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CONTENTS Regulars
Issue: 148 March 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
Abigail Fanger Senior Production Manager
Abigail.Fanger@intentmedia.co.uk
Lisa Carter Publisher
Lisa.Carter@
intentmedia.co.uk
Editorial: 01992 535646 Advertising: 01992 535647
www.toynews-online.biz
06 News 14 NPD Analysis 15 Campaign of the Month 15 Playtime 16 Industry Movers 18 Industry Opinion 20 Toy Shop UK 22 Good Toy Guide 72 Toy Talk 74 Jon Salisbury
Features 12 News Analysis: US Toy Fair 24 Top 100 Women in Toys 32 Big Interview: WIT 34 Anatomy of a Blockbuster Toy: Tamagotchi
Licensing.biz 37 News 41 Supplier Profile: Underground Toys
Pre-school
(sponsored by VTech Baby) 43 News 44 A Parent Blogger’s View
Retail 47 News 49 Retail Advisory Board 50 Recommended 52 Mystery Shopper: London 55 Sector Guide: Outdoor Toys 64 Sector Guide: App Toys 67 Sector Guide: Stickers, Trading & Playing Cards
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The UK toy business is full of influential leaders, creative inspirations and unsung heroes – who also happen to be women.
WELCOME
The top women in toys COMMENT
WE’RE DELIGHTED to unveil our first Top Women in Toys listing this month, recognising women from all areas of the UK toy business. Up until fairly recently, the toy industry
was very much a male-dominated market, with women mostly claiming the ‘traditionally female’ roles in PR, marketing etc. But as our special feature proves, the UK toy business is full of influential leaders, creative inspirations and unsung heroes – who also happen to be women. And we’ve been overwhelmed by the
reaction to the piece from across the industry. We set out to find 50 of the top women in toys; the response we received spurred us on to increase the page-count of the feature and to instead highlight 100 of the market’s female professionals. They represent all parts of the business
– marketing and PR, yes, but also managing directors and general managers, sales, licensing, commercial, retail, analysts, toy safety and more. What was particularly pleasing was the
camaraderie; the majority of nominations we received were from women suggesting other women to be recognised for their achievements. At the risk of sounding like Germaine Greer, there is clearly something of a sisterhood in the market. And that’s where the Women In Toys association comes in. Established in the US, WIT aims to provide a professional networking base for women and to promote their achievements. Frances Cain, founder of A Girl For All Time, is heading up the UK chapter and epitomises what the organisation – and our feature this month – is all about. She founded her business five years ago, is raising a family and has had some personal battles over the past year. Yet she is passionate about helping other women in the business – voluntarily, and in her ‘spare time’. Cain plans to roll out a series of networking events and workshops over the coming year and, if this Top 100 Women feature – which is in association with the WIT – is anything to go by, she’ll surely have a captive audience. Meanwhile, congratulations to all the
women in our first ever Top 100. These are the ambassadors and role-models for the future female leaders of our industry. We salute you.
Lisa.Carter@
intentmedia.co.uk
ToyNews takes soundings from its Retail Advisory Board on toy industry issues. The current members are: RETAIL ADVISORY BOARD
Stuart Grant, The Entertainer
Fiona Murray-Young, Toys R Us
www.toynews-online.biz
Andrea Abbis, Argos
Brian Simpson, Toytown
Tom Folliot, Sainsbury’s
Marc Dean, Morrisons
Annalise Quest, Harrods
Steph Strike, Asda
Ian Edmunds, Toymaster
Ben Redhead, Firebox
Steven Bradley, Boots
Helen Gourley, Toy Hub
Miles Penhallow, Play-Room
March 05
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