More Toymakers Join The Toy Insider's Legendary Sweet Suite Event!



The Toy Insider’s 14th annual Sweet Suite event is set to take place Wednesday, July 12, 2023, at Pier Sixty in New York City. Only a few spaces remain as top companies and rising stars have secured their spots for the toy industry’s ultimate media and influencer event. See who's coming to the party...

From the Editor: The Great Retail Reset



The first half of the year has been relatively quiet, but perhaps too quiet on the retail front. With seasonal resets in progress, new store openings, and new products on the horizon, things are turning around but there is still a big elephant in the room: lack of fairness in pricing and availability. Read this week’s commentary…

Exclusive: Play Visions Named OgoSport Active's Exclusive U.S. Distributor



OgoSport, known for its innovative outdoor play products including the OgoDisk, has named Play Visions as its exclusive distributor in the U.S. for the company’s Active product line. Read more…

Barbie’s Iconic Dreamhouse Gets a Home Makeover



Mattel released a new Barbie Dreamhouse complete with home renovations to reflect the latest trends in interior design and architecture. It comes with more than 75 accessories and features the tallest slide in the series, with a three-story spiral design. Read more…

Disguise, Universal Extend Licensing Pact for Costumes in the U.S., Latin America



The costumes and seasonal division of JAKKS Pacific inked a partnership extension with Universal Products & Experiences to create an expanded range of costumes, accessories, inflatables, adaptive costumes, and trunk-or-treat kits for Universal franchises beginning this year. Read more…

‘L.O.L Surprise! O.M.G Fashion Club’ Is a New Mobile Game for Fashionistas 



Created by MGA Entertainment and TutoTOONS, this new multiplayer app takes players on a digital journey into the chic universe of L.O.L. Surprise! O.M.G. as they dress dolls from the franchise to the nines in entertaining activities and competitions. Read more at The Toy Insider…

LEGO Mars Rover Set Gives Builders an Out of This World Experience



The LEGO Group has unveiled the new LEGO Technic NASA Mars Rover Perseverance model, a STEM and space-themed product based on the actual Perseverance rover that landed on Mars two years ago. Read more…

PMI Kids' World Unleashes Pudgy Penguins Collection



Following a soft launch last month, PMI Kids’ World formally unleashed its new range of collectible characters inspired by the digital non-fungible tokens (NFTs) that live on the Ethereum blockchain and sold out upon their initial release two years ago. Read more…

Monster Jam Introduces Marvel Superhero Monster Trucks



A quartet of Avengers is getting a high-octane upgrade as it rolls into the arena for “The Greatest Show on Dirt.” Feld Motor Sports and Marvel have teamed up to bring fans four new Marvel Monster Jam trucks including Thor, Spider-Man, Black Panther, and Iron Man. Read more…

BB-8 Funko Bundle Is Bringing LGBTQ+ Pride to Star Wars



Pride month is fast approaching and merch-makers are making sure there are plenty of goodies for those that want to show their LGBTQ+ pride in June while they flaunt their fandom. Funko is — of course — getting in on the celebration. Read more at The Pop Insider…

The Nacelle Co. Names Cartoon Conrad Lead Studio on 'Robo Force'

Canadian animation company Cartoon Conrad will serve as the lead studio for the upcoming animated series Robo Force. The series is part of a multiplatform reimagining of the Ideal Toys brand that was released in the ‘80s. Read more…

Genius Brands Inks Licensing Deals for 'Bee and PuppyCat'



Genius Brands International is building a global consumer products program for Bee and PuppyCat, the Netflix animated series produced by its Frederator Networks. Read more…

Miniland’s Third 'You Belong' Campaign Aims to Encourage Inclusion



The company is launching its third iteration of a campaign aimed at helping youth find acceptance and inclusion during stressful times. The “You Belong with Miniland” campaign will be in full swing from August to September. Read more…

WildBrain Brings Strawberry Shortcake To Licensing Expo



The time-tested Strawberry Shortcake brand will be getting its moment in the spotlight at Licensing Expo next month. WildBrain has inked a new raft of licensing partners and looks to meet with more potential collaborators in Las Vegas. Read more…

Breyer Launches the Adventures of Paddock Pals Online Experience for Kids



Breyer is a company well-known for its detailed horse models. Now, the company has released a new site, the Adventures of Paddock Pals, centered around its affordable Paddock Pals horse and unicorn figures. Read more…

Raising the Bar: Is Your Brand Ready for the Pitch?



When you’re getting ready to pitch your idea, whether it’s a product or a property, you’re secretly thinking, “Show me the money!” You want to make a deal. So, what do you need to do to make that happen? Sometimes, the legal stuff can make or break your chances for success. Read more…

The Toy Association's ‘Be Authentic’ Trend Delivers on Key Values



One of The Toy Association’s top trends of 2023 is “Be Authentic.” This trend speaks to conscious parents who are on the lookout for toys that teach kids the importance of social responsibility, sustainability, diversity and inclusion, and other values that are meaningful to families. Read more…

Pop Quiz with Wendy Smolen: The 2023 Classics & Specialty Issue



This year’s ASTRA Marketplace & Academy showcases the best of the best. It’s where members of the toy industry can find everything the specialty market has to offer, from the classics and the niche to the noteworthy and the novel. Tap into your industry smarts and see how much classic toy knowledge you have with these specially selected clues. Read more…

Love Is In the Details: The Madame Alexander Story



As legend has it, Beatrice Alexander Behrman first marched herself into FAO Schwarz back in 1923. It’s only fitting, then, that the Madame Alexander Doll Co. — which Behrman founded that same year and is still in business today — hosted its largest 100th-anniversary event at the current FAO Schwarz flagship store in New York City earlier this year. Read more…

U.S. Video Game Hardware Sales Continue to Rise



Following post-pandemic supply chain shortages, the video game industry is finally starting to see a light at the end of the tunnel. Circana reported year-to-date hardware spending in April 2023 was 18% higher when compared to the same period in 2022, at $1.8 billion. Read more…

BrandTrends Group Releases Latest Trends Reports



BrandTrends Group, a market research agency specializing in kids’ and families markets, released its latest series of reports on entertainment brands worldwide. The BrandTrends tracker provides insights into brand awareness, popularity, and merchandise appeal among different age groups, from infants to older adults. Read more…