when deciding

on new action figures. The company even

shares prototypes with fans through its blog.

It’s this kind of open exchange of information

that makes the company work. It shares

insight about MMA and ensures product satis-

faction, which allows the fanaticism of the

sport to cross over into fanaticism of Round 5.

“I think the core thing —and this is an on-

going trend that I think is happening with toy

licensing in this category—is you can’t be

one of those companies that simply sign the

license but doesn’t have key brand managers

who truly understand the breadth and demo-

graphic beyond the standard [casual] con-

sumer,” he says. A company must have a

passion for what it is working on. Fans will

know the difference.

In knowing its fan base, Round 5 offered

consumers a unique opportunity to become an

action figure. At the Toronto UFC Fan Expo,

fans were able to take 3-D scans of their heads

and have them super-imposed on an action

figure’s body. The experience let fans become

their idols. “For us, when you’re purchasing

our products, you’re purchasing it not only

because you’re a UFC fan but because you

love this guy. He’s your idol,” says Lau.

While the company previously only

focused on creating UFC action figures,

Round 5 just signed a five-year licensing

agreement with Bruce Lee Enterprises

for the master toy, roleplay, and game

license for products under the Bruce Lee

banner. This, coupled with a year-round

season of MMA to deliver new athletes to

the ring, shows that the future of Round

5 is poised for success.

Fighting PromPts Action Figures

prototypes of Round 5’s UFC action figures

BY JENNIFER LYNCH

MerchandiseM

akers

14 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT JUNE 2011

Page 15: Toys & Family Entertainment, June 2011
Page 16: Toys & Family Entertainment, June 2011

Members of the toy, marketing, licensing, and

youth entertainment industries gathered at

PlayCon, the Toy Industry Association’s

(TIA) International Conference of Play

Professionals, held May 4–6, 2011, at The

Hyatt Regency Resort and Spa at Gainey Ranch in Scottsdale, Ariz.

The following is a brief recap of what transpired at the event.

Keynote speaker Mike Bonifer, author of GameChangers:

Improvisation for Business in the Networked World, stressed the

importance of “improvisation” in business. “Improvisation liber-

ates performance within structure. And a teamwork-oriented envi-

ronment will turn mistakes into opportunities,” says Bonifer, who

encouraged PlayCon attendees to “follow the fear” and then direct

the right kind of knowledge and energy to the problem of the

moment with a “game structure” approach that gives every busi-

ness an opportunity to liberate creativity.

PANELS AND BREAKOUT SESSIONS: DAY 1• Natasha Galavotti and Ned Flanagan from The Marketing Store

led the breakout session on “Sourcing Beyond China,” where they

explored toy manufacturing options beyond southern China that

help companies manage risk and cost. The speakers addressed

industry dynamics, trends, manufacturing challenges, and sourcing

options to mitigate or overcome those challenges, as well as ideas on

how to approach and explore opportunities in the region.

• During Social Media: What’s Now? What’s New? Barbara

Jones of One2OneNetwork stressed that it’s not really a question

about if you’re going to use social media to promote your brand,

it’s how well you are going to do it.

• Anita Frazier, The NPD Group’s industry analyst specializing

in toys and video games, reported that toys captured the third high-

est dollar share (14 percent) of the purchases for kids ages 0–14

among nearly 20 consumer categories. Frazier said that the toy

industry is “in an unprecedented period of transformation. Kids’

attention is being directed to many more categories than just toys.”

• Andrew Dobbie (Gameplan Europe Ltd.) and Richard Gill

(NH Contract Management, LLC) led Accessing Overseas

Markets—a session about how small and medium-sized compa-

nies can introduce products to the global marketplace. The speak-

ers discussed available opportunities and the top-line associated

costs (e.g., additional testing, packaging, etc.). They suggested

that an organization wishing to launch an overseas presence

should consider working with local distributors. They stressed the

importance of getting to know a new market before entering it.

• In Demystifying Direct Response TV, Susan Nia of

Funosophy, Inc., described the DRTV buyer as “affluent, married

with children, and trending toward female.” To use the DRTV

approach to reach a specific type of buyer, Nia recommended that

companies leverage brand awareness, educate consumers about

product benefits and features, and push sell-through.

• Blogging for Dollars: How to turn bloggers into brand

ambassadors and buzz into bucks led by Stephanie Azzarone of

Child’s Play Communications delved deeper into one aspect of

social media: the Mommy Blogger. Azzarone strongly encour-

aged that every organization start by developing a social media

plan that includes the identification of the mom bloggers that are

the best fit for the specific product/brand/company.

PANELS AND BREAKOUT SESSIONS: DAY 2• Through the Eyes of Retail: Landscape 2011, moderated by

PlayCon chair Bob Wann and comprised of Karen Dodge (Toys

“R” Us), Kathleen Campisano (Barnes & Noble), Julia Fitzgerald

(Sears Holding Corporation), and Lindsay Gaskins (Marbles), dis-

cussed retailers’ use of social media; the expected surge in popu-

larity of toys for boys in the coming year; the impact of rising

costs (in fuel, labor, etc.); the rapidly growing Hispanic consumer

market; and looking broader than a toy’s category level to avoid

missing emerging opportunities and much more.

• The Consumer Insights panel discussion was moderated by

PlayCon vice-chair Nancy Zwiers and featured Ron Geraci

(Nickelodeon), Rene Weber (The Marketing Store), Michael Cohen

(The Michael Cohen Group), and Kathleen Alfano (Fisher-Price). A

common theme throughout the presentations was “maximize value”

and included research on the various ways that toys and play pat-

terns have both a functional value and aspirational/social value.

PlayCon 2012 will take place May 15–17, 2012, at the Gaylord

National Hotel & Convention Center On the Potomac in Md. It

will be held, for the first time, in conjunction with TIA’s annual

DC Fly-In. Visit toyassociation.org for more information.

A Recap of PlayCon 2011

16 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT JUNE 2011

BY TIA STAFF

IndustryForum

Page 17: Toys & Family Entertainment, June 2011
Page 18: Toys & Family Entertainment, June 2011

There’s something special about

specialty. It’s in the quality of

the toys, the expertise of spe-

cialty toy retailers, and the

service that specialty toy

stores provide. In the trade, we are well

aware of these differences. But how do we

ensure that parents, grandparents, and other

consumers who make up the specialty cus-

tomer base understand what’s so special?

The American Specialty Toy Retailing

Association (ASTRA) created Neighborhood

Toy Store Day to promote the advantages of

shopping at an independ-

ent, locally owned spe-

cialty toy store. Our

strategy is to stake a

claim on the second

Saturday in November

every year, and make

as loud a noise as we

can—both nationally

and in local ASTRA

markets—about the spe-

cialty difference. The timing coincides with

the start of the holiday shopping season and

the public announcement of ASTRA’s annual

Best Toys for Kids list.

TIPS FOR MAKING THE MOST

OF NEIGHBORHOOD TOY STORE DAY

ASTRA provides its members a recog-

nizable logo; a free, step-by-step guidebook

for making your store a must-do destination

on that day; and ready-to-go tools you can

use to help generate media coverage of your

Neighborhood Toy Store Day event. Across

the country, ASTRA supports members’

efforts through a national media campaign

focused on both traditional and social media.

Here are some tips for making

Neighborhood Toy Store Day a success.

• Start planning now. Many ASTRA

retailers report that their fourth quarter takes

shape at ASTRA’s Marketplace & Academy,

which takes place this month, where they

see the full array of products available for

the holiday season. It’s around the same time

that you should build your Neighborhood

Toy Store Day strategy and think through

plans for using the Best Toys for Kids list to

generate publicity for your store. The earlier

you plan, the more you can integrate buying,

promotion, and publicity efforts into a prof-

itable package that effectively markets your

store in the fourth quarter.

• get ideaS from your peerS. What will

attract new customers to your store on

Neighborhood Toy Store Day? While

ASTRA provides a guidebook full of idea

starters, the creativity of ASTRA retailers is

legendary. As an ASTRA member, you

have multiple opportunities to share ideas

with your fellow retailers. It could be at

Marketplace & Academy, on ASTRA’s list-

serv (soon to be upgraded to a private

online discussion group), or by simply

making a phone call to another member.

• Build your Store’S media liSt. Media

coverage of your store is priceless. To get it,

you need to start with an up-to-date media

contact list. You are probably knowledge-

able about the local media in your area, but

you may be surprised at how your cus-

tomers are receiving information. The inter-

net and particularly mommy blogs have

become a go-to source for parenting infor-

mation—including advice on where to

shop. Ask your customers what channels

they watch on TV, what radio stations they

listen to, what local newspapers, magazines,

and especially blogs they read, and where

they go to find toy ideas for their children.

Once you see the trends, you can find the

names and contact information of reporters

or bloggers quickly on the internet.

• ConSider BeSt toyS for KidS aS a

holiday SaleS tool. ASTRA’s Best Toys

for Kids program works hand-in-hand

with Neighborhood Toy Store Day by pro-

viding a newsworthy announcement on

that day that will interest mommy blog-

gers and local reporters who cover family

and community issues. ASTRA supports

its Best Toys for Kids list with a national

media campaign, press release templates

for retailers, point of purchase signage,

and a professionally designed four-color

flyer (with optional store imprint) suitable

for direct mail, newspaper inserts, co-op

mailings, and other marketing outreach.

Watch this space as well as

www.aNbMedia.com for more tips on

planning a successful Neighborhood Toy

Store Day that will be the cornerstone of

your holiday 2011 marketing efforts.

Kathleen McHugh is president of the

American Specialty Toy Retailing

Association (ASTRA). Visit www.astra-

toy.org for more information.

CRAFTING A FOURTH QUARTER STRATEGY IN JUNE:TIPS FOR PLANNING AN EFFECTIVE NEIGHBORHOOD TOY STORE DAY

18 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT JUNE 2011

BY KATHLEEN MCHUGH, ASTRA

IndustryForum

Page 19: Toys & Family Entertainment, June 2011
Page 20: Toys & Family Entertainment, June 2011

Acommon misconception is

that a package design needs

to look good in the tradition-

al sense in order to stand out

on a retail shelf. That is not

exactly true. A good package simply needs

to stand out, and sometimes looking differ-

ent can be better than look-

ing attractive. The point is

to draw a consumer to the

item. Once you have drawn

them to the package, as long

as you communicate the

product’s benefits in a clear

and precise way, you’re

golden. You’ve locked in the consumer.

I like to call this “The Buscemi Effect.”

For those of you who don’t get the refer-

ence, Steve Buscemi is an actor who is

probably best known for his

roles in Quentin Tarantino’s

Reservoir Dogs and the Coen

Brothers’ Fargo. Some of you

may even know him as that

funny looking guy who usually

makes cameo appearances in

Adam Sandler movies. Currently, he plays

the lead role of Nucky Thompson on the

HBO drama Boardwalk Empire. He sort of

looks like a cross between a goofy Don

Knotts and the creepy Gollum from Lord

of the Rings. Anyway, the thing about

Buscemi is that he certainly doesn’t look

like everyone else in Hollywood, yet he

always stands out in a cast.

A well “Buscemied” package doesn’t

need to be gorgeous. It just needs to stand

out in a non-traditional manner. Package

designers can achieve

this effect by analyzing

the market and not con-

forming to the same

color scheme, shapes,

and material of every-

one around them. If the standard is a

footed blister, perhaps you want to try a

fifth-panel box. If everyone is cute,

bright, and loud you may want to go

sleek, black, and elegant. The trick is to

know what’s out there and look different

from everyone else. This way your pack-

age is the one people will remember.

Design Edge is a New York-based graphic

design and research development studio. Matt

Nuccio can be reached at (516) 377–0500 or

via email at [email protected].

THE BUSCEMI EFFECT

20 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT JUNE 2011

BY MATT NUCCIO, DESIGN EDGE

IndustryForum

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Page 21: Toys & Family Entertainment, June 2011
Page 22: Toys & Family Entertainment, June 2011

One of the most popular

strategies marketers uti-

lize is having representa-

tives hand out samples

in the hope that the sam-

ple will be enough to attract new customers

to the product. This strategy is extremely

popular because marketers have long known

that consumers will stand in line to fill bags

with samples at county fairs, music festivals,

and Nascar events. However, if

this is all that is being done to

attract young adults then it may be

time to rethink the strategy.

a recent nationwide survey I

conducted revealed that 78 percent

of young adults between age 21–25,

known as millennials, prefer to

have an experience where personal

engagement plays a more promi-

nent role. Instead of standing in line and

receiving free samples, millennials prefer

the opportunity to ask questions and receive

a coherent explanation about the product

from a knowledgeable representative where

an actual face-to-face conversation about

the product or a demonstration takes place.

In the survey, millennials stated that

they hold a company in higher regard

when it takes the time to discuss a product

or service in person. They are more likely

to purchase a product after a trial and dis-

cussion. Most importantly, after this posi-

tive engagement, most millennials would

refer a friend to try the product.

Essentially, it comes down to personal-

ized engagement where a product represen-

tative takes an interest and is able to offer

knowledgeable information on their product

and the competitor’s products, and answer

other various questions that may arise.

PERSONAL ENGAGEMENT CREATES

CREDIBILITY AND TRUST

This type of engagement is important and

valued among millennials because, by defini-

tion, they are still young and learning. When

a millennial is engaged in a face-to-face con-

versation with a product representative who

takes the time to teach them about the prod-

uct, the educational process lends a signifi-

cant amount of credibility to the company.

This credibility translates into consumer trust,

which means the millennial is much more

likely to try that product and stay loyal to it.

additionally, after learning about the product,

the millennial can speak more intelligently

about it to their friends—an added bonus.

as a result, millennials will think more

highly of companies that take the time to

demonstrate and discuss products, show how

they work, or demonstrate why they are bet-

ter than competitors during a marketing pro-

motion or consumer engagement. For the

marketers that are taking the time in con-

sumer engagements to talk with millennials

to elaborate and demonstrate why their prod-

ucts are better, faster, safer, smarter, or tastier

than competitor products—all while making

it engaging and fun—the odds increase sig-

nificantly that more trial, discussion, and

potential conversion will occur.

Finally, the survey also revealed that

consumer engagement “experience” could

lead to not only trial and consideration, but

also increased loyalty and word-of-mouth

promotion by millennial consumers. It is

not just about having a product representa-

tive at the promotion or activity, it is about

what that company representative and the

engagement have to offer in the way of con-

versation, knowledge, and how it is differ-

ent, better, unique, and centered on the con-

sumer’s needs and wants.

surprisingly in this age of Facebook and

Twitter, the younger the consumer, the more

they want face-to-face, informational

engagements. Therefore, if a company

wants to attract younger people to its brand

and build a long-term relationship, that

face-to-face engagement with knowledge-

able people for the product must be part of

any experiential and promotional campaign.

Failure to include this can have a devastat-

ing effect on an organization’s long-term

strategy. Unfortunately, most marketers are

not getting the message and are missing out

on a golden opportunity to help their clients

create a long-term relationship with a

potential customer, which will in turn lead

to a long-term relationship with the client.

This strategy can especially be applied to

the toy industry. certainly some of today’s

moms are millenials but many are, in fact,

older. and this is timeless advice that applies

to all generations. It especially applies when

people are shopping for items for the kids in

their lives, whether they are a parent, grand-

parent, or other family member. consumers

want to engage with those who make the

products used in everyday life, as is evi-

denced by the explosive growth of social

media. all consumers want to speak with

informed company representatives. In short,

take the time to talk to the customer. It’s what

they want—and it will benefit your business.

Kevin Meany is CMO of BFG

Communications, an experiential marketing

agency. Visit http://bfginteractive.com/

A PersonAl ConneCtion is imPortAnt to Young Consumers

22 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT JUNE 2011

BY KEVIN MEANY, BFG COMMUNICATIONS

IndustryForum

Kevin Meany, of BFGCommunications,explains howpersonal engagementcreates credibilitywith consumers.

Page 23: Toys & Family Entertainment, June 2011
Page 24: Toys & Family Entertainment, June 2011

As expected, the fourth quar-

ter of 2010 saw plenty of

online sales growth for the

toy industry thanks to

another successful holiday

shopping season. Online sales were up 14.4

percent year over year in Q4, compared to

just 2.1 percent sales growth offline,

according to Internet Retailer, a site dubbed

the portal to e-commerce intelligence.

But as soon as the first quarter of 2011

rolled around, toy sales came crashing

back to Earth as they always do in the

post-holiday season. But clever retailers

are able to find new sources of sales dur-

ing a slow season or in a weakened econ-

omy—especially when consumers are

increasingly armed with gift cards. One

such solution is Shopatron.

With Shopatron, toy retailers don’t even

need their own website to take advantage of

online sales. Shopatron’s order exchange

system takes orders from client brand web-

sites and passes them to local retailers for

those brands. This solution can increase

sales for the brands that retailers already

stock in their store, such as Melissa &

Doug, Alex, Manhattan Toy, Corolle, and

the hundreds of other toy brands on the

Shopatron order exchange.

Using a retail-integrated eCommerce

system such as Shopatron also gives retail-

ers free access to online sales information,

so they can track what toys are selling local-

ly and nationally. This allows retailers to

make better purchasing decisions for what

to stock in their store as well.

“We use Shopatron to supplement our

regular sales channel, as well as to detect

trends and discover new manufacturers,”

says Lottie Hirsch, owner of Live and

Learn, Inc., in Reisterstown, M.D., which

fulfills orders for Corolle, Melissa & Doug,

and Patch Products.

“We have added new products, or main-

tained higher inventory levels, when we

observed a lot of Shopatron activity for a

particular product,” Hirsch adds. “We have

found that if we see a large number of

orders on Shopatron, we will see increased

orders for the product on our site as well.”

Orders placed into the Shopatron order

exchange originate from branded websites,

and are then awarded to the closest-stocking

retailer based on the proximity to the cus-

tomer. The orders can be delivered to the cus-

tomer by the retail shop using a variety of

methods, including in-store pickup, which

helps drive traffic into the retail store and

improves customer relationships.

The partnership with Shopatron has

allowed retail stores such as Beachwalk

Coastal, which fulfills orders for Melissa &

Doug in Solana Beach, Calif., to significantly

impact sales during the post-holiday slump.

Heather Fritz, owner of Beachwalk Coastal,

reported her store’s January 2011 sales grew

25 percent over January 2010 thanks to par-

ticipating in the Shopatron Exchange.

“I would definitely recommend

Shopatron,” Fritz says. “For retailers,

Shopatron increases your store’s exposure

to consumers. Shopatron can increase your

consumer reach and distribution.”

Fritz also recommends Shopatron to the

brands she carries in her store. “For branded

manufacturers, I would recommend using

Shopatron as another channel of distribu-

tion,” she says. “By using Shopatron you can

alleviate some of the picking and packing

processes by awarding online orders to your

fulfillment partners. And as a brand, you do

want to make sure that you are partnering

with retailers who will ensure that your brand

is represented the way you would like.”

And with those retailers looking to

carry more brands and expand their offer-

ing both online and in stores, Shopatron is

an ideal solution for brands looking to

expand their reach. In fact, a survey by

Shopatron in 2009 revealed that 57 per-

cent of Shopatron retailers monitor new

brand launches in the order exchange to

determine if they should stock a brand.

“Sometimes, I decide on carrying a line

because it is a Shopatron vendor,” says

Melissa Reuss, owner of Geneva Gifts, Inc.,

in Lake Geneva, Wisc., which fulfills orders

for eight brands on Shopatron.

“I feel that Shopatron is a win-win-win

situation for all parties involved. The ven-

dor gets increased sales and exposure in the

stores, the retailer gets increased sales and

revenue from orders placed on the site, and

the customer gets quick, efficient, and com-

plete orders from the retailer,” says Reuss.

“I appreciate that the vendors are giving the

retailer the opportunity to fulfill orders for

them, instead of bypassing us and filling the

orders themselves.”

Entering 2011, Shopatron sales in the

toy, hobby, and game category continue to

see double-digit growth, with same-store

sales across the exchange up 14 percent in

the first quarter of this year.

Mark Grondin is senior vice-president

of marketing for Shopatron.

For more information,

visit http://ecommerce.shopatron.com/

Toy SToreS overcome SaleS Slump wiTh

24 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT JUNE 2011

BY MARK GRONDIN, SHOPATRON

IndustryForum

Page 25: Toys & Family Entertainment, June 2011
Page 26: Toys & Family Entertainment, June 2011

When taking a look at the pulse and health of the

construction toy category, one only needs to look

as far as LEGO. To say that the company is a dom-

inant force in the category is to understate the case.

According to The NPD Group, LEGO has a more

than 82 percent share in sales in the category.

The good news for the category is that LEGO had a stellar 2010

with sales that surpassed the $1 billion mark in

the U.S. The company’s 2010 sales were up

25 percent over 2009, marking the sixth

consecutive year of U.S. con-

sumer sales growth for

the company.

“We have been

fortunate to excel at a

time when consumer

spending has tightened

and the industry has

remained fairly flat,”

says Søren Torp Laursen,

president of LEGO

Systems. “This we attrib-

ute primarily to three

things: 1) consumers are

more willing to invest in

toys with proven and

trusted long-term play value; 2) we have had some of the strongest themes

and best models ever at a time when we have needed them the most; 3) at

a time when it’s more tempting to develop more toys under $20, we have

stayed focused on what we do best and consistently delivered against it,

even at premium prices.”

So, how does LEGO’s successes affect the construction category over-

all? Sure, the company is a force to be reckoned with and it does command

a decent amount of shelf space in the construction aisle, but there is still

room for some competition.

“Primarily, we view LEGO as driving traffic to the aisle,” says

Michael Araten, president of K’NEX Brands. “Because they maintain a

high level of quality in their products, people feel good about buying

building toys. As a community of building toy companies, we benefit

from the work they do in keeping the category strong.”

And just because LEGO is an asset to the category, that’s not to say

that other manufacturers in the space aren’t developing and offering

strong products to the aisle. MEGA Bloks has seen success with its pre-

school and boys/collectors segments. “Demand is driven by a powerful

mix of great product and relevant content,” says Vic Bertrand, CIO

at MEGA Brands.

This year a new contender for shelf space is re-

entering the aisle. Hasbro is following up its short-

lived Built to Rule construction line with a new

Transformers-licensed line called Kre-O. Unlike Hasbro’s

previous construction offering, products in this line are

compatible with LEGO and MEGA Bloks bricks.

“Hasbro’s Kre-O brand will stand out by offering pre-

mier brands, like Transformers, that were previously

unavailable in the construction category,” says

Jonathan Berkowitz, vice-presi-

dent of gaming and construc-

tion and Hasbro.

It is unlikely that the

Kre-O line will put a dent

in LEGO’s sales, but it

does up the competition

level among the next tier of

construction toy manufacturers.

Spice of LifeWhen speaking with construction toy manufacturers, there was one

common factor given for success: variety. The scattershot approach of

offering a variety of subjects to a wide array of consumers is critical in get-

ting consumers in the aisle and interested.

“What drives most of the purchases in this category is the question of

how big is the audience that is attracted to the kinds of products we’re

putting out there,” says K’NEX’s Araten. “When we appeal to broad

audiences, we tend to do better.”

The offering of variety has been at the core of LEGO’s success as well.

LEGO’s Success Strengthens Construction Category

26 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT JUNE 2011

BY CHRIS ADAMS

Manufacturers have seensuccess merging thebuilding play pattern withvehicle play. Shown areLEGO’s Cars 2 UltimateBuild Lightning McQueenand MEGA Bloks’ Need forSpeed Porsche 911 GT3 RS.

Page 27: Toys & Family Entertainment, June 2011

“We have found that the best way to stand

out is to have the most compelling

themes across a wide variety of interests

and ages,” says LEGO’s Laursen. “Last

year, there was not a not a single LEGO theme

that didn’t meet or exceed its plan, a strong indi-

cator that consumers want variety and not

just depth in one collection.”

Leveraging the breadth of

offerings that exist in the con-

struction toy space, there has also

been an increasing amount of blend-

ing play patterns not traditionally found in the aisle with

construction toys. Hasbro’s Kre-O is a good example; it

combines construction play with the vehicle- and robot-

focused roleplay of Transformers.

MEGa’s Hello Kitty line is another great example of

bringing dollhouse play into the construction space.

and LEGO has seen success by branching out. Last

year’s entry into the game aisle proved successful. This

year, the company introduced the Ninjago line, which

combines classic building with a minifigure spinning

game and virtual play experiences.

“If anything, the ability to expand construction into

new categories and ways to play helps to drive its relevance and

growth, while at the same time adding retail feature and promotion

opportunities that have mutual value for manufacturers and retailers,” says

LEGO’s Laursen. “We look forward to finding more places to deliver

innovation and novelty at retail by expanding our offerings.”

Innovation

Innovation and technology come to play in the construction toy

category in many forms. There are high-tech offerings that utilize

robotics, there are digital promotional tools to draw fans into a par-

ticular product’s story, there are social media interactions that help

guide product development, and sometimes innovation comes in the

form of new product concepts.

MEGa has a history of offer-

ing construction toy lines

that involve rich story-

lines. To offer more touch

points for its lines, MEGa

has turned online.

“We are expanding our con-

nection with kids through interactive microsites that

offer an online community, a blog, online games, videos,

and more,” says MEGa’s Bertrand. “The online experience

is a key component to immersing kids into our universe

and adding more value to the toy by supporting the

offline play environment.”

another initiative that Mega has undertaken is

introducing QR codes on product packaging. If con-

sumers capture the QR code with a QR reader app on

their smartphone, it allows them to instantly view

product information, images, videos, and instructions

on a website optimized for mobile viewing.

In this day and age, the realm of social

media simply cannot be ignored. It pro-

vides manufacturers a streamlined way to get

feedback from target consumers while also

establishing increased interaction between con-

sumers and their brands.

“The nice thing about the world we live in

today is we get a window into what moms and kids are thinking about,”

says K’NEX’s araten. “It is much easier to deliver products that they

want if you’re just willing to listen.”

Whether through innovation or product development, the construc-

tion category is offering products that consumers want. sure, LEGO

plays a very dominant role in the category—and as LEGO goes, goes

the construction category—but there are a lot of interesting, cool

products coming out from an array of construction toy manufacturers.

The products benefit from being parent-approved for their traditional

play patterns and developmental aspects, but what keeps the category

afloat is that generation after generation of children find this endur-

ing, classic play pattern fun.

JUNE 2011 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT 27

The Kre-O TransformersStarscream Set is part ofthe inaugural launch of

Hasbro’s new constructiontoy line.

Page 28: Toys & Family Entertainment, June 2011

28 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT JUNE 2011

Construction BY CHRIS ADAMS

While LEGO is a dominant force in the construction toy category—and its successes have lead the category’sgrowth over the past few years—the category includes a wide range of manufacturers offering nearly endless build-ing options. Below is a sampling of the latest product introductions for the construction toy category.

LEgOLEgO is offering a range of products centered around this

summer’s Cars 2. Flo’s V8 café (shown) is a 517-piece kit

that lets builders create Flo’s café, including gas pump and car

wash as well as characters Lightning McQueen, classic Mater,

Flo, Fillmore, sarge, and sally. also in the

line is the 242-piece Ultimate Build

Lightning McQueen

and the 114-

piece Mater’s

spy Zone.

HasbroHasbro has re-entered the construction category with the

introduction of the Kre-O line. The first offerings in the line

feature the Transformers property. shown is the Kre-O

Transformers Basic Optimus Prime set in vehicle mode. It can

also be built as a robot.

MEga BrandsMEga Brands has introduced the Hello Kitty property to the

world of construction play. This girl-focused construction line

includes the Hello Kitty Big House (shown) and Hello Kitty

Flower shop, as well as a range of lower price point items.

also, MEga recently

announced that it has signed

a deal with saban Brands

to be construction toy

licensee (outside of asia)

for Power

rangers

samurai.

K’NEXNascar fans can now build their own version of Dale Earnhardt

Jr.’s No. 88 amp Energy

car with the 1:29-scale

kit from K’NEX. The kit

includes more than 90

parts, sponsor labels, a

Dale Jr. K’NEXman fig-

ure, and instructions.

also on the way from

K’NEX is the Mario and

His standard Kart

Building set that lets

builders recreate the vehi-

cle from the video game.

Page 29: Toys & Family Entertainment, June 2011

JUNE 2011 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT 29

ErectorThis year, Erector introduced a new

line called Space Chaos. The line

revolves around a futuristic story line

and each set comes with a trading card

explaining the power of the ship’s ves-

sels. Each also has a code to

unlock surprises at erector-

sets.com. The line is

distributed in the U.S.

by Schylling.

InfinitoyInspired by kids’ submissions to Infinitoy’s

online gallery, Z.A.C. the Zoob Alien Creature

gives kids all of the tools necessary to build

their own alien. The set

includes 200

Zoob pieces,

12 glow-in-

the-dark

pieces, two light-

up eyes with

batteries, and

instructions.

GeomagWith the Geomag Wheels Monster

Jam, kids get to build two monster trucks

from three customized truck designs.

The set includes 14 Geomag rods, 18

steel spheres, eight wheel assemblies,

and 34 Flexiform components. It is dis-

tributed in the U.S. by Reeves.

HabaHaba’s Discover the Building Blocks

Technics—Large Basic Pack Vehicles con-

tains 49 beechwood pieces. With the set, kids

can build a range of vehicles and buildings. A

26-piece set is also available.

PlaymobilPlaymobil’s theme for its August

launch is Grand Mansion. This line

includes the Large Grand Mansion,

Grand Kitchen, Grand Bathroom,

Parents Bedroom, and Comfortable

Living Room (shown), which includes a

couch, coffee table, television and stand,

fireplace, figure, kitten, and accessories.

Waba FunWaba Fun’s Arc-A-Teks is a line of con-

struction toys for kids ages 3 and up. Three

sets are currently available: Earth (shown),

Sky, or Sea. Each set contains enough mate-

rials to construct two characters. Builders

can also go online and enter codes found on

the kits’ collectible cards to unlock and cre-

ate a third character.

Page 30: Toys & Family Entertainment, June 2011

When it comes to Wii

Bowling, the Cedar

Crest Crushers are

champs. Yet the Cedar

Crest Crushers are not

kids. In April, this group of seniors at Cedar

Crest Village in Pompton Plains, N.J., won the

2011 National Senior League Spring Senior Wii

Bowling Championship, which is run by the

National Senior League, the only

national Wii competition dedicated

to residents of senior living commu-

nities. Players compete virtually in

either Wii Bowling or Wii Golf.

“In the past when you said

‘gamer,’ people typically thought of

the core audience, which is male

18–35,” says Christina Glorioso,

CMO at Majesco. “With the advent

of these new motion-control

devices, gaming has moved from the

bedroom to the living room and

from core to mass.”

Nintendo’s Wii, Microsoft’s

Kinect, and Sony’s Move all helped

change the demographic of gamers

by providing more accessible and

family friendly ways to play video

games. And with the growing pop-

ularity of games online and on

mobile devices, the number of people playing

video games continues to rise.

“Women gamers are rapidly growing in num-

bers due to the rise of Facebook games and casu-

al motion-controller game platforms, such as the

Nintendo Wii,” says Jason Katz, vice-president

of gaming at Davie Brown Entertainment, the

entertainment practice of The Marketing Arm.

“In terms of revenue, U.S. spending on video

game software alone reached $15.5 billion in

2010,” Katz says, citing data from a January

2011 NPD Group study.

No matter gender, age, or geographic loca-

tion, more and more people have access to

video game platforms, which makes it easier

for them to play video games. While most of

these consumers wouldn’t call themselves

“gamers,” the truth is they are part of a new

culture of gamers created by ever-changing

technology and more family friendly game

titles and experiences.

Changing ConsolesVideo games have traditionally been

played on stand-alone consoles with the most

recent iterations being the motion-control con-

soles. However, these consoles are being used

for much more than just video games.

Microsoft’s Xbox Live launched in 2002 as a

way for its subscribers to play with other peo-

ple. “What it’s evolved into is really a media

hub,” says Molly O’Donnell, Microsoft’s

director of integrated marketing and commu-

nications for Xbox 360. Xbox Live sub-

scribers can use the service to watch movies

through Netflix and stream music,

opening up the number of people who

use Xbox Live. “It’s really evolved into

a social hub in your living room. You

have it as your all-in-one center,”

O’Donnell says.

The next evolution of consoles is on the

horizon, as Nintendo recently announced

that it would unveil its newest console at

the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3)

this month. (Nintendo was unavailable for

an interview.) Just what this console will

entail is unknown, as is whether or not

Microsoft and Sony will follow with their

own new consoles. But some in the indus-

try are wondering if we might be seeing the

last of the consoles.

“People have speculated that it’s pos-

sible that this next generation may be the

last one that we see of these big, expen-

sive stand-alone machines,” says Dana

Jongewaard, editor in chief, new audiences, IGN

Entertainment. “There’s always going to be a

place for these big, spectacular hardcore games

with great graphics, but are those also going to

be on a console? Technology is changing and

adapting so quickly that it’s possible these start

taking other forms.”

Changing technology brought video games

to mobile devices. And Nintendo is bringing

EvEryonE’s a GamEr—

EvEn If ThEy Don’T Know IT

30 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT JUNE 2011

BY LAURIE LEAHEY

Plants vs. Zombies is the latest game franchise from PopCap. It is available on a variety of platforms, including Mac, PC,

iPad, iPhone, and Nintendo DS.

Page 31: Toys & Family Entertainment, June 2011

3-D technology to handheld gaming with the new 3DS. Some say that

the next big thing in video games will be cloud-based gaming, which

would allow people to access their games from anywhere. Just as

movies have moved into the on-demand space, with cloud-based gam-

ing (or gaming on-demand) games would run on servers and stream to

users via broadband internet connections.

“There are a lot of ways to use technology that are currently being done

right now,” says John Vechey, co-founder and vice-president, corporate

strategy and development, PopCap Games. “It’s not so much the new tech-

nology but how do we use this wealth of innovation that’s happened in the

last five years? How do we use that to change our products and make great

customer experiences and great games?”

The Growth of Mobile GamingNo one can predict the future of video games, just as no one predicted

how much the iPhone would affect gaming. “Mobile gaming [has been]

the source of most of the growth in gaming during the past few years,”

says Davie Brown Entertainment’s Katz. “Smartphones now constitute a

majority of mobile phone sales in the U.S., and the iPad has spawned

dozens of successors, such as the Motorola Xoom, Samsung Galaxy Tab,

and the upcoming HP TouchPad. All of these devices have high-resolution

color screens and increasingly powerful processors, making them highly

attractive gaming options for young mobile consumers.”

Are smartphones taking people away from consoles? Not necessarily,

say most in the industry. Different consumers are looking for different

gaming experiences. Some want to play a quick and cheap game on their

phone while commuting. Others want a more immersive gaming experi-

ence, to sit in front of an Xbox and lose themselves for a few hours.

For Electronic Arts (EA), the popularity of online games and apps has

caused the company to change its focus in regard to console games.

“We’ve reduced the number of games that we’re deploying in the market

on these consoles, but we’re selling more of them,” says Chip Lange, sen-

ior vice-president and general manager of EA’s Hasbro division. “We’re

making better games, but we’re making fewer of them.”

A Future of ChangeNew games, new consoles, and other new technologies will be

unveiled at E3, which takes place June 7–9 in Los Angeles. This indus-

try show is a kickoff to the holiday selling season. “It’s one place

where all of the retailers and all of the press are,” says Majesco’s

Glorioso. “It’s a great place to see all the new technology. You really

have to see it to believe it. That’s why E3 is great because you can have

so many people actually try the games.”

This is a time of change for the video game industry. As more and

more people of all ages and genders come to gaming—thanks to new

gaming platforms and more accessible and family friendly video

games—the video game industry will continue to adapt to this new

gamer culture and ever-changing technology to make exciting gaming

experiences for everyone.

above: Motion-control consoles, such as the Kinect for Xbox 360, haveallowed families to get together and play video games.

below: Nintendo’s newest handheld, the 3DS, lets players play 3-D video games without the use of special glasses.

JUNE 2011 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT 31

Page 32: Toys & Family Entertainment, June 2011

NintendoThe new Nintendo 3DS system can play

3-D video games and take 3-D pictures. Its

top screen displays 3-D images without the

need for special glasses. The bottom screen

is touch-sensitive. It also has three cameras.

One inner camera points at the player, while

two exterior cameras let kids take pictures in

3-D or 2-D. The system can also play nearly

every Nintendo DS game. It comes in

Cosmo Black or Aqua Blue.

More than 30 games are now available

for the 3DS from Nintendo and its third-

party publishers. Soon Nintendo will roll out

a series of additional features, including an

internet browser, an online store called

Nintendo eShop, the ability to access 3-D

Hollywood movie trailers, automatic and

free access to more than 10,000 AT&T Wi-Fi

Hot Spots nationwide, and the ability to

stream Netflix movies.

32 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT JUNE 2011

Video Games BY LAURIE LEAHEY

Thanks to a variety of new gaming platforms, the “gamer” demographic comprises more than justthe core 18–35-year-old male. Video games are being played by people of both genders and allages. Below is a sampling of the latest video games and gaming devices hitting store shelves.

KonamiKonami released its rhythm dance

game DanceDanceRevolution for the

Xbox 360 with two new gameplay

modes. In Dance Off mode, up to four

players can take to the dance mat. Club

Mode challenges players to dance four

to 20 songs back to back with varying

difficulty levels. DanceDanceRevolution for the Xbox 360 comes with the Visual Jockey, a

feature that awards players with on-screen graphics. There is also a Challenge Level with

diagonal arrows in addition to the up, down, left, and right arrows. Players can also use their

Xbox Live Vision Camera to appear in-game and watch themselves dance on screen. The

game comes with 20 licensed songs, as well as 30 original songs by Konami’s artists. Players

can download new songs and add them to their playset through Xbox Live. The game comes

bundled with a dance mat controller. It is for ages 10 and up.

MajescoMajesco released Monster Tale

for Nintendo DS. Monster Tale

features a mix of action platform

gameplay on the top screen and a pet-raising

game on the touch screen. In the game, Ellie

and her pet monster named Chomp set out to reclaim the Monster

World from the Kid Kings and their enslaved creature pets. Players control both Ellie

and Chomp as they explore and battle through five non-linear kingdoms in Monster

World. The touch screen serves as Chomp’s Pet Sanctuary where he evolves with new

abilities as he eats and plays with what Ellie provides from the top screen or buys for

him in the store. But Ellie can summon Chomp to the top screen to back her up in her

quest to save the Monster World. As Chomp develops and gains new attributes, he can

grow into 30 unique forms with new attacks while also transforming into useful objects

such as shields, spikes, and bombs.

Page 33: Toys & Family Entertainment, June 2011

Electronic ArtsThe Sims 3 Pets will be available on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Nintendo 3DS, and

PC/Mac this fall. For the first time in franchise history, players will be able to deter-

mine their pets’ personalities and traits. Players take direct control of their pets, help-

ing the Sims uncover and solve mysteries around town. Using Karma Powers, Sims

will find that their pets can either aid their progress or cause disruption.

Namco BandaiNamco Bandai’s Body and Brain Connection for the Kinect on

Xbox 360 was developed under the supervision of Japanese neurosci-

entist Dr. Ryuta Kawashima. Body and Brain Connection challenges

players to exercise both their minds and bodies with fun, fast-paced

mini-games ranging from math, logic, and memory to reflex and

physical-orientation exercises. The game can be played with up to

four players. It is rated E for everyone.

ActivisionIn Skylanders Spyro’s Adventure, kids can “bring their toys to

life.” Players collect real-world action figures of the game characters

and teleport them into the game using the Portal of Power. Players

take on the role of a Portal Master who can control more than 30 dif-

ferent characters, including the fire-breathing dragon Spyro. Players

go on a journey where they explore mythical lands, battle outlandish

creatures, collect gold and treasures, and solve puzzles while on a

quest to save the world from Kaos, an evil Portal Master.

The game uses action figures that become interaction figures—

each figure contains a “brain” that remembers the player’s shared

experiences and leveled-up abilities (stats, ability and attack

upgrades, and gold collected) directly within each toy. Players can

customize and power-up their toys, as well as bring them to life on

a friend’s Portal of Power for co-op play and player-versus-player

arena battles. Skylanders Spyro’s Adventure allows kids to utilize dif-

ferent interaction figures and strategies each time they play.

The starter pack comes with the game, a Portal of Power, three

character figures, three trading cards, and a poster. Additional

toys are sold separately.  

JUNE 2011 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT 33

CapcomCapcom’s Resident

Evil: The Mercenaries

3D delivers the

Mercenaries gameplay

experience on a hand-

held console. Featuring

remastered stages from

Resident Evil 4 and Resident Evil 5, it’s a race against time as players

try to defeat as many enemies as possible before the countdown reach-

es zero. The action of Resident Evil: The Mercenaries 3D is available

as a solo experience or gamers across the world can team up for two-

player co-op via network play. Gamers will tackle the game’s 30 mis-

sions with legendary Resident Evil characters, including Chris

Redfield, Krauser, Hunk,  Jill Valentine, Albert Wesker, and Claire

Redfield. The game is for the Nintendo 3DS. 

Page 34: Toys & Family Entertainment, June 2011

Al Waller left his job in sales in

1998 and shared an idea for a

game concept he had with friend

Mark Osterhaus, a then-owner of

a marketing firm. Neither one

had a background in the toy industry, just a pas-

sion for games. But together, they took the con-

cept and molded it into what would become their

first published game, Bosworth, a battlefield

chess game. After that they knew this was the

business for them, and, along with cartoonist

John Kovalic and graphic designer Cathleen

Quinn-Kinney, they founded Out of the Box

(OTB) Publishing, a company where “out of the

box” thinking is a given.

A year later OTB acquired the license for game

inventor Matthew Kirby’s Apples to Apples,

which became an overnight success selling a mil-

lion units per year. But after years of working on

Apples to Apples, OTB sold the game to Mattel in

late 2007, along with games Twitch and Blink. It

became a time of challenges and opportunities,

says Leah Sugar, vice-president of marketing,

OTB. The following year, two of the company’s

founding members Osterhaus and Quinn-Kinney

retired, Waller became president, and

Osterhaus’s children Sugar

and Max Osterhaus joined

the company. Since then,

OTB has pared down its

offerings and refocused on

bringing unique games to

the market.

“Apples to Apples

was a huge steamship for

us, and most of the focus of

the company [until 2008] was on building that

brand,” Sugar says. “It got to the point where

you spend most of your time fulfilling orders for

Target and Walmart. Now we have a lot more

flexibility in coming up with products and more

time and opportunity to devote to making prod-

ucts, especially for specialty stores.”

OTB game categories include party games,

quick card games, and strategy games, and each

year the company receives about 1,000 game

concepts across those categories. Of those con-

cepts, only about three meet OTB standards and

get published. Sugar adds that some games might

be great games, just not the right fit for OTB. For

OTB, a game should be able to be: learned in

minutes, played in less than half an hour, and fun

for the whole family. “We like games that are

really inclusive,” Sugar says. “But. . . if it’s a

game we all love, as long as it fits into our

brand, we will allow the game submission to

drive us in the direction we want to go.”

OTB is looking for new ways to appeal to older

consumers in their teens and twenties through

product packaging and social media. One of the

latest OTB games, Faux-cabulary, a party game in

which players make up new words, features

a new packaging design, created by

Design Edge, a design firm co-owned

by the game’s creator Matt Nuccio.

Sugar describes the new look as

“more dynamic and exciting.”

OTB has also embraced the

online world. The company uses

Twitter and Facebook, and is work-

ing on a new website with a fresh

look that is easier to navigate. Social media has

offered OTB a fun way to connect to people and

inform them about new games and what games

can work in different scenarios. Using the online

game play service Game Table Online, built by

internet gaming platform Metagame, is one way

OTB is increasing its exposure. “One of the

biggest hurdles is getting people to buy games,”

Sugar says. “They’re afraid of difficult rules.

They’re afraid their friends aren’t going to like

it.” But at Game Table Online, players can test-

drive games, such as OTB’s 10 Days in Africa,

before investing in a purchase.

While most OTB games

are made for ages 8 and up, its

new Bug Out game is the

company’s first game made

for ages 5 and up. The origi-

nality of OTB games previ-

ously prevented OTB from

creating games for kids under

age 8, because the more unique

a game is the larger the skill set required to learn

the game, Sugar says. “There are a lot of games

out there for that age group but are really boring

for parents and older kids. We wanted a game

that. . . could work for everybody,” Sugar says.

OTB is still working on its game plan for

next year but plans to expand on fan favorites

such as its 10 Days Series and Word on the

Street, and add a potential junior version of

Faux-cabulary. But overall, the driving force

behind new games will remain constant. “We

want something that kids have never played

before,” says Sugar. “That gets them to say,

‘Wow, there’s something different out there than

what we’ve been playing.’”

34 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT JUNE 2011

BY JENNIFER LYNCH

Finding Direction Outside The Box

Page 35: Toys & Family Entertainment, June 2011
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Learning CurveThe Chuggington Wooden Railway is a major ini-

tiative for Learning Curve. The initial offerings in the

line include the Chuggington Wooden Railway Over

& Under Starter Set, which is a 25-piece set that

includes everything kids need to get started on the

system. Also on the way is the Chuggington Wooden

Railway Double-Decker

Roundhouse (shown).

BananagramsAmong Bananagrams’ new

offerings is Fruitominoes, a

domino game that connects

fruit instead of dots. Also on

the way is Zip-It, a two-play-

er crossword race that works

as a travel game.

36 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT JUNE 2011

ASTRA Showcase COMPILED BY CHRIS ADAMS

The American Specialty Retailing Association (ASTRA) Marketplace & Academy takes place June 19–22 in Anaheim,Calif., at the Marriott Anaheim Hotel and Anaheim Convention Center. On the following pages is just a sampling ofthe wares that a wide range of manufacturers will show to the specialty toy trade at the show.

Cloud BThe Pink Twilight

Ladybug projects a star-

ry night sky onto ceilings

and walls. Seven star con-

stellations are embedded in

the star pattern. Children can

choose from three color options while

gazing into the starry sky as they drift

off to sleep.

AlexAlex’s My Busy Town includes five sides of dis-

covery play for kids 12 months and up. The bright

wooden cube includes activities such as curvy bead

mazes, peek-a-boo doors, spin-and-match animals,

turn-and-learn ABC tiles, and racing vehicle rollers.

Manhattan ToyManhattan Toy’s Quixel

supports the development of

cause-and-effect learning

skills. Each piece of col-

orful plastic is held

together by a stretchy

bungee cord that allows the

toy to be pulled and squished

in any direction.

Page 37: Toys & Family Entertainment, June 2011
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38 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT JUNE 2011

ASTRA Showcase

CitiBlocsCitiBlocs Trees is a collection of

10 assorted, brightly colored wooden

trees for landscaping CitiBlocs cre-

ations. The line includes styles that

emulate a range of tree types.

HaywireHaywire’s Where’s that Chipmunk? is a

game for all ages of children, including

preschoolers. It can be played as a hide-

and-seek game

or a treasure-

hunt game.

SchleichOn the way from Schleich are some

additions to the World of History offerings.

The Heroes line includes the Mighty

Fighter Elephant with Rider.

Page 39: Toys & Family Entertainment, June 2011

JUNE 2011 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT 39

Wonder ForgeThe Angelina Ballerina Dance with Me

Game encourages physical play through

dance as Angelina helps girls practice dance

moves step by step.

YBikeThe YBike Pewi (pronounced “pee

wee”) is a hybrid walking toy and ride-on

for kids 9 months to 3 years old.

DuneCraftHydroponic Fly Traps is a kit that

includes everything needed to grow

fly traps without soil.

Page 40: Toys & Family Entertainment, June 2011

40 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT JUNE 2011

ASTRA Showcase

SchyllingSchylling will introduce the Jumbo

Sock Monkey at the ASTRA Marketplace

& Convention. The Jumbo Sock Monkey

is a 42-inch version of the classic plush.

ChiccoThe I-Gym has two positions of play to

accommodate different stages of growth in

babies—tummy up for 3 months and up

and tummy down for 5 months and up.

InternationalPlaythings

Each set in the Whirl ’n Wear Charms

Locket Assortment comes with three locket

charms, four large

charms, 14 small charms,

three end fasteners, eight

decorated locket inserts,

two key chain attach-

ments, and 6.5 feet of

clear elastic string.

Page 41: Toys & Family Entertainment, June 2011
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42 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT JUNE 2011

ASTRA Showcase

Blue Box ToysBlue Box will be showcasing its

B Kids line, which includes the Play

with Me Gym. This multifunction

gym features a colorful

overhead canopy filled

with dangling toys

and characters.

SafariSafari’s Days of Old

line focuses on fan-

tasy themes such

as wizards, witches,

and royalty. Shown is the

Days of Old Collection

Princess Juliet.

BSW ToyBSW introduces eight new Shrinky

Dinks items as part of its SmArt

Studios brand. The 3-D Shrinky Dinks

line includes themes such as Fairy

Princess (shown), Dinosaurs, Trains &

Tracks, Pirates, Space, Zoo Safari,

Military Aircraft, and Sea Life.

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44 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT JUNE 2011

ASTRA Showcase

Learning ResourcesLearning Resources’ Smart Snacks Sorting Shapes Cupcake Game rein-

forces shapes, numbers, counting, matching by sight and touch, and fol-

lowing directions. Also new is the Pop for Numbers

Game, which the company

describes as “a results-driven

game of suspense, excite-

ment, and number fun.”

Three levels of play keep

children challenged.

ElencoSnap Circuits XP allows users to make a

hardware platform with the included cir-

cuits that can be used with software from

Revolution Education. It can make more

than 50 projects with more than 40

p r o g r a m s

ready for

download.

Crocodile CreekCrocodile Creek’s Robot Backpack

(shown) is sturdy and sized just right

for younger children, ages 3–8. Also

on the way from Crocodile Creek are

Pouch Puzzles. Each 100-piece puz-

zle in the line creates an eight-inch-

by-12-inch puzzle and can be stored

in a reusable pouch.

Thames & KosmosThe Botany—Experimental Greenhouse is part of Thames & Kosmos’ Little

Labs line. This kit teaches kids about plants and seeds by conducting experiments

in a specially designed botanical library with greenhouse domes that feature ther-

mometers and ventilation. It includes a 48-page, full-color illustrated instruction

manual that guides kids through their experiments.

Buffalo GamesPhone Frenzy is a socially interactive party game

about who you know rather than what you know. It is

a board game that uses each

player’s cell phone as the pri-

mary game component for call-

ing, texting, and sending pho-

tos. Every turn, players are

given a challenge or activity

that can only be completed

with the help of one or more of

their phone contacts.

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46 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT JUNE 2011

ASTRA Showcase

Peaceable KingdomPeaceable Kingdom’s Stone Soup is a

memory matching game with an obstacle.

In this game based on a

classic folk tale,

players work

together to find

the hidden ingre-

dients before the

soup gets cold. It is

for two to six play-

ers, ages 5 and up.

HabaHaba’s Crab Calino pulling figure

features eight beechwood legs that

click and clack against one another

and the floor as kids

pull it across the

floor. It is rec-

ommended for

kids age 1 and up.

AeromaxThe CrossBow Blaster allows kids

the opportunity to launch foam darts

up to 30 feet, according to Aeromax.

The TriPower Rocket Blaster is a kid-

powered rocket that fires three foam

rockets up to 30 feet. To launch the

rockets, kids just need to load the

rockets and then twist and pump them

across the yard or room.

innovativeKidsThe Soft Shapes Puppet Theater line from

innovativeKids includes themes such as Pretty Kitty,

Enchanted Kingdom, Superheroes (shown), and

Pirate Adventure. Each includes a two-sided foam

stage that floats in water or stands on a table, two

puppets, and a double-sided marquee.

Plan ToysPlan Toys’ Workbench includes six

tools, 27 construction parts, and a

removable storage unit. It can be

arranged in a number of ways to

accommodate a range of preferences.

Construction parts can be placed on

the table and back panel. The back

panel can also be used as a tool hold-

er. The included wooden clamp is

designed for both right- and left-handed kids.

FolkmanisFolkmanis is known for making realis-

tic wildlife puppets. New is the

16-inch Opossum Puppet

(shown). Use its movable

mouth and paws to animate

the puppet. Also on the

way is a Bison Puppet.

Page 47: Toys & Family Entertainment, June 2011

JUNE 2011 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT 47

Reeves InternationalThe Geomag Glow kit allows builders to create

Geomag Panel structures that are enhanced with glow-in-

the-dark capabilities. It is a 74-piece kit.

SkullduggeryFour new licensed Krazy Kars Light Up

Marble Racers are available from

Skullduggery. The Ford Mustang,

Chevrolet Corvette Stingray, and Ford

GT body styles are cast in translucent

blue, red, orange, and yellow plastic.

Also from Skullduggery is the

MaxTraxxx Tube Traxxx, which is a tunnel

track for MaxTraxxx offerings.

Neat-Oh!Neat-Oh!’s eight-piece

assortment of Hot Wheels

18 Car Tin Carry Case with

handle items include four

each of the Rodger Dodger

and Metal Menace styles.

Creativityfor Kids

Glitter Pups Fashion Show

helps girls glamorize glittery

puppy figures and get them ready

for a fashion show. Girls can dec-

orate five glittery bobblehead

pups with an assortment of trims,

ribbon flowers, rhinestones, mini

markers, and accessories.

SqwishLandSqwishLand introduces the

SqwishLand Swamp collection of

figures. The five characters are

Sqwake, Sqwalligator, Sqwotter,

Sqwalamander, and Sqwossum. They

will be available in vending machines

and in retail packs.

Wild CreationsThe Dino Dan-licensed

Dino Crayon & Sketch

Book by Wild Creations

includes eight dinosaur

crayons and a 12-page

dinosaur sketch book.

Each page is topped with

the Dino Dan logo and a

colorful dinosaur.

Page 48: Toys & Family Entertainment, June 2011

48 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT JUNE 2011

Licensing show 2011Licensing Show Highlights the Active Summer of 2011

This summer is proving to be an

active, exciting year on the chil-

dren’s licensing front. This sum-

mer’s movie slate provides many

high-profile opportunities for retail-

ers to experience success with licensed products,

while the licensing industry is optimistic about

the approaching International Licensing Expo, to

be held in Las Vegas’ Mandalay Bay Convention

Center from June 14–16.

After speaking to many licensing executives,

the mood entering this year’s Licensing Show is

more optimistic than it has been in some years.

The uncertainty revolving around the Las Vegas

venue—this year’s will be the third show held

there—has more than receded.

“Everyone seems to be excited and every-

one we were hoping to see at the show is going

to be there,” says Nicole Blake, executive vice-

president, global marketing & consumer prod-

ucts, at Classic Media. “It is now a proven

show after the switch to Vegas. The entire

industry will be under one roof for several days

and it is a great opportunity to see people, meet

new people, and get business done.”

The signs of an improving economy are

certainly contributing to this optimism, as is

the fact that the summer of 2011 is poised to

be strong in regard to licensed merchandise.

This summer will see many high-profile films

entering theaters—with corresponding licens-

ing programs occupying shelves. Blockbusters

scheduled to appear on the silver screen this

summer include Cars 2, Pirates of The

Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, Transformers:

Dark of the Moon, Harry Potter & the Deathly

Hallows—Part 2, Winnie the Pooh, Captain

America: The First Avenger, and The

Smurfs—and that’s not to mention the handful

of strong titles with licensing potential that

will hit this fall.

“In general, with so many major block-

busters and sequels coming to the big screen

this summer, we expect to see movie-related

licensing perform well,” says Pam Westman,

executive vice-president, The Americas at

HIT Entertainment.

If this summer’s blockbusters perform as

well as those in the industry hope, it should con-

vey the strength of branded merchandise to

retailers whose product mix pendulum had

swung away from branded toward private label

during the recession.

“It is a matter of protecting real estate for

licensed merchandise at retail,” says Paul

Gitter, president of consumer products for

North America at Marvel Entertainment. “We

know a lot of retailers are focusing on private

label or food, for a lot of reasons, so we need to

convince retailers we have the ability to help

drive their business by offering the entertain-

ment merchandise that ties in with what the

consumer is interested in.”

Even if this summer’s strong crop of enter-

tainment properties reopens the eyes of retailers

in regard to licensed offerings, it is still a very

competitive environment to get licensed prod-

ucts on shelves. Retailers certainly appreciate

the proven track record that evergreen properties

possess. After all, they are less risky and have

built-in consumers. The issue with a mostly-

evergreen licensed product assortment is that

retailers miss out on properties that could be the

evergreens of tomorrow.

“The new normal is about buyers being able

to make a very calculated decision as to what

goes on shelf,” says Maureen Taxter, senior

vice-president consumer products at Ludorum.

“Retailers are excited when they see something

fresh and new that is performing well because it

has been a while.”

Media plays an important role in building a

brand and convincing retailers that it is a smart

bet. Media helps provide tangible numbers

based on the property’s success, as well as intro-

duce new customers to a property.

“One of the key elements in the success of

any brand at retail is the number of consumer

touch points they can reach—product, broad-

cast, online, in-store, promotional, and PR,” says

Gabby Oliff, marketing director at American

Greetings Properties. “By reaching out to kids

and parents on as many levels as possible, the

chances for success build and consumer loyalty

for the long-term grows.”

Brand building, merchandising, promotion,

and blockbuster properties will be center stage at

this year’s Licensing Show as the industry pres-

ents a unified optimistic front in Las Vegas’

Mandalay Bay Convention Center.

BY CHRIS ADAMS

Licensing Show will be held at Mandalay Bayin Las Vegas.

Page 49: Toys & Family Entertainment, June 2011
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50 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT JUNE 2011

Licensing show 2011

Jakks Pacific is teaming with Disney to offer licensed products for three summer

films, as well as new Disney Princess-branded items. For the new Cars 2 movie, Jakks’

Plug It In & Play TV Games has added Cars 2 TV Games, an interactive racing game

for kids ages 4 and up with a deluxe easy-to-use steering wheel. Jakks’ roleplay division

features Cars 2 Mater & Finn McMissile’s Spy Walkie Talkies, Cars 2 Character Cell

Phones and Mini-Flashlights, and coming this fall, the Cars 2 Portable Spy Station.

Jakks’ Kids Only division has added to its line of licensed kid furniture with the Cars 2

Puzzle Furniture shaped as a stack of racing tires, the Cars 2 Activity Patio Table and

Chairs Sets, and the Cars 2 Flip Open Table.

For Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, Jakks offers four-inch figures and four-inch

Battle Packs Figure Assortments modeled after the film’s characters. Each figure includes a unique LED accessory to

reveal the figures’ inner secrets and reveal additional features on the Queen Anne’s Revenge Deluxe Ship playset. There are also six-inch Collector

Figures and six-inch Movie Moments Figures. Jakks’ CDI roleplay line features Basic Swords, Deluxe Swords with motion-activated battle sounds from

the film, the Jack Sparrow Roleplay Set, and a 26-piece Deluxe Dress-Up Trunk of pirate gear.

Jakks will offer movie-themed toys for the action drama Real Steel, from DreamWorks Pictures, Touchstone Pictures, and Disney. Items will include

a Real Steel five-inch Basic Robot Assortment, with 10 articulated robots with a light-up head and body and interchangeable limbs and accessories. The

Real Steel 7.5-inch DLX Robot Assortment is a larger-scale version with signature robot moves. The WRB Built for Battle Set features two six-inch

robots, the Atom hero robot, and the Zeus villain robot with swivel controllers for fighting moves. Real Steel 15-inch WRB Main Event Ring is built

for the DLX Robot with activated crowd cheers, battle sounds, and movie quotes. The Real Steel Robot Brawler is a high-tech fighting game with remote

controls to make robots jab and punch opponents.

Jakks Pacific

Bandai America

Bandai America’s 2011 toy lineup for the Cartoon Network television fran-

chise Ben 10: Ultimate Alien includes action figures, roleplay items, vehicles, and

playsets. New items available this fall include the Ben 10 Plumber Tech Kit, Ultimate

Chest Badge, and Ultimate Ultimatrix. Bandai will relaunch a line of ThunderCats-

branded toys that includes a combination of classic collector items inspired by the origi-

nal 1980s sci-fi/sorcery series and toys that align with the look of the new ThunderCats ani-

mated series. Items available this fall include four-inch figures, eight-inch collector figures,

the Deluxe ThunderTank with four-inch figure, and the Deluxe Sword of Omens. Entering its

19th year in the U.S., the Power Rangers property is back in the hands of its original licensor Haim

Saban and Saban Brands. Bandai will launch a fall toy lineup inspired by the new Power

Rangers Samurai series, which will include Megazords that are unique to the brand. Big Ten: Ultimate Alien Plumber Tech Kit

Kids Only Cars 2 Puzzle furniture

COMPILED BY LAURIE LEAHEY AND JENNIFER LYNCH

Page 51: Toys & Family Entertainment, June 2011
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52 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT JUNE 2011

LICENSING SHOW 2011

Hasbro, Inc., and Ruckus Mobile Media

announced a strategic licensing agreement

under which the companies will col-

laborate in developing interactive

storybook applications based on

Hasbro brands across all digital

platforms. The first three chil-

dren’s storybook apps—Tonka

Chuck and Friends, My Little Pony,

and Transformers Prime—debuted in

May and feature interactive storytelling,

including title-specific activities, coloring, and read-and-record functions.

The apps will be built organically for mobile devices, weaving original sto-

rylines into overarching series themes and incorporating the latest in touch-

screen technology to keep content fresh. Ruckus Mobile Media has been

granted worldwide rights in English-speaking markets and released the

Hasbro children’s storybook apps across a variety of popular mobile plat-

forms, including Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android.

Beyblade: Metal Fusion, the boys’ animated action property from

Nelvana and d-rights, has been placed on broadcast networks in more than

45 countries. More than 100 international licensees have signed on for the

property, including Konami, Basic Fun, Tech4Kids, Top Toy, Van der Erve,

Leomil, Panini, Belltex, Ravensburger,

and Cartorama. Available categories

vary by country but include apparel,

accessories, party goods, sports equip-

ment, and home furnishings. Regional

Beyblade battle tournaments from mas-

ter toy licensee Hasbro will begin in late

summer in the U.S. Winners will be sent

to the national tournament at New York

Comic-Con on October 16.

Hasbro

Nelvana Enterprises

Clifford the Big Red Dog celebrated its 50th

anniversary with licensed product from HP, Russ

Berrie, The Canadian Group, Kidz Toyz, Zoobies,

Twisterz, Ranir, Trends International, and Hero

Nutritionals launching throughout the year. A new

DVD, Clifford the Big Red Dog: A Big Family

Musical, was released from Mills Entertainment.

I Spy celebrated its 20th anniversary with new pub-

lished releases from Scholastic, Briarpatch board games

and puzzles, Kellogg’s fruit snacks, and interactive

games for Leapster Explorer and Nintendo DS.

Other new licensed product includes The Magic

School Bus brand’s first console game, The Magic

School Bus: Oceans for Nintendo DS. There will be

new Scholastic and Little Scholastic products pro-

duced by Kids Station Toys, Kidz Toyz, Danara, and

Green Hill. There’s Word Girl-branded comics from

Kaboom Studios, Briarpatch games and puzzles, and

Twisterz educational toys. Fortune Fashions and SGI

signed on for Goosebumps-branded apparel. New

publications and branded promotions are expected

with Taco Bell for The 39 Clues.

Scholastic Media also seeks licensees for Animorphs,

FlyGuy, TurboDogs, Dear America, and Maya & Miguel.

Scholastic

Page 53: Toys & Family Entertainment, June 2011

JUNE 2011 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT 53

Relaunched in the Henson family brands library is the children’s

series Pajanimals. The series, featuring four musical puppets, is

currently in production as a new half-hour series for the Sprout net-

work to air this October. Based on the popular Pajanimals original

musical interstitials that help kids ease into comforting bedtime rou-

tines, the series focuses on the four Pajanimals characters as they

venture out on journeys of discovery only to return to bedtime each

evening. There is currently a Pajanimals DVD (NCircle

Entertainment) available in Toys “R” Us and Babies “R” Us. The

DVD will have broad distribution in august, including through gro-

cery and drug store chains. The Jim Henson Company will contin-

ue to develop a global

licensing program for

Pajanimals with an aim to

launch new merchandise

in Q3 2012. The Jim

Henson Company will

develop products that mir-

ror the concepts of the

show in categories including toys, publishing, sleepwear, slippers,

bedding, bath, personal care, and developmental. New DVD titles,

music, and digital applications are also in development.

among the recent Dinosaur Train merchandise rollouts are the

Dinosaur Train World Tour DVD, new collectibles from Learning

Curve, MEGa Brands construction toy sets, and Uncle Milton Egg

Hatchers and Dino Poop. Last month DecoPac and Hallmark greet-

ing card and gift bag lines were introduced. Penguin and Random

House continue to release books, and The Jim Henson Company has

finalized new publishing agreements with PIL and Reader’s Digest.

The Jim Henson Company continues to build its Fraggle Rock

franchise’s licensing program. The series continues to air on The

Hub. an animated spin-off series, The Doozers, is in development.

The current Fraggle Rock licensing program includes adult T-shirts,

accessories, home décor, adult Halloween costumes, plush toys,

puppets, and more. archaia Studios Press will continue to introduce

new Fraggle Rock graphic novels in 2011, and a new line of scents,

through Black Phoenix, will also be introduced later this year.

The Jim Henson Company Nickelodeon

Nickelodeon Consumer Products (NCP) will unveil

products and new merchandising part-

ners for its new and established

properties, including Teenage

Mutant Ninja Turtles, Winx Club,

Team Umizoomi, and Victorious. 

Coming off of the global licensing

success of Dora the Explorer’s 10th anniver-

sary in 2010, NCP will introduce a broad new lineup of

toys from Fisher-Price and MEGa Brands. The new products will include

Dora the Explorer-themed fashion dolls with corresponding books and

fashions, a new roleplay kitchen, construction sets, and more. 

SpongeBob SquarePants is the inspiration for new toys from LEGO,

Hasbro, THQ, and Cardinal. SpongeBob-themed building sets, construc-

tion toys, and video games will be featured in the new product lineup.

Master toy licensee Spin Master and Sakar International announced toy

lines that will feature innovative Victorious products, such as fashion dolls,

playsets, and consumer electronics for fans of the show. 

Leading Warner Bros. Consumer

Products’ (WBCP) portfolio of enter-

tainment properties is The Dark

Knight Rises, slated for a summer

2012 release. WBCP, DC

Entertainment, and Nick Grace of

Water Lane Productions Ltd., teamed

up to produce Batman Live—an

action-packed live stage show that

will tour arenas around the world.

Green Lantern hits theaters on

June 17 and is supported by master

toy licensee Mattel and other

licensees worldwide. Next year a new

CG series, Green Lantern: The Animated Series, will be part of

Cartoon Network’s new DC Nation programming block.

Warner Bros. Consumer Products

Pajanimals

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54 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT JUNE 2011

LICENSING SHOW 2011

Classic Media’s Where’s Waldo? gears up

for its 25th anniversary next year. The pop-

culture icon will be seen around the world in

publishing, mobile, apparel, stationery, and

other key categories. Ludia released the new

app Where’s Waldo? in Hollywood.

A new consumer products program will roll

out for the animated preschool series Tinga Tinga

Tales. The show, which debuted in the UK in

February 2010, launched in the U.S. on Disney

Junior earlier this year. The consumer products

program began rolling out in the UK across more

than a dozen leading categories, including toys

(Bandai as global master toy partner), publishing (Penguin Group as global

master publishing partner), apparel, games, and more. Consumer products

partners lined up for the U.S. launch of Tinga Tinga Tales include

Ravensburger (puzzles), Pressman Toy (games), and University Games

(Colorforms activity products).

Voltron, the 1980s TV series, returns as the all-new animated series

Voltron Force. It will debut in the U.S. on Nicktoons and with other key

broadcasters worldwide this year. A roster of licensees, led by Mattel and

THQ, are on board to reintroduce Voltron to a new generation. Mattel will

develop toy lines based on the classic Voltron and new Voltron Force.

THQ’s first game is scheduled for release this fall. Joining these global

partners for the U.S. launch are The Bentex Group via its Extreme

Concepts division (T-shirts/tops) and its Dreamwave division

(swimwear/sleepwear), Rubie’s Costume Company (costumes), VIZ

Media (kid’s graphic novels for Voltron Force), and Dynamic Forces (new

comic books and graphic novels for classic Voltron).

Big Idea Entertainment, a member of the Classic Media family, will

expand the licensing program for its VeggieTales brand. Big Idea recently

inked deals with several new licensing partners across key categories,

including floor and tabletop cardboard playsets from Box Creations,

GigglePOD interactive kid’s video booths from Primary Leisure Global,

and removable wall art from Brewster Home Fashions, in addition to deals

with Golden Chair for children’s furniture and DayWind for karaoke CDs.

Paramount Licensing seeks licensees worldwide for

a large roster of upcoming film releases. From

Academy Award-winning director Martin Scorsese

comes a film based on the acclaimed children’s book

and New York Times bestseller The Invention of Hugo

Cabret. The movie tells the story of an orphan boy

named Hugo who lives in the walls of a Paris train sta-

tion. A cryptic drawing, a treasured notebook, a stolen

key, and a mechanical man form the backbone of this

mystery. The Invention of Hugo Cabret is scheduled to

be in theaters November 23.

Steven Spielberg will direct The Adventures of

Tintin, the story of a daring young investigative

reporter named Tintin who, with his dog Snowy, will

stop at nothing as he solves mysteries. Produced by

Peter Jackson and based on the classic comic and char-

acters created by Belgian artist Hergé, this film features

motion-capture technology from Jackson’s company,

Weta Digital. The

Adventures of Tintin is

slated for a December

23 release. Paramount

Licensing has exclusive

merchandise rights rep-

resenting the motion

picture and has already

signed a roster of con-

sumer products and

publishing licensees tied to the film launch. Licensees

include The Noble Collection (collectibles),

Ravensburger (puzzles and games), Rubie’s (cos-

tumes), Ty, Inc. (plush), Unilever France (mustard sold

in collectible glasses), Weta/Harper Collins (artwork

book), Danilo (calendars), Nikko (remote-controlled

vehicles), and many more.

Paramount LicensingClassic Media

Voltron

Page 55: Toys & Family Entertainment, June 2011

JUNE 2011 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT 55

Titan Magazines is a new partner for Mattel’s Barbie brand, pub-

lishing Barbie Magazine. The magazine includes stories, puzzles,

posters, do-it-yourself crafts, and free stickers in every issue.

The editorial journal from Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

reveals the secrets of the students of Monster High and prompts girls

to capture their creative inspiration while offering beauty

tips, inspirations, fashion tips, and do-it-yourself projects.

Mattel and JEM Sportswear (awake, Inc.) collaborated to

introduce a line of tween girls sportswear and fashion tees

inspired by Monster High. JEM will introduce fashion tops,

tees, tanks, and hoodies with specialty washes and silhou-

ettes, along with lace, studs, and glitter embellishments.

Partnering for the first time, Xcessory International

brings Monster High to roleplay. Xcessory International

will introduce character-specific items that let girls

dress up and roleplay as their favorite Monster High

character with pettiskirts, leg and arm warmers, wigs,

and box sets, as well as decorative storage trunks to

store the entire collection.

Blip Toys introduces Barbie and Hot Wheels

Squinkies. The brands join forces this year to

bring girls and boys a new way to play with their

favorite brands. 

Barbie and Rawlings will team up to bring

Barbie-branded tee-ball bats to the field. 

Singer-songwriter Jewel, in partnership

with Fisher-Price and Somerset

Entertainment, will release a new

album for children entitled The

Merry Goes ’Round. Jewel wanted to write an album for her son that

would grow with him through different stages of development—from

up-tempo songs for dancing to storytelling lyrics and songs with

good morals. The album will include more than 15 songs, featuring

four classics including “The Green Grass Grows all around” and

“My Favorite Things,” plus new songs, embracing such diverse

musical styles as bossa nova, country, folk, and Dixieland.

Mattel and Fisher-Price

This fall a new Thomas &

Friends CG-animated feature-length

movie, Day of the Diesels, will

debut on DVD (U.S.—Lionsgate

Home Entertainment) around the

world. Thomas & Friends licensees

worldwide, including Fisher-Price,

Random House, Egmont, MEGa

Bloks, and Learning Curve, will

create more than 75 tie-in products,

including books, games, engines,

playsets, apparel, bedding, and

accessories based on Day of the

Diesels. Day of the Diesels mobile

and tablet applications are scheduled for this year, as

well as e-books launching from Random House.  

HIT Entertainment will announce new partners for

angelina Ballerina. a new feature DVD release, Angelina

Ballerina The Shining Star Trophy, debuts in august. New

games and puzzles are launching this year from I Can Do

That! Games. Angelina Ballerina The Musical will travel

to select cities in North america this year. HIT’s partner-

ship with the Dizzy Feet Foundation to create the

angelina Ballerina Stars of Tomorrow (aB Stars) dance

program has expanded to additional Boys & Girls Clubs

locations across the nation.

HIT Entertainment and Corus Entertainment’s

Nelvana Studio teamed up to produce 52 12-minute

episodes of Mike the Knight, a new preschool series set in

the medieval land of Glendragon. Nelvana Enterprises

will represent the series in broadcast and home entertain-

ment in Latin america and France, as well as broadcast in

the U.S., while HIT Entertainment will represent Mike the

Knight in all other territories globally. More than 20

licensees have signed on with Mike the Knight, including

Character Options as master toy licensee in the UK and

Simon & Schuster as global publishing partner.

HIT Entertainment

Thomas & Friends

Rawlings Barbie tee-ball bat

Page 56: Toys & Family Entertainment, June 2011

56 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT JUNE 2011

LICENSING SHOW 2011

ZhuZhu Pets, the creation of St. Louis-based

firm Cepia LLC, has grown from the original

four interactive hamsters into a whole

Zhuniverse of pets and playsets. This

has led to a worldwide ZhuZhu Pets

licensing program with a wealth of mer-

chandised product entering the market and

further opportunities available for

prospective licensees. Lisle International

is the master licensing agent outside of

the Americas for ZhuZhu Pets. (Cepia handles licensing in North and

South America.) Lisle has appointed sub-licensing agents in important ter-

ritories. These sub-licensing agents include Character Licensing &

Marketing for South Africa, Stella Projects for Australia and New Zealand,

and Kidz Entertainment/EEMC for Nordics and Eastern Europe. The latest

developments for the brand include the new 72-minute 3-D, CGI-animat-

ed The Quest for Zhu to be released on DVD this year and a second movie

for 2012 called Power of Zhu.

On June 24, Disney-Pixar’s Cars 2 hits theaters,

bringing back Lightning McQueen and Mater, plus a

whole new group of characters and storylines. Disney

Consumer Products (DCP) will continue to support the

Cars franchise with new content

across media platforms, such as

new theme park attractions and

new product lines.

Starting this summer, The

Story Begins With You campaign

will kick off a series of entertain-

ment content and promotions for

the Disney Princess franchise.

From Phineas and Ferb to

Shake It Up, Disney Channel-

inspired properties will introduce

new product line assortments at

retail leading into 2012. Additionally, with the January

2012 launch of Disney Junior, Disney’s first 24-hour

cable channel focused on preschool programming,

DCP is developing licensing programs to launch mer-

chandise in conjunction with new series in fall 2012.

In 2011, the Winnie the Pooh franchise will be driv-

en at retail through a companywide effort that will

bring new focus and take Pooh back to its roots. With

the release of the Winnie the Pooh film in July, an

updated merchandise program, and a digital book

application, the franchise will offer incremental licens-

ing opportunities through the DVD window and new

programming on Disney Junior.

The Mickey Mouse franchise will thrive from added

focus through Disney Junior programming, which will

multiply the reach and frequency of this classic charac-

ter and serve up new licensing opportunities for

Mickey and friends.

Disney Consumer ProductsLisle International

Lucasfilm Ltd. and Twentieth Century Fox announced that the 3-D theatri-

cal launch of Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace will be February 10,

2012. Supervised by Industrial Light & Magic, the conversion is being done

with utmost respect for the source material, and with an eye for both techno-

logical considerations and artistic intentions.

Lucasfilm Ltd.

Page 57: Toys & Family Entertainment, June 2011

JUNE 2011 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT 57

Marvel Entertainment’s major initiatives include a licensing

and merchandising campaign to support Marvel Studios’

upcoming theatrical slate, a sequence of individual Marvel fran-

chise films culminating with the multi-character movie The

Avengers on May 4, 2012. Marvel will establish the Avengers

Assemble initiative as the tentpole franchise that will help drive

licensed product sales through 2012 and beyond. Marvel is posi-

tioning Avengers Assemble as an umbrella theme that will pro-

vide licensees and retailers the opportunity to develop integrat-

ed, long-term consumer products programs based on the indi-

vidual films and the overall story arc. With partners already on

board for portfolio-wide programs, including master toy licens-

ee Hasbro, Hallmark for social expressions, Franklin for sport-

ing goods, and Maisto for die-cast toy vehicles, Marvel is look-

ing to assemble a roster of licensees across all core categories,

as well as innovative retail and co-branded programs.

Marvel is building a comprehensive licensing and merchan-

dising program to support its slate of TV animation, highlighted

by The Super Hero Squad Show. With customized style guides

providing fresh art, Marvel continues to develop full licensing

and merchandising programs across all key categories, with

both new and existing partners, along with promotional and

retail plans to support its slate of animated series. Gazillion

Entertainment has developed a massive multiplayer online

(MMO) game based on The Super Hero Squad franchise, which

is scheduled to launch shortly. Marvel is currently looking to

secure new deals to develop merchandise based on the unique

look of the property. Marvel will be creating innovative retail

partnerships to support The Super Hero Squad franchise.

The upcoming movie slate from Sony Pictures includes

The Pirates! Band of Misfits, which tells the story of the

luxuriantly bearded Pirate Captain. With his rag-tag crew in

tow, he’ll go on a quest from the exotic shores of Blood

Island to the foggy streets of pirate-hating Victorian

London. Along the way he’ll battle a diabolical queen and

team up with a haplessly smitten young scientist, but never

lose sight of what a pirate loves best: adventure.

The 3-D, CG-animated family comedy Arthur

Christmas, an Aardman production for Sony Pictures

Animation, at last reveals the answer to every child’s ques-

tion: How does Santa deliver all those presents in one

night? The answer: Santa’s ultra-high-tech operation hid-

den beneath the North Pole.

In Hotel T, Dracula owns a hotel where the world’s

monsters—Frankenstein and his bride, the mummy, were-

wolves, zombies, gremlins, and more—can relax in a

human-free environment. But Dracula’s teenage daughter

Mavis wants to explore the world beyond the hotel.

Dracula’s plans to keep

Mavis home go horribly

wrong when a curious

young traveler named

Jonathan finds the hotel

and falls for Mavis.

The Smurfs make

their first 3-D trip to the

big screen in Columbia Pictures/Sony Pictures Animation’s

hybrid live-action and animated family comedy, The

Smurfs. When the evil wizard Gargamel chases the Smurfs

out of their village, they’re forced through a portal out of

their world and into ours, landing in the middle of New

York’s Central Park. The Smurfs must find a way to get

back to their village before Gargamel tracks them down.

Ubisoft will develop and publish a video game based on the

movie for the Wii and Nintendo DS.

Sony Pictures Consumer ProductsMarvel Entertainment

Page 58: Toys & Family Entertainment, June 2011

58 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT JUNE 2011

LICENSING SHOW 2011

Headlining Chorion’s 2011 portfolio is animated action-adventure

series Octonauts. The preschool series airs on CBeebies (UK), TF1

(France), ABC (Australia), and Discovery Kids (Latin America), and is set

to air on Disney Junior (U.S.) next year. Fisher-Price, Chorion’s master toy

partner, will launch a new toy

range this year. With initial

rollout in the UK in August, the

line includes a range of figures,

vehicles, and playsets.

Publisher Simon & Schuster

(UK) launched initial TV tie-in

books in March, with further

titles planned for launch throughout the year.

Last year Chorion’s preschool series Gaspard and Lisa launched on

TF1 France, and it is set to air on Disney Junior (U.S.) in 2012. The series

is based on the books written and illustrated by the husband-and-wife team

of Anne Gutman and George Hallensleben, which are published by

Hachette Jeunesse. Chorion is currently developing the consumer products

program for the U.S., France, and other international markets, following a

successful licensing campaign in Japan.

The Wildflower Group will develop a

licensing and merchandising program for

Cut the Rope, the physics-based app game.

The Wildflower Group is in discussions

with potential licensees for a variety of cat-

egories. Commonwealth Toy & Novelty

will produce soft/plush toys and acces-

sories, PVC toys and accessories, activity

sets, room décor, and balls. Changes placed

T-shirts, sweatshirts, fashion tops, and track

jackets for kids, teens, young adults, and

adults at retail nationwide.

The Wildflower Group

Chorion

Cut the Rope

Gaspard and Lisa

Sakar International announced a licensing agreement to create

branded youth electronics featuring Heathcliff, the 1970s comic-

strip cat. The property is managed by FitzRoy Media. Heathcliff

digital products and accessories, including earbuds, headphones,

flash drives, cameras, cases, and sleeves for portable devices, are

scheduled to be in stores in Q1 2012.

Maxx The Sock Monkey, created by Street Players Holding

Corporation, will be on branded youth electronics under a

license agreement

between Street

Players and Sakar

International. Two

dozen Sakar SKUs

ranging from mold-

ed monkey-shaped

earbuds and fuzzy headphones to computer accessories, cases,

and cameras are scheduled for early 2012 release.

Sakar International

New Richard Scarry’s Busytown products

include a toy line from master toy

licensee The Bridge Direct this fall and

the Eye Found It! board game

and the Busy, Busy Airport

Game from The

Wonderforge’s I Can

Do That! Games divi-

sion. Copyright Promotions Licensing Group (CPLG) renewed

its year-long partnership with AAA and Richard Scarry’s

Busytown to continue promoting child passenger safety. Koba

Entertainment will launch a live Busytown stage show this fall.

CPLG expanded the Strawberry Shortcake licensing pro-

gram. Licensees include Candyrific, McSteven’s, Vita Food

Products, DecoPac Pizza Prints, Dr. Fresh, and Added Extras.

Copyright Promotions Licensing Group

part of theBusytown

Play Systemfrom The

BridgeDirect

Page 59: Toys & Family Entertainment, June 2011

JUNE 2011 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT 59

MGA Entertainment granted Activision Publishing, Inc., the exclusive

worldwide rights to develop, manufacture, and distribute video games based on

the Lalaloopsy brand and characters. The agreement covers entertainment soft-

ware products across multiple platforms such as handheld, console, and con-

nected platforms, as well as PC and mobile devices. The new Lalaloopsy video

games are expected to debut this holiday.

MGA Entertainment

Ludorum continues to

expand the global licensing

program for Chuggington. A

comprehensive U.S. con-

sumer products program

will begin to roll out this

year. Twenty-five partners

have come aboard, includ-

ing Hallmark, Crayola, MEGA Brands, Freeze, Hedstrom, and more.

Just one product example from licensee Learning Curve is the

Chuggington Interactive Railway All Around Chuggington Set. Featuring

spiral elevation and 60 pieces, this set has a three-foot layout and three

interactive train stops: a loading yard, a tower platform, and a roundhouse

with interactive Vee figure. It also includes an interactive Wilson engine,

hopper car, and six pieces of cargo. Vee and Wilson recognize and react

with other Chuggington Interactive engines and train stops. The set features

more than 250 sounds and phrases when used with other Chuggington

Interactive products. It is for ages 3 and up.

Ludorum

Headlining the product slate for FremantleMedia

Enterprises (FME) are

global brands The X

Factor, Idols, Got Talent,

and Rebecca Bonbon.

The X Factor airs in 20

territories, and the U.S.

version will air this fall.

Got Talent airs in 42 ter-

ritories, and Idols is

broadcast in 44 territo-

ries. Rebecca Bonbon continues to grow with new mer-

chandising deals across Europe and Asia Pacific.

FME’s Children’s & Family Entertainment division

brings a slate of global licensing opportunities, includ-

ing the boys’ action/adventure animated series

Monsuno (a joint venture between FME, Dentsu, and

Jakks Pacific launching later this year), tween

horror/comedy My Babysitter’s a Vampire, Tree Fu

Tom, and The Aquabats Super Show, a hybrid of con-

cert footage, live-action skits, and animation featuring

the popular rock band from the producers of Yo Gabba

Gabba. FME’s development deal with Terri, Bindi, and

Robert Irwin and the Australia Zoo continues to gener-

ate excitement in the kids space.

The FME Americas licensing team represents a

range of brands including American Idol, which cele-

brated its 10th anniversary last month. The team will

showcase Rebecca Bonbon, which continues to grow in

North America with the recent announcement of

Jennette McCurdy, teen star of Nickelodeon’s iCarly,

as spokesperson.

FME Americas will also focus on its portfolio of game

shows including The Price is Right, Family Feud, Hole in

the Wall, Let’s Make A Deal, and Press Your Luck. FME

continues to grow these classic favorites with new audi-

ences on new media platforms.  

FremantleMedia Enterprises

Page 60: Toys & Family Entertainment, June 2011

60 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT JUNE 2011

LICENSING SHOW 2011

Big Tent Entertainment expands its licensing program for

Domo, bringing on board new licensees this year. The renewal

deals for the property include Concept One and Dark Horse

Comics, as well as new licensees Abrams (calendars, books),

Advanced Graphics (cardboard standees, wall jammers),

Classic Imports (home décor), Elope (costumes), Gramify

(mobile voice greetings), Hori (video game accessories),

License2Play (plush, novelty items, and select games), MTC

Marketing (outerwear), PS

Brands (fashion accessories),

Coveroo (laser engravings),

and Music Skins (mobile

accessories). In addition,

Domo can be found in the

Facebook game Planet Domo

and on the iPhone. A line of

Domo-inspired virtual goods

are available on the WeeMee

Avatar Creator app from

Virtual Greats. Big Tent will continue to expand the Domo

licensing program in fashion, video games, casual games, elec-

tronics, and home décor. Internationally, Domo has programs in

Mexico, the UK, and Australia/New Zealand. For the back-to-

school season in Mexico, Best Trading and Musul signed on for

school supplies. The UK’s Forbidden Planet will run a Domo

promotion in its stores. Stella Projects and Jay Jays are two

licensees for Australia/New Zealand.

Through PixFusion’s patented photo-personalized video tech-

nology, internet users can digitize themselves into a wide range of

branded online content by simply uploading their own personal

photos. Companies such as Mindspark, Pep Boys, and JibJab are

already utilizing the PixFusion technology to promote their brands.

Big Tent and PixFusion teamed up with comic strips Garfield and

Dilbert to launch fully animated and personalized comic strips that

enable fans to star alongside their favorite characters.

The Joester Loria Group represents kids’ properties,

including Pinkalicious. The Pinkalicious consumer

products program continues to expand with dress-up,

dolls, apparel, bikes, games, puzzles, and more. New

products include paper party goods, fash-

ion accessories, bedding and room

décor from Franco, and interactive

games from Gamemill.

Baby Genius announced a new

global master toy partnership with

Jakks Pacific’s Tollytots to develop and

market preschool music-based elec-

tronic and classic toys. The line, slat-

ed to launch in fall 2012, will be

introduced at the Fall Toy Preview in

October. Other new licensed products

include mobile apps and e-books.

The Joester Loria GroupBig Tent Entertainment

Fox Consumer Products helps The Simpsons cele-

brate its 500th episode this year, while Family Guy will

celebrate its 10th anniversary. On the big

screen, Alvin and the Chipmunks are

Chipwrecked, Scrat triggers a world-

changing cataclysm in Ice Age:

Continental Drift, and from Blue Sky

Studios comes an all-new ani-

mated tale called Leaf Men. Tim

Burton presents the 3-D

action-thriller Abraham

Lincoln: Vampire Hunter,

and Ridley Scott helms the

epic sci-fi film Prometheus.

Fox Consumer Products

TheSimpsons

Pinkalicious

Page 61: Toys & Family Entertainment, June 2011
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62 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT JUNE 2011

LICENSING SHOW 2011

Discovery Communications

and its licensing agent, The

Joester Loria Group (TJLG),

plan to broaden the already

existing pet and lifestyle pro-

grams for Animal Planet and

develop new merchandising programs that enable individuals to

integrate their love of animals into their everyday lives. Some of

the core focus areas for the Animal Planet licensing program over

the next year will be publishing, building upon major deals

signed recently including a 30-title book series with Kingfisher

(MacMillan Publishing). The first Animal Planet Baby products

will debut at retail this year.   

As part of the re-launch of DiscoveryKids.com, Discovery

Kids will unveil an array of gaming initiatives that tie into the

brand’s “explore the world around you” theme. The new online

offerings follow on the heels of Seek Your Own Proof, Discovery

Kids’ first online community and game that engages kids in

investigating history and science as secret agents through online

and real world missions. Expanding on the activities featured in

the online version of the game, Discovery Kids launched two

iPhone applications this spring—Discovery Kids: Agent Arcade

and Discovery Kids: Field Missions. This year, Big Tent

Entertainment is also expanding the Discovery Kids brand into

the home textiles category with licensees Franco Manufacturing

and Cosrich Group, Inc. Franco Manufacturing has signed on to

create rugs, draperies, blankets, bath and beach towels, throw

blankets, and vinyl placemats inspired by the brand, while

Cosrich will release a line of bath activity products including

soap, body wash, bubble bath, shampoo, bath crayons, sponges,

stone paper sheets, fizzing bath rocks, and foam pieces for kids

using eco-friendly materials and packaging. Big Tent is looking

to expand the licensing program for Discovery Kids in the fol-

lowing categories: video game and MMO, electronics, apparel,

home décor, outdoor sport, food, and promotional partnerships.

Tamra Knepfer’s TK Brand Group, which opened in April,

offers brand management expertise, specializing in licensing

and brand marketing servic-

es for entertainment and

character properties, corpo-

rate brands, and fashion, art,

and lifestyle programs.

TK Brand Group has

quickly amassed a roster of

clients. It has been named

the worldwide licensing

agent of record for the toy

collectible with online game SqwishLand. TK Brand Group is

building the foundation for the SqwishLand licensing pro-

gram, securing licensees in plush, toys and games, video

games, and key softline categories.

TK Brand GroupDiscovery Communications

SqwishLandcollectible toys

CBS Consumer Products expanded the Star Trek brand’s

interactive gaming platforms with last year’s launch of the

Star Trek Online MMO, IGT’s new online casino slots, and an

upcoming free-to-play browser game from Gameforge all

leading up to the JJ Abrams’ Star Trek sequel, which will hit

theaters in summer 2012. PPW Toys will introduce the first

Mr. Potato Head toy line based on the most popular characters

from the original series and The Next Generation. Titan

Merchandise will create busts based on characters from all

eras of Star Trek. Bandai will offer card deck-building games

based on the original series and The Next Generation.

USAopoly brings Star Trek to the classic game of Monopoly

with Klingon Monopoly. Mighty Fine will create a line of knit

tops, T-shirts, hoodies, and fleece. Pez Candy will release a

Pez collector’s set next year to celebrate the 25th anniversary

of The Next Generation.

CBS Consumer Products

Page 63: Toys & Family Entertainment, June 2011

JUNE 2011 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT 63

New this year for Strawberry Shortcake is the second season of

Berry Bitty Adventures. Copyright Promotions Licensing Group

(CPLG), licensing arm to Cookie Jar Entertainment, continues to

work with American Greetings as the global licensing agent for

Strawberry Shortcake.

There are nearly 500

licensees worldwide,

including global licensing

partners Hasbro and Fox

Home Entertainment.

Since their introduction

as characters on a line of

greeting cards, Twisted

Whiskers has been

brought to life through a

television series on The

Hub. The wacky CGI-animated cartoon features dogs, cats, and other

animals in ridiculous and absurd situations. There is always a “twist”

at the end of every episode.

American Greetings Properties

Zinkia Entertainment

continues to build Pocoyo

on a global scale with new

strategic partnerships, new

product lines, new content,

digital expansion, and

strategic marketing cam-

paigns. Pocoyo is the newly

announced Global Kids

Ambassador for the World Wildlife Fund’s Earth Hour Beyond

the Hour 2011 campaign. Bandai America, master toy partner in

the U.S., debuted a line of toys at Toys “R” Us, including

SwiggleTraks, a colorful, flexible racetrack. SwiggleWheels are

motorized vehicles that run on the SwiggleTraks. Also new are

DVD releases from NCircle Entertainment and soon-to-be-

announced key publishing and apparel licensees. Advance plans

for the U.S. for 2012 and 2013 include new SKUs from Bandai

America, the release of the video game Pocoyo Circuits, and the

Pocoyo theatrical 3-D feature release.

Zinkia Entertainment

Cartoon Network Enterprises’ (CNE) Ben 10 franchise is in its

sixth year. New details will be announced

regarding the next chapter in the ani-

mated TV series, brand partnerships and

extensions, and international initiatives.

CNE will highlight Spin Master’s

portfolio of brands, led by the new

Redakai 3-D trading card game and girls’

collectible toy Zoobles. With the Redakai

game launch and animated series set to

debut later this year, CNE will meet with partners to discuss strat-

egy and timing behind the consumer product rollout. CNE will

also announce partners in apparel and back-to-school. For

Zoobles, CNE is actively meeting with partners to extend the

brand into a range of consumer products categories.

Cartoon Network Enterprises

a Redakaicard

Striker Entertainment/Most Management is handling North

American licensing for Rovio’s Angry Birds, the No. 1-selling

app, with a roster of licensees that includes Mattel, Trends

International, Fifth Sun, CSS Paper Magic, and Commonwealth

Toys. Striker Entertainment/Most Management is also working

on the licensing program for Summit Entertainment’s Twilight

Saga: Breaking Dawn Parts 1 & 2.

Striker Entertainment

Pocoyo toys

Page 64: Toys & Family Entertainment, June 2011

64 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT JUNE 2011

YOU’

REHI

RED

the uniteD states Playing carD co.marc hill, PresiDent

Jarden branded consumables announced that marc hill joined the

Jarden family as president of the united states Playing card company

(usPc). hill brings 20 years of leadership experience in sales and market-

ing to this role. he most recently served as cmo of freedom group, a glob-

al manufacturer of firearms, ammunition, and related products. Prior to this,

hill held various senior leadership roles with a variety of consumer brand

companies, both in the u.s. and globally.

imPerial toy

genna rosenberg,

executive vice-PresiDent, strategic marKeting,

communications, anD business DeveloPment

imperial toy hired genna rosenberg as executive vice-president, strate-

gic marketing, communications, and business development. rosenberg

served most recently as senior vice-president of communications, investor

relations, and philanthropy for Jakks Pacific. Prior to joining Jakks,

rosenberg was employed by sharpe Pr & marketing and also ran her own

company, gennaration Public relations and marketing.

reeves international

michelle Winfrey, branD manager

michelle Winfrey joined reeves international as brand

manager for reeves’ specialty toy lines. Winfrey will be

responsible for the overall business management of these

lines including marketing, merchandising, sales leader-

ship, and the overall growth of the specialty toy lines with-

in the u.s. market.

Previously, Winfrey was marketing and compliance man-

ager for Playmobil usa. she is a member of the toy industry

association’s marketing to children committee. in addition

to her toy industry experience, Winfrey is a published author

of four books, the latest of which is A Mom’s Guide to

Surviving High School Athletics. Debmar-mercury

Doyle & Kramer, Promotions

Debmar-mercury named Darren Doyle and Jim Kramer to the newly

elevated posts of senior vice-president, sales, on the east and West

coasts, respectively.

Kramer, who previously served as vice-president, sales for Debmar-

mercury since 2006, will represent Debmar-mercury throughout the

Western u.s. Doyle, who previously served as vice-president, sales for

the company since 2007, will handle the eastern u.s.

at Debmar-mercury, Kramer and Doyle have helped launch The

Wendy Williams Show, House of Payne, Meet the Browns, and the forth-

coming The Jeremy Kyle Show.

Page 65: Toys & Family Entertainment, June 2011
Page 66: Toys & Family Entertainment, June 2011

Industry-Related Trade Shows

66 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT JUNE 2011

Calendar

ofevents

ROYALTIE$ BRAND SHOWCASE

JULY 26THE ALTMAN BUILDING, NEW YORK CITY

WWW.ANBMEDIA.COM

TIME TO PLAY FALL SHOWCASE

SEPTEMBER 27THE ALTMAN BUILDING, NEW YORK CITY

WWW.TIMETOPLAYMAG.COM

TIA FALL TOY PREVIEW 2011OCTOBER 4–6

DALLAS MARKET CENTER, DALLAS

WWW.TOYASSOCIATION.ORG

TOY FAIR 2012FEBRUARY 12–15;

JACOB JAVITS CONVENTION CENTER, NEW YORK CITY

WWW.TOYASSOCIATION.ORG

July21–24 Comic-Con International comic-con.org San Diego Convention Center San Diego

26 Royaltie$ BRand ShowcaSe anBmedia.com the altman Building new yoRk city

28–30 OASIS Gift Show oasis.org Phoenix Convention Center Phoenix

30–31 Indy Baby & Toddler Expo bebepaluzza.com Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center Chicago

August5–9 Minneapolis Mart Gift, Home & Acc. Show mlpsgiftsmart.com Minneapolis Mart Showroom Minnetonka, Minn.

6–10 Reed Gift Fairs reedgiftfairs.com Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre Melbourne, Australia

13–18 New York International Gift Fair nyigf.com Jacob Javits Convention Center New York City

september23–26 ABC Kids Expo theabcshow.com Kentucky Exposition Center Louisville, Ky.

27 time to Play Fall ShowcaSe timetoPlaymag.com the altman Building new yoRk city

OctOber1–2 MIPJunior mipworld.com Palais des Festivals Cannes, France

3–6 MIPCOM mipworld.com Palais des Festivals Cannes, France

4–6 Fall Toy Preview toyassociation.org Dallas Market Center Dallas

4–6 G2E globalgamingexpo.com Sands Expo & Convention Center Las Vegas

20–23 iHobby Expo ihobbyexpo.com Donald E. Stephens Convention Center Rosemont, Ill.

NOvember17–18 Toy & Game Inventor Conference tagie.net Navy Pier Chicago

19–20 Chicago Toy & Game Fair chitag.com Navy Pier Chicago

December4–7 Grand Strand Gift & Resort Show grandstrandgiftshow.com Myrtle Beach Convention Center Myrtle Beach, S.C.

5–10 International Halloween Show hiaonline.com TBA New York City

Page 67: Toys & Family Entertainment, June 2011
Page 68: Toys & Family Entertainment, June 2011