Follow us @toynewsonline CONTENTS
Regulars 06 News 08 Campaign of the Month 08 Playtime 11 NPD Analysis 12 Industry Movers 14 Industry Opinion 32 Toy Shop UK 39 Good Toy Guide 70 Jon Salisbury
Issue: 154 September 2014
MEET THE TEAM Samantha Loveday Editor
samantha.loveday@intentmedia.co.uk
Billy Langsworthy Deputy Editor
billy.langsworthy@
intentmedia.co.uk
Robert Hutchins Staff Writer
robert.hutchins@
intentmedia.co.uk
Jodie Holdway Sales Manager
jodie.holdway@intentmedia.co.uk
Elizabeth Parker Production Executive
elizabeth.parker@
intentmedia.co.uk
Tom Carpenter Designer
tom.carpenter@
intentmedia.co.uk
Lisa Carter Publisher
lisa.carter@
intentmedia.co.uk
Editorial: 01992 535646 Advertising: 01992 535647
www.toynews-online.biz
Features 17 ToyNews Women of the Year 2014 Review
20 Stocking Fillers: The trends to watch in Q4
22 Preview: Toy & Game Inventors Workshop
Licensing.biz 25 News
Pre-school (sponsored by VTech Baby) 63 News 64 A Parent Blogger’s View
Retail 29 News 30 Anatomy of a Blockbuster Toy: Mega Bloks First Builders Big Building Bag
34 Indie Profi le: The Big Shop 41 Sector Guide Special: Games & Puzzles
67 Sector Guide: Pocket Money
Board games are no longer something just rolled out at Christmas – they are year- round sellers. Ultimately, board games are cool.
COMMENT Board members
THE TOYNEWS team are huge fans of board games, card games, trivia games, ‘badult’ games ... you name it, we’ve played it. We’ve even converted a number of our sister magazines, too. Over the past couple of months, we’ve stormed our way through both versions of Linkee in record time, discovered we can’t do Eygptian accents thanks to Accentuate, cringed at Cards Against Humanity and puzzled over Shout! We’re currently improving our general knowledge with Trivial Pursuit: Master Edition. We’ve been big supporters of Board Game Club right from the beginning, and it is gratifying to hear that the next event will be the biggest yet. If it seems like we’re slightly obsessed,
we’re not the only ones. According to NPD, the games and puzzles sector is in rude health, worth £194 million in 2013, and is currently tracking ahead of this so far in 2014. Notably, the family games sector is currently up nine per cent on last year. The growth which started back when
the recession hit and families were looking for cheaper activities they could take part in together, is now a full blown love- in. Board games and card games are no longer something which are rolled out just at Christmas either - they are year-round sellers. Ultimately, board games are cool. Find out just some of the reasons why in our 11-page special, kicking off on page 41. Something else which scores pretty high on the cool scale, of course, are dinosaurs – and I’m lucky enough to be one this month, thanks to Spin Master. The fi rm is backing the expansion of its
Zoomer family of interactive pets with a heavyweight marketing campaign (read more on page eight). TVRs alone will total 2,500, with Zoomer,
Intent Media is a member of the Periodical Publishers Associations
AUDITED CIRCULATION: Average Net Circulation: 6,106
July 2012 to June 2013.
ToyNews circulation is 17.5% higher than its closest competitor
ToyNews has 100% named circulation and 0% duplication.
Zoomer Zuppies and Zoomer Dino all getting their own ad slots. You can see all the characters on the left hand side of this page, as all the team have been given the makeover treatment. I hope you enjoy the issue ... we think that
it’s ‘roarsome’ (sorry).
Samantha.Loveday@intentmedia.co.uk
WELCOME
www.toynews-online.biz
September 05
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72