with Mattel as he is for his products, Isaac seems to be a man who simply won’t accept failure. Some see him as a champion of the little guy and others as just plain stubborn. However you perceive him, you can’t say that he lies down for anyone. I asked Isaac where his ‘stubbornness’ comes from. As he told me, he is not motivated by money. He simply wants to win. He sounds like the toy industry’s answer to Vince Lombardi, the fabled coach of the Green Bay Packers who said: “Winning isn’t everything; it’s the only thing.” But why the need to win? He responded to my question by describing how he left


Iran at the age of 17 with no intention of returning. In fact, it was a one way ticket and he had $750 to his name so there was no way he was going back. But why did he leave his home? Isaac noted that Iran’s government was an autocratic one and that he simply did not want anyone telling him what to do. He determined that the place for him was the United States with its democratic system and free market economy. Things were a struggle for Isaac as he burned through his $750 pretty quickly and ended up working as a dishwasher in a restaurant. Refusing to fail, Isaac eventually went into business as a distributor for Nintendo. He never looked back and today runs one of the largest independently held toy companies. Isaac says it was his experience in Iran that causes him to fi ght power, whether it is the industry’s institutions or his big competitors. As much as Isaac sometimes confl icts with his competition, it seems that the


retail community loves his products. Isaac believes that their support for his products and company derives at least in part from his self-described bluntness, passion and creativity. I think there is truth to that, but one cannot ignore the fact that his products sell, and sell well. When you talk at length with Isaac, you fi nd that though winning is a core


principal, he is far more than that. He describes his love of the toy industry and the responsibility we all have in shaping the future through today’s children. Bottom line, Isaac Larian is a warm, sometimes ferocious, and always unique individual in a world that too often prizes conformity. Get to know him; I did.


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John Baulch Toy World


Boys Toys and Girls Toys


Should toys be categorised in this way? It’s an argument that rears its head every few years and the latest parent-led campaigns (such as Let Toys be Toys and Think Pink) are currently pressurising toy retailers to abandon gender- specific signage and departments within their stores, with some success it has to be said.


The influences of play patterns and gender-specific playthings have long been the subject of discussion, albeit one that is perhaps not as black and white as some campaigners make out. Any worries about enforced gender role conformity should be considered in a much wider sphere, including education, society, role models, media influences, etc. Play is only one aspect of their lives, and children frequently make their own decisions about how they play. The point is that it is not necessarily the toys which dictate this. Experts agree that children should be exposed to a wide range of play


sales@arkdiyproducts.com t 353 91 521857


www. arkdiyproducts.com/triqo


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