ToyNews Issue 108 August 2010

INSIDE…

PLAY YOUR CARDS RIGHTThe trading cards and stickerssector moves into the spotlight

Issue 108 August 2010

FRIENDS OF THE EARTHThose green toy ranges doingtheir bit to save the planet

TOYNEWS FIVES 2010Full report and pictures fromthe big Toy Trust fundraiser

CONSTRUCTION SIGHTSSector guide on what’s new inthe bricks and blocks market

The toy industry’s highest circulation trade title

Exclusive media partner

01 TN108_final 20/7/10 17:11 Page 1

l hi C i dd 1 12/0 /2010 16 6 00

02 TN108_final 13/7/10 16:23 Page 1

THE TOY MARKET’S recent introduction tothe basics of crisis management at the BTHAIndustry Day advised that doing nothing is reallynot an option. Simply pretending or denying thatwhatever is happening is not happening, isn’t theway. You have to work with the media and thewider trade.

Of course, it’s easier said than done whenyou’re at the eye of the storm and keeping yourcompany afloat is more important than keepingthe trade informed of what’s happening.

But, in my experience, responding quickly andhonestly to any scuttlebutt doing the rounds canbe the difference between your firm surviving orgoing under. Managing the media, reassuring yourcreditors and clients, gives the illusion at the veryleast, that you are in control and managing thesituation. Failure to respond to any rumoursmeans people fill in their own blanks, maybe geta bit panicky, withdraw credit lines, cancel orders.Meltdown follows. You get the picture.

I doubt if much could have been done to helpMartin Yaffe and Hobbygames, but Yaffe inparticular might have negated a lot of thebitterness that is filtering through from formeremployees, with better communication. Similarly,Hobbygames might have been more transparentabout its situation instead of denying the obvious.Harsh lessons to learn. Particularly for the staffnow out of work.

Crunching into another gear, we’re delightedformer GMTV veteran Clive Crouch has agreedto become our new TV correspondent. Clive’sexperience of the kids’ TV market in the UK issecond to none and he will provide definitivecommentary on a market which is often complexand subject to much statistical examination.There is no better man to assist in understandingit. Clive’s home will be on our new marketinformation page which will provide data across anumber of entertainment markets which competefor the toy dollar. See page eight.Ronnie [email protected]

COMMENTCRISIS? WHAT CRISIS?

Failure to respond torumours means people

fill in their own blanks -meltdown follows

22 News

24 Animal Planet’s toy range

LICENSING

FEATURES16 Trading cards

29 Construction sets

39 Plush

46 Eco-friendly toys

52 Counter Insurgent

52 Price Check

53 Retail Charts

54 New Products

55 Hero Product

RETAIL

REGULARS4 News

12 Appointments

6 Exclusive NPD analysis

8 Information Point

10 TV ratings

14 Campaign of the month

Contents

Emily BriggsSales [email protected]

Katie RobertsDeputy [email protected]

Dan [email protected]

Jon [email protected]

Stuart [email protected]

Samantha LovedayAssociate [email protected]

Ronnie DunganManaging [email protected]

Intent Media is a member of thePeriodical Publishers Associations

Editorial: 01992 535646Advertising: 01992 535647

■ ToyNews circulation is 15.9% higherthan its closest competitor.

■ ToyNews requested or paid forcirculation is 23.4% higher than itsclosest competitor.

■ ToyNews has 100% named circulationand 0% duplication.

AUDITED CIRCULATION:Average Net Circulation: 6,043July 1st 2009 to June 30th 2010.

www.toynews-online.biz

03 TN108_final 21/7/10 18:09 Page 1

JUST THE UJ TSSTU HT E

A NEW wearable silicone band crazelooks set to take off in the UK, withthe launch of rival lines Silly Bandzand CrazyBandz and more copy-catsset to follow.

In the US the Silly Bandz brandalone boasts annual sales of more than$100m, having been around $10,000two years ago.

The brand has just launched in theUK with ten themed packs to collectand claims to be the authentic andoriginal product. Each contains 24Silly Bandz, from zoo animals and seacreatures to Rockbandz guitars anddrum kits. The bands can be worn onthe wrist, then bounce back to theiroriginal shape when removed. Eachpack costs £3.99.

London entrepreneur Jeremy Woolfof Launch Products spotted SillyBandz while abroad. According toWoolf: “The key to discoveringsomething special is looking beyondthe fancy stands at the big shows. As

soon as I saw Silly Bandz I knew I wason to something and immediately

signed on the dotted line to secureexclusive UK distribution. The phonehasn’t stopped ringing since. SillyBandz will be available on every highstreet in the next few weeks.”

Firebox was the first to launch withthe product in the UK and MDChristian Robinson says it is the firm’scurrent best seller, while Fenwick, ToysR Us, The Entertainer, Harrods andDebenhams will all take first deliveriesof stock in the next fortnight,according to the firm.

Meanwhile, CrazyBandz aredistributed in the UK by GlobalPromotional Solutions. Each pack ofCrazyBandz contains 12 bracelets withsix different designs and two bands ofeach shape.

The packs retail around £2.99.In the US rival band names include

Logo Bandz and Zany Bandz.GPS: 0292 022 7955Launch Products: 01404 45604

Huge selling silicone band craze hits UK shores with US sales topping 1m a week ● Other brands follow suit

As soon asI saw Silly

Bandz I knew I wason to something.

Jeremy Woolf,Launch Products

HASBRO WON this year’s ToyNewsFives football championship.

The boys from Stockley Parkdefeated reigning champions Turner4-2, in a close-fought final. WinningMoves, who beat Amethyst 4-3 inthe final, won the plate competition.

Some 16 teams competed in theToy Trust fund-raiser on the day,raising £2,025 for the charity. SpinMaster was unable to compete butdonated its entry fee nonetheless.

ToyNews managing editor RonnieDungan said: "We had gloriousweather once again and although afew players were suffering in theheat, there was no drop in thestandard of football played.

"Well done to Hasbro. They beat agreat Turner team, so they're worthywinners. And congratulations toWinning Moves too. We're alreadylooking forward to next year andhope to see some new facescompeting to raise even more moneyfor the Toy Trust."

If you're interested in enteringnext year's competition [email protected] details.

● For a full report and round-upof results see page 62

Hasbro triumphsin ToyNews Fives

UK set for battle of the Bandz

4 NEWS

by Ronnie Dungan

AUGUST 1ST sees the first year anniversary ofLego Games. Players can change the format ofthe game, using the Lego pieces and thebuildable dice to create a whole new challenge.The brand gained a 10.5 per cent market sharefour months after launch according to the firm.

“2009 was a phenomenal year for LegoGames”, said Lego UK Senior Brand Manager,Laura Di Bonaventura. “Over the last year, LegoGames have offered a new play dimension toLego and have proved to be a great successwith children and gift givers. Research tells usthat gift givers see the games as great valuefor money and that they are the perfect gift forbirthday parties and other gifting occasions.Shave a Sheep and Pirate Plank have proven tobe particular favourites. I’m really pleased withLego Games’ performance in its first year. AndI’m looking forward to seeing the brandbecoming a core player in the children’s gamescategory in the coming years. We’ll be thankingall of our supporters with a piece of cake andpersonalised gift.”

Further above and below the line marketingof the range kicks off next month.

04-05 TN108_final 22/7/10 10:06 Page 1

SPECULATION REGARDING whyMartin Yaffe went under continues,after repeated stonewalling by thefirm and its administrators.

Leonard Curtis was appointed asadministrator for the firm on 15thJuly, confirming the rumours that hadbeen circulating around the trade forsome days prior. Only a skeleton staffremained to assist the administrators.

Eponymous managing directorRonnie Yaffe was understandablyupset at the situation, but reluctantto comment, other than to say it was“a very sad day”.

And so, without officialexplanation of the firm’s difficulties atthe time of writing, speculation in thetrade centres around a rumoured hitfrom the closure of Woolworths tothe tune of £5m, too many expensivebut under-performing licences and

sales steadily falling over an 18-month period.

And already there is talk ofRonnie Yaffe re-starting and buyingback the assets of Martin Yaffe fromthe administrator. But again, all meretrade speculation. It seems unlikelythat the current Yaffe operation willsurvive though.

Reaction among the 40-plus staffto the news has been met with someanger, as is often the case in suchcircumstances. Many said that theyhad not been kept properly informedof the situation, with one saying hefound out that he had lost his job viaFacebook. “There isn’t anyone who isnot pissed off about the way this hasbeen handled,” said one formeremployee. Although, it should bepointed out, there was also supportfor under-fire boss Ronnie Yaffe.

According to another, thegovernment has paid staff redundancyfrom the National Insurance fundrather than the firm.

Rumours about the firm’s state ofhealth gathered pace after the swiftand sudden exit of sales directorCharles Spieler after a few weeks,having joined when Yaffe acquired hisfirm Peter Pan, described as animport/export licensed productagency, back in May.

In September 2009 Yaffe sold itshousewares division to UltimateProducts including well-knownkitchen brands such as Swan andBeldray, for a reported £1m.

Formed in 1987, the firm foundsuccess with the Bob the Builder

licence, which helped establish it as amajor player within the UK toymarket. Major licensing deals for hitpre-school properties such as PostmanPat and Thomas and Friends followed,including master toy licences for LazyTown, Pinky and Perky, Fireman Samand, more recently, Little Princess, allof which helped establish it as a bigplayer in the licensed toy market.Leonard Curtis: 0161 767 1250

Another bright idea from TRICKFind out how our multiplatform campaign got kids uploading and voting on Cuponk stunts – and helped to drop it right into the Number 1 Kids Game Slot*

www.turnermediainnovations.com/cuponk*Source: NPD Data May 2010

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Leading licensed toy supplier goes under ● Questions unanswered continue to fuel trade scuttlebutt

ONLY DAYS after its MD deniedthat it was in administration,Hobbygames has ceased trading.

Begbies Traynor in Brighton hasbeen appointed as administrator andsays it has an agent in place tofacilitate the sale of the games andcards firm’s remaining assets, whichinclude some stock, websites and awarehouse.

Edward Simmons is handling thesale. Anyone interested should emailRichard Kelly [email protected] call him on 02380 461630

Many questions as MartinYaffe falls into administration

www.toynews-online.biz 5NEWS

by Ronnie Dungan

by Ronnie Dungan

Hobbygamesgoes too...

RONNIE YAFFE: Alreadyeyeing a comeback?

AUGUST 2007ACQUIRES STAKE IN WOODENTOY FIRM DAN JAM TOYS

JANUARY 2008 OPENS OFFICE IN COLOGNE,GERMANY

APRIL 2008SECURES MASTER TOY LICENCEFOR PINKY AND PERKY

JULY 2008SIGNS DEAL TO PRODUCEFISHER-PRICE OUTDOOR TOYS

MARCH 2009SIGNS WAYBULOO LICENCE

SEPTEMBER 2009SELLS HOUSEWARES DIVISION

JAN 2010SIGNS TIMMY TIME OUTDOORTOY LICENCE

JANUARY 2010BECOMES MASTER TOY LICENSEEFOR ZIGBY

APRIL 2010SIGNS WHEELED TOY LICENCEFOR ZINGZILLAS

MAY 2010ACQUIRES PETER PAN

MAY 2010SIGNS ME TO YOU LICENCE

JULY 2010APPOINTS ADMINISTRATOR

MARTIN YAFFE TIMELINE

04-05 TN108_final 22/7/10 10:06 Page 2

AUGUST 2010

APRIL WAS a slow month for thetoy market, but saleshave increased again inMay with the total valueup 12 per cent and unitsup an impressive 26 percent.

For the first time thisyear the average sellingprice has declined, droppingto just £5.00 from £5.60 inMay 2009. This deep pricedecline has been driven by aselection of new pocketmoney items now available,especially related to theWorld Cup.

“While the officialtournament didn’t kick offuntil June, May toy salesshowed a strong start to theevent with football relatedmerchandise flying off shelvesespecially the sticker andcollectable cards,” says JezFraser-Hook, director of NPDGroup’s toy business in the UK.

“The low price point andcollectability of these items hasproduced an instant craze which tiesin strongly with the overallsentiments of the country at thestart of this competition, and alsohappened in previous tournaments.”

The World Cup excitement hashelped drive the all other toys supercategory with Fifa, Pro SportsSoccer and Match Attax all drivingsales in this area. Collectablestickers and cards have seenparticularly strong growth.

Another low priced, high sellingitem for May was the newlylaunched Lego Minifigures, which atan average price of £1.98, helpedthe growth of pocket money toys.

Under £5 toys accounted for 73 percent of sales in May, up 32 per centon last year. The Minifigures alsohelped drive building sets sales, thefastest growing category for May.The Grand Prix season has helpedLego Racers drive growth inconstruction as well and enters thetop five construction properties forthe month.

The plush category continuesto expand with new itemsparticularly important in drivingsales. Thirteen of the top twentybest-selling items are new sinceMay 2009, with plush petsparticularly popular withchildren. This is displayedthrough the continueddevelopment of Zhu Zhu Pets,Furreal and Animagic, whichhave all been adding sales tothe category.

“As school holidays startand Toy Story 3 finally reaches

cinema screens in the UK aftermuch anticipation and build up, itdoes seem as though positive growthso far this year is likely to continue,”comments Fraser-Hook.

The World Cup bolsters toysales during May

While the official tournament didn’tkick off until June, May toy sales

showed a strong start to the event withfootball related merchandise flying offshelves especially the stickers andcollectable cards.

Top 5 PropertiesMay 20101. Ben 102. FIFA3. Little Tikes 4. Star Wars5. Pro Sports Soccer

Best ItemProgression May 2010

Lego MinifiguresThe newly launched pocketmoney toy has rocketed from2,736 to eighth position…

Best PropertyProgressionMay 2010

FIFAThe World Cup has boosted theproperty from number 28 to upto number two…

6 NPD RESEARCH

UK Toy Sales(value, year to date)

May2009

May2010 9%

Source: NPD

May 09: £5.60 May 10: £5.00

Sales Average Price

PropertiesRetail Sales Trends

06-07 TN108_final 21/7/10 16:02 Page 1

UK MAY 2010 (£ SALES - VALUE) UK MAY 2010 (UNIT SALES - VOLUME)

1 ZHU ZHU HAMSTER PACKS ASSORTMENT CHARACTER

2 KIDZOOM DIGITAL CAMERA VTECH

3 STAR WARS REBEL TROOPER & SNOW TROOPER BATTLEPACK LEGO

4 BEN 10 ALIEN FORCE 10CM FIGURES BANDAI

5 BEN 10 ALIEN FORCE 15CM DNA FIGURES BANDAI

6 CARS CHARACTER ASSORTMENT MATTEL

7 FIRST STEPS BABYWALKER VTECH

8 BIONICLE STARS 2010 LEGO

9 BAKUGAN STARTER PACK SPIN MASTER

10 STAR WARS LUKE’S LANDSPEEDER LEGO

UK YEAR TO DATE (UNIT SALES - VOLUME)

1 OFFICIAL FIFA STICKER COLLECTION PANINI

2 MATCH ATTAX CARDS TOPPS

3 HOT WHEELS BASIC CAR ASSORTMENT MATTEL

4 MATCH ATTAX ENGLAND CARDS TOPPS

5 BEN 10 ALIEN FORCE 10CM FIGURES BANDAI

6 GOGO’S CRAZY BONES III EXPLORER PACK MAGIC BOX


8 TRANSFORMERS MOVIE LEGENDS ASSORTMENT HASBRO

9 PLAY DOH SINGLE TUB ASSORTMENT HASBRO


NPD Eurotoys is the Number 1information provider forMarket Research to the Toy Industry in Europe

Contact: NPD Eurotoys UK, Rosemount House, Rosemount AvenueWest Byfleet, Surrey, KT14 6LB. _ 01 932 355 580

UK YEAR TO DATE (£ SALES - VALUE)

1 OFFICIAL FIFA STICKER COLLECTION PANINI

2 MATCH ATTAX ENGLAND CARDS TOPPS

3 HOT WHEELS BASIC CAR ASSORTMENT MATTEL

4 MATCH ATTAX EXTRA 20 TOPPS

5 FIFA WORLD CUP ADRENALYN XL PANINI

6 LEGO MINIFIGURES LEGO

7 MATCH ATTAX CARDS TOPPS

8 GOGO’S CRAZY BONES III EXPLORER PACK MAGIC BOX


10 PLAY DOH SINGLE TUB ASSORTMENT HASBRO

1 OFFICIAL FIFA PANINI


3 LITTLE TIKES COZY COUPE 30TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION MGA

4 KIDZOOM DIGITAL CAMERA VTECH

5 NEBULUS FOLDING SCOOTER ASSORTMENT H GROSSMAN

6 DR WHO 11TH DOCTOR SONIC SCREWDRIVER CHARACTER

7 FIRST STEPS BABYWALKER VTECH

8 LEGO MINIFIGURES LEGO


10 STAR WARS REBEL TROOPER & SNOW TROOPER BATTLEPACK LEGO

NOTES: All participating NPD retail data suppliers provide weekly data via EPOS systems. NPD figures are not projected to represent non-participating retailers but provide 100 percent of the sales from participating stores. EPoS sample includes the following retailers: Amazon, Argos, Asda, Boots, ELC, Firebox, Freemans, Grattan, Hamleys, HMV, HalfordsLittlewoods, Mailorderexpress, Modelzone, Mothercare, M&S, Sainsbury’s, Shop Direct, Tesco, Toymaster, The Entertainer and WHSmith. The approximate coverage is of 60%

www.toynews-online.biz 7NPD RESEARCH

Retail Sales Trends

06-07 TN108_final 21/7/10 16:02 Page 2

8 STATS

TOP IPOD APPS (ENTERTAINMENT)

MOVIES

COOL WALLPAPERS HD FREE

VUVUZELA 2010

10,500+ COOL FACTS

TALKING TOM CAT

GLOW DRAW

IMDB

SHAVE ME!

FLUID

TRUTH OR DARE!!!

SOURCE: ITUNES

MARKET VALUE YEAR TO DATE

SOURCE: NPD/TOYNEWS

AUGUST 2010

TELEVISION IS currently experiencinga period of business turbulence. Putin softer words, change, which ismanifesting itself in terms ofconsolidation, ownership, and airtimesales representation.

The effect of this is not apparent inthe data showing the top performingchildren's TV shows but, believe me,it will make an impact. In the wake ofthe Argos catalogue release, themedia buyers and sellers will bepreparing to place advertising for theautumn and winter months ahead.

At the recent BTHA Industry Day,people were lamenting the loss ofNickelodeon's highly respectedindependent sales force and debatingits position within the Sky salesportfolio (Viacom had consolidated itssales business alongside itsdistribution business into Sky fromJanuary 2010).

Sky is a great business. Changetakes time to meet the expectationsand overcome the emotions thatfollow such moves. On screen,Nickelodeon looks as good as everand this autumn launches a newshow starring Anna Williamson andJamie Rickers who had a hugefollowing at GMTV Kids.

At Five the For Sale sign isrumoured to be up, while Nick Wilson(director of children's programmes)continues to do a fantastic job withMilkshake. Despite no kids ElectronicProgramme Guide (EPG) listing, itcontinues to punch above its weight,delivering numbers in excess of100,000 with top shows, Fifi, Noddyand Peppa.

Nick has made no secret of hisambition to further developMilkshake and he is more thanequipped to take the brand forward,which would be good news for oneand all.

At GMTV Kids, the position is thereverse to that of Nickleodeon. Thethirty-strong children's production

department all left in May. The teamselling the kids’ shows and websites,however, remain in place.

The biggest test for ITV lays in wait.Adam Crozier (CEO) has informed his150-strong management team thatthey are to undertake psychometrictests to assess whether they have theright skills for their jobs.

I think it is a brilliant idea. As CEOof ITV, Adam has a high profilebusiness to lead and needs to meetthe demands and aspirations ofviewers, shareholders and theregulator, Ofcom.

The final current shift towardsconsolidation will see VirginChannels sold by IDS, shifting theirbusiness into Sky Sales with IDSclosing. On industry estimates that’saround £280m, following the £80m ofViacom sales into the same saleshouse. UK TV Channels will not befollowing the same path out of IDS asthey take their business to Channel 4for sales representation.

In terms of airtime, sponsorshipand online sales, the skills of thespecialist buyers who last year spentaround £132.7m in this sector ,will bechallenged by the new shape, weightand policies of those sellers. Wheredid that figure come from? Well, itdoes include 18 software companiesand four retailers, which aresurrounded by 28 toy companies, allbuying into this genre.

I will expand further on this subjectnext month as we approach the peakadvertising season for this sector.

Former chairman of the childrens’programme management group atGMTV, Clive Crouch has nowlaunched his own media consultancyClive Crouch Media Insight.

[email protected] 670453

Media tracker2009 2010

By Clive Crouch

BehindTHE SCREEN

£713.37M

£656.05M

08-09 TN108_final 21/7/10 15:48 Page 1

www.toynews-online.biz 9STATS

TOP VIDEO GAMES: JUNE (ALL FORMATS)

TITLE PUBLISHER FORMAT

RED DEAD REDEMPTION TAKE-TWO 360, PS3

SUPER MARIO GALAXY 2 NINTENDO WII

2010 FIFA WORLD CUP SOUTH AFRICA EA 360, PS3, PSP, WII

LEGO HARRY POTTER - YEARS 1-4 WARNER BROS 360, WII, PS3, DS, PC, PSP

JUST DANCE UBISOFT WII

CALL OF DUTY: MW2 ACTIVISION/BLIZZARD 360, PS3, 360, PC

WII FIT PLUS NINTENDO WII

UFC 2010: UNDISPUTED THQ 360, PS3

WII SPORTS RESORT NINTENDO WII

ROOMS: THE MAIN BUILDING NINTENDO DS

SOURCE: ELSPA

COMPILED BY CHART TRACK

TOP LICENSED TOYS MAY 2010 (VALUE)

OFFICIAL FIFA STICKERS PANINI

DR WHO SONIC SCREWDRIVER CHARACTER OPTIONS

CARS CHARACTER ASSORTMENT MATTEL

STAR WARS 2010 LEGO

MATCH ATTAX WORLD CUP TIN TOPPS

BEN 10: ALIEN FORCE 10CM FIGURES BANDAI

FIREMAN SAM VEHICLE & ACCESSORIES CHARACTER OPTIONS

BEN 10: ALIEN FORCE 15CM FIGURES BANDAI

IRON MAN 2 ACTION FIGURES HASBRO

STAR WARS LUKE’S LANDSPEEDER LEGO

SOURCE: NPD

TOP HEROES (ALL CHILDREN AGED 5-14)

HANNAH MONTANA

DR WHO/DAVID TENNANT

CHERYL COLE

JLS

WAYNE ROONEY

LADY GAGA

DAVID BECKHAM

ZAC EFRON – TROY

BEN 10

SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS

SOURCE: CARRICK JAMES

WWW.CJMR.CO.UK

TV insight from former GMTV veteran, Clive Crouch; toy market value;top licensed toys and comparative market data on all manner ofentertainment products….

AUGUST 2010

08-09 TN108_final 21/7/10 15:49 Page 2

AUGUST 2010

The top-performing children’s TV shows on terrestrial and multi-channel....

Top programmes10 AIRTIME STATISTICS

1 8:01 PHINEAS AND FERB CITV/ITV1 222 18.4 7

2 7:54 SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS CITV/ITV1 197 17.3 11

3 16:28 SCHOOL OF SILENCE CBBC 183 13.3 12

4 17:16 HORRIBLE HISTORIES CBBC 171 14.6 34

5 8:02 DEADLY 60 CBBC 167 12.8 23

6 7:36 SHAGGY & SCOOBY DOO GET A CLUE CITV/ITV1 166 17.3 4

7 7:31 THE REPLACEMENTS CITV/ITV1 164 19.2 3

8 9:01 THE LEGEND OF DICK AND DOM CBBC 162 14.3 7

9 7:53 BATMAN: THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD CITV/ITV1 162 16.6 2

10 7:44 HORRID HENRY CITV/ITV1 160 16.0 5

TIME TITLE/DESCRIPTION CHANNEL OOOs % AIRINGS

SHOWS ACROSS ALL TIMES JUNE ‘10

1 16:34 THE SARAH JANE ADVENTURES BBC1 215 9.8 2


3 16:32 SPORT RELIEF DOES WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS CBBC 205 13.5 5

4 9:29 TRACY BEAKER RETURNS CBBC 198 13.2 101



7 17:48 THE SARAH JANE ADVENTURES CBBC 166 10.2 120

8 8:32 BEN 10: ALIEN FORCE CITV/ITV1 164 15.1 4

9 9:00 MY ALMOST FAMOUS FAMILY CBBC 162 11.6 10

10 8:29 CHOP SOCKY CHOOKS CITV/ITV1 162 12.9 9


SHOWS ACROSS ALL TIMES YTD JUNE ‘10



3 7:36 SHAGGY & SCOOBY DOO GET A CLUE CITV/ITV1 166 17.3 4

4 7:31 THE REPLACEMENTS CITV/ITV1 164 19.2 3



7 8:11 AARON STONE CITV/ITV1 145 11.5 4

8 7:27 BEN 10 CITV/ITV1 133 16.2 3

9 8:04 FIFI AND THE FLOWERTOTS FIVE 114 9.3 21

10 8:01 MILKSHAKE SHOW SONGS FIVE 106 8.5 10


COMMERCIAL MULTICHANNEL SHOWS (ALL TIMES) JUNE ‘10

SOURCE: INFOSYS/BARB NOTE: THESE CHARTS ARE BASED ON AVERAGE PERFORMANCE




4 8:32 BEN 10: ALIEN FORCE CITV/ITV1 164 15.1 4

5 8:29 CHOP SOCKY CHOOKS CITV/ITV1 162 12.9 9

6 9:00 POWER RANGERS RPM CITV/ITV1 161 11.5 21


8 9:01 AARON STONE CITV/ITV1 159 12.0 9

9 10:31 FILM: THE BFG (1989) CITV 156 10.3 2

10 7:54 BEN 10 CITV/ITV1 153 15.9 6


COMMERCIAL MULTICHANNEL SHOWS (ALL TIMES) YTD JUNE ‘10

10 TN108_final 20/7/10 17:35 Page 1

www.schleich-s.comAnywhere’s a playground

Schleich UK Ltd, 4 Stansted Courtyard, Parsonage Road, Takeley, Bishop’s Stortford, Hertfordshire, CM22 6PU, Telephone: 01279 870000, Email: [email protected]

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[email protected]

11 TN108_final 2/7/10 10:15 Page 1

Following a restructure at the firm’shead office, Natalie Hilton is leavingUpper Deck. The internationalmarketing for Spin Master productsin Germany, Benelux andSwitzerland will now be handled byMarco van de Kant. Internationalmarketing (non-UK) for all otherUpper Deck brands and products,will be looked after by Joeri Hoste.

Hilton commented: “I have greatlyenjoyed working with each of you onthe many great activities andproducts I have managed over thelast five years at Upper Deck.

“It has been a great experienceworking in both the UK business andthe international business and I dohope that our paths cross again inthe future.”

As part of an internal restructureand expansion at John Crane, anumber of new appointments havebeen made.

Dave Brown joins as commercialmanager, overseeing the day-to-daybusiness. His background in theautomotive industry gives him a wideskill base to bring to this newlyformed role.

Brown said: “Although it’s my firststeps in the toy industry, I’ve beenmade very welcome at John Crane, it’san interesting time to be joining thetoy industry and I look forward to thechallenges ahead.”

Nicola Woodward joins as salesexecutive. Her former roles haveincluded working closely withindependent stores.

Former PA, Hayley Hanwell-Holland, joins as administrativecoordinator, where she will beresponsible for HR, as well as being anintegral part of the company’scertification procedure.

Finally, Sheena Beale has beenappointed as new office receptionist.Beale has an extensive backgroundworking in the public sector.

Mark and Mike Edwards havejoined Jumbo as agents forindependent accounts for the SouthWest territory.

Gray Richmond, managing directorat Jumbo, said: “I am pleased toannounce the appointment of Markand Mike Edwards. They have bothbeen involved with the toy industrymost of their working life and are a

welcome addition to the Jumbo team.”Former Hy-Pro marketing and

brands manager, Alex Kovacevic hasjoined Re:creation.

Kovacevic will manage the Razorbrand, as well as the development ofnew ride-on projects in his new role.

“To have the opportunity to takecontrol of a global brand with thecaché of Razor was too good an offerto refuse – so far everything has beenextremely positive,” said Kovacevic.

Great Gizmos has appointed CathyLing as key account manager. Lingjoins with more than 20 yearsexperience across the toy and giftindustry and has previously workedfor companies such as Aurora Worldand Smoby.

Novel Entertainment has bolsteredits in-house team, hiring a newchildren’s brand manager in the formof Kelly Henwood.

Henwood – who arrives fromOxford Limited, a subsidiary of theUniversity of Oxford, where shemanaged the global licensingprogramme – will be responsible forco-ordinating a wide range of brandpartners across a variety of product

areas. This is as well as initiatingmarketing campaigns and crosspromotional strategies.

She will work closely with CPLG,Novel’s licensing agency, andinternational distributors, as well asexpanding and consolidating the firm’sonline presence.

Nickelodeon UK has bolstered itslicensing and merchandising team,promoting Ashley Holman to seniorlicensing manager and adding formerDisney executive, Rebecca Aston, toits line-up.

Erin Duffy has taken on the role offinancial controller at ChapmanEntertainment. The position wascreated to coincide with the increasedworkload resulting from Chapman’snew properties, Little Charley Bear andRah Rah The Noisy Lion, as well as itsexisting portfolio.

Meanwhile, Rebecca Caine hasjoined the firm as brand manager forRah Rah and Roary the Racing Car.Caine has previously enjoyed stints atGibsons Games and BBC Worldwide.She will work alongside Chloe Grant,brand manager for Little Charley Bearand Fifi and the Flowertots.

FROM LEFT: Nickelodeon UK’s seniorlicensing manager, Ashley Holman; JohnCrane commercial manager, Dave Brown;Mike Edwards from Jumbo; Cathy Ling, keyaccount manager at Great Gizmos

12 APPOINTMENTS

INDUSTRY MOVESHilton leaves Upper Deck, new recruits at John Crane, Jumbo names new sales agents, Re:creation boosts marketing teamand Great Gizmos adds key account manager…

12 TN108_final 21/7/10 10:26 Page 1

13 TN108_final 16/7/10 10:07 Page 1

AUGUST 2010

THE CONCEPT IS a simple storyline – thegalaxy’s one-stop shop for the effectiveelimination of evil. The Hero Factory designs,builds and dispatches robot heroes to fight villains, solve crises and restore peaceacross the universe.

The pocket money price point products comein specially designed packaging and the largeassortment of heroes work to drive purchasefrequency and collectibility.

ADVERTISINGThere will be a TV campaign starting in Augustand running until the first week of November tocreate awareness from launch.

The campaign is targeted at six to nine year-old boys, will be showing on all children’s TVchannels and consists of 610 TVRs

There will also be press wraps, magazineinserts, email and viral video to raise awarenessof the brand and supporting events.

SPONSORSHIPA sponsorship deal has been negotiated withNickelodeon to include sponsorship of the newlylaunched Nick Toons weekend strand from 7 to10am. The new strand will be showingprogrammes including Avatar, Gormiti, SuperHero Squad and Transformers. The sponsorshipincludes idents and break bumpers, which will

showcase the Hero Factory characters, thefactory and the missions. The campaign will beon air from October onwards.

In addition to this, in a first for Lego, four 22-minute CGI animated Hero Factory cartoonshave also been planned to appear in October.

PRWorking with Egmont Publishing and DCThompson, creative activity from August toNovember has been negotiated in Toxic, TheBeano and Beano Max magazines, including aseries of advertorials, posters, full-pagecompetitions and themed interactive puzzles andfeature scenes, to deliver an impactful campaignat launch with lasting momentum for the brand.

A media relations campaign will also beimplemented throughout the year by Norton andCo to communicate the new collection,showcasing the Hero Factory concept acrosskids’ media anddedicated kids’pages in thenational andconsumer press.New media assetswill also be uploadedto key socialnetworking sites toenhance brandvisibility across allage groups.

EVENTSA roadshow hasbeen planned for theAugust launch, witha 20ft trailer at TheTrafford Centre,Manchester andLegoland, Windsor,inviting childrenand their parents

inside to discover the Hero Factory world. Thetrailer will be designed to reflect the ‘they areamongst us’ theme and will include interactiveplay elements. Prior to the roadshows, a stuntwill take place at each location in order to createinterest and mystery and incorporate a mechanicwhereby consumers can retrieve a special editionHero Factory prize to be claimed at theforthcoming roadshow.

IN-STORE Retail marketing will focus on Hero Factorytakeovers in store and online from launch. Thiswill involve additional space through FSDUs andpallet displays. Creating additional awarenesswith posters, banners and radio ads. There willalso be an opportunity for kids to get their phototaken with a life-size cut out of Preston Stormer– the leader of the Heroes.

Following nine successful years of Bionicle, HeroFactory is a brand new concept in the buildable actionfigure category, backed with a campaign including TV,sponsorship and a nationwide road show…

Hero FactoryLego

There will be aTV campaign

starting in August andrunning until the end of November to createawareness fromlaunch.

14 CAMPAIGN OF THE MONTH

14 TN108_final 20/7/10 17:33 Page 1

Koelnmesse Ltd

205-207 City Road

London EC1V 1JN

Tel: +44 (0) 207 566 6340

Fax: +44 (0) 207 566 6341

[email protected]

www.kindundjugend.com

50 years at the top !Since its launch in 1960, Kind + Jugend has

continued to evolve, and remains as fresh and

innovative as ever before. Join with us as our

industry gets together to celebrate this success

and the cracking business opportunities ! As always,

the choice of products on offer, atmosphere and

supporting programme will combine to guarantee

a successful visit !

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Save time and money : register and buy entrance

tickets on-line at: www.kindundjugend.com

The Trade Show for K ids ' F irst Years

16 – 19. SEPTEMBER 2010

1 9 6 0 – 20

10

103x295 GB-ToyNews.indd 1 04.05.10 10:51

15 TN108_final 21/7/10 10:55 Page 1

AUGUST 2010

THE STICKER and trading cardmarket is an ever-changinglandscape, with sporting events, filmsand new licensed brands creatingregular sales peaks, along with newtitles and the introduction of multi-media to traditional game play.

The latest increase in revenues formany suppliers in the sector was theFIFA World Cup. It is important,

however, that as well as reaping therewards of such highs, companiesmaintain a broad portfolio ofproducts and look ahead to the nextbig craze, in order to keep sales fromtumbling once such an event is over.

Steve Buckmaster, sales director atEsdevium Games, says: “It really is afast moving category, we have justcome out of three months of WorldCup collectables dominating the

category. Outside of this, we do ourbest to maximise opportunities thatcome from movies or entertainmentproperties, whilst at the same timeconcentrating on the steady sellers,Pokémon, Yu-Gi-Oh, Gogo’s CrazyBones and Match Attax.”

Jess Tadmor, head of marketing atPanini UK, agrees: “The FIFA WorldCup 2010 Sticker collection and our

FIFA World Cup Adrenalyn XL cardsare performing extremely well, as areother hot properties such as HelloKitty, Shrek 4 and Toy Story 3.

“We expect this season’s launch ofthe Champions League and theScottish Premier League to go well,as well as our upcoming stickercollections on Disney Princesses andWorld of Cars. Harry Potter is alsoexpected to do very well.”

Trading placesTrading cards and stickers form a fast-moving, trend-driven sector. Following the recent boost theWorld Cup provided to the market, Katie Roberts caught up with some key players to find out more…

16 SECTOR SPOTLIGHT: TCGS AND STICKERS

The internet has had a huge impact onthe collectables market, you just have to

look at the success of Club Penguin currently,which is a TCG you can also play online for anextremely young age group.

Luke Hilier, co-founder, Click Distribution

Click DistributionClick is a distributor of collectableproducts. The firm is the exclusivedistributor for Panini and an officialdistributor for Topps in the UK.

Key ranges: FIFA World CupSticker Collection, Match AttaxTCG, UEFA Champions League

Super Strikes TCG, Club Penguin,WWE Slam Attax, Doctor WhoAlien Armies TCG, Toy Story 3.

Tel: 01604 858480

Email:[email protected]

KonamiEstablished in 1969 in Japan,Konami operates across a number ofinternational territories. The firm isprimarily a video games supplier,but also manufactures arcade gamesand the Yu-Gi-Oh TCG range.

Key range: Yu-Gi-Oh

Tel: 020 8987 5730

Email: [email protected]

TomyTomy recently took on distributionof all Upper Deck products thatwere previously available directly inthe UK. The new range includesboth TCGs and licensed rangesbased on trading card properties.

Key range: Dinosaur King

Tel: 020 8722 7300


16-18 TN108_final 21/7/10 17:47 Page 1

www.toynews-online.biz 17SECTOR SPOTLIGHT: TCGS AND STICKERS

Traditionally collectable products,TCGs are increasingly beingenhanced with new gamingmechanisms in an attempt to add totheir value.

Peter Adkinson is the CEO ofHidden City Entertainment andplayed a key role in publishing someof the most iconic TCGs. He foundedWizards of the Coast and guided thedevelopment of the first collectablecard game, Magic: The Gathering.

He explains: “The notion oftrading cards with gaming elementsstarted with Magic: The Gathering in1993. Until the late 90s, this was aphenomenon limited primarily to thehobby/game industry.

“But Pokémon and Yu-Gi-Oh bothchanged that. Both games wereinspired by Magic, but were intendedfor the broad market from the get-go.Over the last ten years, the game andentertainment sub-category oftrading cards has rivalled, andperhaps even transcended, themagnitude of sports trading cards.”

Sports cards firms are also addinggaming, as David Smyth, brandmanager, Topps explains: “Kids enjoybeing engaged by the collections andgame play is a wonderful way toencourage the swap and share, askids hunt out powerful cards or tryout new tactics and purchase morepackets to build decks.

“Topps Match Attax is currentlythe world’s best selling TCG and the

popularity of the Match Attax WorldChampionships reflects just howimportant the gaming elements are tocollectors. With the final of thechampionships taking place in thecentre circle of a Barclays PremierLeague game, the gaming element isa crucial part of bringing thecollector closer to the collection.”

Further possibilities have beenbought about by advancements intechnology. Jonathan Rose, sales andmarketing director, Cartamundi tellsToyNews that new technologies arehelping boost the sector: “Ourmission is to link this productcategory to what we call multienvironment play – not just the

playground, but onto internet, mobilephone and social networking, etc.”

Luke Hillier, co-founder of ClickDistribution, agrees: “The internet inparticular has had a huge affect onthe collectables market, you just haveto look at the success of ClubPenguin currently, which is a TCGthat you can also play online for anextremely young age group.

“The internet has enabled thepublisher to have a much wider rangeof distribution.”

In order to widen the audience forthe sector, many publishers have alsoturned to the girls’ market. Perhapsthe most prominent is Bella Sarafrom Hidden City Entertainment.Adkinson comments: “While hobby,game and comic book stores remain

Hidden City EntertainmentThe game publisher is based inSeattle. Its founder and CEO PeterAdkison founded Wizards of theCoast, which created the world’sfirst trading card game, Magic: TheGathering, and introducedPokémon to North America.

Key range: Bella Sara

Tel: (206) 315-5645

Email:[email protected]

ToppsTopps is an international marketerof entertainment products,principally collectable trading card ,confections, sticker collections andcollectable strategy games.

Key ranges: Match Attax, Club

Penguin Card-Jitsu, Toy Story 3cards, Premier League Stickercollection, WWE Slam Attax

Tel: 01908 561588


Esdevium GamesEsdevium Games is a distributor ofhobby and mass-market gamingproducts to the UK and Europe.

Key ranges: Pokemon, Yu-Gi-Oh,Lord of The Rings TCG, Star Wars

TCG, Star Trek TCG, Dungeonsand Dragons.

Tel: 01420 593 593


The notion of trading cards withgaming elements started with Magic:

The Gathering in 1993. Until the late 90s,this was a phenomenon limited primarilyto the hobby/game industry.

Peter Adkinson, CEO, Hidden City Entertainment

AUGUST 2010

16-18 TN108_final 21/7/10 17:47 Page 2

AUGUST 2010

primarily male oriented, the tradingcard section in the mass market isdiversifying to include a minority ofproducts geared toward girls.

“Bella Sara is the anchor for girlsin this section, having held aconsistent presence in this aisle atretailers worldwide for three years. Inaddition, trading cards and stickersfor properties like Club Penguin,Twilight, High School Musical, HannahMontana, Toy Story and Looney Tuneshave recently expanded.

“In Europe, stickers have sold wellto girls and they are now becomingmore common in the US, oftenmerchandised with trading cards.”

Once all the elements of asuccessful product are in place,suppliers plan heavyweight marketingto increase consumer awareness andexcitement around the ranges.

There are many differentapproaches to such campaigns, fromgaming tournaments to traditionalmarketing, to online sponsorships.

Tomy recently took on distributionof Upper Deck’s Dinosaur King TCGin the UK. Rob Hooley, marketingand community support, Tomyexplains: “Our marketing plans forthis year include targetedcompetitions in kids’ press, magazinecovermounts and print advertising insuitable publications.

“There are also plans for onlineand TV advertising and following onfrom a pilot programme of after-school club sessions, there are anumber of live demonstrations atvarious events over the summer.

“To aid retailers, we are offering alimited two-for-one promotion oversummer and for the first time makingin-store promotional events availableto help create destinations for fans ofthe TCG and Dinosaur King.”

Tadmor explains Panini’s emphasison retailers: “We develop retailerspecific display solutions, with theconvenience sector developing unitsthat fix to the till areas and groceryopting for signage units that aredisplayed near newspaper newsquads,directing consumers to the kiosk topurchase stickers.

“We have also developed POSoptions for independent retailers thatare available on request, plus we havean Independent Sales Club, whereflyers are sent out every quarteradvising of upcoming collections andthe marketing support planned.”

Despite such a convincing formula,the sector has experienced mixedfortunes over the past year. Manyfound that after an initial dip withthe onset of the recession, sales havepicked up. Others weren’t touched bythe economic downturn.

Rose offers: “The overall marketchanged considerably, not least withthe loss of several major retailers inthe prior year. We saw a decline incertain properties, but through a newstrategic direction, we grew theoverall business, setting the platformin place for future growth in monthsand years to come.”

Buckmaster reflects: “2009 was ourbest year ever. The category seemedto hold up well, possibly the lowerprice points you find in collectableshelped, but so many of the corecollectables did very well.

“2010 is more difficult to predict,the recent World Cup collectableshave been hugely successful, but theyhave taken a chunk out of otherbrands in this category.”

Hillier agrees: “Sales in the last 12months in this sector have beenpretty buoyant, it would appear thatthe low retail price on this type ofproduct has been the last to sufferduring the recession.”

Tadmor believes the sector hasbeen hit: “The market has beentougher throughout the economicdownturn, but with our low pricepoint compared to other licensedproducts, we have faired far betterthan other categories. We have had

to be more aggressive with marketingcampaigns, whilst at the same timebeing innovative and proactive.”

Over the next year, suppliers areplanning to surge forward with newlicences and ranges. Now that BellaSara is established, with its 12th

range on shelves, the firm is planningto launch Collectors Editions.

Panini expects its ChampionsLeague trading card and sticker

collection to perform well and isworking with Disney on its release ofTron. Also new is a sticker collectionon Harry Potter and the DeathlyHallows for the movie release.

Other new licences include Cars 2,Tangled and the Scottish PremierLeague Sticker collection.

Ruth Leonard, brand director,entertainment, Topps explains:“Topps have a number of excitingproduct launches happening in thenext six months. On theentertainment front, Toy Story 3Trading Cards launch in June andTopps are currently working onanother big name property for a backto school release in September.”

Also new for Topps is WWE Iconssticker collection, WWE Slam AttaxMayhem TCG, Force Attax, the newStar Wars Clone Wars TCG and thenext Club Penguin release. MatchAttax is back for another BarclaysPremier League season in October.

Buckmaster concludes: “The goodnews on the category is that there isalways something new. The nextcouple of months see a lot of goodthings, we have the new series ofGogo’s Crazy Bones; Superstars,which is the first new set for a year.We also have the new PremierLeague Season for Match Attax.”

18 SECTOR SPOTLIGHT: TCGS AND STICKERS

PaniniSynonymous with football stickercollecting, Panini was founded in1961 with the launch of its firstFootball Players collection.

Panini came to the UK in 1978and since then, the firm haspublished a range of stickercollections, from footballcollections, to pop, to TV series,along with Disney collections andgreat toy brands such as Barbie andAction Man.

Key ranges: World Cup 2010,Shrek 4, Toy Story 3, Hello Kitty,Princess and the Frog, World ofCars, Scottish Premier League andChampions League stickers, andUEFA Champions League TCG,FIFA World Cup Adrenalyn XLCards.

Tel: 01892 500100


CartamundiCartamundi has been in operationsince 1908, under its current namesince 1970. The firm produces thecard element for a wide variety ofclients from retail and promotionalplaying cards and casino cards tocards for games and collectables.The company currently operates inover 50 countries.

Key ranges: Cartamundi producescards for Harry Potter TCG,Pokemon, Star Wars TCG, ToyStory 3, Power Rangers DinoThunder and more.

Tel: 01268 511522


Over the last year, the overall marketchanged considerably, not least with

the loss of several major retailers in the prioryear. We saw a decline in certain properties,but we grew the overall business.Jonathan Rose, sales & marketing director, Cartamundi

16-18 TN108_final 21/7/10 17:47 Page 3

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23 TN107_final 8/6/10 16:24 Page 1

Super furry AnimalsDiscovery Enterprises launches the toy line for its Animal Planet brand in theUK this summer. ToyNews finds out what’s in store...

The UK’s only dedicated monthly licensing coverage

News • Media • Opinion

21 TN108_final 20/7/10 17:38 Page 1

AUGUST 2010

IF THERE is a scientific formula for creating the perfectpre-school show, the guys at Ragdoll surely have itlocked away somewhere. Likewise the team at AstleyBaker Davies. And Keith Chapman.

But, as the many writers who have tried andsubsequently failed will testify, creating a show whichnot only keeps the under fives enthralled while it’s onscreen, but also captivates them off it, is anything buteasy. I’m sure even Anne Wood, Andrew Davenport,Phil Davies and Keith Chapman will have hadnumerous ideas which, for one reason or another, nevergot past the first stage.

Because on paper a show can seemingly haveeverything; tick all the boxes.

Both Davies and Chapman have told me in the pastthat you can have the support of a major broadcaster,colourful sets, multiple characters that will appeal to alltypes of kids and a famous narrator who parents willrecognise, but if you don’t have a good story at the heartof it, it all means nothing.

But some would say that it’s once the show has madeit that the hard work really begins. Then you have tomake sure it remains relevant, year in year out, to anaudience which is constantly growing and changing.

Those which manage this – Winnie the Pooh is over80, Thomas & Friends is 65, Sesame Street celebrated its40th last year, while at the younger end Teletubbies andDora the Explorer are ten, Fifi and the Flowertots is five andPeppa Pig is fast approaching its first milestone anniversary– become the benchmarks everyone else aspires to.

When Ragdoll’s Davenport gives his keynote speechat Brand Licensing Europe in September, the room willundoubtedly be packed, with many hoping that he willgive away any number of trade secrets into just how hemade In the Night Garden so successful.

However, I’m willing to bet that he acknowledges thein no way small part that Lady Luck will have played inthe whole process. Because there isn’t a secret formula –or we’d all be doing it – it simply has to be coming upwith the right idea, at what you hope is the right time.And then maybe crossing your fingers.

Samantha Loveday [email protected]

COMMENTLUCKY MAN

BLE delegates will no doubtbe keen to hear just how

Davenport made NightGarden so successful.

22

BBC WORLDWIDE saw its overall sales riseby seven per cent to £1,074 million in the 12months to March 31st 2010, exceeding the£1 billion mark for a second year.

Six of BBC Worldwide’s seven operatingdivisions grew sales, despite tough tradingconditions in many markets. Operating profitsincreased 36.5 per cent to £145.2 million, withdouble-digit profit growth in five divisions.

Global Brands – where Children’s &Licensing sits – reported sales of £218.2million, up 15.1 per cent on the previousyear, and profit of £44.1 million, up 39.1 percent. Within the division, Lonely Planet hada strong year of growth, with sales up £8.4million to £51.4 million, growth of 19.5 percent, while profit grew to £1.9 million.

In Licensing, revenue grew by 5.4 per centto £19.5 million. However, profits fell to £0.3million because of higher contributor costsfor merchandising, plus lower profits fromchildren’s publishing.

Top Gear, Doctor Who and BBC Earth werethe star performers for the division, with salesfor three brands across the company rising by15 per cent to £147.3 million and profit by33.8 per cent to £51.5 million.

Looking ahead, BBC Worldwide believes2010 will be a big year for Doctor Who, as itlooks to capitalise on the success of the newseries starring Matt Smith with a range ofnew products and live events, while it islooking forward to delivering the US versionof Top Gear.■ Elsewhere, BBC Worldwide has signed adeal with Ty which will see the firm producea line of Beanie Babies based on theTeletubbies brand. The six-inch toys willlaunch in the UK this autumn/winter.BBC Worldwide: 020 8433 2000

THE CREATOR of In the Night Garden,Andrew Davenport (pictured) is to deliverthe keynote speech at Brand LicensingEurope in September.

The Ragdoll man, who also co-createdTeletubbies with Anne Wood, joins a host ofexpert speakers at Advanstar’s event – whichruns from September 28th to 30th atLondon’s Olympia. So far these include JohnBurns from Halliwells LLP and David Reeder,VP at Greenlight.

“We are thrilled that Andrew, as such aninfluential figure in the industry, is deliveringthe keynote speech in what is set to be ourbiggest and best Brand Licensing Europeevent yet,” said Jessica Blue, event directorfor the show. “Andrew is one of the world’sleading pre-school creators who has helpedremodel the landscape of children’sprogramming and its licensing potential.”www.brandlicensing.eu

Sales pass £1bn againat BBC WorldwideTop Gear, Doctor Who and BBC Earth all perform strongly for GlobalBrands division ● Profits for Licensing sector fall, however...by Samantha Loveday

BLE confirms keynote speaker

LICENSINGNEWS

22-23 TN108_final 21/7/10 10:35 Page 1

AUGUST 2010

www.licensing.biz 23

2ENTERTAIN LAUNCHESTINY TV STARSDebuting on September 6th,2entertain’s new pre-school DVDlabel Tiny TV Stars will be backed atretail with a special buy one, getone free promotion. The range willfeature new content from keychildren’s brands includingWaybuloo, In the Night Garden,Chuggington, Timmy Time andShaun the Sheep. It will alsoinclude the launch of Dirtgirlworld.The BOGOF will be stickered on-pack and across all marketing andPOS material.2entertain: 020 7612 3145

EGMONT JOINS TOY STORYPRODUCT PUSHEgmont has added to its alreadystrong licensed portfolio, launchingan official Toy Story magazine. Thetitle has an initial print run of100,000 and will include originalcomic stories, fact files andactivities such as games, puzzlesand colouring.www.egmont.co.uk

JIM HENSON PICKS NEWEURO AGENTSThe Jim Henson Company hassigned up four new licensing agentsacross Europe. In the UK, IgnitionLicensing will handle classic brandFraggle Rock, while RocketLicensing will look after lifestyleproperty Skatelab. Alphanim hasbeen signed up in France, whileAlicom comes on board forDenmark, Finland, Iceland, Norwayand Sweden.www.henson.com

PANINI JOINS LONDON 2012PARTNER LINE-UPPanini is to create a collectablesticker range featuring Olympic andParalympic legends and hopefuls,hitting stores in spring 2012. Thefirm will also launch a trading cardgame, as well as a range of stickersheets – including stickers ofmascots Wenlock and Mandeville –between now and 2012.Panini: 01892 500 100

IN BRIEF

THE LATEST pre-school propertyfrom E1 – Ben & Holly’s LittleKingdom – has hit retail, led by a fulltoy line from Golden Bear.

The firm launched its range ofplastic play-sets, including Best NewToy 2010 award winner at this year’sToy Fair, the Magical Castle play-set,plus Gaston’s Cave. Both theproducts contain secret magicalelements. Meanwhile, the plushcollection includes a Talking HollyPrincess, Talking Ben Elf, assortedmini plush, Fetch-stick Gaston andlead item, Holly with fluttering wingsand magic wand. Further items willjoin the range in spring/summer 2011.

The majority of retailers havetaken the full eight lines, while E1 iscurrently working with a number ofchains to develop exclusive lines andpromotional activity.

Jumbo’s range of puzzles and gamesfurther bolsters the toy category,

while there are also productsavailable in the publishing, apparel,DVD and homewares/textiles sectors.

“With the majority of girls’ pre-school licences decreasing in salesyear on year, there is plenty of roomfor a new one in the marketplace tosit alongside Peppa Pig,” HannahMungo, licensing manager at E1 toldToyNews. “Boy-specific merchandisewill also be built up slowly, reacting toconsumer demand rather than forcingit. Nick Jr and Five’s Milkshake willplay a big part in the merchandise

launch with promotional slotsbooked, on-air competitions,homepage splashes and costumecharacters featured.

“With a BAFTA already under itsbelt, a solid year and a half ofbroadcast, book sales already strongand full retailer listings, the phase onemerchandise launch looks set tosparkle,” Mungo continued.

Phase two of the roll out beginsfrom January 2011, while phase threeis planned from autumn/winter 2011.E1: 020 7907 3797

E1’s Ben & Holly flies into retail

by Samantha Loveday

LICENSINGNEWS

Golden Bear leads the way, as product for new pre-school hit arrives in-store...

APPAREL • ART & DESIGN • ENTERTAINMENT • FOOD & BEVERAGES • PUBLISHING • SPORTS • TOYS & GIFTS

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Sesame Workshop visited the UK withpre-school monster Elmo recently andpromised increased activity for itsSesame Street licensing programme aspart of its 40th anniversary celebrations,including new sectors and newcharacters. Assistant VP of internationallicensing, Risa Greenbaum, told ToyNews:“We’re now extending what you see ontelevision into our licensing programme.We are extending into gift and stationeryand one of the biggest pieces of newswe have is our new relationship withHasbro as our global master toy partnerfrom 2011. We’re launching in the fall 2011with full marketing support. Everyonefrom Cookie Monster to Big Bird, Bertand Ernie - Elmo is leading the waybecause of our programming with Elmo’sWorld, but all the characters are nowbeing featured. And there are newcharacters on the way, too.”

Phot

o: R

icha

rd T

erm

ine

22-23 TN108_final 21/7/10 10:36 Page 2

AUGUST 2010

24 LICENSINGDISCOVERY ENTERPRISES

Discovery Enterprises is on a major licensing drive at the moment, with Animal Planet being the first of its brands toreceive attention. Samantha Loveday finds out how the firm is planning to own the animal category, beginningwith the arrival of a toy line across the UK and Europe this autumn…

Animal crackers

ANIMAL PLANET is one ofDiscovery’s leading internationalchannel brands, with the secondlargest distribution, reaching morethan 200 million subscribers in over170 countries.

Its wide audience base certainlymakes it ripe for an accompanyingmerchandising programme, and,indeed, Animal Planet has existed asa private label brand for Toys R Us inthe US for over a decade.

Now, Discovery Enterprises isplanning a major product roll outinternationally – including the UK –lead by the feature plush, toys, backto school, publishing and interactivecategories, targeting three to eightyear olds.

“We are building Animal Planet asan evergreen brand with everevolving content that will allow usownership of the animal category,” JoEdwards, VP of internationallicensing at Discovery Enterprises,explains to ToyNews.

This potential ownership beginswith the arrival of plush – includingnine-inch ‘animotion’ animals withlight, sound and movement, plushwith a DVD and role play itemPower Paws, which allows kids tolook and sound like their favouriteanimal. Giochi Preziosi is distributingthe line across Southern Europe,while Character Options is handlingthe UK. Bonnier Publishing,meanwhile, has signed a globalpublishing deal.

Other categories to launch thisyear include non-core toy,homewares and gift, followed in 2011by books, magazines, back to school,apparel and essentials andinteractive.

Initial retail reaction, saysEdwards, has been extremelypositive, with a number ofpromotions secured.

“The plush line will launch thismonth in Argos and will besupported by TV advertising. It willthen roll out trade wide to otherretailers including Toys R Us – which

is dedicating space in Animal Alleywith point of sale – Mothercare,Tesco and Asda.”

Discovery is placing a lot ofemphasis on the heritage of theAnimal Planet channel, and ishoping that will help contribute to itsstand out at retail.

“The Animal Planet channel isbased on high quality content and isseen as an expert authority on thereal world,” Edwards (pictured right)continues. “There is an emphasis atpresent on evergreen brands, bothfrom retailers and consumers, andthe Animal Planet line is perfectlypositioned to provide an alternative

to character and movie properties,while emphasising the fact thatknowledge is fun.”

By the end of 2010, Edwards hopesthat the brand has created anestablished home at retail, with thesuccessful launch of the plush lineand roll out of other categories.

“In five years time, I would expectto see this line with continuedtraction at retail, an ever growinglicensee base and opportunitieslaunched in the food and beverage,exhibit and attractions spaces tobring the Animal Planet experienceto life through multiple touchpoints,” Edwards concludes.

There is an emphasis at present onevergreen brands, both from retailers

and consumers. Animal Planet is perfectlypositioned to provide an alternative tocharacter and movie properties.

Jo Edwards, Discovery Enterprises

24 TN108_final 21/7/10 11:11 Page 1

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7936 7937 7938 7939

LEGO and the LEGO logo are trademarks of the LEGO Group. ©2010 The LEGO Group. 9249

· New infrared controlled train sets

· Strong performance since launch in June 2010

· Heavy TV burst throughout IS

· Engagement activity on kids websites

· PR campaign to children and parents

For more information, please contact LEGO Customer Services on 01753 495001

28 TN108_final 23/7/10 11:12 Page 1

CONSTRUCTION TOYS has beena dynamic category over the last twoyears with total sales now £204.8mfor the 12 months to March 2010, up24 per cent on the previous year(source: NPD Consumer PanelService). While very muchconsidered to be a boy’s category,purchases for girls account for 14 percent of total value sales and aregrowing, suggesting a cross genderappeal in construction. It attracts, onaverage, an older recipient than totaltoys with sales growing at four yearsplus peaking at eight-nine years ofage, but continuing strong at 10-11years as well.

Construction toys have a relativelyshort life span with the categoryhighly dependent on new products.Only five items in the current toptwenty best sellers were available inthe same period a year ago. Pre-school or junior building Setsaccount for ten per cent of total salesYTD May 2010 (Source: NPD EPoSService) and is showing positive year-on-year growth with Mega BloksMaxi, Lego’s Duplo and EcoiffersAbrick properties all adding togrowth.

Within standard building sets thereare a range of properties which haveadded to the categories extraordinarygrowth this year. Lego City remainsthe top property with the EmergencyServices Fire range one of the topsellers and the evergreen Star Warslicense continues to appeal toconsumers and is the number twoproperty. The number of licenses has

increased in the last year with ToyStory, Ben 10, Iron Man and HaloWars now available. Overall licensesaccount for a third of total standardbuilding sets value sales compared to

just 20 per cent in 2007, but themajority of sales still come frombrands. Lego Atlantis has had a verystrong start to the year and is thethird largest property in the category,

while Lego Creator, Lego Bricks andMore and Mega Micro have all seenstrong growth with the appeal of thecreative play aspect.

The new Lego Mini Figures havebeen a change to the usual mix forbuilding sets impacting average pricein May considerable. Building setstypically has a much higher averageselling price than total toys, but theaverage price dropped to under £10for the first time all year in May withthe launch of the pocket moneycollectable range.

Construction is one of the mostexciting categories in the toy marketat the moment, driving total toysgrowth in 2010 and looks set to buildon this going forward.

ConstructionToys has been a

dynamic category overthe last two years withtotal sales now£204.8m – up24 per cent.

(source: NPD)

ConstructionTop sellers – 12 months to March 2010

RECIPIENTS TOTAL TOYS BUILDING SETS1. 0-11 MONTHS 6.6% 1.1%2. 12-23 MONTHS 7.7% 5.2%3. 2-3 YRS 20.5% 10.5%4. 4-5 YRS 18.4% 16.8%5. 6-7 YRS 12.7% 18.0%6. 8-9 YRS 9.3% 19.3%7. 10-11 YRS 6.3% 13.9%8. 12-17 YRS 5.9% 8.4%9. 18+ YRS 9.7% 6.2%10. Multiple Recipients 3.1% 0.7%

AUGUST 2010

www.toynews-online.biz 29SECTOR GUIDE CONSTRUCTION

The construction category has enjoyed a robust year, with sales up 24 per cent over the last 12 months, lead byimpressive figures from Lego and Mega Brands, with licensed lines in particular performing well. ToyNews takes alook at what else is happening in the sector...

Built to last

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AUGUST 2010

This year, Simba Smoby Toys UK’srange includes the brand new NoLimit line of construction toys, aimedat boys aged four to eight. No Limitallows kids to build vehicles such ascranes, diggers and tractors usingspecial components.

The big five vehicle set comes withover fifty accessories, so children canbuild five different constructionvehicles. Kids can also build a crane,which converts easily into a modelmobile wrecking ball.

No Limit sets provide endlessopportunities for inventiveconstruction play, as all parts fromeach set are compatible with othersets in the range. Kids can use theelectronic screwdriver with the specialred screws to bring theirconstructions to life.

Simba Smoby’s construction rangealso includes Unico, a collection ofconstruction blocks that children aged18 months to five years can build intomodels of anything from animals to

pirate ships. All play-sets come indifferent sizes, from 18 pieces up to250 pieces.

The Unico range is also available inHello Kitty licensed sets, including theHello Kitty Train set, the Safari Tourand the 129-piece villa. The girls’licence combines construction withcolours and characters, opening thesector up to girls as well as boys.

Prices start at just £6.99, and Unicoblocks are compatible with all leadingbrands of building bricks.

SIMBA SMOBY TOYS 01274 765030

Treasure Trove was re-appointed asGeomagworld’s exclusive distributor inthe UK and Ireland in March andstarted shipping product in May.

The range now covers five subcategories: Geomag kids and GeomagKids Panels, Geomag Pro, GeoBaby andGeomag Wheels. The portfolio alsobenefits from new packaging.

Geomag Kids and Geomag KidsPanels represent the core of theGeomag range. These sets wereredesigned to meet the new safetystandards, while not losing any of the

intrinsic design and play value of theoriginal products.

Geomag Wheels is the new line fromGeomagworld for 2010. This rangecombines the basic appeal of vehiclesand construction. Geomag is used tobuild the framework for the vehicle andthen a flexible chassis fits over the top.Geomag Wheels vehicles are freerolling with large rubber tyres and canbe played within a ‘smash and crash’way where the Geomag constructionenables them to be rebuilt in seconds.The largest Geomag Wheels set

includes a launcher to emphasise thisplay pattern.

Geomag Wheels is the focus ofTreasure Trove’s autumn marketing.The firm has produced a new Geomagcross-sell leaflet for distribution instore and is currently developing a newmodel format, for in-store use. Foronline retailers, the company isproducing two one-minute ‘Vid-dems’ which will be hosted byisiteTV to enhance the explanation ofthe Geomag Kids and Geomag Wheels ranges.

TREASURE TROVE 01285 762039

30 SECTOR GUIDE CONSTRUCTION

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Currently experiencing growth in theconstruction market, Lego sales are 71per cent up year-on-year, holding thenumber two spot with a 6.8 per centmarket share (NPD April 2010).

Lego City is the ideal recruitmentinto construction, and continues tooffer boys aged five and over classicthemes and easily recognisablemodels. New this year are fire, farm,airport and train themes. With strongsales growth over the last five years,the company’s number one brandexpects another year of growth.

This year the company alsocelebrates the 30th anniversary of StarWars: Episode V The Empire StrikesBack with a collection of sets such asthe Slave I and the Hoth Wampa Cave.Lego Star Wars continues to gainmomentum among consumers with itscollection of recognisable vehiclespacked with features and functions,along with collectable minifigures.

Following its launch in January, LegoAtlantis continues by combining hi-techdeep sea exploration with the appealing

classic Atlantis legend. The assortmentof underwater vehicles and bases aretargeted at boys aged seven to 12.Various creatures and diver minifiguresare included in each set along with fiveunique Atlantis treasure keys.

Two new Disney film releases havebeen given the Lego treatment. Newplay-sets are based on scenes from ToyStory and Prince of Persia. One suchset is the Toy Story 3 hero line: WesternTrain Chase. The train engine and threetrain cars are all compatible with theLego train track system.

This year has seen Lego UKexpanding its Buildable Action Figureportfolio to appeal to a wider agerange. By recruiting new boys andintroducing fresh ranges, the companyis growing the category, seeing the BAFshare of the business increase fromseven to ten per cent between 2009and 2010. Following nine years ofBionicle, Lego is introducing Hero

Factory – a new concept with a simplestoryline and pocket money prices tomake it accessible for boys aged six to12. Also in this category is the Ben 10range of constructable action figures,which consists of six collectables basedon the Alien Force series.

Lego Technic is currentlyexperiencing growth of 24 per cent(NPD YTD April 2010). The range hasbeen enhanced with the introduction ofthe Motorbike, Container Truck andMotorised Excavator, which includesdouble RC handsets, two receivers,four motors and four linear actuators.

Lego Games enjoyed a strong uptakein its first six months on the market.2010 has seen more classic gameslaunched, with four new sets forJanuary 2010 and a new range plannedfor Christmas 2010. The key line for thisseason is the Harry Potter-basedHogwarts Challenge.

Delivering a solid performance, LegoRacers is 57 per cent ahead (NPD YTD,April 2010) while the classic Creator is113 per cent ahead (NPD YTD April 2010).

LEGO 01753 495000

AUGUST 2010

SECTOR GUIDE CONSTRUCTIONwww.toynews-online.biz 31

This year seesthe launch ofmultiple newproducts inTomy’sconstruction toyrange, K’Nex.Using rods,connectors,bricks and microparts to buildstructures therange includesmoving parts,lights, soundsand, new for2010, videoplayback.

K’Nex isbroken down intofour distinct agegroups (three +,five +, seven +and nine +). Models becomeincreasingly complex to build but moreimpressive and feature rich as the ageranges progress.

New within Nine + is the Hot ShotVideo Coaster, which allows kids tobuild a four foot long rollercoastertrack then film and play back footage ofthe coaster car racing around the track.

The K’Nex Seven + range nowincludes the Wonder Wheel andCorkscrew Coaster. The Wonder Wheellets kids build a working Ferris Wheel

from over 300pieces, and thetwistingmotorisedCorkscrewCoaster can bebuilt to over 1.5mtall. Bothproducts will beTV advertisedthroughoutOctober,November andDecember.

The Five +range nowincludes MonsterTrucks, littlemonsters eachmade up of over50 K’Nex piecesand available infour models -

Fang, Dragon, Ogre or Twin Serpent.Monster Trucks are collectable and kids can combine two trucks togetheror collect and join all four MonsterTrucks to build the Ultimate K’NexMonster Truck.

To introduce pre-schoolers toconstruction toys, Kid features chunkyblocks, rods and connectors. The newBig Building Tub contains 50 K’Nexparts and has picture-basedinstructions to help pre-schoolers buildup to ten different models.

TOMY 020 8722 7300

Traditional wooden blocks are a mainstayof any nursery construction toy range andJohn Crane brings an added touch ofmagic with its Creative Blocks from Pintoy.

The Pintoy Creative Blocks feature 52pieces in the set, each sporting vibrantcolours. More traditional shapes such ascylinders and cuboids are joined by anarray of unusual shapes to makeeverything from a zigzag body of analligator to the wattle of a turkey.

What’s more, the set even includesanimal head shaped wooden blocks, sochildren aged 18 months and over canrecreate animals or come up withcombinations of their own.

As with all the toys in the Pintoy range,Creative Blocks has the added advantageof being ecologically sound, beingconstructed from rubber wood fromrenewable sources.

JOHN CRANE 01604 774949

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HTI provides a range of JCB vehicles,role-play, wheeled and outdoor toys.With a central focus on inspiringimaginative, construction themed play,the range is based on the real lifeproducts – strong, tough and durable.

New for autumn/winter, the Chunky16-inch JCB Free-Wheeling Dump Truckwith manually operated dumperprovides rugged construction play.

The Mighty JCB Eight Wheel MobileCrane features remote control functions,light and sound. The controller movesthe crane up and down, left and rightand extends the arm out 23 to 29-inches.The Low Loader Transporter and VehiclesSet features a truck cab unit, whichpivots around the trailer back and rampsthat lower todrive the Fastracand BackhoeLoader vehiclesonto thetransporter.

Also new arethe batteryoperated JCBPower Toolswithinterchangeablepower packs.The rangeincludes a Drill,Jigsaw and NailGun. All of HTI’sJCB battery

operated construction and garden toolsfeature Try Me functions to increase on-shelf appeal and demo functionality.

A variety of JCB Tool Cases andWorkbenches include a range ofproducts from robust play tools, dumptruck and hardhat, to battery operatedpower tools with rechargeable powerpacks. The new JCB Workbench includes54 accessories for construction role-playand packs away into a compact portabletool case for storage.

HTI’s battery operated JCB Tractorallows children to operate the controlstick to jib up and down and move thebucket in and out, but also press down the accelerator to move themachine around.

HTI 01253 778888

Produced in Belgium, Clics is aneducational construction toy that growswith the child and will develop a child’skinetic and logical thinking. All Clicspieces and figures are fullyinterchangeable with all the sets. Thepieces are easily connected together tocreate a long lasting model and a moresatisfying play experience. The modelscan range from simple blocks to cars,planes and dinosaurs.

Eitech Metal Construction Kitscontinue to capture young engineer’simaginations. Five new models havebeen launched in 2010. The starter kitsteach children about the world ofconstruction and physics and as kidsimprove their construction skills, thereare sets available with increasingdifficulty levels. Advanced sets, includingremote control and solar powered setsare also available.

MARBEL 01208 873123

The original Zoob collection hasa kit for everyone, ranging from the 15-piece starter kit and 35, 55, and 75-piecesets, right through to stackable tubs of125 and 250 pieces and even a 500-piece set (a mega set that comes in alarge carry case that doubles as abuilding table).

There is also a collection of themedsets that have something extra to extendthe building possibilities – choose fromZoob Dudes, Zoob with wheels, ZoobCreator with colourful foam shapes andeven Zoob with a touch of sparkle. Whatkids can be sure of is that once they gettheir hands on the tactile, brightly

coloured Zoob pieces their constructioncreativity will know no bounds.

New to the range is Zoob Junior, whichallows kids aged three to six to getinvolved with the line and has largerpieces for smaller hands to manage. Thisversion is also slightly softer, easier tomanipulate and has pieces in threecolours rather than the traditional five.

Zoob Junior comes as a 15-pieceboxed set or a 30-piece set in a storagebag. Alternatively, the Zoob JuniorZoomer contains all the pieces for kids tocreate a simple car to wheel around.

Zoob pieces snap and click together in20 ways and are dishwasher safe.

GREAT GIZMOS 01293 543221

Toobeez is a kit of57 pieces, includingtubes and spheres,which connecttogether to createanything fromcastles and dens toplayhouses. The setalso includes fabricpanels to enable thecreation of coveredstructures. Forconstruction on asmaller scale, EZFort is Toobeez’ littlebrother. Containing54 pieces, it gives20 metres of end-to-end buildingopportunities. Bothkits build criticalthinking skills anddevelop the creativethought process.

Bloco is a construction toy, which useshigh-density brightly coloured foampieces, uniquely shaped to link together.Once linked together with specialconnectors, the pieces can be moved toany angle. Children can collect and makedifferent sets including dinosaurs,wildcats, horses and unicorns. Singlecreature sets featuring dinosaurs and primates are launching later in he summer.

Mic-o-Mic is a unique range includingplanes, trains, helicopters and more.

Each set contains different challengesand once made becomes a toy to playwith. The line is suitable for childrenaged five and over.

Build it with Bob includes three sets,which enables children to buildstructures with real mini clay bricks andcement. Simply mix Dizzy’s cementpowder with water then children canbuild whatever they like. If they don’twant to keep their building, simply soakin water, the cement will come off andthe bricks can be used again. Additionalpacks of bricks and cement are available.

MAPS TOYS 01483 776 006


AUGUST 2010

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AUGUST 2010

Mattel has added thenew constructionrange, Trio, to theFisher-Price pre-schoolline-up. Developed byFisher-Price experts inthe Play Lab, Trio has aunique click and snaptechnology, making iteasier for pre-schoolersto build and recognisewhen they have madethe connection. Therange of piecesenables quick buildingof many creations.

The Trio collectioncomes in a range ofplay packs, includingconnectable bricks,sticks, panels, figuresand vehicles for aworld ofinterconnectable play.The Basic Play Packscome with easilyattachable parts tobuild a creation, from aplane or house to arange of crazy bugs. The Trio BuildingSet with Storage includes 100 piecesincluding custom parts such as wheels,chassis and figures for endless creations,as well as a durable tub for convenientstorage. As preschoolers hone theirconstruction skills, the Basic Triocollection can be used with the City

collection, which includes double-sidedsnap-in picture panels and even moreparts for creative, open ended play. Thepacks include popular themes such aspolice, fire station and airport.

With a major marketing campaign tosupport the launch, Trio is an excitingnew development for the Fisher-Pricepreschool range.

MATTEL 01628 500000

Meccano’s new additions to itsConstruction range are designed tounleash creativity and imagination. Theline consists of six sets, each designedfor different levels of ability, to make acomprehensive retail offer.

Each construction set offers acombination of vivid colours andflexible parts to clip, screw and bolttogether creating a variety of modelsthat can be built again and again.

First up is the Starter Tool Box, whichprovides a storage solution for the 60-plus pieces, up to five models can beconstructed including a plane, craneand helicopter.

A touch of pink and glitter are justtwo of the characteristics that make upMeccano’s new Girls Tool Box. It comeswith 60+ pieces in pastel shades tocreate ten models including a bug car,scooter, plane, flower and mouse. Thesparkly pink box is a clever storagesolution and also contains a selectionof stickers so girls can create andpersonalise each of their creations.

The Police Bucket is redesigned tocome into line with the otherconstruction boxes in the range for2010. Models to build from the 100-plus pieces include a motorbike,helicopter or a speedboat as well as sixother emergency vehicles. Figurines arealso included in this set to extend theplay value with creative role-play.

Next up is the Easy Tool Box. Its 100-plus pastel shaded pieces build tenmodel variations from a forklift truckand helicopter to a racing car. Thesimple construction process helpsdevelop skills and encourage creativeand resourceful play.

The Mechanics Tool Box andMotorised Tool Box each build up toten unique models from over 100pieces. While the Mechanics Tool Boxconstructs models including a crane,plane and forklift truck, the moreadvanced Mechanics Tool Box includes a 6V motor that can beincorporated into each of the tenmodels including a robot.

MECCANO 01844 278888

Citiblocs are wooden constructionblocks, precision cut from pine sourcedfrom sustainably managed forests.Every piece has been engineered toexactly the same shape and size andthe specific proportions guaranteebuilding success.

Building requires no glue, no mess,no connectors, no magnets: justgravity, balance and imagination. Withno complicated set-up, everyone canbuild straight from the box and buildscan be as complex or as simple asrequired. Citiblocs promotes creativityand problem solving while helpingchildren to develop motor skills.

Citiblocs are available in packs of 50,100, 200 and 300 blocks. In the US thetoy has won 14 industry awardsincluding Dr Toy, Parenting Magazineand Best Green Product.

BRAINSTORM 01200 445113

www.toynews-online.biz 33SECTOR GUIDE CONSTRUCTION

This year marks the 25th birthday ofMega Bloks, and to celebrate, thecompany has introduced new brands,new ranges and new products.

This summer, Mega launchedDragons Universe – a range of actiontoys for boys aged six to ten. The linecombines Dragon Vs. Warrior play in afuturistic fantasy world, with multiplecharacters, vehicles and a back story.With a mix of price points, the DragonsEggs retail at under £10 and providethe gateway into the brand, while thevehicles, including the Deluxe Dual-Blast Dragon Hunter and the UltimateAction Dragon Destroyer allow kids tobuy further into the range. A fullmarketing campaign including TV,sponsorship, catalogue, online andvarious new channels to market, willbe supporting the range throughoutthe rest of the year.

In its anniversary year, the firm hasalso developed its Maxi range of bricksdesigned for pre-schoolers aged oneand over. Its award winning 24 and 70-

piece Maxi Bags, part of the BuildingBasics series, now come in a pinkversion, designed to appeal to girls.

Providing convenience, storage andvalue, the 200-piece Maxi Duffle Bag iseasy to carry and store, and containslimitless construction opportunities.Stimulating young minds, the newinnovative Spin and Sorter Bucketcontains 32 different shaped multi-coloured building blocks and childrenare encouraged to build upwards fromtwo spinning cogs. Launched at theend of 2009, the Mega Bloks Play ‘nGo Table is a three-in-one constructiontoy. The 20 blocks, building plates,vehicles and characters stimulateimagination and discovery of shapes,colours and sizes. A number ofmarketing campaigns will supportMaxi Bricks while a PR campaign willfurther strengthen the core business.

Mega Bloks has also secured theThomas & Friends licence for 2010and in July launched Thomas &Friends construction play-sets, which

allow pre-schoolers aged three andover to build and rebuild scenes fromthe TV series. The Thomas BuildableCharacter Assortment features all thefavourite characters includingThomas, James, Percy, Gordon, Henry,Harold, Diesel and Spencer, while theplay-set builds include destinationssuch as ‘A Busy Day At The Quarry’,‘Thomas at the Sodor Fair’ and‘Cranky The Crane’.

The three-in-one BuildableAssortment includes Thomas Load n’Go, James on the Move and many moreof the beloved Thomas themes, plus allare three-in-one play-sets, allowingkids to build and rebuild. The Two-in-One Buildable Thomas allows childrento build a giant Thomas and thenrebuild him into a train station. Eachconstruction set also connects to thenext to build Thomas world.

A marketing and PR campaign hasalso been planned including activitieswith licensor Hit Entertainment andThomas Land at Drayton Manor.

MEGA BRANDS 01844 278888

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The Construction Set is a new vehicleplay-set that will be released as part ofLe Toy Van’s autumn launch. Scaled tobe compatible with the firm’s garagerange, it joins other existing vehiclesets including the London Car Set.

Expected to retail at around £15.99,the Construction Set should beavailable to retailers around mid-October 2010.

The set includes a crane with swivelplatform and extending arm, asteamroller, a road digger, a dumptruck, and a high digger with rotatingarticulated arm. It also includes twotraffic cones. Each vehicle isconstructed using rubber wood from

responsible sources and is finished ina glossy yellow paint with Le Toy Vanbranded livery. Wheels and otherdetails are made from sturdy plastic toensure durability.

The new set can also fully integratewith Le Toy Van’s existing garagerange, and is particularly suited to thecar play mat, which features a detailedimage of a building site.

Each set will be packaged in awindow box to allow for convenientstorage and display. All Le Toy Vanpainted wooden toys are designed inthe UK and ethically manufactured inIndonesia using materials fromresponsible sources.

LE TOY VAN 020 8979 2036

Haba’s award-winning portfolio ofwooden building blocks nowincorporates the technology of wheelsand axles with its latest range ofDiscover Building Blocks Technics. Theintroduction of plastic connectorsenables the sets to be combined withall of the firm’s basic-sized constructionblocks, including the ball track sets.

Discover Building Blocks TechnicsBasic Vehicles Pack includes 26 piecesof shaped wooden blocks, wheels andaxles and is ideal for first creative

mobile construction, while the large setcontains 49 pieces to build anythingfrom utopian vehicles to buildings and towers.

Combined with one or more ofHaba’s Building Blocks sets, whichincludes a range of shapes andfeatures from Greek Columns andTower Spires to Mirrors andKaleidoscopes, children areencouraged to foster spatial thinking,learn perseverance and develop finemotor skills.

HABA 0161 304 9555

Large Waffles offers children three-dimensional construction play. Eachset includes 18 colourful interlockingblocks that stimulate the imaginationand encourage kids to design andconstruct forts, towers, mini shops,houses or random creations.

Comprising of solid blocks,window and door blocks, the Wafflesare lightweight and easy to fittogether, connecting securely inevery direction. Also promotingactive play, kids can climb into,under or on top of their creations,either indoors or out. The pieces arestrong and durable with double wallthickness, and are sized for childrenaged three years and over.

LITTLE TIKES 01908 268480

Wonderworld’s portfolio ofeducational toys has numerouswooden construction toys. The ABCTouchy Blocks consists of 26 blocks,each with a letter of the alphabet onone side and a picture and name ofan object beginning with the letter,on the other. Texture surface on eachblock allows infants to touch and feelthe letter shape as well as teachthem how to construct.

Also in the range are traditionalStacking Rings, Rainbow Sound Blocksand Stacking and Sliding Towns.Stacking and Sliding Towns allowchildren to construct their own villageby sliding and stacking the blocks.Self-locking Stacking Towns offer manypossibilities of block construction.

DKL 01604 678780

Kiditec is a brightly colouredconstruction system, manufactured inSwitzerland. After experiencingstrong sales throughout Europe,Kiditec Construction Systems arefinally available in the UK exclusivelyfrom Hippychick.

Unlike other building sets thatallow only one or two slot options forplacing the pieces, Kiditec offerseight-point slots – providing greaterscope for creativity. Children can havehours of fun and build or invent anyshape they want, from cats to cranes,robots to ride-ons. Due to the uniqueand ingenious design of Kiditec, whatcan be created is as limitless as achild’s imagination.

Consisting of seven differentdesigns, each containing anassortment of robust, brightlycoloured rainbow blocks andmechanical parts including ‘nuts andbolts’, clips, building blocks, wheels

with rubber tyres and even a pair ofeyes to give a child’s creation acharacter all of its own. The bigbuilding parts and the three-dimensional fixation options offerchildren the opportunity to build verystable models, quickly and safely.The unique screw fixing designensures that anything built, whetherscrewed, slotted or clipped together,is sturdy enough to withstand all thefun that a child can throw at it.

Every one of the KiditecConstruction Systems is fullycompatible with each of the otherdesigns. With all the parts being sointerchangeable, a combination ofsets will take the creativity to a wholenew dimension.

As well as being hugely fun, Kiditecencourages creativity, imagination,motor skills, co-ordination andindependent play. It is now set totake the UK by storm.

HIPPYCHICK 01278 434440


AUGUST 2010

tel: +44 (0)1285 762039 or email [email protected] www.treasuretrovetoys.co.uk

Back. Bigger& Better!

Geomag is a registered trademark of Geomagworld SA. © Copyright Treasure Trove Holdings Ltd.

Only from

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AUGUST 2010

www.toynews-online.biz 39SECTOR GUIDE PLUSH

Plush fundFrom new feature plush inspired by the latest pre-school television shows and products which actually interact withthe child, through to the more traditional soft toys, the plush sector is probably more varied than it has ever been inthe past. ToyNews takes a look at what’s coming up from some of the key players…

Since its introduction back in 2002,Hasbro’s FurReal Friends franchise –electronic plush which ‘comes to life’ –has notched up significant sales atretail level.

This autumn/winter, the collection isbeing expanded with the arrival ofGogo, My Walkin’ Pup. Aimed at agesfour years and up, Gogo wags its tail,pants and barks just like a real pup.Complete with a hot pink leash, Gogocan walk straight ahead, left or right, incircles or a figure of eight. The toy alsoresponds to touch; stroke the right andleft side or the top of the dog’s headand it will bark.

Released back in the spring wereFurReal Friends Snuggimalsassortment, a line of over 20 palm-

sized pets including kittens andpuppies, plus FurReal Friends Lulu’sWalkin’ Kitties assortment, which haveposeable front legs so they can rest ofknead their paws just like a real kitten.

Lulu, My Cuddlin’ Kitty, which comeswith snow white fur and a pink comb,plus Luv Cub assortment, Cub Bearassortment (choose from honey bear,brown bear or panda) and Newbornsassortment (including a bird, chimp,bear cub, kitten and puppy) are also inthe range. In addition, the Newbornline is bolstered with the arrival of apenguin this autumn. When the childpets its back, the toy chirps and flapsits wings. It can be fed from its bottle,which makes it open its beak and makeslurping sounds.

HASBRO 020 8569 1234

Vivid has developed a line of Shrekplush ranging from £3.99 to £16.99 tocoincide with the release of the newmovie, Shrek Forever After.

The collection includes a Plush KeyChain assortment (£3.99) and Soft Toysassortment (£5.99), a Talking Plushassortment, including Shrek and Donkey(£9.99) and the TV-advertised WiseCracking Shrek (£16.99, which has overten sounds and phrases.

New to the AniMagic line are theTender Care Twins (£19.99) Max andMitzi, which whimper when they areapart and bark happily when reunited.Also available this autumn/winter areHoney My Baby Pony and Peanut MyPlayful Puppy (both £44.99); the TRA’sFeature Plush of the Year 2010 Fluffy GoWalkies (£19.99); new characters in theNewborn assortment (£9.99); and PatchMy Hopping Guinea Pig and Brambleand Snowy My Hopping Bunnies (both£16.99). Vivid is supporting theAniMagic line with a strong TVRcampaign, PR and a bespoke website.

Moving on, and TV-advertised featureplush Tumble Tot Fifi (£19.99) is newwithin the firm’s Fifi and the Flowertots

range. If the toy is spun by its arms, itwill shriek with delight, and the fasterit’s span the more excited it becomes. Inthe Timmy Time range, Sing & DanceTimmy (£24.99) is dressed in cap,trainers and medallion and sings anddances to two music tracks. The Timmyline is supported throughout 2010 withTV advertising and PR.

Vivid’s Disney plush line includes arange of styles, sizes and price points(£3.99 to £22.99). The collection nowincludes Mickey Mouse Club House andToy Story.

Finally, Vivid has begun the roll out ofits ZingZillas plush range, whichincludes all four band members – Zak,Panzee, Tang and Drum. The lineincludes soft toys (£6.99) and TalkingZingZillas (£16.99). Also available, andTV advertised, are the Play & GrooveZingZillas (£29.99), which include twosongs from the show with thecorresponding speeds of dance, plus theMusical Backpack (£16.99) completewith the ZingZillas theme tune. Vivid issupporting the line with a heavyweightTV drive, plus PR and consumer presstargeting mums and kids.

VIVID IMAGINATIONS 01483 449944

Autumn brings a raft of new plush itemsacross Fisher-Price’s character brands,from evergreens to newcomers alike.

New to Cbeebies this year, Fisher-Price is the master toy for Guess withJess and will be launching a collectionof plush based on the charactersJess, Mimi, Joey and Jinx. Thekey plush item is YippetyYeah Jess, whichdance and singshis signatureYippety-yayHooray song. Themore his head ispetted, the more questionsJess asks and answers,responding through speech andmovement. A range of collectablemini soft plush and basic plushwill also be available.

The firm is bolstering its3rd & Bird line withBedtime Muffin, whichcomes with calmingbedtime phrases andlullabies. As Muffinsings, her ladybird friendglows, fading in and outto the music. Fans canalso choose from arange of differentlysized plush includingcollectible mini and

large feature items. Do the Muffin alsocontinues to be a key focus for theautumn. The soft toy sings and dances,with pre-schoolers just needing to pressits left foot to see it hop, waddle, flap itswings and shake the tail.

Key Waybuloo characters Lau, Yojojo,Nok Tok and De Li are available in

both special feature andcollectible mini softplush, while theMickey Hot Dog

Dancer feature plushencourages children to

dance along with funphrases.

Finally, Winnie the Poohcontinues to receive marketing

support throughout the secondhalf of the year. Feature plushMagic Rattle Pooh will benefit

from a refresh,showcasing classic Poohstyling. When the babyshakes the rattle it isrewarded with BabyPooh rocking andshuffling around theroom, giggling andsinging. The toy also

includes four lullabies andphrases, which can beactivated by pushing itstummy.

MATTEL/FISHER-PRICE 01628 500000

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AUGUST 2010

Haba has introduced a number of plushto its portfolio this year including 25cmHound Henry, Tiger Timmy and ElephantEmil. Another new character to theHabalinos line is Sheep Svea, a 38cmplush with magnetic hands which can beattached to a pram handle or cot bars.Other characters in the range includeMouse Marit and Bunny Hugo.

Haba’s Sleeping Companions are24cm plush toys which contain a LEDlight which shimmers when the belly ispressed. The light switches offautomatically after 15 minutes.

There are two characters to choosefrom: Slumber Pixie with a blue outfitand glowing star, and Slumber Sheep inpink with a shimmering flower.

Finally, Horse Paulina and HorseFrederik are 40cm ponies with chenillemanes and tails and corduroy hooves,plus removable saddle and bridle.

A smaller 25cm Horse Sissi isdecorated with pink flowers.

All of Haba’s horses are sized to playwith its soft doll range, while there isalso a Horse Show accessory set tocomplement the line.

The latest from Rainbow Designs in theplush category is a line of three Jack inthe Box products.

Joining The Very Hungry Caterpillarcollection is a Jack in the Box featuringa soft and stripy caterpillar which popsout of an illustrated tin box when thehandle is turned.

A Jack in the Box has also beenadded to the Beatrix Potter Classiccollection. It features a plush PeterRabbit which pops out of the boxwearing a blue jacket and holding acarrot to the tune of ‘Pop Goes theWeasel’. The blue and white tin box

features original illustrations from theBeatrix Potter books.

Retailers can complete Peter Rabbit-themed displays with a range of plushtoys available in the Classic collection.These include Peter Rabbit in a Bag,Cuddly Peter Rabbit and a 30cm ClassicPeter Rabbit.

Paddington Bear completes the newJack in the Box additions. The plushpops out to the tune of ‘You are mySunshine’, with the red box featuringscenes from the original Michael Bondstory books. All Jack in the Boxproducts are priced at £24.99.

HABA 0161 304 9555

The master toy licensee for E1’s Ben& Holly’s Little Kingdom, Golden Bearis planning to launch a variety of‘magical plush’.

First up, Fluttering Wings Holly ismade of soft sparkly fabrics andorganza wings. Touch her yellowcrown with her wand, and Holly’swings will flutter while the toy saysone of five phrases, including “Comeon, Let’s Fly”.

Ben and Holly mini soft toys arealso in the range, plus the Talking BenElf and Talking Princess Holly. Simplysqueeze the toys’ tummies and theysay five different phrases. Completingthe Ben & Holly range is Fetch StickGaston, pull the character’s stick tosee him shake and bark.

Elsewhere, Golden Bear also has aplush range for Shaun the Sheep,ranging from mini plush through toShivering Shaun.

The firm is continuing to expand itspre-school offering, launching a rangeof plush products as part of the line-up for several of its brands.

The Star Friends dolls – whichlaunched last year – arecomplemented by a new line of 12cmplush animals, including a unicornand cat.

The firm’s collection of Noddyproducts features an assortment of30cm My Friend Plush toys, suitablefor ages 12 months and up, includingcharacters such as Noddy, Tessie,Bumpy Dog and Mr Plod.

Finally, Bandai’s newest licence isTinga Tinga Tales and the firm will berolling out its toy line in September.Aimed at three to six year olds, theshow is inspired by traditional Africanfolktales and the art of Tanzania. Theline will include a variety of 25cmMusical Plush based on thecharacters, as well as a MonkeyFeature Plush.

BANDAI 08456 028782

Having already enjoyed major successin Mexico, the plush line is nowlooking to break into the UK market.The owners of the Fulanitos range,which is available in more than 2,000outlets in Mexico, is hoping to teamup with a UK company to bring thebrand to the British market.

Each character has its ownpersonality and, as well as plush dollsand pets, the range encompassesstationery, jewellery, t-shirts andbedding among other items.

FULANITOS 01727 739691

TAF toys have been created by Frenchdesigner Alan Crozon, with a specialtouch of humour thrown in. Most aresuitable from birth.

The Chime Bell Ball has a soothingchime sound and extra soft fabric;the three Activity Dolls include arange of activities and textures; BusyPals and Jumping Pals have a jitteringaction, while Action Balls jitter, rattleand giggle.

TAF Blankies are made from softmaterials and have numerouschewing and grabbing options. Thereare two rabbits and two other cutecharacters to choose from.

Several TAF plush toys also havemusic features. The SymphonyFlowers play real classical music, theJazz Sisters play Scott Joplin jazz andchildren can enjoy Reggae withMonkey, Rock with Elephant orCountry Music with Horse in theWorld Music Doll line. Finally, theBaby Bowling Set comes with foursoft skittles and a bowling ball whichfeatures light and sound when rolled.Each skittle features its own smileycharacter.

HALILIT 01254 872454

RAINBOW DESIGNS 0870 758 7700

40 SECTOR GUIDE PLUSH

GOLDEN BEAR 01952 608308

39-40,42-44 TN108_final 21/7/10 15:59 Page 2

Tomy UK Ltd, St Nicholas House, St Nicholas Road, Sutton, Surrey. SM1 1EH. Tel: 020 8722 7300 Fax: 020 8722 7302

www.tomy.co.uk

Copyright © 2010, K’Nex, All rights reserved.

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41 TN108_final 16/7/10 10:28 Page 1


AUGUST 2010

Hive boasts a range of officially licensedvideo games plush toys. These includea seven-inch Sonic the Hedgehog, plushis friends, and a line of AnimalCrossing toys.

The most recent addition to the firm’srange is the Nintendo San-Ei collection.Japanese company San-Ei wasestablished over 72 years ago and isnow one of the best regardedmanufacturers of plush and accessoriesin the world.

It has developed the Nintendo plushrange alongside the video games giant,

and Hive is bringing it to the UK for thefirst time.

The line includes 11 to 28-cmcharacters including Mario, Yoshi andPrincess Peach, plus their evilcounterparts Bowser, Wario andGoomba. Also available will be a SuperMario Galaxy line of plush includingSuper Mario, Fire Mario, Bee Mario andGhost Mario, a multi-coloured plushrange of Yoshi to match the character’svarious game guides, plus a collectionof Kirby toys in multiple characterdesigns and sizes.

The new Alive Perfect Puppy is the latestaddition to the firm’s bestselling Aliverange. It features animatronicstechnology, meaning the toy has a largerange of animated expressions andsounds. It can tell the differencebetween a tickle, pat, stroke or a hugand will respond differently to loud andsoft voice commands.

The head, ears, eyes, mouth and tailare all independently animated and thepuppies also make 18 lifelike sounds,including sniffing, barking, whimperingand grumbling. The toy also has posablelegs and comes with a collar and brush.

It is available is two lifesize models,Bella and Buddy, both priced at £99.99.

Perfect Puppy joins the Alive Cubs(£39.99), which are available in fourvarieties and feature touch-triggeredfacial and vocal expression, adoptionpapers and family portrait.

Alive Minis (£14.99), meanwhile reactwhen fed with their accompanyingfeeding bottle.

Alive Perfect Puppy and Alive Cubswill be supported in the UK with a heftyTV campaign and targeted PR in kidsand consumer press, alongsideexposure in the seasonal gift guides.

WOWWEE 01295 711588

HIVE ENTERTAINMENT 01706 242070

Lilliputiens is the new plushcollection from John Crane andincludes furry playmates, plush bags,activity toys, giant animal softfurnishings and clothing.

The Lilliputiens Reversible Handbagis a key item. The pink, purple andflowery bag has a number ofcompartments and comes with carkeys and keyring, a Lizzie doll, plushmobile phone and plush powdercompact. Matching the handbag is theRose Playmat, featuring a mirror,attached ball, various sized pockets,plus crinkles, rattles and places forpeek-a-boo.

JOHN CRANE 01604 774949

The company has recently diversifiedinto the plush sector, with additionsto its Dream Town play-sets.

The new Puppy Lane Cottagecomes with Candyfloss plush puppyand a number of accessories.Additional sets include more plushpets such as Pip the Mouse, Coco theKitten and Nutmeg the Bunny.

The Strawberry Stables play-setalso comes with extra items. The setincludes Fudge the Pony, bridle,reins, saddle, brush and eight-piecehair play set. Separate accessoriesinclude the Stable Care Set (hay bale,broom, nose bag, pony blanket andan apple and carrot) and a Gymkhanadress-up set.

Both sets will benefit from PR andmarketing support, including TVadvertising.

WORLDS APART 0800 389 8591

Best Years has added a monster to itsknitted range. The line now includes14 designs – including the popularmonkeys and elephants – while the T-rex is now in two sizes. Trade pricesstart from £3.20, with the charactersavailable as toys and rattles. All aresuitable from birth and are tested toEN71 and CE.

Best Years – which says it isstruggling to keep up with demand forthe toys – is aiming to continue todevelop more designs in the range.

BEST YEARS 01327 262189

Mama Duck and Three Ducklings hasbeen added to the Baby by FiestaCrafts line. Ducklings one, two andthree are identified with brightlyembroidered numbers in blue, redand green and by their own individualsqueak, rattle or crinkle. They attachto their mother’s back with hook andloop fasteners.

Monkey, Lion, Penguin, Elephantand Giraffe Squeakaboos have proveda hit since launch at Spring Fair. Madefrom plush fabrics and corduroy, withbright primary colours, the toyssqueak, jingle and crinkle and areideal for playing peek-a-boo gameswith newborns.

FIESTA CRAFTS 020 8804 0563

39-40,42-44 TN108_final 21/7/10 15:56 Page 3

Marbel has been distributing the Frenchdesigned range of L’atitude Enfant sinceearly 2009.

Meanwhile, 12 knitted woollyGrannimals make up the Wooly Family ofsoft toys. Suitable from birth, eachGrannimal has its own characteristicsand comes packaged in a shoe box.

Marbel is offering a free display standto retailers for the line.

Launched at the beginning of 2010,the Baby Wooly range features rattles,squeakers and cuddly blankets. Basedon characters from the Wooly Family,soft fabrics and colours have been usedto create gifts for newborns.

The firm has recently expanded its dealwith LucasFilm for the Star Wars rangewith a line of plush. Favourites include15-inch Deluxe Talking Yoda, 11-inchEwok and a host of characters in bothnine and four-inch such as Yoda, DarthVader, R2-D2 and Chewbacca.

In addition, Churchill Insurance hasappointed the firm to create talking

plush based on the famous noddingdog from its adverts. Underground Toyshas already enjoyed success with anine-inch plush and is now producing afour-inch version. It comes on plasticclip and says the phrases ‘oh yes’ and‘on no’ when its collar is squeezed. Theplush will be available from the autumnand distributed through Gear 4 Games.

UNDERGROUND TOYS 01708 375975

MARBEL 01208 873123

www.toynews-online.biz 43SECTOR GUIDE PLUSH

AUGUST 2010

Coming from Holland, the HappyHorse line is available from MumboJumbo. The toys are not availablethrough the mass channels, so giveretailers the chance to offersomething different to customers.

The brand has been established for40 years, with the firm describing thetoys as a combination of softness,extravagance and colour, with aunique take on design making themstand out.

MUMBO JUMBO TOYS020 8563 2888

Wild Warmers is a range ofmicrowavable zoo character neckwarmers which come in a wideselection of fabrics.

Characters simply need to beplaced in the microwave for amaximum of two minutes to release alavender aroma. Wild Warmers aremanufactured to comply with BritishSafety Standard BS 8433:2004 andEN71-1/2/3 Toy standard.

INTELEX 01933 679777

A wholly made British product, therange of three Bramble Hobby Horsesfrom Brookite are available in brown,beige and black.

All feature a soft furry head madefrom luxury fur with webbing bridle,rosette and bells. They are mountedon a wooden pole with woodenwheels. The toys are suitable for agestwo to six and retail for around £25.

BROOKITE 01837 53315

Flair’s line of luxury Hello Kitty plushis growing, with further items arrivingin the autumn.

The new 25cm plush assortment isavailable in two styles and colours,while there is also a line ofaccessories to complement thecollection. This includes the newHello Kitty Flowery Handbag, whichjoins the existing range of plush bagsand purses.

FLAIR 020 8643 0320

39-40,42-44 TN108_final 21/7/10 15:57 Page 4


AUGUST 2010

Manhattan’s 2010 line includeseverything from barnyard favourites towild beasts and family pets.

The Manhattan Toy Wildlife includessix species, with each adult and babyanimal having the same features as theirreal-life counterparts.

Meanwhile, the Blooming Sprouts arebilled as perfect for children from birthupwards. Each is stuffed with a specialcorn fibre filling to give them a well-

loved feel, and are made from bamboospun into a rayon fabric to make themsuper soft.

The Rustletoes are classically styledbarnyard animals, with each coming intwo different sizes, weighted bottomsand simple facial features. Finally, theZangerdees are four characters with atwist. Simply pull their long stripey legsand arms through their bodies to givevarying lengths.

MANHATTAN TOY 020 8944 3160

Jumbo is the master toy licensee forthe hit Cbeebies pre-school show, Big& Small.

It has produced a wide range ofplush based on the main characters.These include a new 33cm plush ofBig and a 15cm plush of Small.

Both toys are available fromAmazon and retail for £9.99 and£4.99 respectively.

JUMBO 01707 289289

Train and Play Puppy joins MGA’sRescue Pals line this autumn. It cansit, stand or walk, as well as beingtaught new tricks, including how to situp and beg.

It comes with a remote clicker tochange and start its various functions.

An adoption certificate, a rewardtreat and heart-shaped sticker arealso included in the pack. Train andPlay Puppy (£29.99) will be fullysupported with TV and PR.

MGA ENTERTAINMENT01908 268480

The Bear League consists of fivefootball mascots which carry thecharacteristics of famous players.Outfits and accessories have beenofficially licensed from clubs includingLiverpool, Manchester United,Chelsea, Juventus, Arsenal andBarcelona.

The mascot also gives childrenaccess to the BearLeague.com.

The plush can be made interactiveby using a special product code, withthe website giving them access to ahost of stadia, pitches, changingrooms, the players’ lounge, café andtrophy room. The players developdaily routines including training,playing matches, tournaments,updates and information on theirfavourite football club.

The Bear League will be availablefrom October 1st.

INSPIRED GIFTS & TOYS 01252 749020 /07872 939228

The Babicorolle plush toy range isdesigned to stimulate youngchildren’s senses through variousshapes, textures, music, lights andscent. Meanwhile, new addition to theDKL portfolio, Sigikid Toys boastscomforters, soft balls, cuddly animalsand musical toys in various coloursand designs.

DKL 01604 678780

Due to hit stores from this autumn,Tapsi Bear (£24.99) is aimed at girlsaged three and over and needslooking after.

The bear will sneeze when his noseis approached with a handkerchiefand has a shivering function which istriggered by pressing his tummy.Holding the bear’s honeycomb to itsmouth prompts eating sounds and,when the bear is fed three times, itmakes sounds of contentment. Whilefeeding, Tapsi Bear’s ears will eitherwiggle, its head will move or turndepending upon the colour.

The toy comes with a range ofaccessories including a hot waterbottle and blanket and will beavailable in three colours: pink, blueand beige. It also comes with anoutfit, removable nappy and t-shirt.

An additional audio book tellingthe tale of Tapsi Bear’s adventures,and how it ended up being poorly, isalso included.

ZAPF CREATION01908 268480

For the first time, the iconic Lego mini-figure has been made available byRe:creation as a soft 12-inch plush toy.It has moveable arms and is available in

four different characters. These includethe traditional Lego man, plus aPoliceman, Construction Worker andFireman (all pictured).

RE:CREATION 0118 973 6222

MV’s plush portfolio is made up of avaried selection of characters,collectables and fun toys.

The firm’s Goochicoo line includes 16-inch deluxe dolls packed with uniquefeatures, 14-inch dolls which interactand enjoy hugs and kissed and ten-inchTalkback Tot dolls, which record andthen repeat your message in a babyGoochicoo voice. All three ranges will beTV advertised in August, with furtherlines due in 2011.

MV Sports also boasts a collectableGogo’s Crazy Bones plush line. Therange consist of three-inch characters,four-inch with a handy clipper and six-inch which reverse to reveal thecharacter of their ultra rare colourway.

Fluffy Gardens is a new 80 episode TVseries, with exposure on Cartoonito andMini CITV. There are 40 characters tochoose from, with the firm’s initial rangeincluding three, four and six-inchassortments.

MV SPORTS 0121 748 8000

39-40,42-44 TN108_final 21/7/10 15:57 Page 5

45 TN108_final 16/7/10 15:03 Page 1

Ecological choicesWhether children are necessarily concerned with it when playing with their toys is a moot point. Many parents’environmental concerns are reflected in their purchase of toys with green packaging or materials, or an eco-friendlymessage. ToyNews looks at some of the products designed to help save the planet…

HTI’s fully endorsed Science Museumrange is designed to encourageyoungsters to investigate the scientificand natural world around them.

The new eco friendly ScienceMuseum Dual Powered Car and EcoRacers are all powered by the solarenergy of natural sunlight utilising a360° adjustable solar panel or by ahandle generator.

Junior scientists can build the DualPowered vehicle themselves in one ofthree different eco-powered racingvehicles – the Speed Racer is a fast solarcar that when fully-powered can travel at24 metres per minute; the Space Mobileis a solar vehicle with a front shovel thatmoves up and down as it speeds along;and the Robotic Car is supplied with ahandle generator that powers thevehicles speed, as well as the up anddown movement of a robotic head.

In addition, there are also six newassorted Science Museum Connect andLearn activity boxes, developed in linewith Key Stages 1 and 2 of the NationalCurriculum. Each build-it-yourself boxoffers a different science activity toteach inquisitive young minds about

basic physics through hands-onpractical application.

The multi-science boxes are entitled:Maze Challenge; Turbo Air; Flying Disc;Digital Alarm; Spin and Turn Racer; andAim n Shoot. The boxes can also belinked together or used individually,providing collectability value. The eco-themed range also extends to small

compact Science Museum Test Tubescontaining fun eco science experimentkits to do at home.

Complete with full colour illustratedinstruction booklets, the Eco Test Tubesprovide the opportunity to discover thesecrets of wind power, water cycle,global warming and acid rain anderosion at a value price point.

HTI also provides a Test Tubeassortment to teach curious minds thescience behind shadows, temperature,skeletons, senses, bath time and flight.All Test Tube kits have been developedin line with Key Stages 1 and 2 of theNational Curriculum and eachassortment is supplied in a fullybranded counter top display unit.

HTI 01253 778888

Since the firm’s foundation in 1971,Orchard Toys has maintained itsmanufacturing base in the UK.

Assembly, warehousing, order pickingand despatch are carried out from thecompany’s Norfolk base, from where allthe cardboard and paper waste productsare recycled by a local business.

The recent introduction of a boardbaling machine has allowed it to controlrecycling even more effectively.

The board used for games, jigsawsand product packaging is 100 per centrecycled. The paper used for the printedgames and jigsaw puzzle covers issourced from sustainable forests and

coated with a water-based varnish.The firm has designed and

manufactured such products as What’sRubbish and Flower Pot Game to helpchildren learn about recycling,composting and green issues.

Simon Newbery, managing director ofOrchard Toys, comments: “Although ourproducts are well-known for theirdurability, even the life of an OrchardToys’ product has to come to an endsome day, and when that day comes, 95per cent, and in some cases 100 percent of the product and its packaging,can go straight into the compost orrecycle bin.”

ORCHARD TOYS 01953 859525

GBG tries to use game boards, cardsand packaging supplies manufacturedusing recycled or recyclable materials.

From the hand-carved woodenanimal pieces in the original AlphaAnimals game, to the newer BrainBoxrange which uses a minimum of 70 percent recycled materials, GBG aims toproduce games responsibly from well-managed, controlled sources.

Cocoa A GoGo works environmentaland ethical considerations into

gameplay. The aim of the game is tobecome a World-class chocolate beanproducer and the best way to achievethis goal is to create a sustainableplantation, with a high level of socialconsciousness.

A Water card, for example, mayencourage players to wash the car lessto save fresh water, while a Workercard may educate players to recognisethat fair pay and a good boss is whathappy workers like.

GREEN BOARD GAMES 01494 538999

46 SECTOR GUIDE GREEN TOYS

AUGUST 2010

46-49 TN108_final 20/7/10 18:06 Page 2

Haba has been certified with theProgram for the Endorsement of ForestCertification (PEFC) – the world’s largestforest certification organisation.

This gives consumers the addedreassurance that Haba not only useswood from sustainable forests to createtoys and furniture, but its suppliers areeco-friendly too.

The company’s range of wooden toys– from rattles and pull-a-longs tobuilding blocks and walker wagons –are all made from natural woods andare coloured with water-based,ecological solvent-free lacquers in

multiple layers which makes themresistant to humidity and wear and tear.

Also new to the 2010 catalogue is thePure Nature range of soft baby toyswhich are made from the high qualitycottons and threads produced fromcontrolled organic farming.

All of the products are made inaccordance with Global Organic TextileStandards ensuring safety not only forchildren who play with them, but for theenvironment, too.

The range includes clutching,cuddling and pull-along toys and soft-bodied dolls.

The Farm Animal Set, like all Le Toy Vanproducts, is ethically made usingresponsibly sourced materials and isdesigned in the UK and made inIndonesia. Each animal is carved usinghigh quality rubber wood from re-planted forests and is produced in afactory with a high regard for ethicalconditions for employees and inresponsibly sourcing materials.

The set includes nine animalsconsisting of: a cow, a pig, a piglet, a

sheep, a lamb, a goose, a rooster, ahen and a chick. Each is handpaintedto a matt finish and has a tactilequality that can be easily gripped andmanoeuvred by young hands. Somedetails such as the cow’s ears and tailare finished in soft fabric.

The set is also fully compatible withthe Budkins range, which has an arrayof related products including a farmerand his wife and two wooden horses. Itretails around £17.99.

LE TOY VAN 0208 979 2036

HABA 0161 304 9555

Marbel has recently launched over tennew Plan Toys wooden toy productsonto the UK market.

The range features crafted woodenrattles, rollers and mobiles for newbornbabies (£7.99 – £39.99).

The Eco Recycling game has beendesigned to encourage children to savenatural resources and raiseenvironmental awareness. The aim of

the game is to get your rubbish into therecycling bins as quickly as possible.

The Green Dollhouse (£99.99) is acompletely eco-efficient home. Itfeatures alternative fuel sources andenvironmental controls used in today’smodern eco homes. Children learn asthey play that by using energy, waterand other resources efficiently, they canprotect the environment.

MARBEL 01208 873123

www.toynews-online.biz 47SECTOR GUIDE GREEN TOYS

AUGUST 2010

Citiblocs are high quality woodenconstruction blocks, precision cutfrom high-grade pine sourced fromsustainable managed forests.

Building requires no glue, no mess,no connectors and no magnets. Withno complicated set up, everyone canbuild straight from the box and buildscan be as complex or as simple as youwant. Citiblocs promotes creativityand problem solving whilst helpingchildren to develop motor skills.Building and learning aresimultaneous.

The blocks are available in packs of50, 100, 200 and 300. In the US thetoy has won 14 industry awardsincluding Dr Toy, Parenting Magazineand Best Green Product.

BRAINSTORM01200 445113

New additions to the Green Sciencecollection include the WeatherStation kit, which allows children tokeep track of weather changes, learnfacts about the weather and take partin experiments on the greenhouseeffects.

Alternatively, the new Solar Sciencekit and Solar Rover kits will see kidslearning how sunlight is turned intoenergy and exploring the science ofsolar thermal energy.

Green Creativity kits allow you toturn a plain fabric bag into yourpersonal green shopping bag, createcards and gifts from recycled paper orturn a plain plastic bottle into an eye-catching light up project.

GREAT GIZMOS01293 543221

46-49 TN108_final 20/7/10 18:06 Page 3

48 SECTOR GUIDE GREEN TOYS

AUGUST 2010

Interplay’s collection of projects andkits may not openly boast that they areeco friendly, but every kit eithercontains environmentally soundmaterials or are packaged in anecological way.

Technokits, for example, are woodenprojects such as the Trebuchet AncientFighting Machine, which includes woodsourced from FSC (Forest StewardshipCouncil) certified ‘renewable sources’,in factories, which form part of a timber‘chain of custody’.

All of the literature, retail boxes andshipping cartons used by Interplay haveincorporated the maximum possiblecontent of recycled fibre, and are

printed using non-toxic ink processes,with glues and varnishes whichfacilitate easy recycling, withoutpolluting ground water.

Most of the collection is produced ata Taiwan factory, where the electricitysupply is generated almost entirely bywind turbines.

Shipping is arranged, whereverpossible, in ‘High cube’ containers,which minimise product-road-miles.

Finally, there is regular reassessmentof ethical issues with senior managersconstantly reviewing procedures, plusconsultations with specialist naturalistshave been implemented to consider theeco issue.

Gibsons has recently launched fournew titles in its My World range ofchildren’s jigsaws.

Created in conjunction with childPsychologist, Dr Amanda Gummer, thepuzzles provide continuousdevelopmental challenges for childrenfrom 18 months, firmly linking to theEarly Years learning goals.

The puzzles are made on recycledboard and in Britain, so haven’ttravelled far to reach the consumer andhave a small carbon footprint. The newpuzzles aimed at pre-school childrencentre on the child’s world and includeMy Body, where children can learnabout different parts of their body in a

fun and colourful jigsaw, plus My Towncontaining interchangeable piecesallowing children to create differentscenes. Each box features a slot withinthe lid allowing children to easily posttheir pieces back into it.

Meanwhile, Gibsons’ traditionalwooden games are made fromreforested hardwoods with minimalcost to the environment.

The range includes Cribbage,Solitaire and Shut the Box, as well asfour portable mini games.

The entire range of Gibsons jigsawsare also made from 100 per centrecycled materials, while all of thejigsaws are made in the UK or Europe.

GIBSONS 0208 661 8866

INTERPLAY 01628 488944

Richard Edward has recently becomeone of the first UK printing companiesto be Carbon Smart certified.

The certification feeds into ongoingefforts to improve the firm’senvironmental performance and offersawareness of the carbon footprint forclients, and how to take steps toreduce it in the future.

The firm is also accredited to ISO9001 quality standards and is regularlyaudited to ethical trading standards

and holds the Investors In Peopleaccreditation.

The retail arm of Richard EdwardLimited – RedWood Cards – hascreated a product called Green Cards,playing cards which use originalillustrations and the first ever to bemade from 100 per cent sustainableand recycled materials.

The division is also in the process ofdeveloping new games, with the samesustainable values and original design.

RICHARD EDWARD 0208 3118888

I-glu is an eco-friendly completelybiodegradable adhesive, which comesin packaging and is completelyrecyclable.

It is also washable even when dry,minimizing worries about it damagingfurniture and clothing. It is also nutand gluten free, so it is completelysafe for children with allergies.

The green glue goes with theextensive range of paper crafting andother eco products.

CREATIVITY INTERNATIONAL01384 485 550

Best Years’ range of Fair Trade andorganic toys are both ethically soundand environmentally friendly.

The toys and rattles start from just£2.10 each and have been sosuccessful that just six months afterthe original launch, more new linesare being added to the range.

For the summer there are threehandmade, Fair Trade ice creamcornets and new vegetable and fruitrattles. Following the success of theowl and octopus toys, there are alsonew birds at £3.50 each.

Also available are a range of jungleanimals and fantasy charactersstarting from £5 each. The handmadeFair Trade organic hand rattle,meanwhile, is priced at £4.50.

Sales of the toys benefit a workersco-operative in Bangladesh, whichprovides fairly paid employment forrural women, allowing them to workfrom home.

BEST YEARS01327 262189

46-49 TN108_final 20/7/10 18:06 Page 4

www.toynews-online.biz 49SECTOR GUIDE GREEN TOYS

AUGUST 2010

The Pintoy range of toys and furniture isall made from Thai rubber wood grownin replenishable forests, and holds acoveted Thai Green Label.

The collection has won many awardsand the fact that it’s eco-friendly hasmuch to do with this.

The Pick Up Trike is available in red,blue and natural rubber wood, with

rubber tyres to ensure a firm grip onany surface.

Then, there’s the equally eco-friendlyCargo Truck.

The front scoop is big enough to holda variety of books and toys, and thetruck’s stocky design means it is astable ride for even the mostinexperienced of riders.

PlayMais is a versatile craft toy made from non-GM maize grown and manufactured in Germanyusing Biofuel.

Sweetcorn and plant dyes are moulded into acolourful building material, which, using just adab of water, stick to each other.

Not only is PlayMais fully biodegradable andeco-friendly, all of the packaging and boxcontents are too – even the cutting tool in eachpack is made from the cornstarch.

The whole manufacturing process is also eco-friendly and food, animal and organic wastepower all the manufacturing plant and officepremises. It is available in a variety of sizes andthemes. Generic boxes come in sizes M to XL,while themed packs include Animal Farm,Pirates, Circus, African Jungle, Fantasy House,Castle and Sea World. There are two new Disneyadditions to complete the collection – DisneyPrincess and My Friends Tigger and Pooh.

TOP BANANA 01371 873 141

JOHN CRANE 01604 77 49 49

Kriya’s Recycled Plastic Toys rangecovers items for both boys and girls,from garbage trucks to tea sets.

The toys in the range are made of 95per cent recycled plastic and recycledpaper for the packaging.

New items include Take Apartconstruction vehicles, a dishwashingrack with dishes and casserole set.

All the items in the collection haveall been carefully tested to allEuropean standards.

KRIYA 01702 449 635

Wonderworld’s Eco seriesoffers a range of toys andgames that aim to educatechildren on current keyenvironmental issues.

The Eco house’s renewableenergy features include a windturbine and solar panel on theroof, rubbish recycling bins, abicycle instead of a car, and awater butt to collect rain.

The house itself is made ofwood from a replenishablesource, and comes completewith contemporary furnitureand figures.

The Penguin Rescue gameis a fun dice board game thataims to raise awareness ofglobal warming.

Up to four players can playat one time, each with the taskof rescuing a family ofpenguins stranded on icebergsthat have melted away.

The Recyling Memo Gameis another dice board gamethat gives children an insightin to the environmentalbenefits of recycling and howdaily rubbish can be sorted into categories of wasteincluding: glass, paper, metaland organic.

DKL01604 678780

The Green Toys collection ofaward-winning classic toys isderived from 100 per centrecycled plastic and otherenvironmentally friendlymaterials. They promoterecycling, reduce greenhousegas emissions and saveenergy.

The toys use plastic milkcontainers which arecollected through consumerrecycling and reprocessedinto super clean freshplastic. This high-densitypolyethylene (HDPE) isconsidered one of the safest,cleanest plastics around.

The environmentalmission also extends topackaging. All Green Toys arepackaged in recycledcorrugated boxes with noplastics, cellophane or twist-ties, and are 100 per centrecyclable.

LEARNING RESOURCES0845 2410484

46-49 TN108_final 20/7/10 18:06 Page 5

is a 100% Members-OOwned mutuality

If you think you need a brand, contact...Roger Dyson, Ian Edmunds or Colin Farrow on

+44 (0)1604 674477

50 TN108_final 13/7/10 16:39 Page 1

Flair’s Toffee the Pony

Hero ProductPage 55

This month’s retail charts featureAmazon, The Entertainer, WH Smith,Argos and Play.com

ChartsPage 53

Toy Story 3 rules retail

NPD FIGURES show Toy Story 3 isalready the year's biggest sellingmovie-licensed toy line.

According to weekly retail salesfrom NPD, leading up to thetheatrical release of Toy Story 3 in theUK (19th July), the film has becomethe UK’s fifth largest toy license, andbest selling movie-based toy licensefor the year to date.

It has already contributed more toretail sales in the first six months ofthis year than some of last year’sbiggest movie-licensed toys were ableto sell in 12 months.

Figures show licensed Toy Story 3toys have sold an estimated £11m atretail in the UK during the first sixmonths of 2010 (3rd January – 3rdJuly 2010), overshadowing itspredecessor’s sales by £7m over thecomparable 25-week time period (ToyStory 2 released in the UK on 14thFebruary 2000).

Action figures represent nearlyone-third of all Toy Story toys sold in

the UK, with building sets, outdoorsand sports toys, youth electronicsand games/puzzles also representing asizeable amount of total sales. Thetop selling item at the start of Julywas the Woody and Jesse FigureAssortment from Mattel with Lego’sWoody and Buzz Rescue the nextbest-selling product.

Since 2007, annual licensed toysales in the UK have averagedapproximately 28 per cent, whichclosely mirrors the 27 per cent

average experienced in the US toymarket.

“Thanks to the stellar salesperformance of this license in theUK, we can expect to see licensedtoys easily top the 28 per centaverage in 2010,” said Jez Fraser-Hook, NPD’s UK toys director.

“With so many different types ofproduct on offer, there’s somethingfor everyone aiding high expectationfor strong sales of toy products forthis licence”.

MAPS HAS resurrected theBenjamin Toys brand in the UK.

The iconic toy brand is back andwill now be available exclusivelythrough the Surrey-based firm.

Three of Benjamin Toys’ top lineswill be available from August,including Climb@tron, NeutronStunt Top and Quantum Flyer. MapsToys will handle all domesticdistribution throughout the UK andIreland. The Climb@tron andNeutron Stunt Tops will all be

branded under the well-knownScience Museum banner.

Will Sharman head of sales forMaps Toys commented: “We aredelighted to be working with such aniconic name in the UK Toy Market. Ihave always been a big fan of thebrand and am so happy it will now bepart of our portfolio.

“We have already had a greatresponse to the three lines and hopeto bring in more products fromBenjamin Toys going forward.”MAPS: 01483 776006

Disney’s nailed-on licensing phenomenon does the business even before film release

Page 54New products

Counter Insurgent adds his weight tothe great toy packaging debate...

CommentPage 52

Retail OnlyDedicated monthly retail coverage

News • Data • Opinion

MAPS to distribute Benjamin Toys

by Ronnie Dungan

by Katie Roberts

On their way this month areofferings from Hasbro, Orchard Toys,Fiesta Crafts and Hive.

51 TN108_final 21/7/10 18:21 Page 1

AUGUST 2010

Toy Story 3Buckeroo

Hasbro

Discovery MagicalMelody Maker

Tomy

Peppa PigMega Doodle Fun

Flair

HIGHSTREET

COUNTERINSURGENT

52 RETAIL ONLY

I GUESS withthe newgovernment, itwas only amatter of timebefore theagenda

returned to packaging. Are wethat bad? Compared with thefood industry, I would arguethat we are.

I had a quick look aroundthe shop and yes there arecases of excessive packaging,but I think it has improvedover the past few years. Boxedgames in the main are insmaller boxes; action figuresare on smaller cards. I knowthe figures are often smaller,but not in all cases.

You could argue that with somuch stock imported from far-off lands, it is in the industry’sinterest to keep packagingsizes to the minimum. Butsomehow that might not be anargument the governmentwould want to hear.

Some manufactures like usto think it is them havingcorporate responsibility as itcosts less to ship, uses lesspackaging etc, etc. As it comesfrom a factory probably inChina, I’m afraid the carbonfootprint is not a lot differentright now.

I have noticed perhaps theworst for excessive packagingwas own label. A quick lookaround the localsupermarkets, nurseryretailers and nationals made itvery apparent that the big boxwas king for some.

I do understand the need fora ‘try me’ pack on certain toys.How else do you get over thefeatures on a toy, with lights,sound and movement? Wellbeing clever and imaginative isone way.

Tickle me Elmo was a greatpack – a simple flap to lift upmade the consumer want toknow more. I realise Elmo onlycomes in one design, but it

allowed the box to be abouthalf the size and also meantthe toy didn’t get shop soiled.

An area of toy packaging Ido agree is excessive is plasticcoated wire. Some toys requiremachinery like angle grindersand heavy-duty wire clippersto get through to the toy. Its

not just the amount of twists,it’s the ones tucked under witha double twist that frustrate

the hell out of me, so imaginehow a consumer feels.

I still wonder if some of thereturns we get are because afrustrated child, trying hard torelease the toy, has just ripped

it out of the packaging andbroken it.

Closed boxes can work witha little imagination. You caninstantly show the consumerthe toy being played with andhow to play with it. Lego haveto be good at this, because ofthe actual product (it’s just ashame the boxes are sooversized). A picture showinga child playing with the toy oreven just a hand to give asense of scale, would cut outthe need to have a window boxwith loads of wires holding thetoy in place.

Besides, we all know, sometoys are best left covered up.

Yes, there are cases ofexcessive packaging, but I

think it has improved overthe past couple of years.

Dispatches from the retail front line...

Alive Leopard CubWowwee

Smart Trike Plus/3-in-1Mookie

PRICE CHECK: AUGUST 2010

£11.99 £29.99 £21.99 £24.99 £59.99

£12.71 £29.33 £11.49 £39.99 £56.99

£14.99 £29.99 £19.99 £19.99 £59.99

N/A £26.97 N/A N/A £39.97

£15.00 N/A £11.49 N/A £59.99

52 TN108_final 20/7/10 17:28 Page 1

AUGUST 2010

www.toynews-online.biz 53RETAIL ONLY

RETAILCHARTS

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

WHSmith.co.uk

Airfix Red Arrows Gnat Series 1 Hornby

Ultimate 4 Pack AAA Batteries Energizer

Pirate Figures Duo Pack Playmobil

Mini Build and Play Meccano

Sylvanian Families Nursery School Bus Flair

Ben 10 Alien Force Walkie Talkies IMC Toys

Peppa Pig Muddy Puddle Game Jumbo

Creator Street Speeder Lego

Peppa Pig Giant Picture Cards Jumbo

City off-road Fire Pick-Up Truck Lego

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

The Entertainer

Hello Kitty Scooter HTI

Transformers Leader Optimus Prime Hasbro

Hornby City Industrial Train Set Hornby

Toy Story 3 – Woody’s Horse Bullseye Vivid

Nebulus TX Scooter Grossman

My 1st Wooden Blackboard/Whiteboard Easel Colorific

Quadpod TP Toys

Nerf N-Strike Deploy CS-6 Hasbro

Paper Jamz Rock Guitar 2 Wowwee

Water Warriors – Expedition Buz Bee

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

Amazon CHART DATE12/07/10

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

Mail Order Express

Little Tikes Anniversary Cozy Coupe MGA

Bananagrams Winning Moves

Classic Swingball Mookie

Match Attax England Tin 2010 Topps

Replacement Swingball Ball and Tether Mookie

Super Stomp Rocket Kit TKC

Toy Story Woody and Buzz to the Rescue Lego

Nerf N-Strike Clip System Dart Pack Hasbro

Peasytoys Tigger & Pooh Wooden Learning Clock with Puzzle Eichhorn

Uncle Milton Star Wars Erupting Mustafar Volcano Kit Brainstorm

Born to Play Wind Up Floating Neptune/Penny Martin Yaffe

Born to Play Craftsman Academy Desk and Chair Martin Yaffe

Born to Play Fireman Sam Fire Station Play-set Martin Yaffe

Born to Play Fireman Sam Friction Venus with Penny Martin Yaffe

Family Camper Playmobil

Born to Play Craftsman Table and two Chairs Martin Yaffe

Born to Play Fireman Sam Helicopter with Tom Martin Yaffe

Born to Play Fireman Sam Friction Action Jupiter Martin Yaffe

Star Wars Venator Class Republic Attack Lego

Red Corsair Playmobil

CHART DATE12/07/10

CHART DATE12/07/10

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

Play.com CHART DATE12/07/10

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

Argos

Ben 10 Card Game Tin Bandai

Doctor Who: 11th Doctor’s New Sonic Screwdriver Character

The Gruffalo: Fun Pockets University Games

Match Attax Trading Card Game England Tin 2010 Topps

Nerf N-Strike Recon CS-6 Hasbro

Waybuloo Flying Group 24-Piece Puzzle Mattel

Nerf Clip System Darts (Pack of 36) Hasbro

Championchip Football Edition Jumbo

Doctor Who 11th Doctor with Sonic Screwdriver Action Figure Character

Doctor Who Regenerated Weeping Angel Action Figure Character

Match Attax England Tin Topps

Doctor Who The End of Time Action Figures Character

Nerf N Strike Raider Hasbro

Star Wars Luke’s Landspeeder Lego

Iron Man 2 Wrist Repulsor Hasbro

Cuponk Hasbro

Halo Wars Battle Pack Mega Brands

Toy Story 15cm Action Figures Mattel

Toy Story 3 Pizza Planet Rescue Truck Set Lego

Toy Story 3 Woody with Bullseye Roundup Pack Mattel

CHART DATE12/07/10

CHART DATE12/07/10

53 TN108_final 21/7/10 17:27 Page 1

AUGUST 2010

PRODUCTNEWS

SCALEXTRIC START is a new1:32 scale slot racing line,available in three ready-to-raceproducts.

The new collection offers easyto connect and disconnect trackand robust cars, along with newhand throttles with adjustableskill level settings to help noviceracers get to grips with the set.

New and existing 1:32 scaleScalextric cars are fullycompatible to race on either theStart or standard Scalextric track systems.

Scalextric Start includes carsfrom the world of Rally,Endurance and Single Seaterracing. Four, six and eight circuitsets are available, ranging inprice from £59.99 to £79.99.

Circuits can be extended byincorporating the new StartExtension Pack, which adds overone metre to the length of the track.Hornby: 01843 233500

FIESTA CRAFTS islaunching a collection ofnew wood and fabricpushalong toys.

Available as a penguin,monkey, sheep andhedgehog, with brightfaces, the toys makeclicking noises as they arerolled along.

Also available forretailers is a brightly-painted wooden displaystand that features afinished character fixedto the top. The stand is free with thepurchase of 36 pieces.Fiesta Crafts: 020 8804 0563

BEYBLADE: Metal Fusionallows kids to collect,customise and competewith a new metal gearsystem and theintroduction of an onlinevirtual battle component.

Each top in the linecomes with fiveinterchangeable parts,meaning they can be builtand rebuilt for optimumperformance. Alsoavailable are Baystadiumarenas for kids to battletheir tops in.

To get the action started,kids simply pull the ripcord

to launch the top into play.The last top left spinningwins the game.

Each Beyblade: MetalFusion top includes aunique code, whichunlocks the opportunity tobattle in real time onBeybladebattles.comagainst other Beybladersaround the world.

Beyblades: Metal Fusionis available from August2010, with the MetalFusion TV series launchingon Nick Toons inSeptember this year. Hasbro: 0208 569 1234

Fresh Start forScalextric line

54 RETAIL ONLY

THE NEW range will launch withfour jigsaws, measuringapproximately 30x20cm each. Theproducts are designed for three tosix year-olds.

The jigsaws feature 12 chunkypieces in designs including LittleDiploducus, Little Triceratops,Little Tractor and Little Bus.

Simon Newbery,Managing Director atOrchard Toys said: “Theyoffer great value as they aredouble sided which, in thesehard times, is cost saving aswell as offering twice thechallenge to children.”Orchard: 01953 859525

Orchard Toys unveils double-sided jigsaws

New pushalongsroll into Fiesta

HIVE ENTERTAINMENT has added Disney PrincessSwinging figures Gachas to its extensive range. Eachcapsule retails at £1.99 and they are available in CDUs of18 capsules.

The decorative figures are collectable due to their uniquestyling and have articulated arms, head and legs. Eachfigure comes with a decorative accessory.

The Disney Princess figures can be hung from clothes,bags or phones and each box contains Cinderella, SnowWhite, Ariel, Belle, Aurora and Jasmine.Hive Entertainment: 01706 242070

Hive expandsGacha offering

Hasbro tests Metal with Beyblades rangeNew generation of battling tops based on the Beyblade franchise launching

54 TN108_final 21/7/10 17:44 Page 1

AUGUST 2010

Backed with an autumn TV campaign, Flair’s new interactiveplush boasts animatronic features including movementsand sound, plus traditional plush textures…

FlairToffee the Pony

www.toynews-online.biz 55HERO PRODUCT

FLAIR’S NEW Toffee the Pony is the firstlaunch in the new collection of interactivefeature plush – Emotion Pets, which combinetechnology with luxury plush.

Toffee the Pony is soft to touch, doesn’t haveany restricted movement and is small enough tobe carried around, while also being big enoughto be cuddled.

The plush has a number of different functionsand animatronic features. A blink of its eyesmeans it wants to play. When it’s hungry, thepony shakes its head until it’s given a carrot,which it chews contently. If it hears a loud noise,it gets scared and wants a cuddle.

Toffee the Pony is being supported withheavyweight TV advertising for autumn and PRin the children’s and Christmas press.

Release date:AugustPRICE: £49.99

CONTACT DETAILS:Phone: 0208 643 0320 Email: [email protected]

55 TN108_final 21/7/10 15:52 Page 1

1/4 page: Annual charge £1,395 (minimum twelve months booking)Get your company featured: [email protected] T: 01992 535 647RATES:

The place for business

RATES:RATES:

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Cartamundi has extensive

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CARTAMUNDITOY SUPPLIER01268 511 522

Advertisers■ Character Costumes & P.O.S.Rainbow Productions 0208 254 5300

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Wind Designs is passionate about getting

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www.wind-designs.com

56 TN108_final 21/7/10 10:28 Page 1

Marketplacewww.toynews-online.biz | Advertising: +44 (0)1992 535 647

■ Suppliers/Manufacturers■ Suppliers/Manufacturers

■ Character Costumes & P.O.S. ■ Point of Purchase Manufacturers

57-61 TN108_final 21/7/10 12:58 Page 1

Marketplace

■ Suppliers/Manufacturers

■ Suppliers/Manufacturers ■ Suppliers/Manufacturers


57-61 TN108_final 21/7/10 12:58 Page 2






57-61 TN108_final 21/7/10 12:58 Page 3

Marketplace





57-61 TN108_final 21/7/10 12:58 Page 4


■ Suppliers/Manufacturers ■ Toy Suppliers

■ Toy Suppliers ■ Toy Suppliers

57-61 TN108_final 21/7/10 12:58 Page 5

62 TOY TALK

FRIDAY JULY 9TH 2010 saw the secondannual 5 a side football competitionfor the toy industry, which followed on from last year's successfulinaugural tournament.

Hosted by ToyNews and eventspecialists Top Corner, ToyNews Fives2010 saw sixteen teams take part inNorth London in blazing sunshine andsoaring temperatures. Once again aproportion of the entry fee for everyteam is being donated to The ToyTrust, with £2025 donated this year.Well done all.

The tournament saw four groups offour teams play through from themorning kick off until we broke forlunch (a great hog roast this year). Thetop two teams from each group wouldthen compete in the elite Cupcompetition, while all the remainingteams would still play some knock outfootball in the plate event.

Group AThe group was dominated by TeamHasbro, whose 100 per cent recordwas denied only by the defeat againstthe wonderfully named Toy FairOlympia kos, who would end up asgroup runners up and claim thesecond cup spot.

Lego Hero Factory found the groupstage tough going and only managedto notch one win, but a notable win, itwas. Having lost their opening match2 4 against Amethyst Five theypounced in the return fixture with a10 1 romp. That was the only rompingthey managed though, and it wasAmethyst who came closest to

snatching second spot, but theycouldn’t quite make it.

Group B A tighter affair and by the time therewas one game each to play, it couldstill have been any two of the fourteams who qualified for the Cup.Mattel started well and wereundefeated until their fifth game(event sponsors ToyNews recordingthe highlight of their group stageresults), but then needed the threepoints from their last match to qualifyas champions.

Second spot was taken by DisneySelect XI, whose main problem in thegroup was the number of draws thatthey recorded – only one defeatthough. Similarly, ToyNews werescoring plenty but kept drawing and itwas this that condemned them to theplate. Team Top Trumps scored arespectable five points in the group,but this wasn’t enough and theypropped up the final Group B table.

Group C Holders Turner turned in a great set ofgroup results, losing only one gameand winning five, to top the group.Last year’s plate winners, G&B FCcame out of the group in second spotand went into the cup. (The G&B FCsupporters club met for their annualconvention and picnic and providedsuitably vocal support for their heroesthroughout – nice work).

MK Donuts (of MGA and ZapfCreation) and Thumbs Up finished upwith a perfectly respectable six

points apiece, but remained destinedfor the plate.

Group DThe Hit Squad (from HitEntertainment) ran out as unbeatengroup winners. Moshi Monstersemerged from the group in secondspot and confirmed cup qualification –their only losses were to Hit.

Wow Stuff AllStars amassed sevenpoints but it wasn’t enough for cupqualification so they and Tomy, whohad a tougher time and only got onepoint, were off to the plate.

By the time lunch came around, thetemperature had edged towards 30degrees and so a break was just whatwas needed. Before long though wewere back in action in the cup andplate knockout stages.

Amethyst Five booked a place in the plate semis at the expense ofTomy, while ToyNews overcameThumbs Up, Team Top Trumpsdefeated MK Donuts and Lego HeroFactory saw off Wow Stuff.

The semi between Team Top Trumpsand Lego Hero Factory ended in a 6 0win for Top Trumps, as Lego ran out ofsteam in the heat. The other semibetween Amethyst Five and ToyNewswas much closer and in fact, ended ina 3 3 draw, bringing a penaltyshootout, which finished 5 4 toAmethyst.

The plate final was a crackerbetween Amethyst and Top Trumps,with the latter bounding into an earlylead only to see an Amethystfightback, which almost pulled it back.

Almost, but not quite though, and itended 4 3 to Team Top Trumps, whotook the title as ToyNews Fives 2010Plate Champions.

In the Cup, Team Hasbro recordedthe largest quarter final win, seeing offthe Moshi Monster challenge in a 5 1win. Mattel and Turner both turned in5 2 wins and despatched G&B andDisney respectively.

The Hit Squad and Toy Fair played a1 1 draw and it was Toy Fair whoedged this tie 2 1 on penalties.Hasbro hit their stride in the semisand defeated Mattel 6 3, while lastyear’s champs, Turner, were too strongfor Toy Fair (despite a Lampard likedisputed non-goal, where the ballapparently crossed the line) and wenton to win 4 2.

The cup final was a dramatic matchwith Team Hasbro continually edgingahead only to be pegged back by adogged Turner team. It has to be said,too that one of the Hasbro goals wasgoal of the day, with Shaun dancinground pretty much all of the Turnerteam to score a great individual goal.In the end, despite Turner neverthrowing the towel in, it ended 4 2 toTeam Hasbro and they were crownedthe ToyNews Cup champions for 2010.

There were two individual awardsmade too. The Player of theTournament, nominated by thereferees, and the Golden Boot for thetournament’s top scorer. Well done toKevin Bennett (Turner), whose 16 goalstook the Boot, and to Luke Wilson ofMattel who was named as Player ofthe Tournament.

AUGUST 2010

TOYTALKSoaring temperatures saw this year’s ToyNews Fives reach new levels of sweatiness,

but the competition was even tighter this year….

62-65 TN108_final 21/7/10 17:53 Page 1

AUGUST 2010

www.toynews-online.biz 63 TOY TALK

Mattel’s LukeWilson wascrowned Player ofthe Tournament

The victoriousToyNews CupChampions,Team Hasbro

Runners-up in the Cup Final,Team Turner

Team Top Trumps stepped upto take the ToyNews FivesPlate Championship

Kevin Bennettfrom Turner tookthe Golden Bootwith an impressive16 goals

Gary Peters ofLego left with asuspecteddislocatedshoulder

62-65 TN108_final 21/7/10 17:53 Page 2

64 TOY TALK

AUGUST 2010

CARTOON NETWORK TOY FAIR THUMBS UP TOMY

WOW ZAPF CREATION DISNEY

GROUP STAGE RESULTS

Team Hasbro 6 5 0 1 28 4 24 15

Toy Fair Olympia kos 6 3 1 2 16 14 2 10

Amethyst Fives 6 3 1 2 16 14 2 10

LEGO Hero Factory 6 1 1 4 19 24 -5 4

Mattel 6 3 2 1 16 10 6 11

Disney Select XI 6 2 3 1 17 14 3 9

ToyNews 6 1 3 2 14 17 -3 6

Team Top Trumps 6 1 2 3 11 17 -6 5

Turner 6 5 0 1 25 12 13 15

G&B FC 6 3 0 3 17 24 -7 9

MK Donuts 6 2 0 4 22 23 -1 6

Thumbs Up 6 2 0 4 17 22 -5 6

The Hit Squad 6 4 2 0 13 5 8 14

Moshi Monsters 6 3 1 2 13 4 9 10

WowStuff AllStars 6 1 4 1 14 11 3 7

Tomy 6 0 1 5 8 28 -20 1

MOSHI

Group A P W D L F A GD PTS

Group B P W D L F A GD PTS

Group C P W D L F A GD PTS

Group D P W D L F A GD PTS

62-65 TN108_final 21/7/10 17:54 Page 3

MyFavouriteThings

Paul ChandlerMarketing Manager,Scalextric

Favourite album: Grace, Jeff Buckley-------------------------------------------------------------Film: The Shining-------------------------------------------------------------Book: The Scalextric Handbook, James May------------------------------------------------------------------------------TV programme: Later with Jools Holland------------------------------------------------------------------------------Magazine: Mojo---------------------------------------------------Holiday destination: France---------------------------------------------------Pet: None. In terms of mouths tofeed, my home is alreadyoversubscribed.-----------------------------------------------------Heroes: The Fonz------------------------------------------------------Way to spend a weekend: The usual family stuff,i.e. glorified taxi driver.------------------------------------------------------------------------------Game/toy: Besides Scalextricand other Hornby brands; Lego---------------------------------------------Tipple: Wine---------------------------------------------Food: Seafood----------------------------------------------Piece of advice: Advice is whatwe ask for when we already knowthe answer, but wish we didn't.---------------------------------------------

AUGUST 2010

65TOY TALK

KNOCKOUT STAGE RESULTS

Toy Fair win 2 -1 on pens

Amethyst win 5 - 4 on pens

AMETHYST LEGO

HIT ENTERTAINMENT G&B FC

Team HasbroMoshi Monsters

MattelG&B FC

TurnerDisney Select XI

The Hit SquadToy Fair Olympia-kos

Amethyst FiveTomy

Amethyst FiveToyNews

Team Top TrumpsLego Hero Factory

Team HasbroMattel

TurnerToy Fair Olympia-kos

CUP CHAMPIONSTeam Hasbro

Team HasbroTurner

PLATE CHAMPIONSTeam Top Trumps

Amethyst FiveTeam Top Trumps

ToyNewsThumbs Up

MK DonutsTeam Top Trumps

51

52

52

11

41

31

03

WowStuff AllStarsLego Hero Factory

25

33

60

63

42

42

34

Cup Quarter Finals Cup Semi Finals Cup Final

Plate Quarter Finals Plate Semi Finals Plate Final

MATTEL TOYNEWS

62-65 TN108_final 21/7/10 17:54 Page 4

AUGUST 2010

66 FEATURE PLANNER

SEPTEMBER

The BLE preview focuses on what the key

licensors will be exhibiting at this year’s

extended three-day show at Olympia.

The second games and puzzles feature of

the year gives a run-down of what’s new

in the sector and the latest family

offerings that are being readied for the

all-important Christmas purchases.

The fourth quarter is also the focus of the

TV-advertised products guide, where

suppliers will tell us what they are

putting onto the small screen in the run-

up to the festivities.

Children’s bikes looks at wheeled

products from the main players in the

market and what’s new in the sector.

Got any events you would like to see added to the calendar? Email [email protected]

FORTHCOMING EVENTS

Editorial: 01992 535646 Advertising: 01992 535647

© Intent Media 2010 No part of this publicationmay be reproduced in any form or by any meanswithout prior permission of the copyright owners.ISSN: 1740-3308

Intent Media is a member of the PeriodicalPublishers Associations

www.toynews-online.biz ToyNews is published 12 times a year byIntent Media ~ Saxon House, 6a St.Andrew Street, Hertford, HertfordshireSG14 1JA Fax: +44 (0)1992 535648 AUDITED CIRCULATION

Average Net Circulation:6,011 July 1st 2008 to June 30th 2009,

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To order your subscription via Visa,MasterCard, Amex Switch or Deltacontact [email protected] call 01580 883 848. Alternatively visitour website www.toynews-online.biz

Subscriptions Manager - Lindsay [email protected]

Circulation &Subscriptions

BRAND LICENSING EUROPESeptember 28th-30th Grand Hall, Olympiawww.brandlicensingeurope.com

THE LICENSING AWARDSThursday September 9th Lancaster London hotelwww.thelicensingawards.co.uk

KIND UND JUGENDSeptember 16th - 19thKoelnmesse, Colognewww.kindundjugend.com

AUTUMN FAIRSeptember 5th - 8th NEC, Birminghamwww.autumnfair.com

AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL FALLTOY PREVIEWOctober 5th - 8thDallas Market Centre, TXwww.toyassociation.org

CHIINA TOY EXPOOctober 12th - 14th Shanghai New International Expo Centrewww.china-toy-expo.com

HONG KONG TOYS & GAMES FAIRJanuary 10th - 13th Hong Kong Convention & ExhibitionCentrewww.hktdc.com

TOYZERIANovember 25th - 28thIstanbul World Trade Centrewww.toyzeria.com

Games & puzzles ● Pre-Christmas TV-advertised products

Children’s bikes ● Brand Licensing show preview

Editorial deadline: Call for details Advertising deadline: August 11th

66 TN108_final 21/7/10 18:27 Page 1

Some seehalf full...

We see the wrong sized glass

Adding value to your business

Some see half empty...

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Gem is a leading independent provider of logistics, distribution and sales services.We offer a wide range of bespoke supply-chain solutions and, because we are independent, we can offer an

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Gem Logistics provides the following services to theVideo Game, DVD and Toy markets:

• Importation• Warehousing• Telesales• Inventory • Reworking

• Distribution• Channel management• Invoicing• Cash collection• Reverse logistics

Toy News_Layout 1 16/02/2010 10:41 Page 1

68 TN108_final 16/7/10 12:45 Page 1

Documents

ToyNews Issue 108 August 2010