news Mattel unveils Apptivity
Mattel has launched its new Apptivity range with a high-profile experiential event at the UK’s largest shopping centre Westfield London. Using the
very latest augmented reality technology, the launch event allowed boys to actually become the new Hot Wheels Apptivity car. By stepping onto a giant iPad in the main atrium of the high-traffic retail outlet, kids saw themselves transform from boy to toy on the large screen in front of them. Boys moved around the iPad surface to control the action on the screen as the Hot Wheels Apptivity car completed a series of challenges from the free Team Hot Wheels Test Facility app. Boys Marketing Manager Jonathan Kirkley said: “Apptivity is all about cutting-edge technology in an immersive play experience, so it was important that our launch event tapped into the brand characteristics. This is just the first element of a highly strategic marketing programme that will bring the Apptivity collection to life across a number of communication channels including TV, digital, social media and viral video.” Featuring patented conductive technology, Apptivity toys interact with
a free downloadable app when placed on the surface of an iPad. The range features some of the most recognisable of the UK’s brands including Hot Wheels, Batman, WWE, Angry Birds, Cut The Rope and Fruit Ninja.
Kurio sales exceed expectation and earn it its first award
from the editor T @TomToyWorld
om Roberts
Hello, and welcome to the September issue of Toy World. As I sit here typing my column, I can’t help but notice that
grey clouds are looming outside. In any other August I would be surprised, but certainly not this year. But at least it wasn’t all bad... didn’t we see a little bit of sun? It’s as if the Olympics had some sort of anti-rain properties. At Toy World Towers we eagerly followed the games, as I’m sure many of you did, too. My personal highlights were Andy Murray beating Roger Federer one month to the day since losing the Wimbledon final, Jessica Ennis’s dominating performance in the Women’s Heptathlon, and, of course, Usain Bolt’s three gold medals. I am extremely proud of my country right
now...not so much for the return to miserable weather, though. Early in August, Toy World spent a lovely couple of days in
Oldham with Character Options. We got to browse the Spring/ Summer lines, and spend time talking to the team. It’s great to see products up close instead of just choosing which image to feature on a page in the magazine. Thanks to everyone who took the time to show us around. As my first preview, it was a great experience, and I am beginning to learn more and more about how this industry works. It’s proving to be more intricate than I first thought. One of our main features this month focuses on pre-Christmas
A heavyweight marketing campaign has created huge demand for InspirationWorks’ new family android tablet. According to InspirationWorks, Google Organic searches showed a spike in internet searches for Kurio throughout July and August, while large numbers of consumers pre-orderered the £150 units before its release. With stock now available in John Lewis, Argos, Conways Toymaster and Toys R Us, and many more retailers about to receive stock, demand to date has outstripped expectation, with further retail orders being placed. The tablet also recently won its inaugural award; Kurio 7 is a winning
product in the Right Start Best Toy/Best Baby Essentials Awards 2012, and is now in line for a highly prestigious Special Award to be announced by Right Start Magazine later in the year. David Martin, UK director and general manager, said: “InspirationWorks
is obviously delighted to receive the Right Start award. The journey to bring Kurio to market has been a truly incredible one so this is true reward to the people within the organisation who made it happen, and I’d like to thank all our toy retail partners who have backed us every step of the way to make Kurio the big success that it is clearly going to be through 2012.” Kurio is the first quality
android tablet designed specifically for children. With its own specific Kurio Genius Parental Controls it is loved by kids, and trusted by parents.
08 Toyworld
advertising. To tie in with that, the Toy Shop UK survey asked: “By how much are your buying decisions influenced by the promise of TV-advertising?” We got some cracking comments, and a very good split of answers. A recurring theme in the comments expressed was disappointment that suppliers didn’t inform retailers of which lines would receive advertising support. A few of Toy Shop UK’s listers mentioned how big a difference it would make to their buying if they actually knew what was going to be advertised. One lister summed up the need for pre-Christmas advertising very succinctly: “More often than not we have no forward notice of the start of a campaign and its impact is lost.” One of the last bits of news this month is a bit of Toy World news.
We have a new editorial assistant, Kayleigh Conway. Kayleigh joins us fresh from Harlow Journalism College where she studied a post- graduate course in magazine journalism. I’m delighted to have Kayleigh on the team, and I am looking forward to introducing her to the toy industry when we’re out and about. She’s already proving herself a valuable member of the team. I hope you enjoy the September issue. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch with me if you would like to share any news, views or opinions. You can email me at
tom@toyworldmag.co.uk, or you can call me on 01442 840305. I have to squeeze this in somewhere: I’m getting married on the
8th September, so I’ll be on my honeymoon while the October issue is being put together. However, Kayleigh will be in the office so I know the issue is in good hands. I will of course be checking emails and...oh wait, the future Mrs Roberts says I will not be doing that...I’d best be off... See you next issue.
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