GWR LINE REFRESH Paladone has added five new titles to its existing Guinness World Records Party Challenge games. The licensee is also introducing a new line of products called Inventions. All of the new packaging features QR codes which link through to the firm’s online social hub, where challengers will be able to upload videos of them attempting the records. The new retro-inspired Inventions range is a series of ‘build your own’ projects including creating catapults, rubber band planes, cars and paper planes. Paladone: 01273 230037
RAVENSBURGER PICKS
UP BINWEEVILS… Ravensburger has become the latest toy licensee to add hit virtual world BinWeevils.com to its portfolio. The firm will launch 80-piece and 100-piece puzzles in the autumn featuring character images from the brand. Ravensburger: 01869 363800
…AS VIRTUAL WORLD
HITS NUMBER ONE BinWeevils.com became the most popular children’s online destination in the UK this summer. The site notched up 972,000 unique users in June according to a Comscore survey. Amelia Johnson, co-founder of BinWeevils, told Easier.com: “At BinWeevils we put kids in control. It’s their digital world, they feel that they’ve helped create it and it’s by providing this outlet for self- expression and creativity that BinWeevils has become the most popular digital social world in the UK.” www.binweevils.com
MIKE THE KNIGHT MAG
HITS NEWSSTANDS Immediate Media has launched a dedicated title for new pre-school show, Mike the Knight. The monthly magazine is the latest in the firm’s licensed portfolio.
Immediate Media: 020 7150 5014
eOne eyes up toy boost for Ben & Holly
New-look plush and play-sets planned for spring/summer 2013 for pre-school brand… by Samantha Loveday
Various sizes and
ENTERTAINMENT ONE is looking to enhance the licensed offering for Ben & Holly’s Little Kingdom at retail, introducing new plush and a wave of other new toy products. With merchandise mostly skewed towards girls, due to the ‘little kingdom’, ‘fairy focus’ and ‘magic’ themes, eOne is looking to enhance the elements of the show which it knows girls love. The logo has also been slightly revised to adjust the focus onto the words ‘Ben & Holly’. “This just seemed like a natural step for the brand to take and a way of enhancing our licensed offering at retail,” Hannah Mungo, eOne’s head
MUNGO: “The is a natural step for the brand...”
of UK licensing, Family, told ToyNews. “The viewing audience has always been a pretty even boy/girl split, but merchandise is heavily skewed towards girls.”
The focus for the new plush will be on the fairies – Holly, Strawberry, Fleur and Violet. There could also be a special, limited edition Gaston launching in 2013.
price points are in development, including smaller key chain plush, standard and larger beanie size and feature plush. In addition, the launch of Golden
Bear’s Elf Tree for autumn/winter is a major focus. The castle continues to be the best performing sku, while the Elf Tree is the second most recognised building in the show. Holly’s Magic Toadstool play-set is also just launching at retail. Spring/summer 2013 will also see new plastic play-sets launch. eOne: 020 7907 3773
Double-digit growth for Minnie Mouse products by Dominic Sacco
ICONIC girls’ brand Minnie Mouse is enjoying a retro revival with licensed toy and product sales booming. Disney says the classic cartoon character is over-performing across the board, from licensed kids’ toys to adult clothing. “As a franchise it’s growing double digit,” Disney’s VP of toys and stationery, Anna Chapman, told ToyNews. “Minnie Mouse has been around for years and years, and there is an absolute revival. “All areas of licensing on Minnie have gone through the roof and I think her traditional styling is very
Chapman says toy sales are booming...
iconic for a character and is really resonating with fashion currently.” Disney says that retailers such as Argos are reporting that Minnie role- play items are among their top sellers,
with licensed toys and fashion products also performing strongly. The firm believes the resurgence has occurred partly because Minnie Mouse’s iconic imagery has stood the test of time. “I think it’s very distinctive,” added Chapman. “Minnie is extremely well known and is also very flexible for different ages. We can take Minnie from being very young to something much older and sophisticated, such as a doll range ‘inspired’ by Minnie. You’re also able to up-age it to appeal to adults as well.”
The doll range is set for a UK launch next spring. DCP: 020 8222 1000