www.toynews-online.biz
NEWS
5
Wham-O returns to Europe with a blast
Former Re:creation exec Alex Kovacevic is hired as brand manager as company’s plans move up a gear... Speaking to ToyNews, Kovacevic,
by Lewis Tyler
ICONIC American brand, Wham-o is to take on Europe from a new UK office in Brentford, West London. The firm’s range of classic lines like
Frisbee, Slip ’N Slide, Hula Hoop, Hacky Sack and Boogie Board will be available to UK retail from February. Wham-O Europe will also bring a series of new products to both markets. Winter will see the launch of the Arctic Force snow range, which includes instant snowball-making contraptions and rapid-fire snowball firing blasters, and the Snow Boogie line with inflatable and foam sledges. A PR campaign will promote the full range across Europe with Wire PR handling the activity, while Alex Kovacevic has joined as brand manager having left his post at Re:creation earlier this year.
said: “We have had a fantastic launch. The interest in the classic Wham-O brands and the heritage behind them has been amazing. “Adding to that is the instant success of our new winter launch, Arctic Force – it is a unique product line which is taking Europe by storm and we are getting daily requests from retail and the press wanting to feature it.” Kyle Aguilar, CEO of Wham-O,
said: “We have had an incredible response to the opening of our new offices. The classic Wham-O brands have a great heritage and are popular throughout Europe. We are looking forward to building more great relationships and seeing the Wham- O brands expanding throughout these territories.” Wham-O Europe: 020 8568 6398
Indies unfazed by supermarket price cuts
INDEPENDENT TOY retailers have shrugged off the price war currently raging between the grocers, Toys R Us and Argos. Instead they are focusing on better customer service and products which the larger chains tend not to offer. “I don’t blame them,” said Sharon Allam, owner of Pink Pig Toys in Bedfordshire. “If I could offer those prices, I would. Obviously they’re going to do that and as a consumer, you want the best price so you’re going to go there.”
Many indies said that the price cuts wouldn’t hurt them because they simply don’t stock the lines advertised by the top retailers. Gill Glead, owner of Just So
Toys, said: “The type of toys we sell are quality brands which the supermarket doesn’t really offer.” Daniel Antonio, director at Tiny Terawayz, said: “They can afford to
Speculation ends as Mattel confirms Hit deal
MATTEL’S $680 million swoop for Hit Entertainment has brought an end to months of speculation about the future of the licensor.
The cash deal sees Mattel pick up the star of the portfolio, Thomas & Friends, plus a number of other pre- school brands, although it does not include Hit’s interest in cable network station, Sprout.
Key price activity included Sainsbury’s slashing toys by 50 per cent in October
do it, we can’t. What we try to do is offer better quality products and better customer service.” Toymaster’s Ian Edmunds told
ToyNews: “I think retailer’s are a bit bored of it to be honest. Supermarkets are always looking for something to drive consumers into the shops and this year it looks like they’re going to pick on toys again. This is something we’ve all come to expect over the last few years.”
Mattel currently has a toy licence from Hit for Thomas & Friends until 2014 and its global sales of die-cast and plastic toys for the brand are more than $150 million. A key advantage for Mattel is that it will be able to reunite two key pieces of the Thomas & Friends toy business, and is expecting to add the wood-based business to its portfolio once the current licence expires at the end of 2012. Historically, the sales of wood- based toys have been around half the size of the plastic and die-cast business.
Thomas & Friends is the jewel in the crown
“Mattel is the right home for Thomas & Friends,” Robert Eckert, chairman and CEO of Mattel stated. “With more than half of the Thomas & Friends revenue generated from non-toy products, this transaction will marry Mattel’s global marketing, distribution and brand management capabilities with Hit Entertainment’s global programming and licensing expertise to accelerate the growth of the combined portfolio.” Mattel: 01628 50000
NOVEMBER 2011
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92