TECH VS TRADITIONAL SPECIAL Clash of the titans ASOBI
Thierry Bourret, founder and managing director
“The Asobi mission is to provide ‘inspired toys for today’. What parents fi nd frustrating with many tech toys, is that they give children premade ideas and there is little left for the imagination. The reason I started Asobi is because as a father, I was really discouraged by the lack of high quality toys available that would allow my child to use his imagination. We have a great diversity in the Asobi collection, which includes beautifully packaged crafts from Seedling, iconic ride-ons from Radio Flyer, den
“We are continuing to introduce new and innovative technology to traditional products and play patterns. Across our ranges,
our products have been designed to bring out the best in children by encouraging them to play, learn and discover. At VTech, we take the latest technology and make this accessible to children in an educational, fun way for them to enjoy. New for this summer, we are launching our
“GP Flair develops and distributes toys across many sectors, including traditional toys and modern technology. Last year the company launched its GP Tech division and successfully introduced APPen and Cupets. We also have an amazing new interactive hi-tech pet to launch in July called Xeno which we are really excited about. Stocking tech toys
FLAIR Verity Groom, product manager, GP Tech
can create a reason for customers to come to the store in the fi rst place, especially as they are often TV advertised and
18 July
building kits from PL-UG, the largest fi gurine collection in the world from Safari ltd, the infamous Sticky Mosaics line from The Orb Factory, Vilac - the brand that has been manufacturing wooden lacquered toys for over 100 years and many more. Tech toys such as tablets can be fantastic learning devices. There are thousands of educational apps and games that teach children to read, write and learn math, and as long as they are not used in excess I think these type of tech toys provide a great dimension on play. However, when children are spending hours on
Little Love Baby Talk doll. With our new doll, we are enriching this nurturing role-play as children can engage with Little Love Baby Talk as well as learn from her too. In an ever-increasing
fast-paced technological society, children need to be familiar with technology to help in their learning, further education and career. Schools as well as households are using technology more and more. With our pre-school range, our toys are specifi cally
will be sought after by the consumer. Including these type of toys can therefore open up the store to a wider audience and, if chosen wisely, does not have to aff ect the nature or ethos of the establishment On the traditional end of
the scale we have some of the most well-known brands of the last century in the portfolio including Plasticine, Etch a Sketch and The Original Slinky. Most toy
shops do embrace all elements of the toy sector, both tech and traditional,
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these devices, I believe it can become incredibly detrimental. Playtime needs to have
variety and to be balanced. What traditional toys off er is a chance for children to discover and learn for themselves. Dressing up and role play is great
developed to teach basic curriculum skills in the same way children are taught in early school years. We off er a balance of
traditional based toys with technology to enrich a child’s learning and imagination. Our First Steps Baby
Walker is a traditional toy enhanced with technology to not only help with a baby’s fi rst steps but also introduce words, numbers, colours and more. This is the number one infant toy by value (April 2014 NPD) and is now in its 20th year.” 01235 555545
but we respect the fact that some owners may have particular thoughts on what they should stock. It’s always good to
have an open mind though and make consideration of all that is available when choosing ranges.” 020 8643 0320
Are traditional toys under threat from tech? Should retailers be open to both? Is one taking market share off the other? Can’t we all just get along? Toy fi rms give us their view on the tech versus traditional debate
for the imagination and crafting leaves a child with a wonderful sense of achievement. All in all, I would say that
traditional toys off er more wholesome fun, however in moderation, tech toys can also be great learning tools.” 01628 200077
VTECH Andrew Welch, senior brand manager
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