Fairreviews
Asian Adventure T
he Hong Kong Toys and Games Fair, the largest of its kind in Asia and second-largest in the world, turned 40 this year. Nearly 2,900 exhibitors took part in the four Fairs which now take place concurrently: The
Toys and Games Fair, the Baby Products Fair, the International Stationery Fair and the International Licensing Show. Benjamin Chau, Hong Kong Trade Development
Council (HKTDC) deputy executive director, told Toy World: “Most Toy Fair buyers came from the Chinese mainland, Korea, Taiwan, Japan and the United States. Participation from emerging markets such as Malaysia, Indonesia and the Middle East grew significantly; mature markets like the United Kingdom, Canada and Korea also recorded good increases.” The Small-Order Zone was once again set up
at the Toy Fair, as well as the Baby Products and Stationery fairs. Some 110 showcases displayed products, which were available in quantities from 20 to 1,000 pieces. Nearly 7,000 buyers visited the zone during the four-day-fair period, generating over 16,000 business connections. Overall, it’s a markedly different event to the one I first visited a decade ago. The combination of four different – but largely complementary – shows means there is a distinct cross-category air to proceedings. The Brand Gallery continues to grow, giving brand-owning toy companies a viable reason to attend the show rather than just relying on their Kowloon Showroom. That said, a number of the companies I saw during my trip admitted that their most interesting new developments were either being kept under ‘lock and key’ in secret rooms, or in most cases confined to the TST showrooms. Some habits take longer to change than others. It’s also became something of a multi-faceted
event: one American exhibitor told me that he had four separate aims while in Hong Kong: selling to FOB customers; finding distributors in territories in which he currently isn’t represented; sourcing potential new lines to add to his range and also discussing terms with his local factories.
82 Toyworld The mood at this year’s Fair was
positive and the show was well- received by visitors and exhibitors alike. Speaking to an ex-pat who has been coming to the show far longer than I, he agreed that it has a very different look and feel to the fair he first visited back in the eighties and nineties. Admittedly, there are still large sections of the Fair populated by open-market Chinese factories and vendors, but according to the aforementioned ex-pat, innovation can be found even there if you look hard enough. In fact, he confessed to trawling the vendor aisles in search of ‘inspiration’. When I suggested that could be construed as rather ironic, and arguably a case of him turning the tables and ‘copying the copiers’, he just smiled. Having sat in on a couple of
presentations with buyers present, it seems that pricing remains of paramount importance in the selection process. Of course they all want exciting and innovative new product, but they want it at the absolute best possible price, and then a bit cheaper still. That’s certainly a massively challenging balancing act for suppliers. On the positive side, it appears that Chinese factories are acutely aware of the importance of exceptionally keen pricing, and I didn’t hear too many people grumbling about manufacturing price hikes this year. The winners of the Hong Kong Toys and Baby
Products Award were announced on the first day of the show. The awards received nearly 130 entries. This year’s winners were as follows: • Best of show: HSG Product Vision’s Baby Magician
• Eco Award: Guantai Rubber Products Co’s The Original Baby
• Best of the Fair for educational toys and games: 4M Industrial Development’s Green
John Baulch reports on the 40th Hong Kong Toys and Games Fair.
Science/Grow-A-Maze
• Best of the Fair for electronic and remote control toys: Roam & Wander’s TuTu iPhone Powered Stuffed Animal
• Best of the Fair for kidult toys: E-Supply International’s 2.4Ghz 6-Axis Sky-Walker Quad-copter Aerocraft
• Best of the Fair for outdoor and sporting items: Aria Child’s Audi Ride On
• Best of the Fair for baby toys and activity: Scientific PU Foam’s Upsize 3D Puzzle
Next year’s Hong Kong Toys and Games Fair will take place a week later than recent years: the 2015 dates are 12th – 15th January.
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