toys & family entertainment, may2009

Volume 4, No. 6

May 2009

Features18 It’s a Doll’s World

by Laurie Hahn

20 Dolls: Product Presentationby Laurie Hahn

22 Dolls Accessories:Product Presentationby Laurie Hahn

24 Activity: Everyday Playat Affordable Pricesby Chris Adams

26 Activity:Product Presentationby Chris Adams

28 More Than Décorby Paul Narula

30 Children’s Room Décor:Product Presentationby Paul Narula

ON THE COVER (CLOCKWISE FROM THE TOP): Wild Planet’s Crayola-licensed Crayon Town, Hasbro’s Play-Doh Burger Builder, and Alex’sPaintball Painter

COVER BY DESIGN EDGE

34

ON THIS PAGE (CLOCKWISE FROM THE TOP): Mattel’s Barbie & the ThreeMusketeers Corinne doll, Delta Children’s Products’ Hot Wheels-licensed furniture, and Jakks Pacific’s Girl Gourmet Sweets CandyJewelry Factory

Observations & Opinions page 4

Sizzlers page 6

Specialty Sizzlers page 8

The Ticker page 10

Shelf Talkers page 12

Entertainment Marketplace: LEGO page 14

Merchandise Makers: Interactive Toy Concepts page 16

You’re Hired! page 36

Calendar of Events page 38

:

Product Presentationby Laurie Hahn

32 :

ChatterChixby Laurie Hahn

Departments

DRIVING THE ECONOMY

4 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT MAY 2009

OBSE

RVAT

IONS

&OP

INIO

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PUBLISHED BY ANB MEDIA • Volume 4, Number 6

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

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One of the classic complaints from toymakers is that toy retail-ers are not open to new, innovative toys. Manufacturersbemoan that mass retailers just reorder the same products timeand time again and are not willing to take a risk on items—orproperties—that don’t have a proven history of sales.

And one of the gripes that I constantly hear from toy retailers is that toymakersnever bring new, exciting, and innovative products to them. That means they have nochoice but to buy the same products year after year. Certainly, as in all arguments, bothsides are right and both sides are wrong—and somewhere in the middle is the truth.This year, the retailers may be correct in one respect. This has been one of the

weakest years with regard to innovation that I have seen in a long time. FromDallas in October, to Hong Kong in January, to NewYork in February, therewere very few items that made an indelible impression. I was not wowedby the usual bells and whistles as I have been in years past. But, then again,this year has been unlike any other in years past. This year the catchphras-es in the industry have been “back-to-basics” and “play value.” And fromwhat I am reading in both trade and consumer media these basics, or a moreaccurate word may be classics, are just what consumers are searching for.It’s the tried-and-true that consumers are happy with this year. These items

are not only cheaper but offer comfort in the midst of instability.Yet on the flip side, many manufacturers have delivered on the concept of inno-

vation, but not the type of innovation we have grown accustomed to. Over the pastfew years, innovation has meant technological enhancements. The more an itemdid, the more innovative it seemed. Yet if you look at this year’s toy lines fromLEGO, Crayola, Wild Planet, Techno Source, Vtech, I Can Do That! Games, andso many others, there is innovation but it’s rooted in simplicity. It keeps the pricepoint low but the play value—and innovation—high. This makes for great toys.My concern is that we are starting to use the economy as an excuse. Keep in

mind that a bad economy creates opportunity. This economy lends itself to risktaking so why not try something different? Remaining stagnant can be just asdangerous as taking a great risk. This has been a tough few months for many.But let’s hope the worst is over. The Wall Street Journal reported last month thatUK-based retailer Tesco believes the worst of this recession is behind us. U.S.jobless claims look a bit better than they were from their March peak.Americans are notorious for their short attention spans. Let’s hope that, in true

American style, everyone is “so over” this recession by now so we can begin torebuild and, once again, drive this economy.

BY BOB GLASER

• Top 10 Preschool Show – Winner of NAMIC Children’s Award – Reaching 13.8 million total viewers* – Airing 2x a day on Nick Jr. and NOGGIN • Upcoming On-Air Events – Kai-lan’s Great Trip to China Primetime

TV Event (Q3 ‘09) – Journey to Monkey King Castle Primetime TV

Event (Q3 ‘10)• Consumer Products Launch – Including toys, books, video games,

apparel & stationery (Fall)*Source: Nielsen Media Research (12/29/08 - 3/29/09)

For US licensing and retail information contact:Shaun TurnerVP, Retail [email protected]

Kristi WasmerVP, Retail [email protected]

For International licensing information contact:Jill TullyVP, International Consumer Products [email protected]

NHKL_LicenseBk_AD.indd 1 4/23/09 4:48:46 PM


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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?

MARIO KART WII

Nintendo

OCEAN WONDERS

AQUARIUM

ASSORTMENT

Fisher-Price

STAR WARS:THE CLONE WARS

FIGURES

Hasbro

TAG

LeapFrog

TECH DECK BOARDS

Spin Master

WII FIT

Nintendo

BAKUGAN TRAP

ASSORTMENT

Spin Master

BATHING SUIT BARBIE

THEN AND NOW

DOLL

Mattel

COZY COUPE

Little Tikes

GIRL GOURMET

CUPCAKE MAKER

Jakks Pacific

LEGO STAR WARS

ASSORTMENT

LEGO

LITTLEST PET SHOP

ASSORTMENT

Hasbro

Cozy Coupe

Bakugan Trap

Tag

Darth Vader’sTIE Fighter


SPEC

IALT

YSI

ZZLE

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

of the toy industry, based on a survey of independent toy and gift retailers,

reflecting the previous month’s sales.

SPECIALTY SIZZLERS: WHAT’S MOVING OFF

STORE SHELVES IN THE SPECIALTY MARKET?

BANANAGRAMS

Bananagrams

BOTTLE CAP

NECKLACES

M3 Girl Designs

BUBBLE RACERS

Little Kids

CALICO CRITTERS

ASSORTMENT

InternationalPlaythings

ECOTRONIC

RADIOS

Russimco

GERTIE BUMPIE

BALL

Small WorldToys

JAPANESE

ERASERS

BC USA

MAGNETIC

COLOR CUBES

The OrbFactory

MAX LIQUIDATOR

ELIMINATOR

Prime Time Toys

SPIFFY SPA

Alex

Gertie Bumpie Ball

Bubble Racers

Spiffy Spa

Max Liquidator Eliminator

CPSC CHAIRMAN NEEDEDThe Wall Street Journal reported that the head of the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) urged President Barack Obama

to appoint a new CPSC chairman to deal with the complaints stemming from the consumer-product safety law that has left retailers andmanufacturers with goods they can’t sell.

The most immediate concern for the CPSC is clarifying the consumer product safety act that passed in 2008. The law’s limits on leadin products for children under age 12 have it made illegal to sell or distribute numerous items that were alreadyon store shelves at the time the law passed, which was February 10, 2009. Manufacturers and retailers wererequesting exemption for many items, according to The Wall Street Journal. The Toy Industry Association(TIA) told The Wall Street Journal that its members already have more than $1 billion in inventory that haseither been returned by retailers or is in limbo. Certainly many more products are in jeopardy moving for-ward. Nancy Nord, acting chairman of the CPSC, said the law limits the CPSC’s discretion to allow thesale of existing products and has called on Congress to deal with the issue.

POKÉMON UNIFIES NORTH AMERICAN AND EUROPEAN OPERATIONSReflecting the growth and synergy of its international businesses and a more unified approach to its future,

Pokémon USA, Inc., with offices in Seattle and New York, and Pokémon UK, with an office in London, arebeing joined together under the name The Pokémon Company International. The name change will have nooutward effect on business practices. The Pokémon business outside of Asia will continue to be managed byKenji Okubo, president of The Pokémon Company International, who oversees the company’s operationsin Seattle, New York, and London, and reports to the worldwide headquarters in Japan.

SHOUT! FACTORY AND HASBRO ANNOUNCE DEALShout! Factory and Hasbro, Inc., announced a multi-year, multi-property alliance to bring the original

animated TV series The Transformers and G.I. JOE: A Real American Hero animated series, along withMy Little Pony Twinkle Wish Adventure to the home entertainment marketplace. Under the multi-yearagreement, Shout! Factory will be the exclusive U.S. and Canada home entertainment distributor for thedirect-to-DVD releases. Shout! Factory plans an aggressive rollout of these Hasbro titles later this year.

SWIMWAYS ACQUIRES COOPSPORTSwimWays announced that it has acquired the company name and product line of CoopSport

International, an active lifestyle company. The combined entity will operate under SwimWays ownership.Under the terms of the transaction, Coop will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of SwimWays with both the SwimWays and Coop namesretained. The Coop line includes toys, games, and sporting equipment for the pool and beach. Scott Cooper will continue in product devel-opment of the Coop division of SwimWays. In addition to CoopSport International, SwinWays also owns Kelsyus.

HELLO KITTY ROLLS OUT 35TH ANNIVERSARY PLANSSanrio has announced preliminary plans to celebrate the 35th anniversary of Hello Kitty. The worldwide theme of the celebration is

“Hello Kitty Colors,” which conveys the essence of Hello Kitty, with red for friendship, pink for cute, yellow for heartful, green for wish,and lavender for sweet. The message of each color will be reflected on her bow.

A RECAP OF INDUSTRY HEADLINES


THE

TICK

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Stores around the world will carry 35th anniversary-themed merchandise beginning in September. AU.S. website for the 35th anniver-sary will be introduced in June to provide information on product launches, activities, and events. Closer to November 1, the exactanniversary date, Sanrio will host a bi-coastal gallery exhibition in the U.S. featuring Hello Kitty products of the past, present, and future,along with artists’ interpretations of Hello Kitty. Plans are also in the works to tie inthe celebrations with national and local charities.

NELVANA IS NOW CANADIAN LICENSING AGENCYFOR MR. MEN AND LITTLE MISS

Corus Entertainment Inc.’s Nelvana Enterprises has reached an agreement withChorion to become the Canadian licensing agent for its Mr. Men and Little Missbrand. The deal includes merchandise such as apparel and accessories, toys, andnovelty items, as well as live stage shows and character appearances.

The animated television series, The Mr. Men Show, has been sold in 18 territoriesworldwide and recently launched in Canada on Corus’ kids’ specialty network, YTV.

MAY 2009 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT 11

SHELF TALKERS: CHECK OUT THESE NEW ITEMS

SHEL

FTA

LKER

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Crazy FortsCrazy Forts is an open-

ended construction toy wherechildren, ages 4 and up, cancreate a multitude of possibleplay structures using theirimagination, from the CrazyForts Company. A single Crazy Fort Kitcontains 25 geometrically precise ballsand 44 sticks that connect to create amultitude of possible play structures.Simply throw a bed sheet over the topand watch the creativity flourish.

In addition to the original sets, atwo-pack of Crazy Forts Lights is alsoavailable. Each light locks into any oneof the holes in a Crazy Forts ball. Thelights automatically shut off after 20minutes to preserve battery life. Thebattery plate is attached with moldedbrass fittings for added safety anddurability. The cool-to-the touch LEDlight is recessed for greater protection.

RandomLineRandomLine has extended its line of children’s drawing activity pads, for ages 4 and up, with

the introduction of two new titles. Squiggle Bugs On-the-Go and Squiggle Dinosaurs On-the-Goeach has 100 unique squiggles and retails for $4.99. It comes complete with facts that willenhance the play experience. In addition, coloring pages will be available for download on thecompany’s website in black and white at www.randomline.com.

MattelMattel introduces the

Matchbox Lights and SoundsHelmet for ages 3 and up. The helmetfeatures a real working light, a microphone that amplifies achild’s voice, and special hard-hitting construction sound effects.

TheMatchbox Construction Claw (shown), for ages 3 and up,allows kids to become the claw by making realistic clamp soundsand sound effects. Kids just need to slip the claw onto their ownhand and activate the action with a press of the hidden trigger.Just like a real construction claw, boys can grab up whatever is insight. Grinding construction sounds add to the realistic fun.

Mud PieThe gift company Mud Pie

introduces Little Sprout, a newcollection of brightly colored pinkand green products for little girls fea-turing flower and polka-dot designs.One of the featured items in the line includes the Little Sprout Table and ChairSet (shown). The set includes a 19-inch x 29-inch table and two 21.5-inch x12-inch chairs. The table top has a flower motif and the chairs are adornedwith a decorative trim. The suggested retail price for the set is $200.


OnionheadOnionhead was created 15 years ago by a mother-and-

daughter team. It offers an assortment of products, under thebanner of Onionhead, designed to help children express theirfeelings and deal with life’s challenges. In the A is for Acceptedbook (shown here) the topic is about what most children—andadults—fear the most, which is rejection. When a child feelsrejected, more often than not, the child develops a senseof low self-esteem, which leads to alack of self-respect and diminishedmorals. The book is a perfect way toembark upon the journey of readingwhile healing the wounds of rejectionand introducing children to morals.

GamewrightToo Many Monkeys, A Totally Bananas Card

Game, is now available for two–six players, agesages 6 and up. Gamewright sets up the storylinelike this: Primo the Monkey was happily asleep

until his friends swung by fora surprise pajama party. HelpPrimo chase away the primatepranksters by flipping andswapping cards in numericalorder. Watch out for elephantsand giraffes who want tocrash in on the fun. And ifyou’re lucky, draw a wildmonkey card to clear out theroom in one clean sweep. The

first player to stop the monkey mayhem and getPrimo back to bed wins. The game is designed fora quick 20 minutes of game play. It comes with 65cards and instructions in Spanish.

FundexFundex is introducing a variety of newitems, two of which are Whoops and HipHop Scotch. Whoops is the game that hasplayers challenging balance skills in this

whole body game that requiresagility and coordination. Aplayer tries to complete a setcourse by picking up the“stones” in order on the

course. No game is ever the same andcan be easily adjusted for play by any age

and skill level. One little slip and “whoops” the turn isover. The game includes 12 whoops stepping stones and

instructions. It is designed for ages 6 and up and for one or more players.Hip Hop Scotch is a modern take on hop scotch. No game has to ever

be the same. Players can even change the course after jumping and addmovements like 360° or touching the ground. Take hop scotch to the nextlevel and make each game more challenging and fun. Play can be adaptedfor all ages. The game includes 22 hip hop mats and instructions. Thisgame is also designed for ages 6 and up for one or more players.

FunriseFunrise introduces Tonka P.O.D.S., which are

self-contained portable, multiple-themed playsetsfor use both indoor and out-

door. Choose from threedifferent themes (dirt,sand, and water) inthree different sizes,small, medium, andlarge. Each can inter-

lock with the other to create a larger playenvironment. With locking-hinged lids

that fit securely over the P.O.D.S., they arestackable and easy to store. Each set comes with aTonka vehicle and multi-use accessories. The setsare now available for ages 3 and up.

Taking its name from the abbreviation of the two Danish words “leg godt,”which mean “play well,” The LEGO Group’s colorful bricks and minifig-ures have offered millions of children the opportunity to do just what thecompany name suggests. Children around the world spend five billionhours a year playing with LEGO bricks. With 3.9 minifigures sold per

second every day, more than 122 million per year, and seven LEGO sets sold everysecond around the world, it’s obvious that generations of kids are fans of The LEGOGroup’s “play well” philosophy.Since its founding in Denmark in 1932 by Ole Kirk Christiansen, The LEGO Group

has gone from a small carpenter’s workshop to a global enterprise. The company pro-duces 19 billion LEGO elements per year, including the present form of the LEGObrick, which was launched in 1958. LEGO products are developed so that there issomething for all ages and stages of development. From its Duplo line for ages 2–5 tothe Bionicle line for ages 7–16, there are numerous ways for kids to engage in creativebuilding with LEGO bricks.LEGO building sets have included a variety of play themes, such as fire station, police,

airport, knights’ castle, and racers. Through the years, LEGO building sets have alsoevolved to include movie and TV licenses, such as StarWars and SpongeBob SquarePants,letting kids reenact the action from their favorite movies and shows using LEGO bricks.

However, LEGO itself hasbecome a license, having signed avariety of licensees to bring thelook and feel of LEGO to a rangeof products. New licensing dealsfor 2009 include DK Publishingfor new LEGO books, Ameet fora book about the Bionicle uni-verse, Digital Blue for LEGO-themed electronics, TT Gamesfor new LEGO video games, andZen Design Group for a series ofLEGO light-up products under itsIQ line of products.This year The LEGO Group

will focus on three main areas of licensing—video games and publishing, apparel, andelectronics. The LEGO brand has experienced success already in these categories andby expanding further, The LEGO Group hopes to continue to provide LEGO fans withan additional opportunity to celebrate their passion for LEGO and playing well.

THE LEGO GROUPBY LAURIE HAHN

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NEED TO KNOW

• LEGO bricks are available in 53 differentcolors.

• The LEGO minifigurerepresents the world’slargest population of people. More than four billion minifigures havebeen produced in the past30 years. This is almost 12times the population of theUnited States.

• Harrison Ford and AlfredMolina are the only twoactors who have ever beenportrayed as two differentminifigures—Ford as HanSolo and Indiana Jones, andMolina as Spider-Man’s rivalDoc Ock and Satipo, a guidein Raiders of the Lost Ark.

• 40 billion LEGO bricksstacked on top of oneanother would connect theEarth with the moon.

• The average minifigure,with no hair or accessories,weighs 1/10 of an ounce.

AMEETAmeet created a glossy Bionicle encyclopedia,

Bionicle: Makuta’s Guide to the Universe, that will pro-vide fans around the world with a comprehensive guide toall things Bionicle. The encyclopedia will be available intime for the Bionicle direct-to-video release in September.


DIGITAL BLUEDigital Blue will produce a full

line of LEGO brick-themed elec-tronics, including a digital camera,MP3 player, alarm clock, and stop-motion video camera. Products willbe in stores late summer/early fall.

TT GAMESTT Games will produce new LEGO-themed

video games this year. Titles include LEGOBattles (shown) and LEGO Rock Band.

DK PUBLISHINGDK Publishing launched a new portfolio

of LEGO books beginning with two newBrick Master book & brick titles featuringLEGO Pirates and LEGO Castle. The 2009update to The Ultimate LEGO Book titledThe LEGO Book will be packaged withStanding Small: 30th Anniversary of theMinifigure as well as the LEGO Star WarsVisual Dictionary to commemorate the10th anniversary of the collaborationbetween LEGO and Star Wars. ZEN DESIGN GROUP

Zen Design Group recently signed on to produce a variety of products based on thelook of LEGO minifigures. LEGO Lights, under the company’s IQ line of products,will be available this fall.

Interactive Toy Concepts began whenMichael Mathieu and Saul Niddamdecided it was time to stop being themiddlemen. The two partners had beenmaking products for more than 20

years, working in electronics and audio. Bothhad helped build a diverse array of productsfor various companies. However, the two menwanted to add a depth to their careers that act-ing as middlemen in product design wasunable to offer. In 1988, the two joined forcesand created InteractiveToy Concepts, with theidea of making just oneor two items andhaving some fun inthe category. Whatstarted as a way tohave a little funbecame a way tomake a littlemoney, and then became a full-fledged busi-ness in its own right.

Now, Interactive Toy Concepts has estab-lished itself as a maker of fun and interactiveradio-controlled toys, specifically flight-ori-ented products. Ian Chisholm, marketing andlicensing director at Interactive Toy Concepts,describes the company’s target consumer as a“passionate and tech savvy” boy of 10 and up.“We’re really a bunch of guys making guytoys,” says Chisholm. “We don’t know thedoll business or anything like that. If we thinksomething is cool, we push forward with it.”Chisholm points to one of the company’s lat-est products, the Duck Hunter Xtreme, as evi-dence of the fact. The toy came around pure-ly because Chisholm was harassing members

of his staff with one of the company’s flyingtoys and someone took a shot at the airbornetoy. “Half an hour later we had blueprints for[the product],” Chisholm jokes.

Though the Duck Hunter product was bornout of a joke, the blueprints were far fromflimsy. “Our toys first and foremost are basedon performance-driven innovation,” saysChisholm. “If it doesn’t perform to our stan-dards, it doesn’t matter what it looks like.”The company places a strong emphasis on the

engineering of its products and theunderlying framework. Each product

has to work every time the button tolift-off is pushed andeach time it could bebrought in for a land-ing. Until it does,Interactive ToyConcepts doesn’twant that product

leaving the testing ground. Quality isextremely important to Interactive Toy,because it is a smaller company in a verycompetitive category. “We try to really dis-tance ourselves by the quality of our product,the performance of our product, and the trustwe’ve built with our customers,” saysChisholm. He also notes that while InteractiveToy has high standards of quality, the volumeof radio-controlled products out there is highenough that quality is not always the decidingfactor. “There are so many options out therethat you can get one at any price with any fea-tures you want,” Chisholm says. The way thatInteractive Toy has remained successful hasbeen to focus on creating new play patternsand products that are wholly original, such as

the Duck Hunter Xtreme, instead of simplyanother flying R/C product.

Newness and innovation have been thecore of the company’s design philosophy forthat very reason. “What we want to continual-ly do is release something brand new everysingle year,” says Chisholm. Interactive ToyConcepts does have a lot on the schedule inthe coming year. The company will develop anew series of R/C toys that use whatChisholm refers to as Virtual Radio Control.This technology will adapt accelerometertechnology, similar to that used in the remotecontrol of Nintendo’s Wii, to allow players touse more realistic controllers for R/C play.AnR/C jet would utilize a controller that actuallylooks like the control stick in a pilot’s cockpit,and so on.Additionally, the company is work-ing on a product called “Micro-AerialVehicles,” which are small-sized (two or threeinches at most) aerial radio-control toys forindoor use. Current planned models include ahelicopter and, perhaps in tribute to one of theworld’s greatest innovators, a working versionof Leonardo Da Vinci’s ornithopter design.

Interactive Toy Concepts will continue tointroduce products that push the envelope ofavailable technology and innovation. Thoughmany companies are playing it safe due to thedifficult economy, Chisholm says that thecompany wants to keep pushing forward andmaking new products that are fresh and inno-vative. “We’re not always going to be hot offthe shelves and it’s not going to always be forthe mass,” he says, “but we want to always bethe ones bringing out new technology andproducts that make others go, ‘We shouldhave thought of that.’”

FLYING HIGH: INTERACTIVE TOY CONCEPTS

Duck HunterXtreme

BY PAUL NARULA

MER

CHAN

DISE

MAK

ERS


The 50th anniversary of Barbiethis year is a testament to howprevalent the doll is in thelives of girls, as well as proofthat girls love playing with

dolls. From baby dolls that perform andlook like real babies to fashion dolls and allthe trendy accessories that go with them,girls today turn to dolls for the same rea-sons as they have in the past. Playing withbaby dolls lets girls take on the role of“mommy,” while fashion dolls offer girls anoutlet for creative self-expression.While the play patterns haven’t changed, the times certainly have.

“The economy has had an effect on the entire toy industry, with NPDdata showing sales down through March,” says Gina Sirard, vice-president of marketing, Mattel. “However, the data also shows thatdolls are down less than the industry as a whole, indicating that theyremain a popular segment.” Because of dolls’ popularity, manufactur-ers are doing everything they can to provide new and unique ways forgirls to interact with dolls at lower price points.

Play Value at a Value PriceConsumers might be used to seeing a baby doll that talks and

“goes potty” retailing for upwards of $60, and while there was a timewhen parents would make that purchase, this year a $60 doll is a hardsell no matter what special features the doll comes with. “People wantto be sure that what they’re spending their money on is a quality prod-uct that is going to give their child enjoyment and is also going tolast,” says Linda Breler, U.S. product manager for Corolle. Instead ofproducing dolls minus all the special features in order to keep costslow, many manufacturers have come to realize that dolls can havetechnology and not wipe out mom and dad’s savings.For the first time, Hasbro will release a doll, Baby Alive Whoopsie

Doo, for $34.99 that “pees,” “poops,” cries, and wiggles its arms andlegs. “It’s historically been our classic doll, our really big $50–$60 doll,that has been able to do that in the past,” says Meg Luby, vice-president,U.S. marketing, girls for Hasbro. While the company will still release a

new large doll at the $49 price point, WhoopsieDoo and the new $19.99 BabyAlive Better NowBaby offer something for consumers who wantthe added play value, but at a fraction of the cost.“We’re at three distinct price points,” Luby says.“We’ve done a nice job of appealing to differentmoms as far as the value equation goes, but alsoto different girls.”Mattel’s Little Mommy line also features

a wide range of price points. For $69.99,girls can teach the Little Mommy Walk &Giggle doll how to walk, but at $26.99, the

Scoot So Cute doll also features giggling andmotion—the doll crawls. “We are committed to delivering a rangeof items from basic baby dolls to those with advanced play fea-tures, all at different price points, so that we can continually exciteour consumers and make doll play accessible to all,” says ChrisVolk, public relations director, Mattel. It all depends on what thegirl wants and what mom can afford.It’s important to offer items that appeal to moms because they are

generally the ones doing the buying. Laura Rangel, CEO/president ofKidsGive, LLC, discovered this after gathering feedback from con-sumers about the company’s Karito Kids line of dolls. “The feedbackwas for creating a line of entry price point product,” she says. “Theeconomy is taking an effect on our large dolls because people spend-ing $99.99 is a big chunk [of money].” In response, the companyintroduced a line of 16-inch soft Travel Charmers dolls that come inat under $20. Each doll includes a storybook and collectible charm,giving consumers even more for their money.Hannah Montana fans receive a little more for their $21.99 when

they purchase Jakks Pacific’s Hannah Montana Remix in Concertdolls. Each singing doll includes a bracelet or guitar pick necklace forgirls to wear, so that they can pretend to be just like Hannah. “Thereis less emphasis on higher price points and expensive playsets andmore on affordable dolls and accessories,” says Tom Delaney, seniorvice-president of marketing, Jakks Pacific. He also notes that most ofJakks’ dolls are in the $19.99–$24.99 range.However, producing lower-priced dolls isn’t the only way to save

It’ s a Doll’ s World


BY LAURIE HAHN

Hasbro’s Baby AliveWhoopsie Doo

consumers money. Tolly Wizenberg, CEO ofTollytots Limited, a division of Jakks Pacificthat specializes in baby doll roleplay prod-ucts, says that doll accessories are becomingthe bread and butter in the doll industry.Especially in these hard economic times,accessories can be a new way for girls to playwith dolls they already own. “Statistics showthat the doll business has been shrinking overthe years, but the accessory category hasbeen increasing steadily,” Wizenberg says.Whereas 15 years ago accessories werealmost an afterthought, the range of acces-sories today are high-quality products thathave been designed specifically to enhancethe play experience for girls. Tollytots’ acces-sories feature the Fisher-Price and Gracobrands and include everything girls need totake care of their baby doll. “We have spentthe past [several] years developing our dollaccessory business from an item business toa full program category,” Wizenberg says.

Taking Doll Playto the WebAnother way to add play value to dolls is

by taking them online. As much as girls wantthe hands-on fashion and hair play, their livesincreasingly revolve around the computer.Targeted more toward older girls and theirfashion dolls, online connections offer a newmode of interaction between girl and doll. “Itis important to add technology and onlineplay to dolls geared toward the tween agegroup because they are more connected thanever,” says Mattel’s Sirard. “Computer andan online play experience has become a hugepart of a tween’s life. At the same time, the

way they play with dolls changes from thenurturing play of preschoolers.”

Mattel will go high-tech this year with itsDora Links doll. The doll plugs directly intothe computer for a unique online experienceat DoraLinks.com. When girls customize thedoll online, what they see happening on thescreen also takes place on the physical doll.Even when the doll is away from the comput-er, it alerts girls to new things that are hap-pening on the website. A wide range ofaccessories work with the doll to expand tra-ditional offline fashion doll play and enhancethe online experience.

Other dolls might not be as technological-ly advanced as Dora Links, but their webcomponent does offer educational value, or,

in the case of the Karito Kids website, a char-itable component. Through a series of games(dress-up, decorate a room), girls earn WorldChange, a form of online currency, that theydonate to one of four charitable categories—food, home, school, and health. “Parents arestill willing to buy that product that has incre-mental value, whether that be play value orhigh quality,” KidsGive’s Rangel says.

Despite the economy, high-quality dollswon’t be hard for consumers to find, espe-cially at parent-friendly prices. Doll manu-facturers understand the importance of pro-viding girls with a chance to be little mom-mies or trendy fashionistas, and will continuelooking for ways to offer these opportunitiesat the right price.


MGA Retains Bratz Through 2009In December, on the heels of a $100

million jury verdict in Mattel’s favor,judge Stephen Larson granted Mattel’smotion for permanent injunction, bar-ring MGA from manufacturing, distribut-ing, or selling Bratz fashion dolls, orusing the “Bratz” name for any goods orservices. However, in January, Larsonruled that MGA would still be able to man-ufacture and sell Bratz products through the end of this year.

MGA’s CEO Isaac Larian said that the company will produce new Bratzproducts, although he was unable to go into detail at press time. “As always,MGA has been devoted to creating innovative products that engage chil-dren in active and imaginative play,” he says. “We continue to focus on theimportance of inspiring children with all of our products.”

Dolls


BY LAURIE HAHN

Kids PreferredDressable Madeline comes pack-

aged in a see-through can bag witha white rope handle. The dollwears Madeline’s signature blueschool coat with a yellow hat andstands 13.5 inches tall. Other fea-tures include Madeline’s laceanklet socks, black stripedlapels, and black coat buttons. Thedoll is for ages 3 and up.

While the fashions of fashion dolls may change, the play pattern of both fashion and baby dolls stays thesame. Here’s a look at some of the latest baby dolls that use technology to give young girls a real mommyexperience and fashion dolls that give girls an outlet for creative expression.

MattelMattel’s Dora Links doll, based on the

look of the new Dora’s Explorer Girls(shown), plugs into a computer and letsgirls access Dora’s new interactiveonline world, DoraLinks.com. As girls playonline, they can customize their doll and watch asit transforms right before their eyes. For example,by changing Dora’s hair length, jewelry, and eyecolor online, the doll changes as well. As girlsexplore and solve mysteries online, the doll’s speechwill change to correspond with their play. Dora Links’ alert systemtells girls when new mysteries are being added to DoraLinks.com,even when the doll is away from the computer. Awide range of acces-sories are sold separately. Dora Links requires three AAA batteries,which are included. The doll is for ages 5 and up.

Adorable OriginalsThe Adorable Girl dolls are inspired by the desire to bring

back toys that make a difference. The dolls havea mission to teach girls the value of inner

beauty. This group of hip, huggable bestfriends consists of six multi-cultural

dolls. Each Adorable Girl doll sports apearl necklace, which represents thetheme of the mission “inside every girl isa pearl.” Girls can visit www.adorable-girldoll.com to name the doll andchoose the doll’s personality. The girl

receives a matching faux pearl necklacejust like the doll.

MadamealexanderThe latest doll in Madame

Alexander’s Fancy Nancy line-up is Fancy Nancy’s African-American friend Bree. Breecomes dressed in purple. Hershaggy black yarn bob is deco-rated with festive yellow, pink,red, and blue felt hearts, bows,and butterflies.


The GoldbergerCompany

The Goldberger Company’s Seedlings are soft dolls that aremade without harsh chemicals and use natural fibers for all oftheir surfaces and clothing. Seedlings boxes are made of recy-cled material. The Seedlings family of dolls includes BabyBlossoms, which are made from cotton fabrics; Ivy, speciallydesigned with a knot on each end for easy gripping, holding,and teething; and Willow, which comes dressed in a soft clothdiaper with a baby bottle. Baby Blossoms and Ivy are for agesbirth and up and Willow is for ages 18 months and up.

HasbroBaby Alive Whoopsie

Doo features all the drinkingand diapering excitement ofthe Baby Alive brand. Thisdoll loves to “drink” from thebottle. When it’s all done“eating,” Whoopsie Doo“pees” and “poops” just like areal baby. The doll will cry out and wriggle its arms and legs to let girlsknow it’s time to change the diaper. BabyAlive Whoopsie Doo comeswith a pink rattle and makes realistic happy cooing sounds. The dollrequires four AA batteries, which are included. It is for ages 3 and up.Whoopsie Doo is available in Caucasian, African-American, andHispanic versions, and each is sold separately.

Jakks PacificJakks Pacific’s newHannahMontana Remix in Concert Dolls play

Hannah’s new remix songs.Available in two styles, both dolls featureHannah’s new ’80s-inspiredlook, including the character’ssignature pink glove. EachRemix doll comes with abracelet or guitar pick necklace(shown) for girls to wear. Thedolls are for ages 6 and up.

KidsGiveKidsGive’s Karito Kids Travel Charmers are smaller, softer

versions of the original Karito Kids World Collection of dollsrepresenting cultures from around the world. The 2009 line ofTravel Charmers sends Gia to Greece, Lulu to Egypt, Pita toArgentina, Wan Ling to Russia, Zoe to England, and Piper toIreland. A storybook and souvenir charm accompany each doll.The rubber souvenircharms are symbolic ofeach country visited. ATravel Charmers charmbracelet is sold sepa-rately. The dolls are forages 3 and up.

Doll Accessories


BY LAURIE HAHN

Dolls wouldn’t be much fun without the accessories to go with them. From baby dollcarriers that let girls be “mommies” to playsets that offer new adventures for fashion dolls,these are some of the latest accessories that extend a girl’s doll play experience.

Tollytots LimitedTollytots Limited, the baby doll accessories division of

Jakks Pacific, will launch new baby doll accessories designedunder the licensed brands of Fisher-Price and Graco. TheFisher-Price Little Mommy Sweet as Me Deluxe Playsetcomes with a Fisher-Price Little Mommy Sweet as Me babydoll. The playset includes a deluxe folding stroller withcanopy play yard, play gym, diaper bag, changing pad, inter-changeable toy bar, and a swing seat that converts into a con-venient carrier. It is for ages 3 and up.

CorolleCorolle’s Baby Care Set comes with everything that little moms

on the go need for taking care of their baby dolls, including abrush, toothbrush, toothpaste, sippy cup, small travel kit, andchanging blanket. Everything comes packed inside a red-and-pinkpolka dot nursery bag. It is for ages 3 and up.

Manhattan ToyGirls can dress their Groovy Girls

dolls in Manhattan Toy’s PurplerificDress. The dress features a polka dot-patterned skirt and lavender rouchingon the bodice. A pink rose and yellowsash accent the stylish handbag.


MattelThe Barbie Dream Townhouse is a revamped version of the “Magic Sounds” townhouse from the

’70s. Mattel revamped the three-story townhouse for today’s girl. It includes a pink personal elevator.There are lights and sounds on every level. The townhouse includes multiple rooms, including a din-ing area and fully stocked kitchen, living room with roaring fireplace and pop-up flat-screen TV, and anultra-luxurious Barbie signature bathroom. On the third floor is a bedroom suite with canopy bed. Thebalcony features light-up tiki lights and an outdoor whirlpool tub. Sounds include a doorbell, kitchentimer, crackling fireplace, shower humming, and flushing toilet. It is for ages 3 and up.

HasbroHasbro’s Strawberry Shortcake Berry Cafe Playset is the popular hangout in Berry

Bitty City. Shaped like a strawberry with opening doors and windows, the two-story cafealso features Strawberry Shortcake’s bedroom and includes a three-inch scentedStrawberry Shortcake mini doll with removable fashions. The playset comes completewith accessories including furniture, pretend food, a spinning smoothie machine, a “fly-ing” bird that Strawberry Shortcake and her friends can ride, and more. Additional minisets are sold separately. The playset is for ages 4 and up.

SchyllingSchylling’s Dolls World Bath Set (shown) is one of three accessory items in its new

Dolls World line of soft, bean-filled dolls. The set includes a tub, duckie, bottle, feedingset, sippy cup, potty, soap, and two lotions. The Dolls World Interactive Bottle makes life-like slurping sounds when pressure is applied.

There are few categories within the toy industry as classicand timeless as arts and crafts activity toys. Part of thecategory’s long-standing and universal appeal stemsfrom the wide range of subjects and skill sets that thecategory comprises. There truly is something for every

child within the parameters of this category.In addition to activity toys’ wide-ranging appeal, the category

also offers as much bang for your buck as any segment of the toyindustry. Not only are the products in this category generally atlower price points, but they also offer a lot of play value for the lit-tle spent on the items. In a time when consumers are looking to savemoney across the board, the play value to price ratio, coupled withthe feel-good factor of activity toys, makes purchases within this cat-egory a win-win situation.

“Play value has taken on a deeper meaning in these challengingeconomic times,” says Mike Perry, president and CEO of Crayola.“For Crayola, value isn’t only about price. It’s also about the devel-opmental value of empowering a child’s imagination, while provid-ing endless everyday play at an affordable price.”

Crayola has taken the “affordable price” part of that equation quiteseriously. Every item the company introduced at this year’s Toy Fairwas $30 or less and most items were under a $10 price point.

In addition to its own offerings, Crayola was also part of anothercool Toy Fair introduction: Wild Planet’s Crayola-licensed CrayonTown activity sets. These sets, which range in price from$9.99–$28.99, combine coloring, construction, and creative playwhere children color and create their own three-dimensional town outof paper mats and card stock.

Evidently, Crayola is doing a lot of things right in regard to devel-oping and marketing its activity items. Instead of resting on the laurelsof its high-profile brand name, the company is being proactive in cre-ating new business. It says, even amid economically trying times, that2007 and 2008 were the two best years in the company’s history. Thecompany credits two factors for its success: its expertise in color chem-istry along with creating more purchase occasions for its products.

According to Crayola, the company is looking at solving con-sumer needs differently than it has done in the past and is develop-ing products with specific consumer benefits like mess-free and

outdoor art products to create more occasions and opportunities forchildren to be creative.

It has long been thought that special occasions were the main pur-chase occasions for activity products, but with manufacturers likeCrayola, among others urging the category elsewhere, consumers arefollowing the lead.

“There is a belief that creative activities are the perfect birthdaygift, which they are,” says Heather Lambert-Shemo, brand manager,children’s products at Faber-Castell, which owns the Creativity forKids brand of activity kits. “However, our recent consumer insightdemonstrated that the majority of creative activities purchases takeplace for no special occasion and were completely spontaneous.”

As with Crayola, Creativity for Kids uses a branded look and ahistory of good experiences with its products to stand out from thecompetition on shelf. The company relies on a good reputation amongmothers to propel the brand forward.

“If mom is shopping with her child, she usually allows them tochoose the kit and then approves the choice or not,” says Lambert-


BY CHRIS ADAMS

Activity: Everyday Play at Affordable Prices

Crayola’s Airbrush Painter

Shemo. “The nature of the activity is mostimportant because a child knows whether heor she prefers to paint, make jewelry, or dopretend play. The brand is the second mostimportant factor and we are fortunate to havebuilt a lot of brand loyalty over the years.”While Jakks Pacific may have relied more

heavily on the power of licenses to gain trac-tion for its activity products inthe past, the company ismaking serious head-way in firmly establish-ing its proprietaryactivity brands movingforward. The companyhad a pair of hits lastyear with its GirlGourmet and SpaFactory lines and it hasplans to expand upon thosesuccesses. “Tapping into thetween market with relevant on-trend product has proven to be a successfulstrategy,” says Jennifer Caveza, vice-presi-dent of girls marketing at Jakks Pacific.“We’ve combined hot trends in food andbeauty with fun activity-based toys resultingin several successful girl brands.”In addition to Girl Gourmet and Spa

Factory, the company plans to once againtap into the tween demographic that madethose two lines successful with its Style Sixline of fashion activities. Fashion is a trendthat will never, ever go out of style withtween girls. This line is positioned to be ahit for the back-to-school window. Withfamily budgets tightening by the day, theseitems can help a girl add pizzazz to her

existing wardrobe while offering an ever-important means of self-expression.The economy is certainly playing a

part in some of the successes of the activ-ities category. While sales of the categoryremain as solid as ever, the downturn ismerely reinforcing why the category,through ups and downs and shifts in

popular subjectmatter, remains rele-vant with each newbatch of kids.“We have found

that providing strongvalue and offering arange of price pointsare keys to success,”says Dale Gago,public relationscoordinator for SpinMaster. “The eco-

nomic climate has notaffected this strategy, yet rather reinforcedthe importance of it.”Regardless of economic climate, season,

or interests, the activity category spans awide enough range of prices and subjects toremain relevant. The wholesome, creativeplay value is what keeps it a highly regardedcategory among parents. Sure, the parent-approval factor sure goes a long way inensuring the success of brands that inhabitthis space, but that is not what keeps childrenengaged in the items. The level of self-expression that these items provides is theperfect outlet for kids’ boundless creativity.But on top of that, without bells, whistles, orgimmicks, these items are just plain fun.


The Reemergence (Once Again)of Food Activities

It all started in 1963 with the sale ofmore than 500,000 turquoise ovens

from Kenner. TheEasy Bake Ovencraze launched acategory of toysthat would sporad-ically reemerge asone of the hottest inthe toy industry:food-based activi-ties. While Hasbro

has reinvented the oven for generationafter generation of girls, with goodresults, other manufacturers have alsoseen success in this space.The latest success in this space is

Jakks Pacific’s Girl Gourmet line.Tapping into the cupcake craze, Jakkslaunched this line in 2008 and has plansto expand upon it. New items for 2009include the Girl Gourmet Cake Bakeryand Girl Gourmet Sweets.In addition, Cra-Z-Art has food-

based activities on the way, including theCra-Z-Cookn’ Super Donut Maker andthe Cra-Z-Cookn’Marshmallow Maker.While the food-based activity seg-

ment may experience ebbs and flows,when manufacturers in the space timetheir offerings with trends and the salesclimate, the results can be very sweet.

Creativityfor Kids’ Custom

Street Machine

Cra-Z-Art’s Cra-Z-Cookn’Donut Maker

Jakks Pacific’s Girl Gourmet Cake Bakery


ActivityThe arts and crafts activity category offers an enormous spectrum of subject matter to presentuniversal appeal. The itemsʼ low price points help foster the categoryʼs long-standing popularity.

BY CHRIS ADAMS

CrayolaCrayola Color Explosion 3-D lets kids create 3-

D worlds and designs that pop off the page. Kidssimply color in thedrawing to activate the3-D feature and thenput on the included 3-D glasses to watchimages spring intothree dimensions.

HasbroThe Play-Doh Burger Builder is back in

an improved version. Interchangeablemolds offer everything kids need to createa Play-Doh hamburger, includingtomatoes, lettuce, buns,and more. In addition,kids can create pretendpotato chips and pickles.

Scratch ArtThe Wacky Scratch creates the illusion of

movement and dimension as kids scratch awaythe black coating toreveal art patterns.Each kit includesfour sheets, a sten-cil, a wooden stylus,and instructions.

Creativity for KidsCreativity for Kids has expanded its pre-

school activity line with the Make Your OwnNumber Book (shown) and the Make YourOwn Alphabet Book, as wellas the Make YourOwn Animal Puppets,Polka Dot Purse, andFinger Prints kits.

CadacoCadaco is extending its EnviroBLOX line of

environmentally friendly activity items. New itemsinclude the EnviroBLOX Workshop (shown),EnviroBLOX Kitchen Set, EnviroBLOX Pet Set,and the EnviroBLOXMonster Set. The spe-cialized sets includeshaping tools to helpmanipulate the designs.

Techno SourceThe Printies Design Studio includes

everything needed tomake six completestuffed Printies using ahome PC and an inkjetprinter. A design stu-dio can be accessed atMyPrinties.com

Spin MasterPaperoni is a new activity line

from Spin Master that uses rolls ofpaper to make a wide array of cre-ations. To use, pick the coloredrolls of paper, peel to reveal thesticky color-coded 2-D or 3-Dcha r a c t e rtemplates,match thecolors, andcreate awork ofart.

Jakks PacificJakks’ new Style Six line of fash-

ion-based activities includes the SilkScreener. This item allows girls tolayer printed graphics onto T-shirtsand other items of clothing. Itincludes two silkscreen devices, paintbottles, blotter, roller, masking board,stencil sheets, supply tray, and gar-ment separator.


Curiosity KitsAction Products’ Curiosity Kits intro-

duces the Paper Marbling kit. With this sim-ple print-making technique, kids mix up asecret recipe and blend colors to create notecards, ornaments, bookmarks, gift tags, andmore. Each page isa unique creation.

Wild PlanetWild Planet’s Crayola-licensed Crayon

Town sets combine coloring, construction,and creative play. The sets put crayons towork as kids color and build 3-D worlds outof paper mats and cardstock. Crayons arecombined with other 3-D props—for instancea crayon becomesa giraffe’s neck.

AlexAlex’s Pinball Painter combines pinball

play with painting. Just flick the ball thatrolls across the paper, creating an abstractdesign in the process. This finger-poweredpainting activity kitcomes with thepinball painttray, three balls,three colors ofpaint, splash guard,and paper.

The bedroom is an important part of any childhood. Intoday’s world, the bedroom is rarely just a place tosleep, even for adults, and children are no different.Children play in their bedrooms, keep toys there, andutilize the space for any number of things, such as

homework or computer use. The bedroom is often the only part of thehouse that a child can claim for their own and that makes it an extra-special part of the house for them. Even if mom and dad favormahogany and subdued colors, a child’s room is where they can havetheir Barbie play table or Ben 10 wallpaper. “Like adults, kids wanttheir furniture and décor to reflect their tastes, personal style, andinterests,” says Joe Shamie, president of Delta Children’sProducts. Children’s room décor is a separate catego-ry from standard furniture and décor items and,as a category, has the onerous task of appealingto both a child and an adult’s sense of aesthet-ics, while being fun for the child and affordablefor the parents. Manufacturers have takenmany approaches to satisfying this variety ofcriteria and these approaches have becomemore important now than ever before, as aes-thetic values and trends change and parentschange their spending habits.

Just For KidsDesigning for children can be very different than designing for

adults. Manufacturers have to take into account that children’s roomdécor isn’t simply about being a piece of furniture or a decoration. Achild’s room is also a part of a child’s space to play and the furnitureand décor of the room has to reflect that. There has to be an aspect ofplayfulness to the furniture. “For children, the products have toinclude some level of novelty,” says Ira Kizner, vice-president ofsales and marketing at Guidecraft. Sometimes that playfulness is apart of the aesthetic, with the use of bold colors or designs. Somemanufacturers give their products toyetic properties for that reason,such as with the Thomas the Tank Engine bed from MGA’s LittleTikes line. “The bed rails double as tracks for cars and engines, andthere is plenty of built-in storage. It is fun, safe, and practical,” says

Isaac Larian, CEO of MGA Entertainment. Others make sure thateven if the product does not possess any specific toy-like properties,it still encourages play and presents no obstacles to a child’s imagina-tion or play space. Ecotots, for example, makes many of its children’sstools and seats without backs. “The way kids interact with furnitureis different from the way we do or what we want to use it for,” saysScott Willy, co-founder and designer at Ecotots. Licenses can go along way toward helping a child connect with a product, as they bringa child’s favorite entertainment property or character into the roomwith them. Durability is another important factor that can get over-looked in other décor categories, but is an essential factor when itcomes to designing for children. An energetic child could wreak

havoc on delicate furniture and turn a fetching piece ofdécor into a heap of rubble and wasted money.

Growing Up So FastEven the most durable of items, however, will

have a limited amount of time to spend in a child’sroom. Children’s décor has a high turn-over rate,especially among younger children. The age com-pression issue, which affects almost every aspect ofbusiness related to children, has its effects on thiscategory as well. Jungle animals may have kept a 5year old happy, but the 7 year old thinks they’re

“baby stuff.” In cases with siblings involved, the youngerchild may want their room to look like their elder sibling’s.

“They want something aspirational that makes them feel like they’regrown ups,” says PJ Delaye, director of marketing at York WallCoverings. Licensed room décor can also be very age-oriented andwhile it has a strong appeal to a child initially, in just a year or twothe room’s occupant may have moved on from what was a stronglicense to the next big thing, or simply outgrown the license’s targetdemographic. While there are exceptions with licenses that canappeal well after a certain age (Hello Kitty, for example, fromF.A.B./Starpoint has been popular with young girls and tween girls),most often licensed product has a limited time in a child’s room.

Though this high rate of product turn-over can be great for the cat-egory during strong economic times, it’s often tough on the parents

MORE THAN D�COR


BY PAUL NARULA

Delta’s Barbie Toy Organizer

who have to make repeated purchases to keep theirchildren happy and can be detrimental whenfinances aren’t secure. Many manufacturers aremaking their products more appealing to parents bytrying to minimize the impact that a child’s agingand changing taste will have on a parent trying tokeep up. Some do so by making their products easyto change and affordable. York Wall Coverings hascreated a line of wallpaper that can be strippedfrom an entire room within minutes, calledSurestrip, citing that the primary reason many par-ents avoid wallpapering a child’s room is the factthat they’ll need to remove it when the child out-grows it and starts complaining. Other companiesdeal with this problem by designing products thatwill hopefully age well with the child and can servemultiple purposes in a room. Room Magic, forexample, designs products that are modular and canbe altered as the child grows. Knobs can be changed out, drawer facescan be flipped, and products can be given an entirely new look withjust a few simple changes. “We make products that can be bought fora baby and be modified and used all the way up until their teens,” saysKaren Derfer, designer/owner of Room Magic.

Buy or Not To BuyWith recent economic difficulties still on everyone’s minds, par-

ents are approaching room décor in different ways. A cautioushousing market, with fewer families able or willing to move intonew living quarters, means there are fewer “new rooms” to deco-rate. Parents are focused on either affordable, noncommittal itemsor on items that may require more of an initial investment but willlast a long time. Many manufacturers are emphasizing core prod-ucts in their room décor lines rather than accessories, as shoppersare cutting extras out of their budget but seem to be willing tospend more for quality that they know will last a long time. “We’restill finding strong sales in value-type items. There’s definitely abusiness out there, but it’s slowed down a bit more than the norm,”says Steve Russo, president and CEO of F.A.B./Starpoint. Some

companies are actually raising the price points oncertain products (F.A.B./Starpoint’s lighting, forexample) while also raising the quality of the itemto position it for the long-term.

While parents may be more careful about theirspending, that doesn’t necessarily mean they’re notspending at all. “No matter what is going on with theeconomy, families want their children to be comfort-able and happy in their environment and this year isno exception,” says Dotti Franks, vice-president,marketing and communications for Step2. Withspending on expensive entertainment, such as vaca-tions, cut back or cut out, the state of the home ismuch more important to many parents and keepingtheir children provided for and happy within thehome is as important as it ever was. This leads to sig-nificant purchases of the core products and of moreaffordable products, as the perceived investment

returns a lot of value for the child and parent with the increasedamount of time spent in the home. “What we’ve found is that mom isnot afraid to spend money on our product,” says Bob Pagano, vice-president of marketing and product development at Kids Only.

Even with the economic slowdown and the difficulties facingmanufacturers in this market, most of the companies interviewedreport that their product lines are doing just fine. Some companieshave even reported significant growth in sales, citing the increasedstrength of core products, such as tables and chairs or play chests, asa primary reason for increased sales. Others have noted that having awide range of products allowed them to shift their focus to those coreproducts, or to focus on affordable alternatives to accessories andperipheral products. Licensed product has also been doing well,thanks to the strength of major children’s licenses such as DisneyPrincesses, Ben 10, and other popular properties. Overall, manufac-turers are positive about the category’s growth and expect a signifi-cant upswing as people begin to feel more secure about spendingagain. “As consumer confidence changes, so does their style,” saysJ.B. Schneider, co-founder of P’kolino. And kid’s room décor is onecategory that will always be in style.


Wall stickers, like this Ben 10 WallSticker from York Wall Coverings, are

affordable and easy to apply.

Children�s Room D�cor


BY PAUL NARULA

Child s room d�cor is far more than simple decoration. The room is where a child plays, learns, and grows, and the rightd�cor products help that journey along in many different ways. Boy or girl, Barbie or Ben 10, d�cor can be a huge partof a child s life. Here are some of the latest products from a variety of manufacturers.

DeltaDelta will release two table and chair sets for the boys’ brand Hot Wheels

from Mattel. One table will include a built-in crash track with an electroniclaunch sequencer that reads “Ready, set, go!” The other table (shown) fea-tures a storage bin for Hot Wheels cars and toys to keep the room tidy andplay easy to begin again. Delta will also be producing new products for a vari-ety of other brands, including Barbie, Dora the Explorer, SpongeBobSquarePants, and multiple Disney brands, such as Handy Manny, Cars,Disney Fairies, and Disney Princess.

F.A.B./StarpointF.A.B./Starpoint is releasing a new line of Disney Princess lamps. These lamps are

designed to be items that will be a part of a girl’s room for a long time. Each Disney Princesslamp features imagery of the popular licensed characters and comes with a sturdy base thatmatches the theme of the lamp’s imagery. Characters featured include Snow White,Cinderella, and Aurora.

Kids OnlyKids Only, a division of Jakks Pacific, will be introducing a new concept for children’s décor.

Kids Only Puzzle Furniture can serve as either a decorative play structure or a fully functional tableand chair set. The Disney Princess Puzzle Furniture set (shown) starts as a tower that featuresDisney Princess imagery. The Toy Story Puzzle Furniture set is a rocket ship from the film. Bothsets separate into four chairs and a table and back again for variable play.


EcototsThe Ecotots Art Time Easel can be assembled

and disassembled for easy transport. It is made offormaldehyde-free, FSC-certified real wood andcomes with a lifetime guarantee.

GuidecraftAs a complement to its Lambs & Ivy line of bedding of the

same name, Guidecraft has designed the Papayago line of furni-ture, which features hand-painted designs and hand-carveddetails. The set features jungle animals and an espresso finish.

Room MagicRoom Magic will expand on its

Poodles in Paris bedroom line withnew furniture and new roomaccessories. The Eiffel TowerLamp features the same poodleimagery as many other items inthe line, as well as a line of blackpuff-ball trim around the shade. Also in theline are window treatments, nightstands,and baby items such as changing tablesand changing pad covers.

Little TikesLittle Tikes, a division of MGA, has designed a

new twin bed that looks like Lightning McQueenfrom the movie Cars. The bed is sized for a standardtwin mattress with box springs and can be adjustedto two height levels. It is for ages 3 and up.

Robyn Bard wants to change theworld and she’s starting withtrading cards. Her son was ableto find his favorite brand ofcards on store shelves, but

there was nothing there for her daughter tocollect. In addition, Bard felt that there wasnothing on the market that taught girls aboutreal life. “I thought there were many productson the market for girls that were pink andfluffy and beautiful and full of fantasy,princesses, and fairy tales,” she says. “Butthere weren’t very many products on the mar-ket that were about reality. You have to getthem past being beautiful and the glitter andthe pink and the makeup and into reality andwhat’s normal.” And so in July 2007, the for-mer elementary school teacher startedChatterChix, a trading card collection forgirls ages 5–12 that features 50 female char-acters, one from each state, who don’t cakeon the makeup or flaunt belly button rings.

Combining the words “chatter,” becausegirls love to talk, with the funky and contempo-rary word “chix,” ChatterChix is all about realgirls. Bard even based the character of Emilyfrom Florida on her 13-year-old daughter. Eachof the 50 characters participates in activities thatreal girls can relate to, such as playing sports ora musical instrument. Some girls are lactose-intolerant. Others have divorced parents. Manyof the characters own pets, unless they are aller-gic or their parents have told them they aren’told enough to handle the responsibility. “In thebig picture, ChatterChix is more about empow-

ering girls and teaching them thatthere are many faces of normal,”Bard says. Through these cards, Bardhopes to teach girls the differencebetween reality and what they see inadvertising and media.

To add an educational componentto the fun of collecting and tradingthe cards, each ChatterChix card fea-tures information about the character, as well asfun facts about the character’s state. Girls learnthe state capital, state flower, state nickname,and state bird. When girls purchase theChatterChix Starter Set, they receive a three-ring binder with multi-colored flower stickersand a map of the United States. As girls collectthe ChatterChix cards, they place a sticker oneach state they’ve collected.

There’s even more fun online atChatterChix.com, where girls can get toknow the characters even more through char-acter-specific blog posts, weekly poll ques-tions, and a section called Weekly Chatter.With Weekly Chatter, Bard posts a “problemof the week” and asks girls to offer advice.She reads everything that comes in to makesure it is appropriate for the site and that girlshaven’t given any personal informationbefore posting the response just as the girlswrote them, spelling errors and lingo intact.“That’s the most popular part of the websiteand it really helps girls see that they’re notthe only ones who have a specific problem,”Bard says. Many of the Weekly Chatter prob-lems are suggested by Bard’s daughter, but

on occasion a ChatterChix fan will write inasking for advice. Even if Bard doesn’t usethe question on the site, she tries to respondto the writer personally. Her advice: “Justreally stick to your values and stick to what’simportant and don’t act too quickly.”

Values are very important to Bard, espe-cially when it comes to her desire to advocatefor children. She can often be found talkingwith girls during after-school programs at theYMCA and with Girls, Inc., an organizationthat seeks to inspire all girls to be strong,smart, and bold. “I’ve been trying to reachout to girls,” Bard says. “If I could just gointo schools and give [ChatterChix] awayand talk, that’s when I’m happiest.”

Bard would also be happy if one day big-box stores took a chance on her product likethe specialty stores have done. “Stores arereally wary about taking a risk on somethingnew,” she says. “They just want to sell whatthey know sells.” Even though the economyhas made it difficult for Bard’s company togain momentum, it hasn’t deterred her natu-ral drive and ChatterChix’s mission to letgirls know that it’s okay to be real girls.

CHANGING THE WORLD WITH CHATTERCHIX


BY LAURIE HAHN

Creator Robyn Bard basedthe ChatterChix character of

Emily from Florida on herown daughter, pictured.

• Nightlight helps ease fear of the dark• Projects stars on bedroom ceiling• Shell illuminates for soothing nightlight e� ect• Educational toy also illuminates endangered animals The Twilight Storybook includes

a Twilight Sea Turtle story whichteaches children about endangeredsea animals, a helpful Star Guideand an adoption certi� cate.

Endangered Species CollectionEach soothes a di� erent sense to help achieve peaceful sleep.

A portion of the proceeds bene� ts an international conservation organization.

Gentle Gira� e™Soothing Sounds

Dozy Dolphin™ On-the-GoSoothing Sounds

Polar Cuddle Cub™Comforting Touch

Los Angeles, New York, Paris, Rome, Tokyo www.cloudb.com

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Pressman ToyPressman Toy Corporation introduces new exten-

sions to its Rummikub line of games—a LargeNumbers Edition and a preschool version calledRummikub Kids Edition. The Original RummikubLarge Numbers Edition features bright, over-sizednumbers, making it easier for players to see the tilesthat have been played. The orange tiles have been sub-stituted with green, offering players a clearer color dis-tinction. Players must create runs and groups of num-bers with their tiles and try to be the first player to laydown all their tiles to win each round. The game is fortwo to four players ages 8 and up.

Pressman Toy designed Rummikub Kids Edition(shown) with shapes that help children self-correcttheir moves. The game helps children develop numberand color recognition skills, teaches players how tobuild sets of consecutive numbers, and also fosters log-ical reasoning as they learn the basics of Rummikub.There are three levels of game play. Rummikub KidsEdition is for two to four players ages 4 and up. Bothwill be available at specialty retailers nationwide.

The Little LittleLittle ToyCompany

Every Baby Company, cre-ators of eebee’s adventures,partnered with The Little LittleLittle ToyCompany for the salesand distribution of eebee prod-ucts to specialty toy retailers in the U.S. and Canada. The Little LittleLittle Toy Company will produce infant/toddler products that focus onthe importance of turning everyday play into real-world interactivelearning experiences. Items in the line include Shape Fits eebee, whichis a stacking toy and interactive adventure with shapes, colors, and sizesto stack, fit, share, compare, and wear.

CitiBlocsCitiBlocs is the next genera-

tion of wooden constructionpieces. Kids can make a castleand kingdom, then knock it downto build a scary creature or a bigwooden blob. Kids need onlyimagination to create their ownfun. The precision-cut blocks ofwood are “green,” crafted fromNew Zealand pine. There areseven sets to choose from ranging in size from52 pieces to 1,000 pieces. All sets come with a colorful building designguide. CitiBlocs are for ages 3 and up.


Successful Kids, Inc.The board game Blunders teaches children ages 5–10

about social and dining etiquette in an interactive andeducational way. Players try to help Bobby, Brenda,Billy, and Becky Blunder improve their manners. Thegame includes nine reward tokens, nine table settingcards, four pawns of the Blunder children, and 300 ques-tions in three card decks—Dine with the Blunders, Playwith the Blunders, andAt Home with the Blunders. Thereare six types of interactive, funny, and challenging ques-tions that include charades, multiple choice, true/false,scenario, reward, and consequence. The hand-illustratedgame board features seek-and-find objects and the Meetthe Blunder story booklet introduces the characters. Thegame is for two to eight players.

Grabkin Creatives LLCJason Dobkin and Erika Gragg co-created the new children’s

book Snobbles the Great: A Snooze Patch Story (www.snob-bles.com). Snobbles is a fruit-eating snake that is ridiculed bythe other snakes in the Snooze Patch where they live. Unlikemany children’s books, the story was inspired by the artwork,not the other way around. Dobkin made clay animals and Graggplaced them in plants and other settings and photographedthem. The authors wanted to create a fantastical world for kidscombining drawings and a story with painting, sculpture, pho-tography, stage design,lighting, and cinematogra-phy. The book can be foundonline at Amazon andBarnes & Noble, as well asat independent bookstores.

Art House LLCThe Art House Volume 1:

Basic Shapes and Animals DVDmakes teaching children to draweasy and fun. Art House’s inter-active formula teaches artisticskills to children. Kids joinTeacher Emily (a real-life pre-school and art teacher) as sheleads the Art House gang indrawing a series of animals.Kids will enjoy fun songs,music videos, and animationthroughout the video.


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THE CHICAGO TOY AND GAME FAIRRICHARD GILL, ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERThe Chicago Toy and Game Fair

announced that Richard Gill hasagreed to be a member of its adviso-ry board. Gill is an Emmy-nominat-ed executive producer of syndicatedtelevision and interactive gamingplatforms. Before his success withPictionary, he helped build TrivialPursuit into an international brand. Since the sale ofPictionary to Mattel in 2001, Gill continues to work in thetoy industry as a board member, game developer, and advi-sor to several companies, in addition to having founded sev-eral non-toy businesses.SPIN MASTER ENTERTAINMENT

JENNIFER PICHERACK, EXECUTIVE PRODUCERSpin Master Entertainment, the new entertainment division of Spin

Master Ltd., appointed Jennifer Picherack to the role of executive pro-ducer. She will work with executive producer Matt Wexler to developand produce original content for the division. The pair is charged withthe company’s television and feature film development, production, andacquisition activities. Most recently Picherack was the vice-president,distribution and sales operations at Cookie Jar Entertainment, Inc., aswell as producer on the series Johnny Test, and creative executive onChop Socky Chooks, Naturally Sadie, and Radio Free Roscoe.

CHORIONPAULA ROSENTHAL, SENIOR VICE-PRESIDENT, CREATIVEChorion hired Paula Rosenthal as senior vice-president, creative. She

will be responsible for managing a production slate and creating newcontent. Rosenthal comes to Chorion with more than 20 years of expe-rience in television and web development, production, programming,and planning. Most recently she worked with ABC Cable NetworksGroup supervising the development and production of preschool pro-gramming for Disney Channel. As vice-president of Playhouse Disney,she was responsible for programming and production strategies, creativedevelopment, and the day-to-day execution of entertainment and learn-ing-based properties.

BRANDISSIMO! BABB AND FISHER, PROMOTIONSBrandissimo! promoted two key executives to better

manage the company’s continued growth in its online gamesand virtual worlds business. Executive vice-president andgeneral manager Andy Babb was named president. Vice-president Josh Fisher was promoted to executive producerand senior vice-president of content. Babb joined Brandissimo! in July 2007. Under his lead-

ership, Brandissimo! produced the online MMOGNFLRUSH Zone for the National Football League.Previously, Babb held senior management, business devel-opment, and marketing positions at video game publishersincluding Take-Two Interactive (2K Games), SegaSoft,TDK Mediactive, and In-Fusio. Fisher is an Emmy Award-winning executive who creat-

ed and co-founded Urbaniacs.com, an online social commu-nity and gaming site in the form of a comic book worldcome to life. Fisher has 12 years experience creating andproducing content for young audiences, tweens, and teens.He developed and produced animation, live action, and Webdevelopment for ABC Family Channel, Fox Kids, Disney,Discovery Kids, Cartoon Network, and several major broad-casters around the world.

DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONSKELLY DAY, COO, DIGITAL MEDIA AND COMMERCEDiscovery Communications promoted Kelly

Day to COO of the company’s digital media andcommerce division. In her new role, Day will over-see all operations for the recently combined digitalmedia and commerce division, including the com-pany’s U.S. websites; interactive technology; digi-tal operations and programming; and licensing andhome entertainment. Most recently, Day served asCOO of Discovery’s commerce division.

BRINGING JOY, COMFORT AND LEARNING TO CHILDREN IN NEED THROUGH PLAY

Play Makes A DifferenceThe Toy Industry Foundation represents the collective philanthropic commitment of the North American Toy Industry to the welfare of children.

This is your foundation.

Together we are working to make play possible for all through:

Groundbreaking programs like Play HealsTM and the My Stuff Bagssignature partnershipThe Toy BankTM — distributing 6 million toys to children in need around the world Public education initiatives that teach the value of safe and developmentally appropriate play

Help us make a difference! To learn more about how you can help, visit www.toyindustryfoundation.org or call 646.454.5581.


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INDUSTRY-RELATED TRADE SHOWS

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

SEPTEMBER13–16 ABC Kids Expo theabcshow.com Las Vegas Convention Center Las Vegas

OCTOBER6–9 Fall Toy Preview toyassociation.org Dallas Market Center Dallas22–25 iHobby Expo ihobbyexpo.com Donald E. Stephens Convention Center Rosemont, IL31–11/3 Ocean City Resort Gift Expo urban-expo.com Ocean City Convention Center Ocean City, MD

TOY FAIR 2010SUNDAY–WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 14–17; JACOB JAVITS CONVENTION CENTER, NEW YORK CITY

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toys & family entertainment, may2009

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