Hasbro is teaming up with Britney Spears for the new Twister Dance game. The game combines today’s best dance movies with the iconic Twister spots to give girls a new way to learn moves to popular dance songs, including a customized Twister remix of “Till the World Ends” by Britney Spears.

In addition to having the remix of her song in the game, Spears will be featured on game packaging, in a television advertisement, and in dance instruction videos, all releasing this fall. Other artists include Ke$sha and Willow Smith. An exclusive Twister Dance song called “Caught Up in a Twister” will also make an appearance. The game, which features a built-in beat detection system, can connect to any MP3 player.

This post was originally written by Elizabeth A. Reid and published by ToyBook.com. For more news, visit www.toybook.com, follow The Toy Book on Twitter, and like The Toy Book on Facebook. The Toy Book is a bimonthly trade magazine covering the toy industry, published by Adventure Publishing Group.

The Good Luck Troll was originally created in 1959 by Danish fisherman and woodcutter Thomas Dam. At various times since the early 1960s, Trolls have been a top-selling toy, building a seldom-achieved brand equity. Dam Things, which holds all rights to the works of Thomas Dam, is in the process of launching a complete slate of merchandise activities and products for the Good Luck Trolls. Dark Horse Comics has been granted the license for a collectibles program. The line will consist of 15 different trolls, some of which are rare, sold in mystery box assortments.

Dark Horse felt the Good Luck Troll would be a natural fit in the designer vinyl and specialty retail arena, and has created Trolls with unique variations of color and surface treatments. The product development was closely supervised by Dam Things and its brand manager Dannie Festa of Festa Entertainment, including a trip from Denmark to the West Coast prototyping facility to assess and approve the works in progress.

The mystery box, or “blind-box” trading figures, are essentially the same product, varying in decoration and materials and sold at random in sealed packages. Some of the figures are common to every counter display, and some are scarce, and are known as “chase” figures. The ratio of availability is printed on a graphic on each package, so the consumer knows the relative scarcity of the figure purchased. This type of assortment is common in Japan, but a relatively recent phenomenon in the U.S. The Good Luck Trolls “mystery box” is presented in a counter display unit, holding 15 individual blind boxes. Each Troll is packaged in an opaque foil bag inside its box to prevent tampering or viewing prior to purchase.

Dark Horse’s previously produced “mystery box” assortments of Japanese stop-motion animation character Domo have continually sold out at retail. Rather than reprint its Domo figures, the company has simply created new designs, and presented a new series. This will be the approach intended for Good Luck Trolls as well.

Dark Horse will debut an all-new mystery box assortment at Toy Fair.

This post was originally written by Jackie Breyer and published by ToyBook.com. For more news, visit www.toybook.com, follow The Toy Book on Twitter, and like The Toy Book on Facebook. The Toy Book is a bimonthly trade magazine covering the toy industry, published by Adventure Publishing Group.

Pretty Ugly, LLC announced a licensing partnership with Funko, LLC to manufacture Pop! and Blox Vinyl figures of Uglydoll characters. Pop! figures, available this month, are 3.75 inches and feature articulated heads. Blox Vinyl figures are flat with cut-out styling and details, and will hit retail shelves as early as April. Both can be found at specialty retailers nationwide, and are available in an assortment of styles and colors.

This post was originally written by Elizabeth A. Reid and published by ToyBook.com. For more news, visit www.toybook.com, follow The Toy Book on Twitter, and like The Toy Book on Facebook. The Toy Book is a bimonthly trade magazine covering the toy industry, published by Adventure Publishing Group.

AT New Media and Team 17 have launched the Worms Keyring Plush collection from IGS, based on the turn-based strategy video game franchise.

The new range, licensed by AT New Media and Worms creator Team 17, features a detailed series of plush in an initial line of four different characters (Original Worm, Army Worm, Pirate Worm, and the Super Sheep). Products are also available in multiple traditional collectible plush sizes. The new range adds to the Worms lineup of apparel, squeezies, mugs, figurines, collectibles, and more. New partners are currently being sought for multiple product categories.

This post was originally written by Elizabeth A. Reid and published by ToyBook.com. For more news, visit www.toybook.com, follow The Toy Book on Twitter, and like The Toy Book on Facebook. The Toy Book is a bimonthly trade magazine covering the toy industry, published by Adventure Publishing Group

by Julie Livingston, director, business development and accounts, Child’s Play Communications, New York City

As the adage goes, “information is power,” and that is exactly why the nuggets of facts, photos, video and other details contained in your Toy Fair media kit can directly impact the depth and breadth of coverage you get during the show. Start planning out your content by thinking through the writer’s “5 W’s”—the Who, What, Where, When, and Why—as it relates to your product. Ask for input from colleagues in the product development, sales, and marketing areas, as their perspective can provide tremendous insight, and descriptive language to tell the story. In my experience, this process can be time consuming; be prepared for multiple rounds of edits so that the end product is one that will draw attention and interest.

From seeing literally hundreds of press materials in my years in the children’s entertainment business and PR, the following elements when executed well contribute to a successful press kit:

1.     Brevity is Levity

Most reporters are stretched for time these days as a result of a 24/7 news cycle and increased responsibilities. That said, it is critical to be as economical with content as possible. Focus on breaking Toy Fair-related news, including hot items, new line extensions, or licensing agreements. Well-chosen language goes a long way, as does careful formatting, making documents easy to read and scan. “Stack” information wherever possible using bullet points and allow for a minimum of 1.5 lines between sentences. In most cases, press releases or company backgrounders should be kept to a single page, with the exception of product fact sheets; these may run multiple pages in order to include lead items and accompanying visuals. Use adjectives judiciously. In a business largely built on hype, this can be challenging, but in the long run, it will buy you increased credibility, as reporters can be turned off by overly promotional language.

2.     Company Background and Brand Story

Provide the media with background information that, in as few words as possible, communicates your brand story and heritage. This includes: company or brand history, product origin, and brief profiles of the founders or key executives. If your product is rooted in children’s education or entertainment, has won awards or special recognition by parents or the industry, mention that as well. Details regarding licensing programs should also be noted. Finally, a simple photo of the corporate headquarters, where the company name is prominent, provides a helpful point of reference.

3.     Breaking News: a Press Release or News Announcement

The “hook” of a well-crafted press release is in the headline, so dedicate time and energy into setting up your news story below about your hot items, line extensions, licensing, a special anniversary, or how your product fits into a bigger trend story at Toy Fair. Include one to three quotes from senior level decision makers, while making sure that each statement fully communicates top line news in case it is the only line lifted from the release.

Be sure your press release is easily searchable online by using key words identified by your company for search engine optimization. Include links to your website, Facebook and Twitter accounts, and Pinterest or Tumblr if you use them. Perhaps the greatest resource to demonstrate the lights, sounds, and action of Toy Fair news is YouTube, so include a link as well as any passwords to protected information.

4.     Product Fact Sheets

In priority order, include a photo, illustration, or screen capture with a brief description of top driver products, but no more than five or six. Always include the manufacturers’ suggested retail price (MSRP) and age grading (e.g. appropriate for kids ages 18 mos-3 years). Note special features, such as AAA batteries required or safety features—especially important for the preschool category, and product materials if significant (e.g. made from recycled materials or phthalate-free). Note that reporters want to feature what’s “hot” only if the toy will be available at retail. Make it clear when the in-store date is, and also if the item(s) will be sold at specialty, mass retail, or online at Amazon.com and others.

5.     High resolution images

Toys and entertainment products are highly visual, so include high resolution (minimum 300 dpi) images in JPEG format, which allow for professional reproduction. As many products shown during Toy Fair are in prototype format, include photos or detailed illustrations of final product packaging as well as any accompanying advertising or promotion campaign visuals.

Although more costly, reporters definitely appreciate receiving a USB drive containing all press materials as it holds more data (especially images), is portable, and reusable.

6. Contact information at your company or your public relations agency

In order for the media to contact you to confirm or get additional information, include press contact information on every page including name, email address, and office and mobile phone numbers. Since Toy Fair week is particularly hectic, it’s wise to list two alternative contacts.

Coming next week: Tips for effectively pitching the media covering Toy Fair

About the Author

A strategic communications expert, Julie Livingston has spent the past decade immersed in the toy and youth entertainment sectors. Before joining Child’s Play Communications, specialists in reaching moms, she was senior director of public relations for the Toy Industry Association, and earlier served as director, corporate communications for Scholastic, Inc, the global children’s publishing, education, and media company.

Special thanks to Reyne Rice, toy trends expert, for her contributions.

To read tip 3, click here.

Qualcomm Incorporated and Sesame Workshop have joined forces to explore augmented reality experiences for children by creating a prototype play set that brings physical toys to life. An application is being demonstrated at the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES), running January 10-13.

The collaborative project explores the use of a tablet with a traditional play set, aiming to make children’s’ playtime more fun and educational. The prototype play set includes traditional elements such as common household objects and figurines of classic Sesame Street characters Cookie Monster, Bert, and Ernie. Additionally, the demo includes a tablet and an application that uses Qualcomm’s newly branded Vuforia augmented reality platform. When the tablet is pointed at the play set, the pieces and the play environment come alive through the tablet’s camera, transforming the play set into an interactive experience.

Qualcomm is exhibiting at Booth No. 30313 in South Hall 3 at CES.

This post was originally written by Elizabeth A. Reid and published by ToyBook.com. For more news, visit www.toybook.com, follow The Toy Book on Twitter, and like The Toy Book on Facebook. The Toy Book is a bimonthly trade magazine covering the toy industry, published by Adventure Publishing Group.

Hit Entertainment has partnered with BigPlay Studios, a developer of game, education, and book apps, for the launch of Bob the Builder: Muck’s Train to Trouble for the iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch, available in Apple’s App store this week. This marks the first app release for the Bob the Builder brand.

Bob the Builder: Muck’s Train to Trouble is an interactive reading experience, which also features painting activities, video clips, and games. Every page includes narration, character voices, custom animations, and easy-to-read words with highlighted text.

With this first Bob the Builder app, Hit Entertainment adds to its iOS apps portfolio, which includes apps featuring Thomas & Friends, Angelina Ballerina, Fireman Sam, and Barney.

This post was originally written by Elizabeth A. Reid and published by ToyBook.com. For more news, visit www.toybook.com, follow The Toy Book on Twitter, and like The Toy Book on Facebook. The Toy Book is a bimonthly trade magazine covering the toy industry, published by Adventure Publishing Group.

Sun-Mate Corporation has obtained a number of licensing rights to a broad spectrum of entertainment brands, including Star Wars, Spider-Man, Power Rangers, WWE, the recently announced Hello Kitty and KISS joint branding, and the fashion art brand Public Zoo.

For Star Wars, Sun-Mate will develop ATM machines, arcade-style games, tabletop games, and guitars based on the brand.

Spider-Man and other Marvel Heroes, including Wolverine, Captain America, Iron Man, and Thor, will be featured among keyboards, drums, ATM machines, and other activities being developed by the company for U.S. consumers. Sun-Mate will also develop various Power Rangers-branded pinball game machines, which will incorporate Power Rangers’ themes of fitness, responsibility, teamwork, and helping others.

For WWE, the company will manufacture a variety of outdoor and backyard games for the entire family, including WWE shooter blasters, pool and beach toys, water guns, and vinyl balls.

Sun-Mate will be developing a range of electronic products for the North American marketplace under the Hello Kitty KISS brand. These products may include cameras, MP3 players, cell phone and iPhone cases, laptop computer cases, microphones, headsets, headphones, SMS text messengers, PDAs, musical instruments, electronic watches, boom boxes, speakers, walkie-talkies, amps, ATM machines, karaoke machines, and doll houses.

Lastly, the company has gained global rights to the Public Zoo license, based on the clothing line, which will allow Sun-Mate to develop personal electronics, such as headphones and iPod and iPhone cases and accessories.

Sun-Mate will continue to manufacture licensed Union Pacific train sets and Chevron Products Company (Chevron, Texaco, and Gulf) toy oil tanker trucks.

This post was originally written by Elizabeth A. Reid and published by ToyBook.com. For more news, visit www.toybook.com, follow The Toy Book on Twitter, and like The Toy Book on Facebook. The Toy Book is a bimonthly trade magazine covering the toy industry, published by Adventure Publishing Group.

By Julie Livingston, director, business development and accounts, Child’s Play Communications, New York City

Toy Fair is a month away, and for many toy and youth entertainment companies, the annual event is an important media platform that can help drive brand awareness and buzz for hot items throughout the year. With approximately one thousand media representatives from around the world in attendance, how will your company or brand garner the attention it deserves? Following are tips and information collected during the six years I served overseeing public relations for the Toy Industry Association and Toy Fair, as well as serving toy and youth entertainment industry clients as a PR professional.

1.     Prioritize your communications goals and objectives. For example, is it a new product line review you want the media to see? Or, do you have a hot item you want to hype to help drive holiday orders?  Do you have an announcement about a licensing agreement or strategic partnership? Identifying your primary goals and objectives will provide a framework for all related activities, including any responsibilities that you want other communications personnel or a public relations agency to handle.

Identifying key “driver” products will give you concise talking points to use with the media. Driver products are those items or product lines that you expect to be top performers over the next year. I recommend no more than five or six. These can be based on early retailer feedback and retailer availability, price, as well as media appeal.

2.     Start booking media appointments NOW. With Toy Fair just a month away, it’s wise to reach out to those reporters with whom you have met previously or those you want to start a relationship with. If your company is an official Toy Fair exhibitor, the Toy Industry Association will provide a media list from the 2011event free of charge by request. Although there may be changes to this list, many of the reporters attending the 2012 event will be the same.

Reach out to the press with a simple invitation—I suggest email first—and then follow up with a phone call. Your electronic invitation should be brief, and highlight your product/service news in bold fashion. Don’t forget to include your contact information, including email, office number, and cell phone number.

3.     Is your toy or youth entertainment product or service media-friendly? A range of journalists, from broadcast, print, and social media platforms, cover Toy Fair. However, not all toys and youth entertainment products are suitable across all media platforms. To gauge which toys are newsworthy, consider the following:

a)     Is the toy really “new”? This means is it dramatically different from any earlier version, or is this a line extension?

b)    Were the toy(s) accepted by target market retailers during the October Toy Fair? If retailers want it in their stores, then there’s a good chance that the media will want to feature it too. Media will usually only cover items that consumers have access to on shelf or via pre-sale online.

c)     If the toy is from a just-introduced line extension, it must be distinctive and notably different from the original product line.

d)    Is the toy demonstrable and can its special features be easily communicated in one sentence? If so, it may be a good fit for television. However, if it lacks “bells and whistles,” the product may not have enough camera-appeal.  Much will depend on the kind of story or feature that the individual reporter is working on.

e)     Is it an electronic toy? The majority of reporters who cover Toy Fair are interested in the newest tech toys, however, electronic toys can present certain challenges on broadcast. When demonstrating a tech toy, there is a slight delay in the activation of the “reveal”—which may include special sounds, lights, or action. Although the delay may range from 1-15 seconds, on television, that amount of time can feel like an eternity. Also, since many products shown at Toy Fair are in prototype format, to gauge retailer interest, or because they are early production samples, they may not function perfectly.

f)     Does your product fit into a bigger trend story such as board games, electronic or connected toys, preschool, girls’ toys, or boys’ toys? If so, cite this information to engage reporters.

4. How many product samples are enough? This is often the biggest dilemma for exhibitors as “hot” items may be in very limited supply. If you think you have a media-friendly product, you need at least three product samples with six as an ideal amount. This provides some flexibility in case items need to be transported to an outside location, or photo or broadcast studio.

Coming next week: What should be in your Toy Fair media tool kit?

About the author

A strategic communications expert, Julie Livingston has spent the past decade immersed in the toy and youth entertainment sectors. Before joining Child’s Play Communications, specialists in reaching moms, she was senior director of public relations for the Toy Industry Association, and earlier served as director, corporate communications for Scholastic, Inc, the global children’s publishing, education, and media company.

Special thanks to Reyne Rice, toy trend expert, for her contributions to this post.

This post was originally written by Julie Livingston and published by ToyBook.com. For more news, visit www.toybook.com, follow The Toy Book on Twitter, and like The Toy Book on Facebook. The Toy Book is a bimonthly trade magazine covering the toy industry, published by Adventure Publishing Group.

To read Tip 2, click here.

Innovation First International is launching Bobble Bots, a new brand and product line. As part of the launch, the company has joined forces with Mind Candy, the brains behind the Moshi Monsters brand, for the debut of Bubble Bots Moshi Monsters. The line will hit store shelves across Europe and North America this spring.

The line of bobblehead mini robotic pets and customizable play sets will feature the patented Hexbug Nano vibration technology. Moshi Monsters will be brought to life in their own customizable environment. The initial assortment of Bobble Bots Moshi Monsters will include 24 battery-operated collectible Moshlings and a variety of configurable, 3-D “dollhouse” replicas of the streets, yards, buildings, and houses found online in Monstro City. Every product will include secret codes to unlock digital assets in the online world. The products will be showcased (by appointment only) at London Toy Fair, Nuremberg Toy Fair, and New York Toy Fair.

This post was originally written by Elizabeth A. Reid and published by ToyBook.com. For more news, visit www.toybook.com, follow The Toy Book on Twitter, and like The Toy Book on Facebook. The Toy Book is a bimonthly trade magazine covering the toy industry, published by Adventure Publishing Group.