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NEWS


Ex-Corinthian CEO revives the classic football figurine as a blind bag collectable... by Lewis Tyler


COLLECTABLE FOOTBALL figurines are set to return this year. The Creative Toys Company is due to launch SoccerStarz as a £1.99 blind bag collectable in July. Players from Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal will be available at launch, with Manchester City, Tottenham and Barcelona following.


Mark Stinchcombe, head of the toy division at Creative, joined the firm shortly after Corinthian went into administration a year ago. He estimates that the Microstars brand sold over 150 million figurines and would love to emulate that success with SoccerStarz.


The company will support the brand with an initial burst of TV advertising and top clubs will sample product at home matches.


Players from Liverpool and Arsenal will be in the initial roll out of SoccerStarz...


After launch, Creative will focus on signing additional licences, making national teams a priority. Explaining the move to a blind bag format, trading director Glenn Barnard said: “If you look at other collectables like Moshi Monsters, they all have that blind element.”


Creative will be following these up with blister packs, while there are also plans to extend the brand with play-sets, including stadiums. A SoccerStarz branded version of another ex-Corinthian toy, Slingers will also be launched. Creative Toys: 020 8664 3484


University Games plans big TV blitz by Katie Roberts


FOR THE first time this Easter, University Games will be TV advertising one of its games. 5 Second Rule will benefit from a campaign with Daybreak, following its earlier TV push pre-Christmas. The company will be adding to its ad campaign during Q4, with support for existing games 5 Second Rule, Sort it Out and Smart Ass. Also benefitting from a TV push pre- Christmas, will be new pre-school product, Poppin Hoppies.


5 Second Rule ads will be airing during Daybreak...


Number of TVRs for the campaigns have not yet been finalised, but will be at least 250 each. Adrian Whyles, general manager at University Games UK told


ToyNews: “There’s a lot of strong competition out there and I think it’s fair to say that retailers are leaning towards playing it safe at the moment, rather than taking any risks. So there are a lot of companies pushing TV. It does work, I’ve advertised Smart Ass for two years now and it’s been our best-selling game. I also did it with 5 Second Rule last year, which responded incredibly well to TV.


“My other objective is to get the University Games name out there.” University Games: 0333 4050120


58 minutes


Time children spend a day using technology-based products at home


1 year


How long Richard Brasher spent in the role of head of UK operations at Tesco before resigning last month


£6.29


Average toy price in January 2012 (source: NPD)


1 billion


The number of Lego bricks which have been inserted into DK books


£4.8m Investment secured by


Wow Stuff from the Business Growth Fund


SoccerStarz ready to score 5


7


SECOND FACTS


A round up of the latest big numbers, stats and tidbits from the toy business


41%


Percentage of eight to nine year- olds who would like more toys at Easter


£20bn


Figure available for small to medium enterprises in the


Government’s new National Loan Guarantee Scheme


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