2012 was another stellar year for LEGO, with the first half showing a net sales increase of more than 24 per cent for the firm. Moving into 2013, and the
hotly tipped new IP is Legends of Chima. This is something of a first for LEGO, being the fusion of an animal tribal world with a multiplatform play offering. The range is a combination of buildable figures, play-sets, ‘Speedorz’, board games and associated licensed product. LEGO Friends moves into
the New Year with a line-up of new products, including pocket money animal-based collectables to mid-range treats and hero items. Moving into its fourth year
on shelves, the Minifigures range will see two unique launches throughout the first half of 2013. Meanwhile, LEGO City spring/summer play themes will include Fire, Elite Police and an extension to the Great Vehicles
concept. LEGO Ninjago and Hero
Factory will also continue, with new play themes and products, while the Technic brand will welcome two new low price point ‘action vehicles’ which will use pull back motors. The LEGO Star Wars
universe will expand into 2013 with new novelties and redesigned best sellers, plus the unveiling of the Yoda Chronicles.
The partnership between
LEGO, DC Comics and Marvel will also continue, with the reveal of more Batman, Superman, Spider-Man and Iron Man lines. The LEGO Super Heroes range of conflict play theme sets and buildable, meanwhile, will see a selection of products launched between January and May, pre-empting the theatrical releases of Iron Man 3and Man of Steel. LEGO will also continue to invest in its range supporting
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. Finally, the second half of 2013 will see the unveiling of new games based on the company’s most popular IPs. Pre-school brand LEGO Duplo will also remain key.
There will be a new vehicle- based sku launching in January, designed to teach pre-schoolers how to count. This will be a big focus for the brand alongside a number of new starter sets which will work to expand
the target age range downwards and increase recruitment from a younger age.
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LEAPFROG
LeapFrog will be adding to its portfolio of educational toys by launching a range of new products across all three categories – multimedia, reading systems and infant toys. The new items will be
presented alongside existing best sellers
including LeapPad 2. Other favourites – such as handheld gaming device LeapsterGS, My Pal Scout and the Touch Magic range – will also be among the line-up. LeapFrog is now the ninth biggest toy manufacturer in the UK following growth of 33 per cent year on year.
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VTech rose to be the number five manufacturer in the total toys and games market in 2012 (source: NPD YTD Oct 2012). The firm will be showcasing a number of extensions to its lines at Olympia. 2013 will see the Toot-
Toot Drivers range launch new play-sets including Toot- Toot Drivers Train Station, which comes with an electronic motorised train and two electronic carriages. The set enables kids to build their own Toot-Toot town with interchangeable 24 pieces of track, a conveyor
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belt, bridge, tunnel, ramp, water tower, crossing and station bell.
Also joining the range will be the Toot-Toot Drivers Construction Site, which comes with an electronic dumper truck, a crane that moves from left to right, a slide, shape sorters and ball drop play. The Toot-Toot Drivers Press & Go Launcher and a special Deluxe version will also be launching. New additions will join the
Switch & Go Dinos collection including Abner the Amargasaurus, Sammo the Stygimoloch, Torr the
Therizinosaurus and Akuna the Velociraptor. Further bolstering the line will be Mega T-Rex, which is almost ten times the size of the original Switch & Go Dinos in the range. VTech’s popular
Kidicreative range will be expanded with the new Kidizoom Touch, plus the Kidizoom Twist Plus. And, of course, InnoTab 2 will continue to be a key item for the firm going forward into 2013.