Samantha Loveday Editor
Contents
REGULARS 4
News
10 Exclusive NPD analysis 12 Playtime 14 GMTV stats 16 Campaign of the month 17
Appointments
20 Dubit research 22 Mumsnet 34 Steve Reece
FEATURES 25 Video Games special
36 Supplier Focus: Imagination 38 Supplier Focus: Bigjigs
RETAIL
41 News 43 Indie Focus: T4 Toys 44 Mystery Shopper: Bristol 46 New Products 47 Hero Product 49 Sector Guide: Outdoor toys
LICENSING
60 News 62 Licensor Focus: BBC Worldwide
Follow us on @toynewsonline
Samantha.loveday@intentmedia.co.uk
Katie Roberts
Deputy Editor
Katie.Roberts@
intentmedia.co.uk
Lewis Tyler
Staff Writer
Lewis.Tyler@intentmedia.co.uk
COMMENT NO MORE MR NASTY GUY Emily Briggs
Sales Manager
Emily.Briggs@
intentmedia.co.uk
Suzanne Powles
Production Manager
Suzanne.Powles@intentmedia.co.uk
Adam Butler Design
Adam.Butler@intentmedia.co.uk Jon Salisbury
Contributor
jon@wotkidzwant.com
Lisa Carter
Managing Editor
lisa.carter@
intentmedia.co.uk
Stuart Dinsey
Publisher
Stuart.Dinsey@intentmedia.co.uk
Editorial: 01992 535646 Advertising: 01992 535647
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AUDITED CIRCULATION: Average Net Circulation: 6,181 July 1st 2010 to June 30th 2011.
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TEN YEARS ago when Intent Media acquired ToyNews, we were viewed with much suspicion in the market. Being the new kids on the block was bad enough, but the biggest issue was that our background was in, whisper it, video games. And, by golly, we quickly learnt to keep quiet about our heritage. At that time, the toy industry was at best suspicious of anything to do with interactive entertainment; at worst, hostile. Many retailers had had their fingers burnt in the SNES/Mega Drive era. But over-riding this was a feeling that the video games business was The Enemy; that the two industries couldn’t live alongside each other. Fast forward a decade and what a difference. Most toy retailers still shun consoles and games – but this is down to the fact that they refuse to work on the kind of margins offered in games. However, elsewhere there’s an unprecedented level of crossover, with toys based on video games licences now worth a staggering £60 million in the UK. Activision’s huge success with Skylanders leads the way. LeapFrog’s LeapPad and VTech’s Innotab are introducing children to interactive entertainment from an early age. And outside of traditional, and hugely successful, figurines and plush, Mega Brands has introduced the Halo, Need For Speed and World of Warcraft licences to construction sets.
And any lingering concerns about video games affecting traditional toys should certainly have been allayed by the recent performances of both sectors: while UK toy sales grew by three per cent in 2011, video games revenues were down by a troubling 13 per cent. This issue of ToyNews is being inserted into
MCV for the first time, so some of you may be reading the magazine for the first time. If you would like to receive it regularly, please contact
Lindsay.Banham@
intentmedia.co.uk. Lisa Carter, Managing Editor
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