FEBRUARY 2019
®
Volume 35, No. 1 — Published by Adventure Publishing Group
DEPARTMENTS 34 Editor’s Viewpoint 48 Industry Update
86 Talking Social Media: The Future of Video and Toys
246 Toy Association Update 248 WIT Stories
50 ASTRA’s Insights
88 Marketing Memo
251 Euromonitor
51 Toy Association Perspectives
130 Talkin’ Toys: KidStuff PR
252 Raising the Bar
54 Stat Shot
242 Talking Social Media:
56 Sweet Suite 2019
The Rise of Stories
244 Outside the Box
256 Industry Marketplace 258 Flashback: February 1999
97 What’s New
196 Outdoor & Active
132 Impulse & Collectibles
206 Infant & Preschool
150 Activities & Construction
218 Games & Puzzles
172 Dolls & Plush
Category Guide
232 Vehicles & Action Figures
features 52 Learning From Past Mistakes The NPD Group recaps toy performance in 2018.
58 Living in a Post-TRU World
Sean McGowan discusses what factors will impact the industry this year.
60 Controlling the Toy Space
Edge by Ascential examines Amazon’s continued growth.
Jackie Breyer Group Publisher jackie@toybook.com Maddie Michalik Managing Editor maddie@toybook.com Marissa DiBartolo Senior Editor marissa@toybook.com Ali Mierzejewski Senior Editor ali@toybook.com James Zahn Senior Editor james@toybook.com Jacqueline Cucco Associate Editor jc@toybook.com Madeleine Buckley Editorial Assistant mbuckley@toybook.com Victoria Rosenthal Editorial Assistant victoria@toybook.com Miranda Siwak Editorial Assistant miranda@toybook.com Joe Ibraham Art Director joe@toybook.com Bill Reese Production Director bill@toybook.com Patrick Kennerly Account Executive patrick@toybook.com Lori Rubin Controller/Office Manager lrubin@adventurepub.com U.S. Corporate Headquarters Laurie Schacht President laurie@toybook.com Adventure Publishing Group, Inc.® 307 7th Avenue, #1601, New York, NY 10001 Phone: (212) 575-4510 • Fax: (212) 575-4521
78 Toys and Grocery Are Back Again
Grocers provide new opportunities for toy partnerships in 2019.
82 The Return of FAO Schwarz
The classic toy store opens a new flagship in New York City, giving some familiar icons a modern update.
89 Barbie 60th Anniversary Special Section
62 State of the Industry Q&A
Top toy industry experts weigh in on what’s to come. Cover Image: © Mitchel Wu Toy Photography — www.mitchelwutoyphotography.com
240 CES 2019: Reflecting Changing Times in the Toy Industry
An inside look at the top trends of this year’s Consumer Electronics Show.
250 The Convergence of Specialty and Mass
Steve Starobinsky examines how industry trends affect the toy retail landscape.
254 The Next Generation
Wonder Works owner Christine Osborne discusses how new toy entrepreneurs are making a difference.
The Toy Book Volume 35, No. 1 THE TOY BOOK (ISSN-0885-3991) is published bi-monthly 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 © 2019 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 USA. 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: Toy Book, c/o Adventure Publishing Group, 307 Seventh Ave., Room 1601, New York, NY 10001 or e-mail bill@toybook.com. 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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