toys & family entertainment, march 2009

Cadaco Feb T&FE spread.pdf 1/26/09 4:36:32 PM

Volume 4, No. 4

March 2009

Features22 Barbie: Five Decades

of Fabulousby Nancy Lombardi

24 Trading Card GamesGo Beyond the Tabletopby Laurie Hahn

26 Kids Are Still Reading. . .But Where?by Chris Adams

28 Games: Playing to Winby Paul Narula

34 Games: Product Presentationby Paul Narula

ON THE COVER: Shown is the Generation of Dreams Barbie bydesigner Robert Best.

COVER BY DESIGN EDGE

ON THIS PAGE (CLOCKWISE FROM THE TOP): the iconic 1959 Barbiethat launched a legacy; Callaway Arts & Entertainment TheEnglish Roses: Friends for Life, by Madonna; and Cardinal Games’Twilight: The Game

Observations & Opinions page 6

Sizzlers page 8

Specialty Sizzlers page 10

The Ticker page 12

Shelf Talkers page 14

Entertainment Marketplace: G.I. JOE page 16

Merchandise Makers: Techno Source page 18

Industry Forum: Gameplan Europe page 20

You’re Hired! page 40

Calendar of Events page 42

38 :

Thames & Kosmosby Laurie Hahn

Departments

TOY FAIR RECAP

6 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT MARCH 2009

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PUBLISHED BY ANB MEDIA • Volume 4, Number 4

PUBLISHER BOB [email protected]

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER ANDY [email protected]

ADVERTISING MANAGER AMY [email protected]

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EDITORIAL DIRECTOR NANCY [email protected]

MANAGING EDITOR CHRIS [email protected]

EDITOR AT LARGE CHRISTOPHER [email protected]

ASSISTANT EDITORS

LAURIE HAHN; [email protected] NARULA; [email protected]

WEB MASTER ERIK [email protected]

WEB CONTENT MANAGER BRENDAN [email protected]

CONTRIBUTORS

ANDREW DOBBIE; MATT NUCCIO, [email protected]

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

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

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

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To me, the start of Toy Fair is analogous to Christmasmorning. Just as my daughters eagerly anticipated thearrival of Santa Claus with gifts, the industry eagerlywaits for the opening of the show. And while there wasless traffic at this year’s show, the traffic was consistent

over the course of the show. The exhibitors that I spoke with were happywith the traffic. Toy Fair attendance, as with any trade show, should bemore about quality of attendees over quantity. There will always be apercentage of people who walk into a booth for a “look see,” but mostmanufacturers reported to me that attendees were writing orders and

conducting business, which is exactly what a trade show is for.The annual Toy of the Year Awards (TOTY) seemed to have a

similar attendance compared with the 2008 event. There wereaspects of this year’s event that did bother me. Several TIA repre-sentatives, throughout the course of the evening, did mention thetough economic times we are in. Everybody in attendance is cer-tainly aware of this fact and we didn’t constantly need to bereminded of it. The industry was gathered for one night to cele-brate the past year’s accomplishments. They should have focused

on the positive without constantly reminding us of the negative. Thepresentation of the awards (and, admittedly, I scratched my head at afew of the award winners) went along smoothly. One of the highlightsof the evening was the induction of Joan Ganz Cooney (one of thefounders of Children’s Television Workshop, now Sesame Workshop,and creator of Sesame Street) into the Toy Industry Hall of Fame. It wasgreat watching Mattel’s Neil Friedman play the straight man to SesameWorkshop’s Elmo (who was on stage with Muppeteer Kevin Clash) asthe two performed a skit to introduce Ganz Cooney.

Aside from the economy, Toy Fair attendance, and what companieswill be in attendance at this year’s Licensing Show, there was also a lotof talk at this year’s Toy Fair about the impending changes to testinglaws. A definitive answer has yet to be given and there are still a lot ofunanswered questions about this issue. We can only hope that the out-come will be a positive one that institutes a worldwide standard thatbenefits the industry as well as consumers.

BY BOB GLASER

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Here is an alphabetical listing of the hottest-selling items in the toy industry, based ona combined survey of both offline and online retailers, reflecting the previous month’s sales.

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

HYPER DASH

Wild Planet

IMAGINEXT DC SUPER

FRIENDS ASSORTMENT

Fisher-Price

LEGO STAR WARS

ASSORTMENT

LEGO

NERF N-STRIKE

VULCAN

Hasbro

PIXOS

Spin Master

STAR WARS:THE CLONE WARS

FIGURES

Hasbro

TAG

LeapFrog

TECH DECK BOARDS

Spin Master

BAKUGAN

BATTLE BRAWLERS

Spin Master

BATHING SUIT BARBIE

THEN AND NOW

DOLL

Mattel

BEN 10 FIGURE

ASSORTMENT

Bandai

COLOR WONDER

ASSORTMENT

Crayola

EYECLOPS NIGHT

VISION GOGGLES

Jakks Pacific

GIRL GOURMET

CUPCAKE MAKER

Jakks Pacific

HOT WHEELS POWER

REVVERS SPEED

VEHICLE ASSORTMENT

Mattel

Girl Gourmet Cupcake Maker

PixOs

Color Wonder

Hyper Dash

I’ve got my own toys!No need for gifts,

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This is an alphabetical listing of the hottest-selling items in the specialty segmentof the toy industry, based on a survey of independent toy and gift retailers,

reflecting the previous month’s sales.

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

36 CUBE

ThinkFun

BANANAGRAMS

Bananagrams

BATH TOYS

ASSORTMENT

Alex Toys

CALICO CRITTERS

ASSORTMENT

InternationalPlaythings

CALIN DOLL

ASSORTMENT

Corolle

INSTA-SNOW

POWDER

Be AmazingToys

JAPANESE

ERASERS

BC USA

PLASMACAR

PlaSmart

QUELF

ImaginationEntertainment

SNAP CIRCUITS

Elenco

PlasmaCar

Insta-Snow Powder

Calico Critters

Bath ToysAssortment

TOY INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION ANNOUNCES TOTY WINNERSThe Toy Industry Association (TIA) awarded its 2009 Toy of the Year (TOTY) Awards on February

15. The event was held in New York City at Pier 60/Chelsea Piers and was attend-ed by more than 450 guests representing a cross-section of the toy industry. TheTOTY awards presentation included winners in 11 categories.The Toy of the Year award winner was Bakugan Battle Brawlers

Battle Pack Series 1 Spheres, by Spin Master. Additional 2009 awardrecipients include: Crayola Color Wonder Magic Light Brush, by Crayola(Activity Toy of the Year); Bakugan Battle Brawlers Battle Pack Series 1Spheres, by Spin Master (Boy Toy of the Year); LeapFrog TAG Reading System, by LeapFrog (Educational Toy of theYear); Playmobil Horse Farm, by Playmobil (Girl Toy of the Year); FurReal Friends Biscuit My Lovin’ Pup, by Hasbro (ElectronicEntertainment Toy of the Year); Bananagrams, by Bananagrams LLC (Game of the Year); Elmo Live, by Fisher-Price (Infant/PreschoolToy of the Year); Air Hogs Zero Gravity Micro, by Spin Master (Most Innovative Toy of the Year); Bakugan Battle Brawlers, by CartoonNetwork (Property of the Year); Crayola 3-D Sidewalk Chalk, by Crayola (Outdoor Toy of the Year); and Create Your Own Pop-Up Books,by Creativity for Kids/Faber-Castell USA (Specialty Toy of the Year).During the awards ceremony were two inductions to the Toy Industry Hall of Fame: Joan Ganz Cooney, the co-founder of the Children’s

Television Workshop (which became Sesame Workshop), and Jack Pressman (deceased), founder of Pressman Toy.

TOYS ‘R’ US ACQUIRES ETOYS.COMToys “R” Us, Inc., (TRU) announced that it has acquired eToys.com. The transaction with The

Parent Company also includes the acquisition of e-commerce site BabyUniverse.com aswell as ePregnancy.com. Terms of the transaction werenot disclosed. Toys “R” Us already operateswww.Toysrus.com, which includes www.Babiesrus.com.TRU says this acquisition provides the company with anopportunity to broaden its web-based portfolio.All three websites will continue to operate under their current domain names. Toys “R” Us will assume

responsibility for all operations of the sites including merchandising,site management, distribution, and marketing.

HASBRO NAMED MASTER LICENSEE FORHENSON’S SID THE SCIENCE KIDThe Jim Henson Company announced that it has appointed Hasbro,

Inc., the master toy and game licensee for its Sid the Science Kid prop-erty. The four-year license grants Hasbro the rights to introduce anarray of products that are slated to debut at retail this fall. Sid theScience Kid is an educational animated television series airing daily onPBS Kids that uses comedy to promote exploration, discovery, and sci-ence readiness among preschoolers.

A RECAP OF INDUSTRY HEADLINES


THE

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Sid the Science Kid

MARCH 2009 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT 13

DENTSU ACQUIRES CHUB CITYDentsu, Inc., has entered into an agreement to acquire all rights, title, and

interest in the Chub City brand, a line of street-savvy figural characters andvehicles originally created and marketed by Jada Toys. Chub City will bedeveloped for an animated television series by Dentsu in conjunction withits Los Angeles-headquartered subsidiary, DCI-LA. Mitsuharu Inoue, theproducer of the Bakugan Battle Brawlers animated series, will serve as cre-ative director. An extensive new licensing program is also planned for ChubCity. Dentsu will own the intellectual property and will manage ongoinginterests in the brand with DCI-LA.

JAZWARES SIGNS ON AS LICENSEE FOR ASTRO BOY,PLANET 51, AND HERSHEY’S

Imagi Studios has granted Jazwares toy rights to the CG-animated feature film AstroBoy. Set in the future, Astro Boy is a classic superhero story about a young robot withincredible powers. His adventure-filled journey in search of his identity and destiny takeshim into a netherworld of robot gladiators before he returns to save Metro City. Thelaunch of the product line is set to coincide with the movie’s North American release inOctober 2009. The product range will include action figures, vehicles, electronic toys,roleplay products, and other accessories.

Jazwares has also been awarded the master toy license for the animated film Planet 51.Planet 51 is an animated action comedy made and produced by Ilion Animation Studios andco-produced by Hand Made Films featuring the voices of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson,Jessica Biel, Justin Long, Gary Oldman, Seann William Scott, and John Cleese. The launchof the product line is set to coincide with the movie’s release in November 2009. The prod-uct range will include action figures, vehicles, plush, and R/C toys.

In additional Jazwares news, the manufacturer announced it has entered into a licensingagreement with The Hershey Company for Jazwares to design and market a line of consumerelectronics featuring the iconic Hershey’s brands, including Hershey’s Kisses, Jolly Rancher,Hershey’s Miniatures, Twizzlers, and Bubble Yum. The product range will include MP3 speakers, USB flash memory drives, digital cam-eras, and other electronic accessories.

INDUSTRY EXECUTIVES CREATE THINKTANKLong-time distribution executive David Wollos and veteran marketing and licensing executive Joan Packard Luks have joined forces

to establish The ThinkTank Emporium—a media, marketing, and licensing company that provides coaching and guidance to propertyowners/licensors. Wollos and Luks will work with the content owners to develop properties in all areas of mass media exploitation.

A key initial focus of the ThinkTank is the children and family category, where the company will identify content including pub-lished books, unpublished manuscripts, television pilots, and toy products and cultivate the properties for media exploitation, licens-ing, and retail opportunities.

an item from the Chub City line

Astro Boy Vinyl Figure

SHELF TALKERS: CHECK OUT THESE NEW ITEMS

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TOYQUEST’S PRO-BOTSToyQuest released the first line of NFL-licensed Pro-

bots (professional robots) at mass retail this past holidayseason. For 2009, 10 new players will be added to thelineup including two athletes from the 2009 Super Bowl,Arizona Cardinals’ Larry Fitzgerald and PittsburghSteelers’ Ben Roethlisberger.These six-inch figures are officially licensed through

the National Football League and NFL PlayersAssociation. NFL Pro-bots are fully

articulated and feature a unique headflipping mechanism that switchesbetween the head of the playerand the helmeted robot alter egos.

In addition to the 2009 SuperBowl players Fitzgerald and

Roethlisberger (and 2008 SteelersPro-bot Troy Polamalu, which is pic-tured here), future Pro-bot players areexpected to include Brian Westbrookof the Philadelphia Eagles, BradyQuinn of the Cleveland Browns,Darren McFadden of the Oakland

Raiders, Clinton Portis of the Washington Redskins,Champ Bailey of the Denver Broncos, Matt Ryan of theAtlanta Falcons, DeMarcus Ware of the Dallas Cowboys,and Randy Moss of the New England Patriots. Current Pro-bots include Brett Favre from the

Green Bay Packers, Brian Urlacher of the ChicagoBears, Tony Romo of the Dallas Cowboys, PeytonManning of the Indianapolis Colts, Adrian Peterson ofthe Minnesota Vikings, Tom Brady of the NewEngland Patriots, Reggie Bush of the New OrleansSaints, Eli Manning of the New York Giants, TroyPolamalu of the Pittsburgh Steelers, and LaDainianTomlinson of the San Diego Chargers.The current line is available at Toys “R” Us stores

nationwide. The 2009 line is expected to launch this fall.

DUNCAN’SORIGINALWIZ-Z-ZERThe Original Wiz-z-zer, the bestselling high-performance top of

all time, at more than 25 million units sold to date, is beingrelaunched for its 40th anniversary this year by Duncan Toys.Duncan has updated the surface treatment of the collectible Wiz-

z-zers with robotic characters depicted as man-eating dinosaurs, ter-rifying insects, and courageous Ninja warriors. The charactersengage in head-to-head combat in a classic game of battling tops.For the first time, Wiz-z-zers will come with molded bases.

Twelve characters will be available. Another addition to the product line is the Black Belt accesso-

ry. The Black Belt, a rubber-like band worn across the center of thetop for added friction, signals that its Wiz-z-zer has a high level ofcompetence in battle. This is designed for ages 5 and up.

FIESTA TOY AND PAUL FRANKFiesta Toy and Paul Frank Industries just announced the signing

of a multi-year licensing agreement for the development of a plushtoy collection featuring iconic monkey Julius and the other popularcharacters made famous by the Paul Frank fashion brand. Theplush toys, which made their debut at Toy Fair, will be exclusivelydistributed by Fiesta to the toy, gift, and specialty channels.In more than 10 years, Paul Frank Industries has developed a

world of more than 200 playful, colorful characters includingJulius, Skurvy, Clancy, Worry Bear,and Mika Cat. Fiesta’s new plushline will capture the kitschy tongue-in-cheek spirit of Paul FrankIndustries with toys that represent thewhimsical nature and personalityof each Paul Frank character.


PORCHLIGHT ANDBELLA SARA

PorchLight Entertainment has partnered with Hidden CityGames to create an animated television series and long-formfilm content based on Bella Sara horses. Under the agreement,PorchLight will have worldwide rights to the animated produc-tions based on the Bella Sara brand, and will simultaneouslypursue feature and direct-to-DVD opportunities.

Bella Sara was created in Denmark by Gitte OdderBraendgaard and features horse-themed fantasy cards that offerpositive, inspirational messages to millions of young children.Each card, purchased in packs, includes a unique code that acti-vates, at the Bella Sara website, a virtual version of the horse pic-tured on the card. Bella Sara taps into young girls’ love of horsesand offers children the ability to nurture their virtual horses intheir online stables, read stories, and play games featuring horses.

ITV Global Entertainment serves as the licensing agentfor the Bella Sara property.

HAYWIRE GROUP’S NEW LINEUPThe Haywire Group is offering a number of new games. In Word Pirate, each pirate takes

a turn rolling letter dice and building a pathway of words. Players also use rock walls toblock their enemies’ paths in an effort to be the first player to build a bridge across shark-infested waters and reach the pirate loot.

Action Princesses is a new twist on a classic story. These princesses may look dainty but,make no mistake, they can handle themselves and save a prince in distress while they’re at it.In this game, the princesses are gathering the tools they need to defeat the Evil King who isthreatening the village and has captured prince charming.

In Number Ninjas, players will have a great time on their mission to retrieve the GoldenDragon Box. Ninjas will need to solve math challenges, block their opponents, and avoid traps

while being the first to reach the ancient temple where the treasure is hidden.

After 45 years in the actionfigure aisle, onewould thinkthat the group of G.I. JOEoperatives might be think-ing of retirement. But

because “every generation needs a hero,”G.I. JOE continues to thrive and will bereinvented this year with a new live-actionmovie, G.I. JOE: The Rise of Cobra.Hasbro first brought G.I. JOE to life in

1964, inspiring the term “action figure.”The brand has stayed in the marketthroughout the years with the exceptionof a few years between “retirement” ofthe classic vintage G.I. JOE in 1976 andthe introduction of the new “A RealAmerican Hero” in 1982.The G.I. JOE vs. COBRA saga, which

the movie and upcoming toy line arebased on, originated in the early 1980sand featured 95 TV episodes and 155comic books in just the first series alone.

It has since produced more than 450 dis-tinct pieces of G.I. JOE content, includingmemorable characters such as Duke,Snake Eyes, Scarlett, The Baroness, andStorm Shadow. These names will be syn-onymous with action and adventure againas the G.I. JOE vs. COBRA fantasy isreinvented for a new generation.The new film from Paramount

Pictures and Hasbro hits theaters onAugust 7. G.I. JOE: The Rise of Cobrafocuses on an elite G.I. JOE team thatuses the latest in next-generation spy andmilitary equipment to fight the corruptarms dealer DESTRO and the growingthreat of the mysterious COBRA organi-zation to prevent them from plunging theworld into chaos.Hasbro’s toy line allows fans to recre-

ate the excitement of the movie in theirhomes. The line includes everything fromaction figures and playsets to roleplayitems. Electronic Arts recently announcedthat it would bring the G.I. JOE brand toall major console and handheld gamingplatforms this summer to coincide withthe movie release.Toys and video games aren’t the only

products to feature the G.I. JOE brand.Hasbro has signed more than 100 licens-ing deals for categories ranging fromapparel and accessories to publishing.With licensees Simon & Schuster, C-LifeGroup, KIDdesigns, Brown Shoe, andGlobal Design Concepts, as well as thenew film, G.I. JOE seems poised to reacha new generation of boys while offering afresh take for older fans.

HASBROBY LAURIE HAHN

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NEED TO KNOW

• G.I. JOE was inductedinto the National Toy Hallof Fame in 2004.

• G.I. JOE: The Rise ofCobra stars Dennis Quaidas General Hawk,Channing Tatum as Duke,Sienna Miller as TheBaroness, and JosephGordon-Levitt as CobraCommander.

• The “G.I.” in G.I. JOEstands for “GovernmentIssue.”

• The G.I. JOE Conventionhappens once a year andallows fans to celebrate thebrand, meet new people,and look for hard-to-findfigures. The conventionhosts guest speakers,Hasbro panels, celebrities,activities, and exclusiveproduct. The 2009 conven-tion will be held at theCrown Hyatt in KansasCity, Mo., Aug 13–16. Visit GIJOECLUB.com formore information.

BROWN SHOE COMPANYBrown Shoe Company will produce

boys’ footwear for ages 3–7, sizes 9–4.Types of shoes include athletic, skate, hik-ers, weather boots, rain boots, and slippers.The shoes will hit shelves in August to coin-cide with the movie’s release.


KIDDESIGNSKIDdesigns will produce the G.I. JOE M.A.R.S.

Laptop, a go-anywhere learning tool that makes languagecome alive. For ages 5 and up, the laptop teaches letters,rhymes, and spelling in Learn mode. Quiz mode teststhat knowledge. The laptop comes with a full ABCkeyboard and a large, easy-to-read backlit display. Italso features styling based on the new movie.

GLOBAL DESIGN CONCEPTSKids will be ready for back-to-school action with

G.I. JOE-branded backpacks from Global DesignConcepts. The backpacks feature images of charactersfrom the new movie, G.I. JOE: The Rise of Cobra.

SIMON & SCHUSTERSimon & Schuster signed on to pro-

duce a variety of books based on the newG.I. JOE movie. A movie novelization aswell as The Confidential G.I. JOE Files(shown) bring the on-screen action to thepage. Both books will be available thissummer. Sticker books and board bookswill also be available.

HASBROHasbro’s G.I. JOE Movie Pit

Playset recreates the fortress head-quarters for G.I. JOE. Knownthroughout the comics, animatedseries, and new movie as the under-ground command center of the G.I.JOE team, The Pit serves as the char-acters’ training facility, living quar-ters, and heavy equipment storage facility. The expandable multi-level playset comesequipped with sounds, an elevator, and much more. It includes an exclusive 3.75-inchGeneral Hawk figure. The playset is for ages 4 and up.

When Wayne Nathanand RichMigatz firstwent into businesstogether, they neverhad a company such

as Techno Source in mind. Originally, the pairof toy industry veterans founded the companyin 2000 as a manufacturer of video gameaccessories. Techno Source was a sideproject for the two men, while they con-tinued on with their careers in the toybusiness. It didn’t take long, however, forthe two founders to realize that there wasa growth opportunity in the realm of elec-tronic toys and games that Techno Sourcecould take advantage of. Soon, the com-pany began to branch out, reintroducingLCD games to the market and crafting afull line of plug and play games for hometelevisions. Techno Source has now grownbeyond even those roots, with new electronicversions of popular play patterns, such as theRubik’s Cube, and games like Sudoku.

The guiding philosophy of TechnoSource is rooted in the woes of the toy busi-ness during the company’s early years.“There were a lot of people shaking theirheads and saying kids didn’t want ‘tradition-al toys’ any more,” says Eric Levin, presi-dent of Techno Source. “But kids never wentto mom and specifically asked for a ‘tradi-tional toy.’ They just wanted to have fun.”Techno Source has applied that philosophywhen approaching product lines that wereupdates of classic products, such as the com-pany’s first electronic update of the Rubik’sCube. Instead of trying to totally redesign thecube, Techno Source used the technology at

its disposal to enhance the aspects that madethe cube fun in the first place.

The company avoids pushing technologyinto its products for technology’s sake. Anexample of this is the company’s handheldLCD products, as well as its Plug and PlayTV Game System products. “Other peoplemaking LCD games thought that they had to

compete and would make complex gamesthat had high prices, but still didn’t have thequality or play value of a portable game sys-tem,” says Levin. Instead of trying to com-pete on that level, Techno Source focused onsimpler LCD games that could retail forprice points in the $5 range. The same phi-losophy was applied when the companymoved into television-based plug and playproducts. Techno Source’s products aimedfor the parents and families that would mostlikely shy away from those systems. “Therewas great value in a system with 10–20games for $10–$20,” says Levin.

Techno Source has come a long way sinceits products first hit the market, and Levincredits a part of that to the key licensingagreements and partnerships that TechnoSource has established over the years. “One of

the ways we have been able to grow is that inour early days we were able to make align-ments with big brands for our products,” saysLevin. “That gave us credibility.” TechnoSource has worked with entertainment brandssuch as Warner Bros., NASCAR, Crayola,and Sesame Street, as well as game brandssuch as Sudoku and Rubik’s. Levin believes

that having a strong licensing foundationis important to a company like TechnoSource. “Licensing is a great way to off-set the risk profile of our company as wellas reach a large pre-established audiencethat is engaged with the brands,” he says

As Techno Source moves forward,the company is expanding into new cat-egories. Upcoming product lines willfeature plush, figures, and crafting activ-ities. “On the surface, it seems like a

departure, but at their heart these categorieshave a way that ties in technology and makesit interesting for kids,” says Levin. TechnoSource will be releasing Printies, a productwhere children can design plush online andprint out and stuff their own toys with theincluded kit and an in-house inkjet printer.The company has also entered a partnershipwith Smiley Central to create a line of plush,figures, and toys that can unlock exclusivecontent on the Smiley Central Studio web-site. The company is also building on exist-ing products, with the new Rubik’sTouchCube featuring an accelerometer andtouch-screen technology. “We’re having funright now and we’re focused on continuingto grow in ways that can deliver within ourmission: creating toys and play patterns thatare improved by technology,” says Levin.

TECHNOLOGY AT PLAYBY PAUL NARULA

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The 60th Nürnberg Toy Fair, whichtook place February 5–9, justlyclaims to be the biggest interna-

tional toy fair in the world, with 2,700exhibitors and 76,000 visitors. These fig-ures were slightly down compared to2008, but not by as much as the fair man-agement had feared in these extraordi-nary times. In recognition of the show’sanniversary and the importance of thefair, the German chancellor AngelaMerkel flew in from Berlin to give the

opening speech, ensuring extensiveGerman media coverage for the show,before she flew back to deal with moreimportant issues such as saving the banksand the automobile industry.

The mood of the show seemed to becautiously optimistic, which is a step for-ward from the prevailing mood during theHong Kong fair at the beginning ofJanuary. In September and October 2008,when the enormity of the financial crisiswas still just unfolding, many toy compa-nies seemed to react like deer caught inthe headlights. Plans were put on hold,staff fired, and investments and recruit-ment cancelled or postponed. However,by the time the Nürnberg show openedthese companies were emerging from col-lective paralysis, realizing that their 2008results were not the end of the world, andnothing as bad as in many other industrysectors. Some, of course, never made it.On the day before the show opened, theGerman toy company Marklin, formerly a$200 million icon of German model trainmanufacturing, was declared insolvent.The company’s fans were met with dour-faced insolvency administrators ratherthan enthusiastic product demonstrators.

Just before the fair opened, the death ofPlaymobil inventor Hans Beck at age 79was announced. It is a testimony to his cre-ativity and vision that worldwide sales ofthe 35-year-old Playmobil last year exceed$500 million. The brand has enormous

internation-al scope for expan-sion, so it is hardly surprising that manycompanies have tried to buy Playmobil.The owner Horst Brandstaetter is simplynot interested in selling the company.

Another very busy showroom was thatof Mattel, but then the 400 Mattel staffpresent from around the world wouldhave filled the showroom space evenwithout a single visit from a buyer.

The fair organizers always invest intrying to make the show an entertainingexperience, with a firework display, ahuge dinner party for 3,000 people, andmany other evening events. For a city ofhalf a million inhabitants to host a showof 76,000 visitors clearly makes a dra-matic impact on city life. To thank thecity for 60 years of support there was anevening of late night shopping, entertain-ment for the public on three stages,attractions, and a huge birthday cake.

U.S. manufacturers wanting to expandinternationally are well advised to visitNürnberg Toy Fair in order to have thechance to meet and talk to distributorsfrom more than 100 countries, and to geta feel for the idiosyncrasies of differentmarkets before prioritizing a target list ofcountries for potential expansion.

Andrew Dobbie is managing partner forthe UK’s Gameplan Europe. For moreinformation visit gameplaneurope.com

A 60th AnniversaryCelebration in Nürnberg


BY ANDREW DOBBIE

INDU

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M

The Nürnberg Toy Fair celebrated its 60th anniversary lastmonth. To mark the occasion and to demonstrate theimportance of the fair to Germany, German chancellorAngela Merkel flew in from Berlin to give the opening

speech. This certainly ensured extensive Germanmedia coverage for the toy show.

..

A year-long celebration is underway for the 50th anniversary of Barbie. Mattel is celebrating the brand’s

past and present while looking ahead to its future. This month, TTOOYYSS && FFAAMMIILLYY EENNTTEERRTTAAIINNMMEENNTT takes a brief

look at the history of Barbie.

Barbie: Celebrating Five Decades of Fabulous


BY NANCY LOMBARDI

1950• 1959: Barbie Millicent Roberts is

introduced at New York Toy Fair. The fash-ion doll sold for $3. Additional fashionssold for $1–$5. In its first year, Mattel says300,000 Barbie dolls were sold.

1960• 1962: Red Flare Barbie reflects the style

of the times with a nod to trendsetter andFirst Lady, Jackie Kennedy, with a red pill-box-style hat and matching red overcoat.

• 1965: The world is fascinated with thepossibility of space exploration. MissAstronaut Barbie shows girls that anycareer is possible—four years before manlands on the moon.

1970• 1971: The Barbie Country Camper is

introduced as the nation’s youth are inspiredby nature, cross-country travel, and camping.

• 1977: The Barbie Star-vette is introducedas California car culture sweeps the nation.

1980• 1981: The debut of MTV changes the

music industry and subsequent generations of

kids. Barbie and TheRockers mirror thetimes with big hairand a popular band.

• 1989: Barbiejoins the Army oneyear before the Gulf Warbegins. Barbie’s uniform isapproved by the Pentagon,ensuring authenticity.

1990• 1992: Geraldine Ferraro makes history

as she runs for U.S. vice-president. Althoughnot affiliated with any political party,Presidential Candidate Barbie is released.

• 1998: The WNBA is gaining in popular-ity and Mattel releases WNBA BasketballPlayer Barbie. In addition, Barbie became aNASCAR driver, 10 years before DanicaPatrick’s historic Indy Car win in 2008.

2000• 2007: The digital revolution, while

still in its infancy, is undergoing dramatic,rapid change. Kids, and therefore Mattel,are at the forefront of these changes. Barbieis reimagined as a new doll-shaped MP3

player with removable snap-on fashionsand the ability to link to barbiegirls.com,which Mattel says is the first-ever virtualworld designed for girls.

• 2009: The 50th anniversary year-long,global celebration kicked off in Februarywith a star studded Mercedes-BenzFashion Week show. On March 9, Barbie’sofficial birthday, Mattel hosted a party inher honor. Mattel recreated Barbie’sMalibu Beach House for partygoers innone other than Malibu, California.

On the left is Mattel’s Barbie and Kenfrom the 1960s. Pictured above is fashiondesigner Rachel Roy’s interpretation of theiconic Barbie bathing suit at Mercedes-Benz

Fashion Week this past February.

When someone buys atrading card game(TCG) pack, chancesare he’s getting morethan is held within

that slim foil package. Physical cards canfeature detailed artwork of characters the boymay have already seen in his favorite TVshow, movie, or video game. Access to anonline world full of activities, games, andmore also comes standard with the card pack.Offering multiple elements to a TCG helps tomore deeply immerse the players into aworld of fantasy while keeping the fun ofgame play going whenever and wherever.4Kids Entertainment’s Chaotic TCG gives

boys the ability to play the game online usingthe cards they own. “It’s a tabletop trading cardgame that’s a lot of fun to play with a friend, butwhat if that friend goes home? You can thenupload all of our cards so you have exact virtu-al reproductions online so you can continue thegame you started in person,” says Carlin West,executive vice-president, property acquisitionsand development, 4Kids.Continuing a game’s narrative through an

online component makes the most sense fortoday’s boys. As Mark Gross, vice-president ofmarketing and communications for Xeko, says,“You really don’t exist to this generation of dig-ital natives if you don’t have a strong web pres-ence.” Xeko, an eco-adventure TCG starringEarth’s endangered animals, encourages play-ers to visit the website to learn more about theanimals and their habitats.The website for Upper Deck’s Huntik prop-

erty will see the addition of a massively multi-player online game later this year. “Integration

between online experience and what happenson the tabletop is really going to become thestandard in the next few years,” says ScottGaeta, director of entertainment marketing andnew business, Upper Deck.But for every online TCG, there is a TCG-

based television show that features actualgame play or ties into the storyline of thegame. Chaotic, which airs on CW4Kids andJetix, chronicles the lives of two boys whoupload their Chaotic trading cards online andend up in the land of Perim where the crea-tures on the cards exist. “The TV show con-nects to the game through its narrative, thegame connects to online, and online connectsback to the TV show,” says 4Kids’West.Konami’s Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG launched a

new series last year, Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D’s, whichairs on CW4Kids. “[Boys] see all of the deal-ing and the cards featured in our boosterpacks,” says Yumi Hoashi, vice-president ofKonami’s card business. “There is a lot ofcrossover. The kids see it on TV and thenthey see it on our packaging.”Also hoping to cross over into television

and movies is Hidden City Games’ BellaSara. PorchLight Entertainment partneredwith Hidden City Games to create an animat-ed television series and long-form film con-tent based on Bella Sara. “We have devisedwith PorchLight some amazing charactersand scripts,” says Peter Adkison, CEO,Hidden City Games.Wizards of the Coast’s Magic: The

Gathering has been pushing forward the game’sstoryline through web comics and books inhopes of bringing Magic to TV and movies.“We’re a subsidiary of Hasbro and Universal

has a deal with Hasbro for movie properties,”says Elaine Chase, senior brand manager forMagic. “Nothing has been announced yet forMagic, but it’s something that all parties areinterested in, taking this cool fantasy world andputting it out there for people to see.”TV shows are just another way to let kids

interact with the characters they love, as well askeep the property fresh. For Pokémon, howev-er, video games help the property continue toreinvent itself. Pokémon’s new Nintendo DSgame,Pokémon Platinum, extends into the newTCG and TV series. “[Pokémon] video gamesare always introducing new characters,” saysJ.C. Smith, Pokémon USA’s marketing direc-tor, “and the trading card games are able to takeadvantage of that and create new game playbased on those characters and their powers asthey are shown in the video game as well as inthe movies and TV episodes.”However, when it comes down to it, the

importance of offering multiple ways for play-ers to connect with their favorite TCG is over-shadowed by the benefits of tabletop gameplay. “I know there’s a lot more focus on whatthe online component is going to be in thefuture,” says Konami’s Hoashi, “but tradingcard games are all about being social. A lot ofkids are becoming less sociable. They may bechatting online, but they’re not actually com-municating with real live people face to faceand trading card games promote that.” Ofcourse, for those times when a game can’t beplayed face to face, or at all, the internet, videogames, and TV shows will be there to keep thefun and fantasy of TCGs going.

TRADING CARD GAMES

GO BEYOND THE TABLETOP


BY LAURIE HAHN

New TCGs for 2009 include Upper Deck’s Huntik,Pokémon Platinum, and Konami’s Yu-Gi-Oh 5D’s.

GAMEPLAN EUROPE LTDHelping toy manufacturers expand internationally.

Since 1988 Gameplan Europe has been helping toy manufacturers and suppliers to develop theirexport sales. Here are some of our services, which cover the whole world.

> Market investigations of opportunities

> Viability studies for business set-ups

> Finding distributors, sales agencies, etc.

> Managing distributor networks

> Executive recruitment.

Gameplan Europe also publishes the InternationalDirectory of Retail Toy Buyers and the InternationalDirectory of Toy Importer-Distributors. These invaluable sources of information cover 38 countries and are the essential starting point for building international business.

For further information please contactAndrew Dobbie or Margit PendlTel. +44 (0) 1442 870100 (United Kingdom)email: [email protected] site: www.gameplaneurope.com

Project1 9/25/06 10:46 AM Page 1

While, once upon atime, a single hitbook was enough tofully immerse a childin another world,

today’s multimedia children demand morethan that. The days of a single-medium-driv-en entertainment home run are long gone.

That’s not to say that books aren’t animportant part of a story-driven entertain-ment experience for children. Because booksoffer such rich tales, in many cases bookshave served as a sturdy foundation for awholly engrossing media platform.

“Today’s kids are notorious multitaskersand multimedia consumers,” says AlysonGrubard, director, licensing & brand manage-ment at Simon & Schuster Children’sPublishing. “Licensors have really taken this toheart in their overall development of a brand.”

In developing a property for today’s chil-dren, licensors look toward media channelssuch as the internet, TV, movies, and videogames, as well as other consumer productcategories to create an experience thatenvelops consumers.

In addition to taking a more multimedia-based approach, today’s content providers(the digital-age equivalent of publishers)need to establish a well-defined and well-known digital footprint in the marketplace.

“There is still a place for books, but if youare 13 and you’re thinking about how you’regoing to spend your money, you are notcruising the bookstore,” says John Lee, CEOof Callaway Arts & Entertainment. “Theonline and digital worlds have been the pri-mary source of content for kids. “

Callaway is in the process of becoming amuch more multi-platformed company whilelooking at the relationship between the targetaudience and its content.

For its popular The English Roses seriesof books, penned by Madonna, the companyis taking something that existed mainly as abook program and morphing it into a multi-platform, web-centric entity. The launch plat-form for this new model is expected to be aone-hour television special that serves as acall-to-action to bring the audience to a ded-icated website to experience webisodes thatare spawned from book content.

“We’re not abandoning the printed page,but we’re expanding it into all of the placesyoung people are going,” says Lee. “Becausethe web is so multidimensional, we can takethat story and give it a lot more interactivity.”

Another example of a multi-platformpublishing brand is Scholastic’s The 39Clues series. It has seen success with multi-platform publishing for the brand that hasenmeshed the worlds of trading cards, theweb, and printed books to establish thebrand in the marketplace.

Film FodderThe book-to-film adaptation has proven

immensely successful over a long span oftime. The biggest literary phenomenon of2008 was Twilight, which captured headlinesas it raked in box-office bounty. While thatproperty focuses on teens, rather thanyounger kids and tweens discussed here, itdoes signify the power of bringing the print-ed page to the silver screen.

Even larger success is possible if thetarget audience is broader. Some of thehighest-grossing movies of all time haveliterary roots. The key to mega success inthe book-adaptation business is finding afour-quadrant movie.

“Any chance you can get men andwomen, boys and girls to get drawn into astory, you have the biggest chance forsuccess,” says Chip Flaherty, publisher ofWalden Pond Press. “It goes back to theidea that the best stories are the ones thatrelate to everybody.”

He adds, “It is easier said than done.It’s like saying, ‘To be a great basketballplayer, all you have to do is score 40points per game’.”

It may be difficult, but the list of all-time


BY CHRIS ADAMS

Kids Are Still Reading. . .But Where?

Callaway Arts & Entertainment’s The English Roses:Friends for Life!, part of The English Roses line of

books by Madonna, includes a collectiblemyenglishroses.net membership card.

box-office toppers proves the point; TheLord of the Rings and Harry Potter filmsthat reside in the top 10 make a pretty solidcase. The successes in fairly recent yearshave made the film industry receptive topublishing properties.

“There are times when, through the suc-cesses of publishing-based movies, whenmore of these types of movies get made,”says Suzanne Murphy, vice-president, grouppublisher, trade publishing at Scholastic.“We are in a really good time for that.”

The Value of PaperIt would be impossible to talk about the

latest trends of any industry without dis-cussing the sorry state of the economy andits effects on the industry. There have beenhigh-profile reports of bookstores sufferingthe effects of the economy, making themmore risk averse than usual. Add into theequation that in book channels unsoldbooks can be returned to the publisher for arefund. That puts a lot of pressure on bookpublishers to deliver.

One advantage that children’s publishing,in particular, offers is the ongoing success ofbacklisted titles.

“The largest amount of our sales arefrom backlist titles and we’re not complete-ly reliant on new books we’re bringing out,”says Scholastic’s Murphy. “We are beingreally smart about how we’re promoting andspending our money on new acquisitions.”

The economy has had an influence onthe format of books consumers are buying.As consumers are increasingly price con-

scious, the sales of paperback books havegrown while hardcover sales have waned.According to a February 12, 2009, reportfrom the Association of AmericanPublishers on sales from last December,while the children’s/young adult hardcov-er sales were down 12.4 percent for theyear, paperback sales in that market wereup 6.4 percent for the year.

The success of paperbacks amid the cur-rent economy reflects other indicators inthe family entertainment marketplace.Families that are spending more time athome are looking for a maximum amountof entertainment for the least amount ofmoney. For instance, the board game indus-try is also reporting strong sales among theeconomic doom and gloom.

After all, families still need some form ofentertainment no matter how much they planon cutting back expenses. Sure, they may nixthe $70 movie night and the dinner out at arestaurant, opting instead for dinner at home,followed by a board game or a DVD movie.Then, before bedtime, mom and dad canread a few favorite books to their childrenwhile tucking them in tight.

The books that parents read with theirchildren will stay with them forever. Thetimeless stories that have been told togeneration after generation of childrenlive on in print and in memories. And intoday’s multimedia world, those timelesstales are increasingly living on in digitalformats. No matter how much thingschange, the constant allure, appeal, andentertainment value that a good story canoffer will remain.


The Latest WordSCHOLASTIC:Following upon the hitbook-to-movieHotel forDogs is Newsfor Dogs,which will becoming out inMay. A third, untitled, sequelis expected in 2010.

WALDENPOND: Savvyis the firstoriginalNewberryHonor bookpublished byWalden (with

publishing partner Penguin).A screenwriter is currentlyworking on the movie script.

SIMON & SCHUSTER: Booksrevolving around the YoGabba Gabba property arehot sellers for Simon &Schuster.

Silver Dolphin: The MovingWindowsseries ofbooksbringspopularsing-alongs tolife.

Games are one of the few categories that can bring thegenerations together. Whether it’s a game of CandyLand, Trivial Pursuit, Scrabble, Uno, or any of theother countless classics, everyone has a favorite andeveryone can recount a memory of playing with a

friend or family member. And, even in the presence of today’sexpanded entertainment options, games are still a top choice. “Peoplegrow up with them,” says TimWiener, vice-president of marketing atCadaco. “Gaming is something you do your whole life.” While thecategory has developed and changed, games are still a strong pres-ence in the toy business.

THE APPEALGames appeal to all demographic groups because they foster an

interaction that many other forms of entertainment lack. It’s also aform of entertainment that anyonecan afford, which is why this catego-ry weathers all types of economicstorms. “It’s a fun activity that fos-ters social interaction,” says MarcShinderman, general manager,Briarpatch. Many parents viewgames as a way to spend some timewith their children without forcing“quality time” on the children.Games also find a home in schools,especially those games with an edu-cational slant, as they can help chil-dren develop social skills andencourage learning. Older audiencesare drawn to games for the fosteringof social interaction in a fun atmospherethat doesn’t require a specific setting or group to get started.

THE AUDIENCE“The games audience has evolved significantly over the past

few years,” says Jim Pressman, president of Pressman Games.“The age demographic has shifted.” A number of manufacturers

commented that the tween age group pulls away from games, yetthey return as they develop into the 18–35 demographic. Despitethat, there is no real standard demographic that most game manu-facturers target. The target depends on what type of game theychoose to develop. “The interesting part is that it isn’t really about‘if’ they’re playing games, but ‘what’ they’re playing,” says DanSabato, director of marketing at Fundex. Games exist that canappeal to adults and children simultaneously. Yet there are somethat are oriented more toward families, while others are designedto keep a group of adult friends playing. “I truly believe thatthere’s a game out there for everyone,” says Brian Turtle, salesmanager at Endless Games.

MAKING A MARKAnd while there may be something for everyone, not just any game

can be a success. Today’s consumers aresuffering from “time compression.”People want to do more in less time.Thus, a game has to be able to facilitatethat with both easy set-up and quickgame play. “We want you to be able toopen up the box and have the game goingwithin five minutes,” says Turtle. That isthe sentiment from most game makerssimply because today’s consumers don’twant to read directions. Everyone wantsto open the box and play. Endless Gamesfacilitates this by incorporating familiarplay patterns into its new games.Quackgammon, for example, features thegeneral strategy and play mechanics of the

classic game backgammon, but is adapted forsimpler play. This makes it easier for children to get into the game andfamiliar enough for adults who have played backgammon to jump rightin. Also, it keeps game play quick so that groups with time constraintscan play a full game every time. Other companies have taken on simi-lar strategies. Monopoly City, from Hasbro, takes the classic game ofMonopoly, which could go on for hours, and provides a set of rules

GAMES: PLAYING TO WIN


BY PAUL NARULA

X Games Fingerboard Challenge from Cardinal

that can finish a game in under anhour. In addition, Bananagrams, apopular specialty game, doesn’t evenrequire the set-up of a board. Playerscan open the Bananagrams pouchand begin play immediately on anysurface. “A game has to be fast, easyto understand, and fun,” says AbeNathanson, CEO of Bananagrams.

While everyone likes to keep itmoving quickly, it must be fun soplayers will want to play it again andagain. If not, what’s the point of spending money on the game?“There needs to be aspects of a game that make repeat play inter-esting,” says Bonnie Canner, vice-president of marketing atCardinal. It can be trivia focused around a favorite property suchas Cardinal’s new Twilight game or some of the company’s clas-sics, such as chess or checkers, which have been enjoyed by gen-erations. Regardless of what a player chooses, there has to be asimple balance between winning and losing a game and masteringthe nuances of play. “There has to be a challenge and a sense ofaccomplishment,” says Phil Jackson, group executive, HasbroGames. “It has to be fun, with a balance of skill and luck.” A gamefocused entirely on skill means one player could dominate theother. A game based entirely on luck can become frustrating for aplayer with a streak of ill fortune.

MONEY TROUBLESWhile many product categories suffer during economic down-

turns, games have proven, time and again through numerousrecessions, to be a remarkably resilient category. The simple rea-son is that it’s a great form of repeat entertainment for a greatprice. “When you think of a game, you often then think about theconcept of a game closet,” says Jacobe Chrisman, CEO of I CanDo That! Games. “These are things you play over and over. Gamesaren’t disposable.” While a movie or a sporting event is over in afew hours at most, games aren’t always over when somebodywins. The game can be played again and again, sometimes for

years. This gives the games category ahigh perceived value for the consumer.

In fact, a number of the companiesinterviewed stated that their business isat least on par or higher than this timelast year, when the economy was in avery different place. The cost of goingout has kept more consumers at homeand games fit perfectly into their plans.Some game company executives, suchas Susan Hebbelwaite, co-owner of

Family Games U.S.A., actually think thateven higher-priced games may find more acceptance in the currentmarketplace, as consumers pull back from spending on other productsand become more willing to spend extra cash on products that have ahigh perceived value. Fundex’s Sabato agrees. “I believe we’re goingto see a little bit more of the high-cost game being sold,” he says.“People are going to be spending money on something besides theirvacation and travel.” Even a high-end game is barely a fraction of afamily’s budget for vacation.

THE FUTUREEven as the game category sees success despite the recession,

changes are happening within the category to appeal to each seg-ment of demographics. Party games for adults continue to gainpopularity as evidenced by Hasbro’s Partini introduced last yearand Star Trek Scene It? from Mattel. In addition, the trend of get-ting kids active remains important. “Kids are becoming moresedentary, so we’re looking for ways to get them up off thecouch,” says Lee Ann Wong, senior director of games at Mattel.Mattel’s new Saucer Scramble keeps kids running to catch coloredsaucers launched from the spaceship central play piece. This canalso be evidenced in Hasbro’s Giraffalaff Limbo, as well as WildPlanet’s successful Hyper Dash and this year’s follow up, 1-2-3Stomp and Basic Fun’s Twister Take-A-Long. While these maynot be “traditional games” like some of the others mentioned inthe story, it just proves that as Endless Games’ Turtle mentionedearlier, “There is a game out there for everyone.”

GAMES: PLAYING TO WIN


Games such as Scene It? can appeal to an older crowd.

Quelf has taken the traditional board game and turned it into an experience! To find out more contact us at [email protected]. Quelf, from the makers of Fact or Crap and Battle of the Sexes.

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PLAYING QUELF!

VISIT US AT BOOTH#3003TO EXPERIENCETHE QUELFEFFECT

MattelUnoMoo, from Mattel, is a

new variation on the classicUno card game. Using bright-ly colored game pieces ratherthan cards and simplifiedrules, UnoMoo makes Uno moreaccessible for younger preschoolplayers while keeping the same playpattern that parents and older players are familiar with.

Games


BY PAUL NARULA

HasbroIn Hasbro’s new Clue:

Secrets & Spies, playersmust infiltrate a criminalorganization as secretagents. Players completeindividual missions toadvance through the game and compete against other players.Clues to help complete these missions can be sent to players’cell phones during the game.

Whether they’re remakes of classics or entirely new concepts, games always perform well in a bad economy asfamilies spend more time at home. Here are some of the latest products to hit shelves.


CadacoIn Cadaco’s Through the Clues, players

must use two provided clues to guess thecorrect word. Not every clue is correct andplayers must choose which clue to trust.

Endless GamesQuackgammon is a simplified version of the

classic game play of Backgammon. The stan-dard Backgammon play pieces have been

replaced by duck fig-ures and the rules havebeen simplified to allowfor quick play with par-ents and children.

Jax GamesSequence Numbers expands on Jax’s

sequence series. Each card has an equa-tion and the board has the answers.Players match a card to its correct

answer and putdown a chip.When a playerhas five chips ina row, they winthe game with asequence.

Games


BananagramsJumbo Bananagrams is an extra-large set of Bananagrams tiles

that is designed for use by larger groups, from schools to parties.

CardinalNew from Cardinal is the Twilight Board Game.

The more players know about Twilight the greatertheir chances of winning. Answer questions aboutthe movie and aboutfriends to earn Scenecards and move forwardaround the board. Thefirst to travel the entireboard and collect alleight Scene cards wins.


Family GamesSprocket pits players against one another as

they try to put all their lugs into play by creat-ing gears on thegameboard using theincluded rotor pieces.

I Can DoThat! Games

In Curious George Discovery Beach,players match their cards to objects hid-den in the game board by searchingwhere the spinner directsthem. When the spinner landson the wave, players mustshake up the gameboard, movingthe objects.

PressmanWorking with the Smithsonian,

Pressman has created Be The Expert.Players use hundreds of photographsfrom the museum to see which item ontheir assignment card doesn’t match.

Thames & Kosmos recognizesthat there are problems withscience education in schools.The classes don’t engage thestudents, the lessons are too

boring, or the curriculum is too focused ontesting. “It’s not a revolutionary idea, butour idea is to give children tools they canuse outside of the classroom and toys theycan play with that teach them science in afun way,” says Ted McGuire, president ofThames & Kosmos. Through its high-endscience kits for ages 5–14, Thames &Kosmos has been working to improveinformal science education outside of theclassroom since its inception in 2001.The Rhode Island-based company began as

a science museum shop at the Thames ScienceCenter in Newport, R.I. McGuire’s late mother,Jane Holdsworth, who was the science muse-um’s director, opened the museum store as away to gain alternative revenue for the nonprof-it museum. In this role, Holdsworth learned alot about the science and edu-cational toy business, as wellas the 180-year-old German-based publishing houseFranckh-Kosmos Verlags-GmbH & Co. KG, whichbecame the “Kosmos” inThames & Kosmos.Holdsworth wasn’t selling

Kosmos science kits in herstore, but plenty of consumersasked for them. Because the

kits weren’t available in North America,Holdsworth decided to become the NorthAmerican distributor for Kosmos. Between2001 and 2002, Thames & Kosmos intro-duced only two kits as test runs “to see if ahigh-end science kit, a $150 science kit,would just be laughed at or if there would bea market for it,” McGuire says. The companyfound success with the kits and introduced amuch broader line of 10 products. By 2003,the product lineup had grown to 12 kits,including the original Fuel Cell Car kit thatlets kids build a model car that runs on water.McGuire, who took over the company after

his mother’s death in 2003, says the companyadds five–15 new products every year. Most aredesigned by Kosmos and Thames & Kosmostranslates them and sells them. In 2005, thecompany began co-developing science kits withKosmos. Thames & Kosmos comes up with anidea and Kosmos will develop it or Thames &Kosmos will design the products with anothermanufacturer but use an experiment manual

from Kosmos. “We’re start-ing to do more things tomake the product line reallywork for North Americabecause there’s a big differ-ence between the Germanmarket and the Americanmarket,” McGuire says.And in North America,

the need for high-qualityscience kits continues togrow. Not only are the

products sold in specialty retailers, but alsoeducational supply distributors that sell toteachers and the home-school market featureThames & Kosmos science kits in their cata-logs and websites. “[The home school] mar-ket is a growing market and they reallyappreciate the depth and the quality in thekits,” McGuire says. “There’s quite a bit ofcontent in each of our kits and you really getwhat you pay for in terms of the number ofexperiments and the number of parts and thequality of the curriculum. They’re not justsingle-use products.”Parents and teachers can feel even better

about purchasing Thames & Kosmos sciencekits as the company begins partnerships withnonprofits this year. When consumers buy theWind Power Energy Kit, they are donatingmoney to The Apeiron Institute for SustainableLiving, which works to create ecologicallyhealthy communities in Rhode Island by pro-moting sustainable living practices.This year, Thames & Kosmos will be giv-

ing consumers eight new kits and McGuiredoesn’t seem phased by any effect the econo-my might have on the specialty toy marketand his company. “There’s always a need fortoys and, especially, educational toys,”McGuire says. “I think we may have to scaleback, do fewer products or cut some, take dif-ferent steps, give more discounts, or take lessprofit, but I think we’ll all weather it andcome through it. I believe in the productwe’re selling and I believe there’s a need forit, so I know people will buy it.”

THAMES & KOSMOS MAKES SCIENCE FUN


BY LAURIE HAHN

New Thames & Kosmos kits will featureThe Dangerous Book for Boys brand.

Created by Jim Silver, editor-in-chief at aNb Media, and Chris Byrne, renowned toy and children's lifestyle expert (A.K.A. The Toy Guy®), Time to Play is powered by aNb Media, TheToyGuy.com, and a team of leading, well-known toy, family entertainment, and parenting experts. Key team members include Elizabeth Werner, chief toy o�cer, iVillage.com, and Shannon Eis, parenting and toy expert.

This season's most highly trafficked family-friendly website, TimetoPlayMag.com offers parents and gift givers information,

entertainment, and services on what's fun for children and their families.

© 2008 aNB Media. All Rights Reserved.

The comprehensive site includes:hundreds of toy reviews and recommendationshot toy lists and editors' picksa product/gift �nderinformative and amusing blog entries from leading toy, family entertainment and parenting expertsseasonal storiessafety tips and recall informationdaily giveaways of hot toys and more!

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RREEHH II

RREEDD

THE CANADIAN GROUPNEW HIRESBarrie Simpson has become a partner of The Canadian

Group, a toy company primarily known for its SURE-LOXbrand of jigsaw puzzles, licensed games, and licensed activ-ities. She will head up the proprietary businesses of TheCanadian Group. Previously, she was vice-president andpresident of Warren Industries.Mary Simpson-Stratton accepted a position with The

Canadian Group’s licensing and marketing group.Simpson-Stratton brings almost 10 years of marketing andlicensing experience to this position.

AURORAWORLD, INC. MICHAEL KESSLER, SENIOR VICE-PRESIDENT OF SALESAurora World, Inc., appointed Michael Kessler to senior

vice-president of sales. Kessler will direct Aurora’s sales forceof more than 200 in the U.S., Canada,and Central and South America; itscommunications and marketing efforts;national sales and management meet-ings; product development; and cus-tomer service. Previously, Kessler wasvice-president and general managerof L.A. Mart at Merchandise MartProperties, Inc.

BANDAI AMERICA, INC. MARK SCHAFFNER, EXECUTIVE VICE-PRESIDENT OF TOYSBandai America, Inc., appointed Mark Schaffner to exec-

utive vice-president of toys. Schaffner will oversee the com-pany’s sales and marketing departments. He will also beresponsible for developing new alliances and strategies totake the company to the next level as a market leader in thetoy industry. Previously, Schaffner was vice-president ofglobal product development & marketing—accessory divi-sion at Philips Electronics.

CORUS ENTERTAINMENTNEW MANAGEMENT STRUCTURECorus Entertainment introduced a new management structure for the

Corus Kids business. Dale Hancocks expands his role to senior vice-presi-dent, operations and associate general counsel, Corus Kids and NelvanaEnterprises. He continues to oversee rights clearance and permissions andassumes oversight of Corus’ international children’s ventures, qubo andKidsCo, as well as responsibility for Kids Can Press. Jocelyn Hamilton becomes vice-president, programming and produc-

tion, Corus Kids. She will expand the current ratings momentum onYTV, while working with Canada’s production community.Colin Bohm becomes vice-president and managing director, Nelvana

Enterprises. He will help grow Nelvana’s worldwide broadcast sales,home entertainment, and merchandise licensing businesses. As vice-president, worldwide sales and distribution, Lynn Chadwick

will build the worldwide sales and distribution business for Corus Kids,working in conjunction with Nelvana and Corus Kids’ networks. Shewill also oversee the partnership with Teletoon.As vice-president, worldwide home entertainment and digital media,

Peter Maule is responsible for the division’s digital and home entertain-ment business globally, and takes on a strategic account planning role,working with the Corus Kids sales executives to realize integrated salesopportunities for Corus content. Mark Northwood becomes vice-president, worldwide licensing, respon-

sible for the global merchandise licensing business through the managementof core brands, as well as building opportunities for new properties.Jane Harrison, vice-president and associate general counsel, assumes

responsibility for all legal affairs within the Corus Kids organization.She will oversee broadcast, merchandise licensing, home entertainment,contract management, and all operating elements of Corus Kids. Laura Baehr expands her current role to vice-president, marketing,

Corus Kids and Nelvana Enterprises. She is responsible for all market-ing activities in Canada and internationally. As vice-president, international development, Corus Kids, Irene

Weibel will continue to lead efforts to seek out the best content fromaround the world as well as leverage existing co-production treatiesbetween Canada and 44 other countries.John Cvecich becomes director, Treehouse, a newly created position.

He will leverage the Treehouse brand with new opportunities.

SPIN MASTER LTD.GERARDO YEPEZ, PRESIDENT AND GENERAL MANAGER,SPIN MASTER MEXICOSpin Master Ltd. announced the opening of its new office in Mexico

and hired Gerardo Yepez as president and general manager, Spin MasterMexico. He will oversee its operations and lead the company’s expan-sion in this rapidly growing market. Spin Master Mexico is expected to

be operational during the first half of 2009.Previously, Yepez was president of toys with

MEGA Brands, Inc. He was also the founder ofMercasistemas, a toy distribution company thatlater became MEGA Bloks LatinoAmerica, a sub-sidiary of MEGA Brands. Yepez has also ownedand operated a sporting goods manufacturing anddistribution company where he introducedWilson Sporting Goods to the Mexican market.

JACOB BURNS FILM CENTERGARY E. KNELL, BOARD OF DIRECTORSGary E. Knell, president and CEO of Sesame Workshop, was recently

elected to the board of directors of the Jacob Burns FilmCenter (JBFC). TheJBFC is a not-for-profit cultural arts organization dedicated to presenting

the best of independent, documentary, andworld cinema; promoting visual literacy; andmaking film a vibrant part of the community.Knell will help the JBFC further develop andbroaden programs that prepare students of allages to be fully literate in the 21st century.Previously, Knell served as senior vice-

president and general counsel atWNET/Channel 13 in New York City andwas counsel to the U.S. Senate Judiciary and

Governmental Affairs committees. He is a member of the Council onForeign Relations and serves on the board of governors of the NationalGeographic Education Foundation. Knell is an advisor to WFUV publicradio at Fordham University and the Annenberg School ofCommunications at USC.

JULIA LUNDTHINK ABOUT IT DESIGN STUDIO

[email protected](347) 738–6862

PREVIOUS POSITION: creative director of the clock divi-sion of M.Z. Berger and Company.

EXPLAIN YOUR NEW BUSINESS VENTURE: I now operatemy own design business, Think About It Design Studio(www.thinkaboutitdesignstudio.com). I work with vari-ous clients on the following types of projects: productdesign, graphic design, design consulting, packagedesign/layout, point of purchase design/layout, instruc-tional design, digital photography retouching, brandingand identity, video and audio editing, and more.

SEEKING: My goal is to grow my business, reaching abroad range of clients by offering services for multiplefacets of design. I have worked directly with licensors,retailers, and suppliers to design and develop consumergoods in the home, kids’, tween, accessories, toys, andelectronics categories.If you are in need of these services, please contact me

using the information provided above.

PREVIOUS RESPONSIBILITIES: As creative director, I ranall creative initiatives and product development forlicensed and non-licensed clock product and packagingfrom concept to completion. I managed creative staff inthe New York and Hong Kong locations. I also workedon location in Asia several times yearly with designersand suppliers. My efforts directly contributed to anexpansion of all clock lines and retail placement.

PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE: I was an associate product man-ager and graphic designer at M.Z. Berger. In addition, Iwas a freelance product designer for Toy Island.


SEEKING NEW OPPORTUNITIES


CALEND

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EVEN

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INDUSTRY-RELATED TRADE SHOWS

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

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

JUNE2–4 E3 e3expo.com Los Angeles Convention Center Los Angeles2–4 Licensing International Expo licensingexpo.com Mandalay Bay Convention Center Las Vegas14–17 ASTRAMarketplace astratoy.org St. Paul Rivercentre St. Paul, MN24–28 Origins Game Fair originsgames.com Greater Columbus Convention Center Columbus, OH

JULY17–20 California Gift Show californiagiftshow.com Los Angeles Convention Center Los Angeles23–25 OASIS Gift Show oasis.org University of Phoenix Stadium Glendale, AZ23–26 Comic-Con comic-con.org San Diego Convention Center San Diego

AUGUST7–11 Minneapolis Mart Gift & Accessory Show mplsgiftmart.com Minneapolis Mart Minnetonka, MN8–11 San Francisco International Gift Fair sfigf.com Moscone Center San Francisco

FALL TOY PREVIEW

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

TOY FAIR 2009SUNDAY–WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 14–17; JACOB JAVITS CONVENTION CENTER, NEW YORK CITY

Making magic happen.

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toys & family entertainment, march 2009

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