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The August Issue of the Toy Book Is Here!
The Toy Book team was on the ground at ASTRA’s Marketplace & Academy in Minneapolis last week to debut our annual specialty toy issue. The new issue is packed with hundreds of new toys and games debuting in the back half of 2021. Our August issue also includes a roundtable discussion on the state of the specialty toy industry; a look at the global supply chain issues; a deep dive into the popularity of Squishmallows; the ABCs of NFTs; and more! Read it here…
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Toy Boom: First Half 2021 Global Toy Industry Sales Spike 15% in Two-year High, NPD Says
Despite shipping concerns and empty shelves in some locations, the global toy industry is still on a roll with famous brands, including Pokémon, Barbie, Star Wars, L.O.L. Surprise!, and Marvel Universe topping the charts. Global toy sales increased 15% over 2020 in the first half of this year while U.S. sales spiked 40% vs. 2019 and 19% vs. 2020. Read more…
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Jazwares’ Squishmallows Brand Signs with CAA to Expand Entertainment Offerings
By representing Squishmallows, CAA will identify and create opportunities for the brand across a variety of categories, including — but not limited to — film, television, video games, publishing, and live touring. Read more…
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Lalaloopsy 10th Anniversary Relaunch Delivers New Dolls and Content
Last month, MGA Entertainment Inc. pulled back the curtain on its long-awaited relaunch of the Lalaloopsy brand at the Toy Insider‘s Sweet Suite @ Home Event. Now, the brand is officially back on store shelves with a 10th anniversary collection of 25 Lalaloopsy dolls. Read more…
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Full Episode of Spin Master’s Bakugan: Geogan Rising Set to Premiere on Roblox
Following live peformances by Lil Nas X and KSI, Roblox continues its transformation into a digital event space by premiering an episode of Spin Master's Bakugan: Geogan Rising inside the digital gaming platform. Read more...
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Mattel Reveals Updated Environmental Goals in New Citizenship Report
Following new strides taken in the past year, Mattel says it plans to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 50% and achieve zero manufacturing waste by 2030. These goals complement the company’s previously outlined plans to use 100% recycled, recyclable, or bio-based plastic materials in all of its products and packaging by 2030. Read more…
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Melissa & Doug Launches Project Restore Sustainability Initiative
The three-pillar effort is designed to “guide the company in its existing work on environmental responsibility, social equity, and inclusion, as well as its ambitious new plan to make the world a better place.” At the center of this initiative is a focus on supporting thriving forests that are renewed to support the cyclical development and production of the company’s products. Read more…
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Voting Opens for 2022 Toy Industry Hall of Fame Inductees
The Toy Association is gearing up to welcome a new class of inductees into the Toy Industry Hall of Fame. Since 1984, the Toy Industry Hall of Fame has honored outstanding individuals who have made impactful contributions to the toy industry and The Toy Association. Read more..
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Go Retro with Hasbro’s New Fantastic 4 Marvel Legends Figures
As revealed in a Fan First Monday livestream, Hasbro is introducing a new wave of six 6-inch-scale Fantastic Four characters, all in retro packaging and featuring classic comics-inspired designs. The lineup includes Mr. Fantastic, Marvel’s Invisible Woman, Human Torch, Marvel’s Thing, Psycho Man, and High Evolutionary. Read more…
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ZURU Encourages Individuality and Collectibility with Trendy Angel High Dolls
Angel High is officially in session as ZURU releases six trendy Angel High dolls with collectible fashion accessories and wings. Each doll comes packaged in a clear capsule with a peek-a-boo window that transforms into a display and includes 10 surprises for kids to discover. Read more…
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Wilder Toys, WowWee Debut MasterChef Family Cooking Game
In the game, players cook their way through a series of different challenges, with categories including Mystery Ingredients, Game Changers, and Mad Skills. The game includes 22 family-tested recipes that cater to a variety of eaters, with options for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks. Read more…
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Jakks Pacific’s Perfectly Cute Dolls Are Becoming Even More Diverse
Jakks Pacific is updating its baby doll line with a variety of new outfits and revised sculpts reflecting the character traits of each ethnicity. The dolls, which are available in 8- and 14-inch scales, are offered in various ethnicities and skin tones including African-American, Asian, Latinx, and Caucasian. Each baby doll also has a specific hair texture, so kids can embrace their style! Read more…
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Massimoto Media’s John Papa Guests on the Power Kid Podcast
In this week’s episode of the “Power Kid Podcast,” host Phil Albritton of Power Kid Design welcomes award-winning producer, director, and composer, John Papa to the show. Papa has created commercials for Hasbro, TOMY, Rollplay, and more. Listen here...
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Big G Creative Revitalizes Classic Gameplay with Corner Crush and Cluckle Debuts
Corner Crush and Cluckle are two new games that take inspiration from the classics, introducing new strategies, competitive edges, and interactive elements for kids ages 7 and up to get the most out of their gameplay experience. Read more…
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Osmo Launches 8 Starter Kits for Back to School Season
These eight new kits for iPad include the Detective Agency Kit, the Super Studio Disney Mickey Mouse & Friends Starter Kit, the Super Studio Disney Princess Starter Kit, the Numbers Starter Kit, the Monster Starter Kit, the Words Starter Kit, the Sticks & Rings Starter Kit, and the Pizza Company Starter Kit. Read more…
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BBC Studios Signs 8 New Licensing Partners for Bluey
The new partners offer merchandise in a variety of categories that will arrive in stores over the next two years. These licensing partners join an existing lineup that includes Moose Toys as the show’s global master toy partner and VTech for electronic role-play toys. Read more…
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Playmobil Beams up Star Trek License for Massive Starship Enterprise
Thanks to a flurry of leaks earlier this summer, the fact that Playmobil has been inking new licensing deals could be considered one of the worst-kept secrets in recent months. Now, the company is beginning to roll out its formal announcements for a variety of upcoming products that have cross-generational appeal for kids and collectors alike, and they’re starting with an iconic vessel once helmed by Captain James Tiberius Kirk. Read more…
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Disguise Renews Pokémon Costume Rights in Multi-year Deal
Under the extended deal, Disguise will continue to design, market, manufacture, and distribute costumes, costume accessories, and trunk-or-treat kits featuring popular Pokémon characters. This includes (but is not limited to) Pikachu, Bulbasaur, Charmander, Squirtle, and Jigglypuff. Read more…
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HABA FamilyGroup Acquires Online Retailer Bella Luna Toys and Oompa
Bella Luna and its employees will report to the HABA USA subsidiary, and Bella Luna will continue to operate as a separate company. Sarah Balwin and Chris Percival will continue to lead the merchandising process, choosing new products that fit the Bella Luna and Oompa brands. Read more…
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The Cost of Shipping Fun: Toymakers React to the Global Shipping Crisis
In what feels like a Groundhog Day scenario that repeats year after year, the U.S. toy industry is facing unique business challenges for the fourth year in a row. Following the closure of Toys “R” Us (2018), the on-again/off-again threat of tariffs amid the U.S.-China trade war (2019), and a global pandemic (2020) — this year’s chapter of the saga includes inflation and ripples throughout the global manufacturing and supply chain. Read more…
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Packaging Our Fascination with Space Exploration
Outer space-themed toys are shining bright this year and Design Force President and Creative Director Ted Mininn takes a look at how toymakers are creatively packaging their new products for a new generation of kids interested in space exploration. Read more…
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Funko Crushes Earnings Estimates, Reveals Leadership Transition Plan
Funko net sales for the second quarter of 2021 spiked a whopping 141% versus the same period last year. The results reflect a mix of strong consumer demand paired with the first full quarter of running up against the skewed numbers of 2020, during which Funko’s business was particularly upended due to its licensed goods and an immediate stop to live events due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Read more…
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Spin Master Revenue Spikes 39% in Q2 with Strong Consumer Products Growth
Spin Master’s total Q2 revenue spiked 39% to $390.8 million while gross products sales jumped 27.2% to $359 million versus $282.2 million during the same period last year. The company says that a 126% spike in other revenue was driven by strong licensing and entertainment efforts. Like Hasbro, Spin Master now reports under three distinct “creative centers”: Toys, Entertainment, and Digital Games. Read more…
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Licensing Community Mourns the Loss of Bill Burke
Burke, 55, was a global licensing veteran that joined Licensing International as senior vice president of marketing and communications this past February after spending more than 13 years leading global marketing, retail, international licensing, and licensing operations for brands including Star Trek at ViacomCBS Consumer Products. Read more…
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Hasbro’s Jess Richardson Promoted on Global Consumer Products Leadership Team
Hasbro upped Jess Richardson to vice president of global licensed consumer products — toys & games. In this new position, Richardson will lead a newly created global team designed to mine Hasbro’s full IP portfolio and accelerate the company’s brand portfolio on a global scale in the toy, sporting goods, and games categories. Read more…
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Crazy Aaron’s Taps Ahren Hoffman to Lead Marketing Team
When Crazy Aaron’s hit Minneapolis for the American Specialty Toy Retailing Association (ASTRA)’s Marketplace & Academy last weekend, the company behind Thinking Putty did so accompanied by a new marketing team lead: Ahren Hoffman, formerly of ASTRA and the Chicago Toy & Game Group. Read more…
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