3/1/2013
Here’s a sampling of new product announcements and themes we observed at Toy Fair this year.
TV Rules. Hasbro reports it generated $150 million in merchandise sales at retail, driven by television-supported brands on its TV network The Hub last year.
Customization. Hasbro is introducing Marvel Assemblers, a line of build-able action figures and interchangeable armor systems. Also from Hasbro: D-Rights’s B-Daman, an action game with collectible and customizable figures, supported by an animated TV series, and an online and mobile experience. Kids scan their B-Daman figures and unlock virtual figures online.
Science Is On The Rise. Uncle Milton is launching Marvel Science this fall, connecting Iron Man’s and Spider-Man’s powers with science experiments; the company numbers Star Wars and other licenses from National Geographic to John Deere on its roster.
Additional science-related toys at Toy Fair include Dino Dan at Geoworld, PBS Kids at Be Amazing Toys, The Dangerous Book for Boys and Daring Book for Girls brands at Thomas & Kosmos, and DK/Eyewitness at Skulduggery. Ravensburger is riding the coattails of CBS’s CSI franchise, but without a license, showing a generic Crime Scene Investigation SKU in its Science X line.
Building Boom. The Building Sets category grew 20% in 2012, according to the NPD Group, and several toy makers are fueling this boom. Mattel is introducing Barbie-themed construction toys; Lego continues to add new products to its girl-targeted Lego Friends line. And Mega is building (excuse the pun) on the success of its Hello Kitty and other girls sets.
Lego is also introducing a new franchise, the Legend of Chima, which combines role-play, competitive play, and animal characters. Hasbro’s Kre-O, a Lego-like building toy, is introducing a Star Trek line, including a new Lighttech feature, which enables kids to launch projected images, such as a lighted photon torpedo.
And Jim Henson is spinning off its builder characters The Doozers in a new preschool series in Europe, with hopes of rolling out in the U.S. as well.
Up-sizing. Jakks Pacific is introducing its largest Darth Vader figure ever at 31 inches. MGA has increased the Bratz dolls from 10 inches to 12-inches to allow “for a wider array of fashion design opportunities.” Sesame Street’s Big Hugs Elmo is now 22-inches (up from 15), making it the “largest, cuddliest, and most lifelike Elmo plush ever,” according to Hasbro.
Aging Down. Fisher-Price ages down Saban Brands’ Paul Frank brand by rolling out Julius Jr. An animated preschool series is scheduled to debut on Nick Jr. in 2013, and Fisher-Price is producing a full array of preschool-aged products, including playsets, plush, and role play toys. Julius Jr. was first announced at the Licensing Expo International last summer in Las Vegas.
Girls, Girls Girls. Lego Friends continues to introduce new products to its girl-specific collection. Educational Insights is introducing Nancy B’s Science Club, a line of science-based activity kits, to encourage girls’ interest in the subject. Hasbro’s Nerf is making a major play for girls with Rebelle. “Our research told us that girls wanted product made for them, but they wanted the same performance that was available to boys,” says Hasbro’s John Frascotti. As a result, a Nerf Rebelle line of bows, dart blasters, and darts performs on par with the boys Nerf Elite line, and can shoot at least 75 feet.
Monster Roll-Out. Disney/Pixar’s Monsters University will feature more than 1,000 products from 125 licensees. Anchored by Spin Master and Fisher-Price, the collection includes action figures, plush, play sets, and preschool toys. Disney is also introducing stationery, apparel and accessories, home décor, and food products. The Disney Store will carry a line of toys, action figures, luggage, and apparel.
And Mattel’s Monster High, competing on retail shelves head-to-head with MGA’s Bratz, is making headway with both new toys and licensed merchandise.
Toy As Lifestyle. Mattel’s Fisher-Price is repositioning its Little People from a line of toys (which it will continue to be) to a lifestyle brand. The manufacturer has redesigned the entire toy line to reflect a more multi-cultural community and has developed a series of webisodes scheduled to debut this summer. Licensed products to extend the brand beyond the toy aisle are planned.
A Little People Live Show will tour zoos in 2013, and will also perform onboard Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines.
Transformers Get Beastly. Hasbro is introducing two new Transformers brand extensions: 1. Beast Hunters is a new story line that encompasses toys, entertainment, and licensing. A Beast Hunters TV series, digital, and gaming initiatives will support the product launch. Toys include eight Beast Hunters building sets under its Kre-O brand. 2. Construct-Bots brings together construction, action figures, and transformation, with hundreds of pieces to allow limitless customization.
Contacts and Connections: Be?Amazing Toys, Marc Greenberg,?National Sales?Manager, PO Box 3118, Salt Lake City, UT 84110; 801-583-1846; marc@beamazing.com; www.beamazing.com.
Marvel/Disney Consumer Products, Paul Gitter, President, 1101 Flower St., Glendale, CA 91201; 818-544-1950; paul.gitter@
disney.com; www.disney.com.
Educational Insights, Jim Whitney, President, 18730 S. Wilmington, Compton, CA 90220; 310-884-2000; jim@educationalinsights. com; www.edin.com.
Fisher-Price, Susie Lecker, SVP, Marketing, Friends, 675 Ave. of the Americas, 2nd Fl., New York, NY 10010; 212-620-8200; susie.lecker@mattel.com; www.mattel.com.
Jakks Pacific, Jack McGrath, COO, 22619 Pacific Coast Hwy., #250, Malibu, CA 90265; 310-456-7799; jackm@jakks.net; www.jakkspacific.com.
Jim Henson Company, Peter Schube, President, 1416 N. La Brea, Los Angeles, CA 90028; 323-802-1500; pschube@henson. com; www.henson.com.
Hasbro, John Frascotti, Global CMO, 1027 Newport Ave., Pawtucket, RI 02861; 401-727-5662; jfrascotti@hasbro.com; www.hasbro.com.
Hyperion, Elisabeth Dyssegaard, Editor-in-Chief, 114 5th Ave., 13th Fl., New York, NY 10011; 212-456-0100; elisabeth.dyssegaard@disney.com; www.hyperionbooks.com.
Mattel, Bryan Stockton, President, 333 Continental Blvd., El Segundo, CA 90245; 310-252-2000, x4455; bryan.stockton@mattel.com; www.mattel.com.
MGA Entertainment, Susan Hale, 16380 Roscoe Blvd., Van Nuys, CA 91406; 818-221-4326; shale@mgae.com; www.mgae. com.
PBS?Kids, Lesli Rotenberg, SVP?Children’s Media, 2100?Crystal Dr., Arlington, VA 22202; 703-739-5032; lrotenberg@pbs.org; www.pbs.org.
Ravensburger, Benn Bramwell, Marketing Manager, Avonbury Business Park, #1, Howes Lane, Bicester, UK 0X26 2UB; 44-1869-36-3800; info@ravensburger.co.uk; www.ravensburger.co.uk.
Saban Brands, Elie Dekel, President, 10100 Santa Monica Blvd., #2600, Los Angeles, CA 90067; 310-557-5124; edekel@sabanbrands.com; www.saban.com.
Sesame Workshop, Maura Regan, SVP/GM Global Consumer Products, 1900 Broadway, 5th Fl., New York, NY 10023; 212-875-6416; maura.regan@sesameworkshop.org; www.sesameworkshop.org.
USAopoly, Jeanette Best, 5607 Palmer Way, Carlsbad, CA 92010; 760-431-5910, x246; jbest@usaopoly.com; www.usaopoly.com.
Uncle Milton, Hillary Fine, 29209 Canwood St., #120, Agoura Hills, CA 91301; 818-735-7107; h-fine@unclemilton.com; www.unclemilton.com.
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