If I had a dollar for every key industry contact that told us the concept of a licensing showcase during American International Toy Fair was nothing short of brilliant, I would have at least $10. Maybe even $12.

After all, what isn’t right about endeavoring to create a “Licensing Upfront” for brand and property owners when all the right people with all the right innovation, influence, and interest are already in New York City for Toy Fair? And, what could be off the mark about bringing together an audience of Madison Avenue marketers, manufacturers from around the world, mass market and independent retailers, and critically important global media available only in New York City? The short answer is nothing. But the short answer just kind of falls short of telling the story.

A venture like this requires that you start with a clear objective, but just as important is the need to remain flexible and open to modification along the way. As it turned out, even with high levels of interest, the formats that prevailed were the small meetings with key partners, invitation-only breakfasts and cocktail receptions, and brand and property exposure through traditional advertising and promotional opportunities. So, while Toy Fair won’t be seeing “big screen showcases” this year, we are pleased that we have provided just the right solutions for these stakeholders’ needs.

The licensing community attends Toy Fair in greater numbers each year. At our 2011 event, we saw a 20 percent combined increase in licensor and entertainment executive attendance. Leading up to Toy Fair 2012, we are tracking double-digit gains year to date. This should come as no surprise.

As we know, there are three key partners who must be at the table when negotiating a license deal: the brand owner, manufacturing partners, and key retailers. Three’s the charm, right? If so, then Toy Fair is charmed because there is no other event in the U.S. that delivers so powerfully these three essential partners.

With great anticipation, we look forward to hosting our toy, youth product, entertainment, retail, and media guests back to Toy Fair. We join them in celebrating the 75th anniversaries of the Tonka and Dr. Seuss’ Mulberry Street brands, as well as the anniversaries of other well-established brands such as Girl Scouts (100 years), Clifford the Big Red Dog (50 years), Masters of the Universe (30 years), Where’s Waldo (25 years), K’nex (20 years), Build-a-Bear (15 years), and more. We are also looking forward to seeing exciting new product lines this year centered on Cinderella, Batman, Spider-Man, and Marvel’s The Avengers.

TIA is very proud of the marketplaces we produce for our members and prospective members. We are constantly looking for ways to better serve the industry we represent. Our base of stakeholders is much more broadly defined this year than it has ever been and we seek business growth opportunities for all of our members, whether they are manufacturers, importers, manufacturers’ reps, inventors and designers, retailers or, of course, licensors. We will continue to provide opportunities for all.

This post was originally written by Marian Bossard 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.

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.

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.

Play Happens, the official game for registered attendees of the American International Toy Fair (February 12-15), will be more interactive and engaging, due to a new partnership between the Toy Industry Association (TIA) and PunchTab, an instant loyalty rewards platform.

Play Happens will kick off online in the weeks leading up to the fair before transitioning offline into the streets of New York City during Toy Fair week. PunchTab’s instant loyalty rewards program will enable players to earn Play Happens points by interacting with the Toy Fair blog before and during the show.

Points collected online can be traded in for prizes or stockpiled for the grand prize: a NYC New Year’s Eve 2012 package. During the show, Play Happens players also earn points on a virtual game board by checking-in via their smartphones at different locations throughout New York City. The geo-location component is powered by FourSquare.

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.

Next year, Dallas Market Center will premiere a new trade event for mass-market retailers, “PB&J: The Preview for Baby & Juvenile,” created as a joint venture with the Toy Industry Association (TIA). The new show will debut and run concurrently with TIA’s annual Fall Toy Preview, to be held October 2-4 on the Dallas Market Center campus.

PB&J will offer a focused selection of baby and juvenile resources from different manufacturers, with an emphasis on companies in the categories of furniture, bedding, gifts, décor, baby care, accessories, strollers, high chairs, and nursing/feeding. Echoing Fall Toy Preview’s model, PB&J will be a by-appointment-only event that brings together vendors with mass retailers for private meetings and networking events.

“TIA launched its Fall Toy Preview in 2007 to fulfill the need for early meetings between many of the largest toy vendors and retailers, but there are strong indications that a similar event is needed for baby and juvenile children’s products,” said Carter Keithley, TIA president, in a press release. “We are pleased to have the opportunity to combine our expertise with that of the Dallas Market Center in initiating such a preview event for the baby and juvenile market.” The Dallas Market Center will provide meeting rooms, WiFi, special hospitality, and other amenities.

For more information about PB&J, visit www.pbandjshow.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.

The Toy Industry Association (TIA) announced that Arnie Rubin, founder and CEO of Funrise Toy Corporation, and the late Frederick August Otto Schwarz, founder of FAO Schwarz, have been selected as the next inductees into the Toy Industry Hall of Fame.

The Hall of Fame comprises a roster of 57 individuals who have been recognized for their significant contributions to the growth and success of the toy industry. The newest inductees were nominated by toy industry members and selected via vote from TIA members and previous Hall of Fame honorees.

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 Toy Industry Association (TIA) has announced the 77 finalists for the 2012 Toy of the Year (TOTY) Awards. Through January 15, toy lovers of all ages can vote for their favorite toys by visiting www.ToyAwards.org.

The finalists, representing 67 unique products or properties from 51 companies, were selected from nearly 600 nominees. TIA invites consumers, mass retailers, specialty retailers, media, and members of the toy industry to vote. Each of the five types of ballots will be weighted and used to determine the winners and the overall “Toy of the Year” award. Winners will be announced during the awards ceremony on Saturday, February 11 as the kick-off to the 109th American International Toy Fair.

The finalists are:

ACTIVITY TOY OF THE YEAR: Toys that inspire creative play through various forms of activity

Bizu Style Studio by Spin Master Ltd.

Crayola Glow Book by Crayola, LLC

HEXBUG® Nano® Hive™ Habitat Set by Innovation First Labs, Inc.

Kid-Tough® See Yourself™ Camera by Fisher-Price, Inc.

LEGO® NINJAGO Fire Temple by LEGO Systems, Inc.

Paper Jamz Pro Series Microphone by WowWee

Project Runway® Fashion Design Sketch Portfolio Artist Set by Fashion Angels Enterprises®

BOY TOY OF THE YEAR: Toys developed for boys of any age

BEYBLADE: METAL MASTERS PERFORMANCE TOP BATTLE TOP Assortment by Hasbro, Inc.

DaGeDar™ by Cepia, LLC

HEXBUG® Nano® Hive™ Habitat Set by Innovation First Labs, Inc.

Hot Wheels® Wall Tracks™ by Mattel, Inc.

Lazer Stunt Chaser™ by Thinkway Toys

Star Wars® Ultimate FX Lightsaber by Hasbro, Inc.

Thomas & Friends™ Trackmaster™ Cranky & Flynn Save the Day! by Fisher-Price, Inc.

EDUCATIONAL TOY OF THE YEAR: Toys that help children to develop special skills and knowledge through play

HEXBUG® Nano® Hive™ Habitat Set by Innovation First Labs, Inc.

InnoTab™ by VTech Electronics North America

LeapPad™ Explorer by LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc.

Perplexus Original™ by PlaSmart Inc.

Spectacular Science by Thames & Kosmos

Swish™ by ThinkFun

Tag™ Solar System Adventure Pack by LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc.

GAME OF THE YEAR: Children’s board, card, CD-ROM or electronic game formats.  (NOTE:  All electronic games must have an ESRB “Early Childhood” rating)

Angry Birds Knock On Wood Game by Mattel, Inc.

Hedbanz™ by Spin Master Ltd.

Jungle Speed by Asmodee™

LEGO® HEROICA™ Castle Fortaan by LEGO Systems, Inc.

Skylanders Spyro’s Adventure™ by Activision Publishing, Inc.

Tetris® Link™ by Techno Source

UNO Roboto™ by Mattel, Inc.

GIRL TOY OF THE YEAR: Toys developed for girls of any age

Dora Fiesta Favorites Kitchen by Fisher-Price, Inc.

Fijit Friends™ Interactive Figures by  Mattel, Inc. / Radica®

Justin Bieber Rockin’ Tour Bus and Concert Stage Playset by The Bridge Direct

Lalaloopsy™ Silly Hair by MGA Entertainment

Mini Lalaloopsy™ Treehouse by MGA Entertainment

Monster High™ Doll Assortment by Mattel, Inc.

Squinkies® Adventure Mall Surprize™ Playset by Blip Toys

INFANT/TODDLER TOY OF THE YEAR: Toys developed for infant children and toddlers (ages up to 36 months)

Elefun Busy Ball Popper by Hasbro / Playskool

Laugh & Learn™ Dance & Play Puppy by Fisher-Price, Inc.

Let’s Rock Elmo by Playskool

My Busy Town™ by ALEX®

My Take Along 1.2.3 Noah’s Ark by Playmobil®

Parents® Jungle Pals Stacking Puzzles™ by Manhattan Toy

Pocoyo SwiggleTraks™ Feature Set by Bandai America Incorporated

INNOVATIVE TOY OF THE YEAR: Toys that combine innovation and play value

Disney AppMATes™ Mobile Application Toys by Disney Consumer Products and Spin Master Ltd.

Hot Wheels® Wall Tracks™ by Mattel, Inc.

InnoTab™ by VTech Electronics North America

Lazer Stunt Chaser™ by Thinkway Toys

LeapPad™ Explorer by LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc.

Skylanders Spyro’s Adventure™ by Activision Publishing, Inc.

Spy Net Stealth Recording Video Glasses by JAKKS Pacific, Inc.

OUTDOOR TOY OF THE YEAR: Toys designed for outdoor play

3D Twister by Silverlit

Gazillion Bump-N-Go Bubble Bug by Funrise Toy Corporation

Little Tikes® Garden Leaf & Lawn Bubble Blower by Imperial Toy, LLC

Nerf ® Super Soaker Thunderstorm Blaster by Hasbro, Inc.

Nerf ® Vortex lineup by Hasbro, Inc.

Rockboard® Scooter – Mini by M.Y. Products LLC

Xploderz™ XBlaster200 by The Maya Group

PRESCHOOL TOY OF THE YEAR: Toys developed for preschool-aged children (ages 3-5)

Elefun Busy Ball Popper by Hasbro/Playskool

Green Toys™ Pizza Parlor by Green Toys Inc.

LeapPad™ Explorer by LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc.

Let’s Rock Elmo by Playskool

Little People® Zoo Talkers™ Animal Sounds Zoo™ by Fisher-Price, Inc.

Pirate Ship by Box Creations

Richard Scarry’s Busytown™ Busy, Busy Airport Game by Wonder Forge

PROPERTY OF THE YEAR: Property that had the greatest success spreading its brand throughout the industry

Angry Birds™ (Rovio Entertainment Ltd/ Striker Entertainment)

Cars 2  ( Disney·Pixar ) (Disney Consumer Products )

Chuggington™ (Ludorum)

Monster High™(Mattel)

Moshi Monsters™ (Mind Candy)

Redakai (Spin Master Ltd.)

The Smurfs™ (IMPS)

SPECIALTY TOY OF THE YEAR: Toys primarily distributed through specialty retailers

Angry Birds™ plush toys by Commonwealth Toy & Novelty Co., Inc.

HEXBUG® Nano® Hive™ Habitat Set by Innovation First Labs, Inc.

nanoblock® by The Ohio Art Company

Rory’s Story Cubes® by Gamewright/Ceaco

Sticky Mosaics® Happily Ever After Jewelry Box by The Orb Factory Limited

Tilt™ by ThinkFun

Tobbles™ by Fat Brain Toy Co.

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.

Voting for the next inductees into the Toy Industry Hall of Fame has started, and will run through October 14. TIA invites designated points of contact at TIA member companies, former Hall of Fame inductees, and recent TIA Board members to rank their choices in the living and posthumous categories. Each first place ranking will receive four points, each second place ranking will receive three points, and so on.

The candidates for induction into the Toy Industry Hall of Fame are: Judith (Judy) Ellis, chair, toy design department at the Fashion Institute of Technology; Patrick (Pat) Feely, president of PSF Consulting; Arnie Rubin, founder of Funrise, Inc.; and Jerry Storch, CEO and chairman of Toys “R” Us, Inc.

The candidates for posthumous induction into the Toy Industry Hall of Fame are: Russell (Russ) Berrie, founder of Russ Berrie, Inc.; Jack Friedman, former chairman, CEO, and co-founder of Jakks Pacific; and Frederick August Otto Schwarz, founder and president of FAO Schwarz.

The 2012 inductees will be announced in conjunction with promotion of the annual Toy of the Year (TOTY) awards program. The inductees will be honored during a ceremony held in conjunction with the TOTY Awards on February 11 at the Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center in New York City. For more information, visit www.toy-tia.org.

The Toy Industry Association, Inc. (TIA) invites all members to submit candidates for seats on the association’s board of directors. The board is responsible for the management and control of the activities, property, and affairs of TIA, including the strategic direction of the association, the annual budget, and the scope of responsibilities of the board and its committees.

The following criteria will be considered by the Nominating Committee for each nominee: commitment to attend regularly scheduled board meetings each year and, as appropriate, other relevant TIA-sponsored events; commitment to act in a neutral manner and represent the best interests of the industry rather than carrying forward individual or corporate agendas; professional skills that may be valuable to the board; holds a senior position within his/her company; experience in the toy industry; contributions to Toy Industry Foundation (TIF) and/or membership in the TIF Leaders Circle; and TIA committee participation.

Nominations are due by 5 p.m. ET on October 21. Nominations will be subsequently balloted for election by the TIA membership. Newly elected board members will begin a two-year term beginning at the TIA Annual Meeting at Toy Fair in February. Board members may be re-elected for two additional consecutive two-year terms.
For more information, click here.