touchingbase
Tactic Games UK Jeremy Pateman
Tactic UK increased turnover by some 30% through increased distribution and the introduction of a wider licensed product offering. The Tactic brand has also grown signifi cantly due to increased product recognition. On the back of this, Tactic will be increasing marketing spend during 2014. We have several important products to mention, though not in any particular order. Our focus will be on Matt Hatter, Skylanders Swap Force, BeyBlade Shogun Steel, Planes and BinWeevils. Each licence has either a blanket appeal or niche attraction. So, these new product launches are important for 2014 and 2015 and will facilitate growth in all channels of distribution. The Matt Hatter range will have Multivision glasses included with the products that will be
unveiled at Toy Fair. For those that have not watched Matt Hatter, the Multivision glasses are integral to the television series. The Skylander Swap Force game will have a unique element that we call power play. Our biggest challenges will be maintaining a low cost base and holding the existing suggested selling prices where possible. Probably the most important element for Tactic is the balance between online sales and bricks and mortar. Like most suppliers our online retail sales have increased dramatically. Whilst we are a subsidiary of a well-established worldwide player in the games industry, the UK is a relatively young market for Tactic. We opened the offi ce doors in late 2006; not really all that long ago. So developing the bricks and mortar business is as important to us as our ever-growing online retail market reach.
Sponsored by
Learning Resources Dennis Blackmore
I would say our most notable success has been winning the Toy Talk Educational Toy of the Year award with our Let’s Learn Phonics Starter Set. I feel like this recognition means that we have fi nally ‘come of age’ in the toy market after many years of trying; especially as, in these awards, we were competing with some of the giants of the industry. This Hot Dots product, in which we partnered with Jolly Phonics, was the result of an initial collaboration with Toys R Us who have been very helpful in showing us a way of replicating the success we enjoy in the Education market.
Of the many new products that we will be
Peterkin Andrew Moulsher
There were many
highlights for Peterkin in 2013, but if I had to single one out, it would be our re-launch of The Amazing Live Sea Monkeys. The fantastic sales we have achieved underline the impressive heritage and brand awareness that this brand enjoys, and 2014 is on track to be even better. One of our most important exhibits will be Lil’ Fishys, the new name in motorised water pets, that will see Peterkin re-enter the world of TV advertising. There will be some pleasant
surprises for our customers on the Peterkin stand.
I think one of the biggest challenges will be the ongoing struggle to ensure that everyone in the supply chain makes enough margin. Raw material suppliers, manufacturers, distributors, retailers…we all need to make sensible margins if our industry is going to fl ourish.
120 Toyworld
Goldfi sh and Bison Lee-Anne Neale
2013 was the year that fi rmly established Goldfi sh and Bison as an up-and-coming player in the UK toy industry. We have experienced great success with the launch, marketing and distribution of new and iconic products and have created a solid base and platform to continue to grow and develop as a company in 2014 and beyond. Goldfi sh and Bison is looking to introduce new
product lines for both the Spirograph and Laser Pegs ranges, featuring new product development and expanding play features. We will also be launching new games from Megableu, as well as a couple of brand new projects, that will be seen for the fi rst time in this country at Toy Fair. As mentioned, we are continuing to develop our
product portfolio with the introduction of new brands, as well as new products. We are hoping to surprise the guests on our booth with the innovation shown in both the new ranges for existing projects and the brand new launches that we are excited to be offering.
I think that the biggest challenges for the toy trade in 2014 are in respect of continuing to be able to offer a combination of exciting and innovative play quality, together with good value to hit key price points. Consumers are still feeling the effects of the recession out there and all new products will need to fall into both these categories to truly be successful moving forward.
showing I would pick out the additions to our newly established New Sprouts range. Shop It! joins our best-selling Ring It Up! Cash Register, and our Healthy Snack, Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner sets complete the play-food sets. This range of pretend play items is suitable for ages two plus. It took a great deal of research and careful product engineering to create products that comply with the very stringent safety compliance issues that apply to this young age group. The New Sprouts range clearly illustrates how we can turn our expertise in manufacturing and knowledge of educational content to a developing area of demand. Actually I think visitors to our stand will be
surprised at how much fun educational toys can be. We will surprise visitors with trucks that look like dinosaurs, microscopes for children as young as three years, squeezy tweezers, balances for bugs, a mouse that helps you read and cookies that help you count. Also surprising will be just how many new items we have on offer; we regularly release over 100 new items every year, and this year more than ever we are concentrating on giving retailers ranges of products that display well and sell well too. In all areas of commerce we have the dubious
privilege of living through a revolution in buying and selling as profound as the Industrial Revolution; and it’s only really just begun. I don’t think the toy trade is so very different from any other, all of whom are experiencing seismic shifts in the way customers buy and interact with the companies they buy from. We all know the ease and convenience in buying online (and many of us benefi t from it) but I also think that humans have basic desire for contact and personal interaction. I read recently that Barnes & Noble in the USA was experiencing an increase in book sales; it seems people still like the experience of going to bookshops. I think toy retailers who make their shops a destination where the retailer can add value at a personal level have the best chance of prospering.
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