It’s show time...
T
here is only two more weeks to go until Olympia opens its doors and the UK toy trade descends en masse on Kensington. Toy
Fair’s spot on the list of must-attend shows is well justified, and this year welcomes exhibiting companies ranging from the large internationals to new start-up companies. Visitor numbers remain very strong with a notable annual increase in the number of pre-registered visitors since the show’s return to Olympia. Simon Pilling, head of Toy Fair
operations and sales, said: “The show continues to grow and evolve. This year we will cover 22,500 square metres, with more than 270 exhibiting companies, 57 of which are first-time exhibitors, which is testament to the value and importance of the event. We are yet again looking forward to thousands of fantastic new and exciting product launches, and will be broadcasting live from the show through Toy Fair TV over the full three days.”
After a well-received trial run during the first two days of Toy Fair 2013, Toy Fair TV has now been fully commissioned for all three days of 2014’s show. Presented by Anna Williamson and Gavin Inskip, Toy Fair TV is an opportunity for companies to get their stands and products broadcast on 23 screens around Olympia and streamed live through the Toy Fair website. Also making its return this year is the Toy Fair
Demo Zone. After the success of the Zone last year the concept is to be expanded for 2014 and will now too stretch over all three days of Toy Fair as part of the broader Toy Fair TV initiative. The Demo Zone will run on the screens every other hour, and highlights from the show floor will be broadcast live in between. There will be no Toy Fair app available for
download this year due to lack of demand, but this is not to say that it won’t return for future fairs.
2014 is also the 10th year of Toy Fair supporting
Barnardo’s as its official charity. The generosity of exhibitors means that thousands of toys are provided for children and families in need in
ToyFair2014
Simon Pilling, BTHA
Taking place across 21-23 January 2014 at West London’s Olympia, for three days the Toy Fair will be home to over 270 exhibitors, ranging from major toy suppliers to start-up companies. Tom Roberts reports.
London and the South-East. Donations are made through the ‘trolley dash’ which is to be undertaken on the final day of the show by Barnardo’s staff members.
The BTHA itself provided a lot of support to both visitors and exhibitors in the run-up to
Toy Fair, with the organisation actively working to ensure that everyone gets the most out of the show. Simon commented: “Events such as Meet the Media, for example, really help to build new exhibitors’ knowledge, and we had some really good feedback from attendees in anticipation of 2014’s show. Meet the Media has been running for three years now and is especially helpful for some of our smaller and brand new exhibitors keen to gain some insight into getting the most out of the show in terms of PR.”
Events and facilities This year, The BTHA and the Toy Retailers Association have announced that the 2013 Toy Industry Awards will be hosted at the Science
Museum, Kensington. Following the event’s staging at Olympia’s Upper West Hall in January 2013 in celebration of Toy Fair’s 60th anniversary, the BTHA and TRA took on board guest feedback and selected the Science Museum as the new backdrop for the awards evening. Guests will have the option of free (one- way) coach travel from Olympia to the Science Museum. The event will start at 6.45pm in the ‘Making the Modern World’ gallery with a drinks reception and a hot standing buffet where guests can mingle and enjoy the entertainment. The awards ceremony, which will take place in the museum’s Imax theatre, is planned to finish
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