September/October 2016 Volume 32, No. 5 — Published by Adventure Publishing Group
Jonathan Samet Publisher jsamet@adventurepub.com
DEPARTMENTS 18 Editor’s Viewpoint 20 TIA Happenings
New TOTY Categories Reflect Millennials & Play Patterns
22 Industry Update 24 Toy Insider 2016
Announcing the 11th Annual Holiday Gift Guide
25 Sweet Suite 2016 28 TIA Perspectives
What’s in Store for Holiday 2016
48 Talkin’ Toys: Auldey
The Toy Book catches up with Auldey Toys North America President Adrian Roche.
62 Talkin’ Toys: Yvolution
The Toy Book chats with Yvolution’s Global CEO, Thomas O’Connell.
76 Talkin’ Toys: Schleich
Schleich North America President Michael Keaton explains how the company thrives in a tech-focused world.
96 Talking SEO
106 Compliance and Regulations
Addressing the Dangers of Noncompliant Toys
108 Outside the Box
Why Unboxing Videos Matter
30 A Positive Outlook
Sean McGowan predicts the toy industry is poised for its strongest growth in 20 years.
The Impact of Britain’s Exit from the EU on the Toy Industry
90 Spielwarenmesse What’s in Store for 2017
112 Industry Marketplace
Stephanie Grassullo Assistant Editor sgrassullo@adventurepub.com
Examining the Risks of Comparative Advertising
114 Flashback: September/October 1996
Anne Marie Kehoe, WIT Retailer of the Year
92 Halloween & Party Expo The Show That Fulfills Your Year-Round Halloween Needs
94 A Competitive Playground for Toy M&A Activity
A Look at What’s Ahead in the Coming Year.
Thunderstompers, by Snaptoys
specialty toys & gifts: 97 Using Omnichannel Retailing to Strengthen Sales
100 The Amazon Disruption How to Survive in the World of E-Commerce
Bill Reese Production Director breese@adventurepub.com Lori Rubin Controller/Office Manager lrubin@adventurepub.com U.S. Corporate Headquarters Laurie Schacht President laurieschacht@aol.com Adventure Publishing Group, Inc.® 307 7th Avenue, #1601, New York, NY 10001 Phone: (212) 575-4510 • Fax: (212) 575-4521
32 2017 Toy Preview
98 ASTRA’s Insights: Get Your Customers out of Bed and into Your Store:
Maddie Michalik Assistant Editor mmichalik@adventurepub.com Joe Ibraham Assistant Visual Media Editor jibraham@adventurepub.com
Why Private Equity Is Aggressively Pursuing Acquisition Targets
86 WIT Member Spotlight
Marissa DiBartolo Senior Editor mdibartolo@adventurepub.com
110 Raising the Bar
FEATURES 88 Brexit and the Toy Industry
Jackie Breyer Editor-in-Chief jbreyer@adventurepub.com
Ali Mierzejewski Senior Editor amierzejewski@adventurepub.com
Target Key Consumers Using GeoFencing
26 U.S. Toy Industry Sales Continue to Rise
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104 Predict. Prove. Play. Science Toys Pave the Way for Educational Play
102 How the Other Half Lives Wendy Smolen explains why millennial dads matter to your bottom line.
On the Cover: American Plastic Toys’ My Very Own Ice Cream Cart and Gigantic Auto Hauler, DGL Toys’ Knolly Nibbles Play Set, dreamGEAR’s GameStation Wireless, Identity Games’ Elmo Hide & Seek, Intek’s Crunch Mania Niamy Penguin, Learning Resources’ Puzzle Globe, Magformers’ Space Wow 22Pc Set, Sakar’s My Little Pony Kid-Safe Headphones, Thames & Kosmos’ Happy Atoms Introductory Set, The Bridge Direct’s Mini Arcade Games Q*bert, Bearington Collection’s Original Whiffer Sniffers Willy B. Chilly, Winning Moves’ Cranium Cadoo, Wonder Forge’s PJ Masks Night Sight Game, Zuru’s Robo Alive Junior Duck and Lifelike Lizard
The Toy Book Volume 32, No. 5 THE TOY BOOK (ISSN-0885-3991) is published bimonthly by Adventure Publishing Group, Inc.® Editorial and advertising offices are located at 307 Seventh Ave., Room 1601, New York, NY 10001, Phone (212) 575-4510. Periodicals Postage paid at New York and additional mailing offices. Copyright © 2016 Adventure Publishing Group, Inc.® All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without written permission from the publisher. Printed in U.S.A. Subscription rates: $48 one year, foreign $200. The Toy Book is a trademark of Adventure Publishing Group, Inc.® Registered in the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office. Postmaster: Send address changes to: The Toy Book, c/o Adventure Publishing Group, 307 Seventh Ave., Room 1601, New York, NY 10001. Opinions and comments expressed in this publication by editors, contributing writers, or solicited or unsolicited documents are not necessarily those of the management of The Toy Book.
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