CHILDREN’S MARKET


especially through social media, was also a key element to boost sales activity. “At DFD, we focus on omni-


channel and digitalisation and this is exactly what the category started to aim at but there’s still room for improvement. Toys and kids products are the


perfect categories for a positive complementarity for physical exhibition at POS locations, as well as boosted presence online.”


Above: C’aran d’Ache says it perpetuates the art of writing, drawing and colouring by creating experiences and emotion – perfect troupes to occupy and entertain children during travelling.


Right: Lego Duplo Playroom was the proud winner of ‘Best Children’s Product’ in the consumer-voted 2020 Travel Retail Awards.


market response to the crisis as ‘impressive’, with the category demonstrating ‘great results’ given the circumstances. “And now, while gradually


recovering, it’s also one of the top categories in terms of activity, returning to pre-covid numbers. The consumers never really stopped buying toys and kids products, although maybe from different sources.” A Lego Group Travel Retail


spokesperson encapsulates that phenomenon nicely: “One of the trends that we have identified during these last months is that people have been turning to play to get them through lockdown. “We have seen a rise in


togetherness among families... immersive play experiences allows parents to relax and engage with their children.” The toy giant says it witnessed


the fruition of investments in long- term growth initiatives such as e-commerce and product innovation in the first half of 2020. “Our strong portfolio appeals to builders of all ages and we attracted


“Having your kids happy while travelling is a key element to having a good trip, it is also very convenient for a business man/woman to bring a gift back home for their beloved kids.”


Valentine Vernaz, International Sales Manager – Global Travel Retail + Domestic LATAM/South Europe/MEA, Caran d’Ache


42 TRBUSINESS


new builders who turned to Lego play to help them through difficult times,” says the spokesperson. “More families are playing and


learning together with Lego bricks and we are seeing more adults than ever before enjoying building our more challenging sets.” That aside, it has supported those


hardest hit by the pandemic by partnering with the Lego Foundation to donate $50 million to a range of organisations that provide emergency relief to families and support for children in


learning


through play. “We also


donated more than 250,000 Lego sets to children in need of play,” adds the spokesperson. “Some of the areas we are


increasing our focus on include in store digital engagement in order to facilitate the Lego brand experience in a more Covid-19 adaptable way.” Adaptability has certainly been


the byword for survival at a time of severely depressed earnings, non- existent margins and the fallout of international traffic. “Our focus has been on working


very hard with our partners in the area of trade marketing, to support and sustain their activities at the points of sale that remain open,” explains DFD’s Ryser. “Of course, communication,


Learning to pivot Clearly, the strength of children’s products remain a complement to numerous assortments and different customers in travel retail. “Having your kids happy while


travelling is a key element to having a good trip, it is also very convenient for a business man/woman to bring a gift back home for their beloved kids,” observes Vernaz. “They will look for a gift which has real value and will make their kids happy and in the case of our products, will allow them to be more creative, more focused and express their personality.” If


this


pandemic has taught


the


industry one lesson, it’s the critical need to pivot and


diversify business models to


ensure survival, led by changing consumer habits. “We do expect the children’s


market shopper profile to change in the future,” observes the Lego Travel Retail spokesperson. “We see a huge relevance for the


children’s toy category in travel retail, however we need to reconsider how we engage our shoppers in our stores in order to make sure they feel safe in store.” DFD concludes that the children’s


market shopper has become more ‘digitised’ than ever, which demands a balanced digital and physical point of sale approach to boost sales moving forward. «


NOVEMBER 2020


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