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

In addition to the hoards of journalists from traditional media channels covering Toy Fair, exhibitors should also consider outreach to bloggers (specifically, mom bloggers who write product reviews) and toy industry experts who cover the annual event.  Both influential in their own right, the clout these individuals carry can be particularly valuable to small and mid-sized toy companies, driving brand awareness, social media prominence, and, ultimately, sales.

Getting your toy featured on the right product review blog is a marvelous way to generate grassroots buzz for your product. According to a recent study conducted by Child’s Play Communications and the NPD Group, 79 percent of all American moms with children under the age of 18 are active in social media. Of that number, about one in four have made purchasing decisions as a result of a social media recommendation; more than half (55 percent) said they made their purchase because of a recommendation from a personal review blog

To reach moms where they “live,” it is essential that toy and youth entertainment companies have a strong presence among mom bloggers. To clarify, a mom blogger is a mother, generally with young preschool-aged children, who blogs on a regular basis. Many of the mom bloggers we work with at Child’s Play turned to blogging as an outlet following earlier careers as journalists, writers, and marketers. Some were involved in other aspects of business, and many are moms looking to express themselves while connecting with other moms to share experiences and life lessons. These women are smart, dedicated, and energetic.

If you don’t already have a mom blogger list, I suggest doing a blog search, looking for blogs written by moms (or dads) that feature product reviews. Look for regularity of posts, writing quality, professionalism, and relationship to your product. For example, a mom blogger who reviews toys for older tweens may be inappropriate for your preschool toy line. Their honest accounts of individual products address real moms’ concerns about quality and play value. In fact, many of my colleagues who work for toy companies often say they learn more about how kids use their products by reading mom blogs. Simply put, moms have a unique perspective.

Although it was reported that there were issues preventing some bloggers from gaining access to the 2011 American International Toy Fair in New York City, this year the credentialing process should be easier and more expeditious. The good news is that many toy companies have begun to see the light and are aggressively courting bloggers as they would the mainstream press. In fact, recently one of my Child’s Play colleagues saw a Twitter post that said, “Seems like this year there are a lot more booths interested in making appts w/bloggers. Maybe they finally caught on? #TF12.”

If you and your toy company want to reach out to mom bloggers, I offer the following tips:

Devise a mom blogger social media strategy. Identify your Toy Fair goals and objectives, including the total audience you wish to reach (in terms of unique visitors) and number of product reviews you hope to garner through your efforts.

Check the metrics of each blog you intend to target. Once you have the semblance of a mom blogger list, look on www.compete.com to get an estimate of each blogs’ audience and reach. Search on other social media platforms as well for the number of Twitter followers and Facebook fans. Also, evaluate the writing quality, toy product photos (if they are taken by the blogger), level of detail, as well as regularity of posts.

Get into the conversation. Search on Twitter to find those bloggers who intend to cover Toy Fair by using the #TF12 hashtag. You can see which bloggers are making exhibit booth appointments. Then tweet back (publicly) something like, “If you are interested in seeing ABC toys, DM (direct message) me.” If you hear back, send them a link to your website or JPEG photos to give them a preview of what they can expect.

Make a date. Schedule an in-person appointment, making sure to provide your exhibit booth number or showroom address. Also, exchange mobile phone numbers in case you need to reach one another. For many mom bloggers, the 2012 Toy Fair may be their first time in attendance. This can result in an overbooked schedule, so try to be flexible and understanding if someone arrives late or doesn’t show up. It doesn’t necessarily mean they aren’t interested.

Practice your pitch. Prior to the show, make notes about each blog and why your product will fit in. If a blog’s focus is value and price, then explain how your product is a good fit. If a blog’s focus is fun and fitness, explain how your toy gets kids up, moving, and engaged in active play.

Use proper etiquette. Importantly, make sure there is a designated staffer to work with bloggers, someone who is personable and knowledgeable about new products. At the 2011 Toy Fair, I heard that some bloggers were turned away at exhibit booths where staffers didn’t quite know what a blog was or because the blogger arrived late for an appointment.

Provide reference materials. At some point during your Toy Fair meeting, provide the blogger with printed information, or even better, a press kit on a handy USB drive. Include JPEG photos, important links, and contact information.

Follow up. After the show, send a thank you note and a product sample, if possible. Mom bloggers appreciate or may even require a sample in order to review or to give away to their followers. Many will not want to lug samples around at Toy Fair, but would appreciate any samples sent by mail after the show is over. If they do write a product review of your toy, they will include a disclaimer statement that indicates they were given a free sample. Check for the product review to appear, but if it doesn’t, send a friendly reminder. Under no circumstances should you pressure the blogger to post.

In addition to mom bloggers, there are a handful of toy industry experts who major media outlets call on for Toy Fair news. These individuals include Laurie Schacht, co-publisher of The Toy Insider; Reyne Rice, a toy industry veteran who has worked at The NPD Group and Toy Industry Association; and Adrienne Appell of the Toy Industry Association. By doing a Google search, you can find other experts and direct contact information.

Special thanks to Debbie Bookstaber, blogger behind Mamanista.com, for her contributions.

Coming next week: Tips for optimizing exposure for your toy, in real time, at Toy Fair.

About Julie Livingston

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.

To read Tip 1, click here.

To read Tip 2, click here.

To read Tip 3, click here.

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.

Peter Chan Pui, Blue Box Toys

Blue Box Toys founder and chairman, Mr. Peter Chan Pui, was recently awarded the 2011 Outstanding Achievement Award by the Hong Kong Toys Council, a company whose focus is on raising awareness about product safety standards, and The Toys Manufacturer’s Association of Hong Kong, which promotes and protects the interests and public reputation of manufacturers in Hong Kong.

Blue Box Toys, established in 1952, is celebrating its 60th anniversary. During those 60 years, Pui has been pivotal in the growth Blue Box Toys and its brands. “This award marks an important stepping stone in my career and I am deeply honored to be recognized for the time and hard work put forth in establishing myself and our company in the toy industry,” said Pui.

This post was originally written by Ericka Johnson 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.

LevVar Burton

Child’s Play Communications has added LeVar Burton’s RRKidz brand to its client roster. In addition to launching RRKidz, Child’s Play will relaunch the company’s Reading Rainbow brand, promote the Reading Rainbow classic library of episodes (DVD and streaming), and announce the Reading Rainbow Kidz app.

Reading Rainbow ran for 26 years on PBS (1983-2009), and was co-produced and hosted by actor LeVar Burton. RRKidz will bring Reading Rainbow to today’s digitally connected children beginning with a reading and book discovery app that will initially launch for the iPad early this year. RRKidz aims to become a leader in digital publishing and a major, multi-platform, kids’ educational and enrichment brand. Burton, Co-Founder Mark Wolfe, and CEO Asra Rasheed run the brand.

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.

A new study by The Joan Ganz Cooney Center at Sesame Workshop has found that most top-selling educational apps in Apple’s App Store are aimed at preschoolers. The study, iLearn II: An Analysis of the Education Category of Apple’s App Store, was presented at the 2012 Consumer Electronic Show (CES).

Using a 2009 analysis conducted by The Joan Ganz Cooney Center (iLearn: A Content Analysis of the iTunes App Store’s Education Section) as a benchmark, the new report examined nearly 200 top-selling educational apps for the iPad and iPhone. According to results, only 14 percent of apps were tagged for intended school usage. Of the entire sample, only two iPhone apps (and zero iPad apps) were based on well-known branded characters. Other key findings included that 109 different publishers were represented in the sample (89 of those publishers were not represented in the previous study’s sample), and the average price of children’s apps has risen by more than $1 since 2009.

To read the full report, and to see The Joan Ganz Cooney Center’s recommendations for growth and development, click here.

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.

This year’s American International Toy Fair, to be held in New York in a few weeks, will feature an interactive, digital wall called Fair Necessities. “Fair Necessities will be an interactive gateway to all things Toy Fair,” said Kimberly Carcone, senior director of trade show and event marketing at TIA, in a press release. “With the tap of a finger, multiple users will be able to simultaneously access floor plans, event schedules, exhibitor listings, photos, videos and news clips, apps, and more on the huge three-meter touch screens.” The LCD multi-touch display screen was designed by European IT firm Uma, and will be located in the main concourse of the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center during the four days of the show.

For more information of Toy Fair, visit www.ToyFairNY.com.

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.

As part of its “Retail Means Jobs” campaign, an initiative by the National Retail Federation (NRF) that aims to raise awareness of the retail industry’s economic impact, NRF has launched the “This is Retail” video contest. “We’re on a hunt to find the best retail stories in America—from marketing geniuses to customer service superstars to small business owners,” said NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay in a press release.

To participate, retail employees or business owners submit a two-minute video that shares their retail story for a chance to win up to $25,000. NRF will accept video submissions from March 5-16. A panel of retail executives will narrow the videos down to the top 20, and finalists will be prominently featured on RetailMeansJobs.com. The winners will be chosen based on votes, and announced during NRF’s Washington Leadership Conference in May. For more information, visit www.retailmeansjobs.com/contest.

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

With Toy Fair less than a month away, how will you engage the media to ensure coverage for your toys or youth entertainment products? Here at Child’s Play, we’ve been working overtime to fine-tune our media lists and pitches on behalf of clients. This week’s post will include some of our tried and true strategies and tactics for pitching the press.

Think Like a Journalist

With less space for toy coverage and so many exhibitors to see—more than 1,000 at the Javits Center alone, as well as those in private showrooms across New York City—reporters are pressed for time. So, when choosing media channels to pitch, focus on the “why”/reason an outlet would be interested, to determine the “where”/ specific outlets to concentrate on.

Prior to Toy Fair, many journalists will do an online search, hunting for toys that are a match for the following themes, so post your press release on all company social media platforms incorporating the following key themes and key words.

• Tech, “connected” toys and apps, especially those that are a) highly demonstrable, b) skill-focused, c) related to a video game or viral sensation
• Noted character or entertainment brands celebrating special milestones
• Celebrity or pop culture-inspired
• Interesting business, cause-marketing, or quirky entrepreneurial angles.
• Stories with a hometown connection (of interest to regional press representatives)

Create a Toy Fair Media List

Typically, the media outlets that cover Toy Fair include: regional and local media, and national broadcast and print publications. Reporters covering the following beats will be of key importance: lifestyle, entertainment (particularly those who cover celebrities or licensing news), family/parenting and youth reporters and business. The toy and licensing trade publications will most certainly have a presence at the show as well.

“Cherry pick” the individual reporters you wish to pitch. Be selective and avoid sending press materials to everyone on the staff; this can be more of an annoyance and a hindrance.

If you don’t have a subscription to a professional media database service, you may want to consider buying a list for one-time use from a service like Burrelles/Luce. To bolster press release distribution for Toy Fair, enlist a service such as PR Web. A Google search for recent toy news coverage can also uncover additional media outlets.
If your company was a 2011 Toy Fair exhibitor and/or a current Toy Industry Association member, you can request a 2011 Toy Fair media list. Although a year old, this list is a good starting point. Note that for companies in the tech toy sector, media coverage of the 2012 Consumer Electronics Show, which took place in January, can provide additional media contacts.

Niche Media Coverage

It can be extremely challenging to get your little-known (but creative) product featured in a top-tier media outlet like The New York Times or USA Today. However, there are many opportunities in niche media and popular blogs which are specific to the theme or trend you are promoting. Examples include: technology (Wired, Popular Science, Fast Company); fashion or celebrity dolls (Women’s Wear Daily, In Style, People).

Connect with the Media on Social Networks

The importance of social media to increase visibility before, during, or after Toy Fair can’t be emphasized enough. Be sure to post your press releases, and even “teaser” announcements, on all company social media platforms so they come up in search. If you or your company has a robust following on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Flickr, or LinkedIn, ask your followers if they are going to or covering Toy Fair. This is an easy way to set up appointments with journalists and bloggers, too.

Although your website is still important and necessary, research indicates a shift to Facebook as the “go-to” information source. That said, make sure basic facts about your company, brand, and driver products are posted.

Draw attention to the visual qualities of toys or entertainment products by maximizing Facebook, Flickr, and YouTube to post videos (including sizzle reels) and photos. Populate these platforms to showcase what makes your product stand out from the rest.

On Twitter, follow key journalists, writers, and producers who are tweeting about Toy Fair. Additionally, watch for trends by doing an “active search” and create a Toy Fair journalist list, which will naturally draw more attention to your company’s Twitter page.

Follow Up

Once your press materials go out, make follow up calls. Practice beforehand (I often refer to a short script) so your message is clear and succinct. If leaving a voicemail, be sure to speak slowly and clearly, and leave your contact information.

Ignite Visual Electricity

Camera crews walking through the aisles at Toy Fair will be scoping out the most exciting visual displays. If you have a friendly, colorful costumed character, live demonstrator (particularly effective with “performance” toys, such as juggling balls), a larger-than-life version of your product (which should be at least six feet tall) or one with moving parts; an engaging environment (such as a cool-looking child’s bedroom) that can serve as a backdrop for a live remote or b-roll footage from the show floor, your exhibit may attract additional attention. For years, the humongous Radio Flyer wagon display, strategically positioned at the entrance to the company’s exhibit space, acted as a Toy Fair landmark and subsequently appeared in hoards of media photos and broadcast segments.

Coming next week: Tips for working with toy industry experts and bloggers.

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.

To read Tip 4, click here.

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

Nominations are open for the 8th Annual Wonder Women of Toys, Licensing, and Entertainment Awards, celebrating the most “Make it Happen” women in the industry.

This year’s Wonder Women Awards Dinner (February 12) will be held at a brand-new location, The Lighthouse at Chelsea Piers. Nomination categories that will recognize the powerhouse movers and shakers in the toys, licensing, and entertainment industries include designer/inventor, digital and gaming, entertainment, entrepreneur, journalism/social media, licensee, licensing agents, licensor, lifetime achievement, manufacturer, marketing/advertising/branding, public relations/communications, publishing, retailer, rising star, sales, and social responsibility.

Nominations are being accepted through January 25, and cost $150 per nomination, per category. Sponsorships and tables for the event are also available. To date, the 2012 list of sponsors include The Toy Book, Brandberry, Imperial Toy, Jakks Pacific, Serenata Group, The Bridge Direct, Toy Industry Association, and Toys “R” Us.

To nominate, for dinner reservations or sponsorships, or to join Women in Toys, visit www.womenintoys.com.

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.

Spielwarenmesse eG is organizing a World of Toys pavilion at Toys & Kids Russia in Moscow, slated to run March 14-16. Companies such as NICI GmbH, Sieper GmbH, and Mattel Europe Holdings B. V. have already secured a place in the World of Toys Pavilion.

Not only will Toys & Kids Russia showcase toys, but baby fashions, strollers, and hobby, outdoor, playground, and sport articles will also be on display. In the special “What’s New!” area, exhibitors can highlight one of their new products to specifically attract visitors to their stand. Exhibitors can also develop personal contacts at meetings with potential Russian importers and distributors in the Retail Center.

Toys & Kids Russia takes place in the Crocus Expo International Exhibition Centre in Moscow for the sixth time. It is organized by RNTA Expo, a joint company of Spielwarenmesse eG and the Russian National Toy Association.

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