Q4 TRENDS
The Entertainer has over 50 loom band skus currently in stock and has been working on innovating in the market to stay ahead of demand
CONSTRUCTION & TECH VS TRADITIONAL Perhaps unsurprisingly, Grant says that LEGO has been one of the shining stars for The Entertainer, with The LE
GO Mo
vie helping
to get 2014 off to a flying start and the launch of Disney Princess sets growing the category even further. “We expect to have a phenomenal 12 months with LEGO; they are absolutely owning their space and are positioned to appeal to both children and adults.”
The technology category, too, has been enjoying a robust period.
“The launch of all the
new products this year stems from the success others have already seen – with Furby, for example,” says Grant. “Kids love tech, and there is a good split across the price ranges. There are cats, dogs, dinosaurs, wearable tech and items which appeal to the older age groups, such as MiP; the tech list has really good appeal.”
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Tech innovation has also been infiltrating the blaster category. Nerf fans are now able to mount their mobile device onto their blaster to turn it into a battle camera, bringing further innovation into the sector. Staying with Hasbro, and
the Transformers brand has been re-energised with the introduction of dinosaurs for the latest incarnation, in particular Grimlock. “The toys are really
innovative; Hasbro has ripped up the rulebook with traditional Transformers.” However, it’s not just those products with tech elements getting all of the shelf space in-store. The games sector was really strong last year, with Monopoly Empire standing out in particular. “My Monopoly, which
allows users to customise the game, is really fantastic and will be a number one game for us,” Grant states. “Bop It Beats is also one to watch, while Simon Swipe has that heritage that will appeal to parents and kids.”
LICENCES F
rozen, of course, is “obscenely” big and will definitely have a place on four to seven year olds Christmas lists due to the wide range of product categories covered, says Grant. “Will I have enough? Probably not. Will it be big? Yes. Stock dependent, it will probably be our number one brand this year.” Another highlight is
Minecraft, which Grant says has been one of the biggest boys brands this year: “It has wide appeal with kids and adults, which is why we’ve seen such success from launch.” He is also keeping a close eye on T T
eenage Mutant Ninja urtles – currently driven
by the action figures, if the upcoming movie performs well on launch in October this will be perfect timing for a sales spike after Bonfire Night. And in pre-school, Doc McStuffins is “on fire” and the Doctor Bag Set will definitely be in the top sellers of the year.
Xeno, Stomp and Chomp Grimlock, Zoomer Dino, My Friend Cayla, Robo Mermaid and LEGO Arctic Base Camp are all ones to watch says Grant
September 21
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