EDITOR’S VIEWPOINT
FOURTH QUARTER MUSINGS by JACKIE BREYER, editor-in-chief THIS YEAR—“THE YEAR TOY ‘R’ US SHUT down”—will certainly be one of the most memorable for the toy industry. I think we can all agree it will be remembered as a sad event in toy history. But now what? Things are really starting to heat up as we head into the fourth quarter. I’m getting calls left and right about non-traditional toy retailers jumping into the toy category this year; retailers of all sizes and numbers expanding their toy offerings; brand new retailers (and some names from the past) opening toy shops for the holidays; and traditional toy retailers approaching their marketing and merchandising strategies from a new angle. Everyone wants a piece of what Toys “R” Us left on the table, but perhaps the void has been filled—and then some. Is the toy industry overcompensating? Earlier this year, some toy manufacturers were concerned with where they’d place all the toys they were producing for Toys “R” Us, and now they have more orders than they planned for. It seems like there’s a decent chance sell in will be good, and sell through will be… not so good, purely because the market may be oversaturated. It’s really fascinating to watch this develop as we careen into Q4, and I am extremely interested in seeing how this plays out. In this issue of The Toy Book, we are focused on dolls, games, and plush. Up 20 percent Jan.-April, the dolls category is one to watch, and MGA Entertainment’s L.O.L. Surprise continues its reign as the No. 1 doll brand, according to The NPD Group and kids everywhere. As such, mini dolls are making a big impression, with Mattel reintroducing Polly Pocket, and Moose Toys expanding Shopkins with teeny tiny Shoppies dolls. Read all about it on page 16. Games actually declined 4 percent for the Jan.-April time period, according to NPD, though the game shelves at retail continue to
© 2018 Jonny Hawkins
Cards Against Humanity boom with an array of fun new games not just for kids, but for adults and families as well. Trends range from retro/nostalgic to silly and gross, and we’re seeing innovative new game ideas all the time. I receive pitches for new games far more frequently than I do for any other category. Read more on page 26. Construction toys is another area that’s seen a lot of innovation in recent years. A far cry from the blocks I played with as a kid— though, importantly, simple building blocks can still be found—today’s construction toys incorporate technology, STEM concepts, augmented and virtual reality, and so much more. Kids can build nearly anything they can dream of, and that’s really what the building toy category is all about. Check it out on page 38. Speaking of using your imagination, I hope you noticed the amazing photography
on our editorial cover. Mitchel Wu is a toy photographer who brings toys to life through art and photography, placing them in situations that might otherwise only exist in a child’s imagination. We spoke with Wu to learn more about how he got into this genre and where his whimsical ideas come from. Check out the interview on page 50. There’s so much more inside! Enjoy this issue of The Toy Book, and tweet @toybook and @jackiebreyer with your feedback. We’d love to hear from you! »
Jackie Breyer is editor-in-chief of The Toy Book and the Toy Insider, and editorial director at Adventure Publishing. She has been reporting on new products and toy industry trends for 16 years. Contact her at jbreyer@adventurepub.com.
toybook.com | JULY/AUGUST 2018 | THE TOY BOOK 7