TOY TRENDS

2017
Collect, relax
and boost
self-confidence THE GLOBAL TOY MAGAZINE

TECH2PLAY
Why the
future belongs
to tech toys

ACTIVE
SELLING
IN FLUX
What do different
consumer types
want?

BLOCKBUSTER ON THE LICENSING THRONE

Toy licences increasingly revolve around major movie hits. What are the 2017 licensing themes?
1
2
EDITORIAL
Ernst Kick
CEO of Spielwarenmesse eG

Dear Readers,
We are living in a world that is chang-
ing at an ever faster pace. Day in, day out, we are
confronted with new trends, tendencies and ideas
that often fade just as quickly as they sprang up. It
goes without saying that these changes in society
and technology naturally also impact our toy in-
dustry. Innovations in the everyday world of adults
are found again with a minimal time delay in toys.
This results in toy trends, strong-selling licensed
products, but also in completely new product cat-
egories. In this issue we will introduce you to three
trends we can expect to see next year: Girl Power,
Swap & Collect as well as Body and Mind. Check
out their sales potential for your business.
Time and again, Star Wars is quoted
as a textbook example of how a trend in society
evolved into an extremely successful licence for all
things toys. Which licence themes you can expect
in 2017 is featured on page 36.
Some trends have been shaping the
industry for years, if not decades. Tech toys like ro-
bots, multicopters or Augmented Reality products
are pushing a new category onto the market, and it
is impossible to imagine the sector without them.
For more on this, check out Tech2Play.
As you can see, the toy industry can
expect exciting times for 2017 some challenges,
but most of all, myriads of new possibilities for
both, makers and retailers.
I hope you will enjoy reading our first
issue. Experience the Spirit of Play with us!

Yours

3
 TRENDS
Imprint

Publisher
Spielwarenmesse eG
Mnchener Str. 330

2017
90471 Nuremberg, Germany
Telephone +49 911 99813-0
Fax +49 911 8149905
www.spielwarenmesse.de

Project management
Marianne Weber
Christian Ulrich 6
Editor-in-chief
Andrea Horn
REAL MARKET INNOVATIVE
Editorial team
Sebastian Billmeier
Dr Mara Costa INNOVATIONS TOYS & NEW
WAYS OF
Bianca Hauser
Harald Hemmerlein
Peter Hollo
PLAYING
Sabrina Kaul
Katharina Nlein
Steve Reece
Reyne Rice
Waltraud Ritzer
8 10
David Stahl
Jrg Winter
Scarlett Wisotzki COLOURFUL AND
Markus Zehn WOODEN
Advertisement sales
com&sale GmbH
www.com-and-sale.de
14
Art direction/layout PLAYTIME FUN INSIDE
Die roten Reiter GmbH AND OUTSIDE
www.dierotenreiter.com

Printing
Fischer & Partner
16
www.fischerundpartner.de

WHY TECH
No claim for delivery if not
published due to strike or force
majeure disruption.

TOYS
The magazine and all individual
articles contained therein
are protected by copyright.

ARE HERE TO
STAY
4 18
MORE PLAY SUCCESS AT THE 90S ARE BACK

FOR GAMES THE PUSH OF

A BUTTON
28
INTERVIEW
SPIN MASTER

22 26 30
THE FUTURE
IS LICENSING BLOCKBUSTER
ON THE

LICENSING
33 36 THRONE
INTERVIEW
PRIMO TOYS
THE RIGHT MIX FOR
LOCAL MARKETING
LOTS MORE
THAN TOYS
40 46
ITS PLAYTIME IN INTERVIEW
NUREMBERG TV RHEINLAND

43 48 50
5 TIPS FOR THE STAY IN THE LOOP,
THE FACE OF
ACTIVE
SPIELWARENMESSE 365 DAYS A YEAR

54 SALES IS
CHANGING:
64
THE GAME DONT INTERROGATE, TOYS IN
WITH THE HYPE RELATE! BOOKSHOPS

58 60 65
5
 COLLECTING, RELAXATION
AND A HEALTHY DOSE OF
SELF-CONFIDENCE
THESE
ARE
2017
THE TRENDS
It is not always easy to recognise trends early on but it is absolutely essential if you want to be in a position to offer the right products
at the right time. The international ten-member TrendCommittee of the Spielwarenmesse therefore gives industry professionals a helping
hand by identifying the trends for the coming year. The team is on the go all over the world, looking for and evaluating the latest trends.
They know exactly what will prevail in the market. The following three trends stand out for 2017 in particular.

Children are exposed to a great deal of stress in

their lives, whether that be through school, their any number
of recreational activities or their constant presence on social
media via WhatsApp and the like. Increasingly, rest and relax-
ation are put on the back burner, but these are important for
regenerating the body and mind, explains trend consultant
Gabriela Kaiser. The Body and Mind trend is not just about
indulging in relaxation as a means of balancing our stressful
everyday lives, however. Activity is also a key element. The
toys foster childrens physical and mental recuperation in a
playful way through fitness and movement, combined with a
whole load of fun.

THESE ARE THE

6 2017 TRENDS
 Superheroines are just as active and are very much
on the up at the moment. However, girls should also be brave,
self-assured and independent in everyday life. Girls should
learn early on that they can pursue their interests. Whether
they want to grow up to be computer scientists, architects or
physicists, the world is their oyster, says New York journalist
and trend expert Reyne Rice. The Girl Power trend is prin-
cipally devoted to what are known as STEAM skills (science,
technology, engineering, arts and mathematics). Toys in this
trend should give girls the tools for subsequently achieving
great things.

And then there is also collecting, a hobby that

has been enthusing young and old for decades. Of course,
the current Swap & Collect trend adds another important
component: swapping. This trend gives children the joy of
opening a surprise package. But, through the swap element,
they also acquire other important social skills and are thereby
introduced to the world of trade through play. The fact that
collecting and licences go so well together is the icing on
the cake of this trend, says John Baulch, publisher of the Toy
World magazine.

Author: Sebastian Billmeier

More on the respective trends and, of course, lots of related products can be found
in the TrendGallery in Hall 3A at the Spielwarenmesse.

7

MEINE LIEBLINGSKNETE
(MY FAVOURITE MODELLING CLAY)
We are using only the best materials,
following the traditional Feuchtmann
formula.
The modelling clay can be modelled, air
dried, painted and blended.
HOW TO FIND
REAL
MARKET INNOVATIONS
Innovation is not just about technology. The toy industry should study the
changes in society that drive the demand for new products. It is basically crucial
for people in the sector to receive the latest updates about the users, such as
childrens new behaviours, attitudes and desires, family lifestyles, values, and
motivations. If all this knowledge is combined with data related to product
trends and market tendencies, the results can give retailers a wealth of ideas
and possibilities to help them identify the next generation of successful and
amazing toys.

MY FAVOURITE CHALK
for board and sidewalk
In extraordinarily vibrant colours. Without stone
dust and therefore it can also be used on
blackboards without leaving any scratch marks.

MY FAVOURITE CLAY and CHALK

is absolutely suitable for allergy
sufferers.

Besuchen Sie uns! / Visit us!

Halle / Hall 4
Standort/Stand: B-09, C-12
01. - 06. Feb 2017
Spielwarenmesse

www. feuchtmann-spielzeug.de
 In order to get a broad perspective
of the new trends that are currently driving the
market, a visit to the TrendGallery at the Spiel-
warenmesse would be well worth any visitors
while. Attending the Toy Business Forum, where
specialists from all around the world present the
latest market information, is also useful to discov-
ering the best marketing strategies for innovative
products.

But even with the best information, Visit us:

identifying a truly innovative product is a real Hall 1, Stand D-05
challenge. Some retailers find it helpful to visit
areas of the Spielwarenmesse where new start-
ups present their most creative products, such as
the New Exhibitor Center or the zone created for
young German companies. A visit to these areas is
highly recommended to anyone wishing to meet
entrepreneurs eager to find partners to help them
launch their extraordinary toys.

Author: Dr Maria Costa

Many exciting
license products

www.aquabeadart.com

Visit us:
Hall 1,
Stand D-05

www.sylvanianfamilies.net
INNOVATIVE
TOYS & NEW
WAYS OF This is an exciting time for toy consumers as the indus-

PLAYING
try brings out great new toy innovations that have the
finger on the pulse. Spielwarenmesse TrendCommittee
member Dr Mara Costa is always on the lookout for new
toys, and the companies and ideas behind them. Some
of those innovations even promise completely new ways
of playing.

INNOVATION THROUGH AUGMENTED REALITY

A great product that high-

lights the companys innovative spirit
is Space Hawk by Ravensburger. With
this toy, children interact with their
environment, combining digital and
physical play by using the latest Aug-
mented Reality technology. By placing
a smartphone on the toy, children can
move throughout the room navigating
the spaceship while seeing things that
are happening through the screen. Chil-
dren experience digital adventures that
allow them to explore planets, shoot
virtual targets, or even interact with
characters that come to life. 01

This toy is entirely in

keeping with the new gaming trends,
considering the impact that Augmented
Reality is having with the launch of the
app Pokmon Go! This technology is
here to stay, and the toy industry should
consider how to take advantage of the
huge opportunities that AR can offer
our various categories of products.

01/02 Space Hawk, Ravensburger

03 Nenuco hAPPy School, Famosa

INNOVATIVE TOYS
10 & NEW WAYS OF PLAYING
 02

YOUNG PROFESSIONALS
FROM ALL OVER THE
WORLD ARE DEVELOPING
AMAZING NEW
PLAYTHINGS, WITH FRESH
STYLES AND UNIQUE MAR-
KET PERSPECTIVES.

UPDATING CLASSIC ROLE PLAY

Another case of popular technology applied to a toy can be
found in Nenuco hAPPy School by Famosa. This toy and its accessories
give children tools that let them pretend they are teachers in a m odern
and updated way. As digital whiteboards are becoming common in
classrooms, the playset has a whiteboard that a tablet can be placed
on. Through a free app, children can prepare a real class, deciding the
schedule of the day and the activities and subjects to teach. The app
contains 5 different languages and lots of activities to interact with
(music, birthday events, exams, and more). Children can interact with a
cute doll designed with several functions: it raises its hand to answer the
childrens questions, speaks and blinks.

This teaching playset brings a more realistic playful experi-

ence to the current generation of digital natives. Children can play with
the toy and its accessories in the traditional way and also experience
role-play in a contemporary manner, related to how they are exposed to
technology in class nowadays.

03

11
 CHILDRENS NEW INTERACTION EXPERIENCES

With regard to innovations for the

youngest consumers, Fisher Price stands out
with their toy developments for babies and
toddlers. One of them is Bright Beats Smart
Touch Play Space that works with what the
company calls Smart Touch Technology. The
toys design is based on the same means of
interaction used in touchable devices, but
it has no screens. It responds to the babys
touch in a simple and intuitive way. Without
requiring any accuracy or precision, an el-
ementary touch produces different results,
such as lights or music. The product helps
young children to play with an interactive toy, 01
without putting them in front of a screen but
instead encouraging them to move.

This toy appeals to a generation

of parents that are constantly in contact with
touchable devices and understand the value
of a product that offers an interactive way of
playing beyond smartphones or tablets.

CREATING NEW PLAYFUL COMBINATIONS

Beyond technological products, one

of the most distinctive toys presented at the last
Spielwarenmesse was Fun Biscuits by Smoby Chef.
With this game, children cook real cookies that
they can use to build castles of various sizes and
designs. And the best part is that they can eat them
afterwards. This is an excellent combination of arts
and crafts, building and eating, all in the same toy.

Keeping in mind that cooking is a trendy

activity for families and that kids love devouring
cookies, this toy responds to the reality of society
in a fun, appealing and very approachable way.

02

01 Bright Beats Smart Touch Play 02 Fun Biscuits, Smoby Chef

Space, Fisher-Price 03 toniebox, Boxine

INNOVATIVE TOYS
12 & NEW WAYS OF PLAYING
 PRODIGIOUS ENTREPRENEURS

Young professionals from all

over the world are developing amazing
new playthings, with fresh styles and
unique market perspectives. One of
these new products is the toniebox, a
toy that has been created by a group
of German entrepreneurs and that
introduces a creative new approach to
telling stories to children. Its innovative
design was even internationally rec-
ognised with the prestigious Red Dot
Design Award in 2016.

The little play figures, the

Tonies, function as the data carriers.
Simply place them on the cube and the
listening pleasure can begin. To take a
break, remove the figure again and play
with it. The company also offers an app
to allow parents to record their own
content that can then be played on the 03
box.

Author: Dr Maria Costa

13
 COLOURFUL AND
The very young in particular use all of their senses to
explore toys. And especially when it comes to the young-
WOODEN
est, parents place the most value on natural materials.
All the better then when toys can cater for both of these
aspects. How colourful and natural are these wooden
toys for babies and infants!

Author: Bianca Hauser

The stick rattle from the Heimess soft

colors baby toy range comes in very pastel tones. Like
a grasping toy, it triggers the grasp reflex and fosters 01
development processes leading to conscious grasping.
At the same time, even newborns can hold on to the
stick and shake the rattle. It is adorned with translu-
cent colours which ensure the elegant character of the

Eastern wood remains visible.

02 Not simply just a train set:

with the many-coloured adventure
train set from Hape, there is plenty
for children aged 18 months and older
to discover from the puzzle rails,
which have to be combined correctly,
to the tambourines and then on to the
xylophone bridge, over which the train
rolls musically before arriving at the
labyrinth of beads.

03

A peg game for all the senses! Each of the

nine blocks has a surprise to spring. One has a little bell
which rings on the inside, with another you can look
through a kaleidoscope, while the inside of another
Christmas feels all fluffy. This colourful toy from Le Toy Van pro-
motes colour and shape recognition as well as dexterity
and hand-eye coordination in infants aged 12 months
and older.

Meet us!
9-A02 01 H EIMESS rainbow stick rattle grasping
toy, Gollnest & Kiesel
02 Adventure train set, Hape
03 Petilou Sensory Shapes peg game,
Le Toy Van

14
 See you in Nrnberg

Spielwarenmesse
1.2. - 6.2.2017
15
LEGO, das LEGO Logo, das FRIENDS Logo, NINJAGO, NEXO KNIGHTS und die Minifigur sind Marken der LEGO Gruppe. 2016 The LEGO Group.
& Lucasfilm Ltd. & DC Comics
 PLAYTIME
CRAZE has brought the sandbox into chil-
drens bedrooms with Magic Sand. With the Finding
Dory Beyond the Sea set from CRAZE, playing with sand
can now be transferred to the underwater world. With

FUN INSIDE various fish shapes, an XXL sandbox and 600 grammes of
glitter sand in various colours, there is nothing stopping

AND OUTSIDE kids from diving in.

01
Burrowing in a sandbox, painting with outdoor chalk and
catching a ball these sound like traditional childrens
games in the summer months. Various new products demon-
strate that these can now also be played the whole year
around both inside and outside.

01 M y favourite chalks,
My favourite chalks from Feuchtmann are Feuchtmann
not just for outdoor creative play. As no rock powder is 02 F inding Dory Beyond
used to manufacture the chalks, they can also be used the Sea, CRAZE
on chalkboards. Made from the best raw materials, 03 O n the road with
the drawing chalks are available in rainbow colours of the Monster Trucks,
Fisher-Price
white, yellow, orange, red, blue, green and brown.
04 J abbit, Schildkrt
Funsports

16
 03
On your marks, get set, go! The Fisher Price
Monster Trucks encourage crawling. When you push
them down, they dart off, inviting the child to catch
them again. The product promotes babies gross motor
skills, while the colourful monster friends help them
learn about the principle of cause and effect.

02

04

First sling away, then skewer this is how Jabbit,

the new sling and catch game from OgoSport, works. The set
consists of two throwers and a ball with criss-cross pieces.
Simply hang the ball in the thrower, strike out with your arm
and throw it to the other player. Ideally, the other player
should catch the ball with his Jabbit thrower and then throw
it back.
Author: Bianca Hauser

17
www.simba-dickie-group.com
 WHY TECH
TOYS
Besides being fun, and incredibly engag-
ing, tech toys and games have evolved into
amazing new categories of play that offer
thrills and tap into new skills for kids and

HERE TO
adults. These new segments include robots

ARE
and RC drones, electronic pets, 3D printing,
virtual play, and also incorporate new tech-

STAY
nologies such as virtual reality, augmented
reality, and even artificial intelligence.

Author: Reyne Rice

The most exciting premise of these new techno-

logical toys is that they encourage kids to be active creators 01
of their play experiences. By inspiring kids to embrace an
active creator playstyle, instead of a passive consumer mind-
set, we are evolving kids into being vested in the process of
building, making, creating and customising their toys. This
has developed a whole generation of kids that take more risks
and are becoming more confident Do-It-Yourself kids. When
kids start to ask What if?, then we have got them thinking.
Encouraging experimentation and curiosity are important,
active life skills.

Here is a review of the top new segments that

are emerging, and some of the players that are leading the
charge. Get excited, and get in on the fun. The best way to
learn new technology is to place it into the hands of kids you
know, and play right alongside them.

01 Coji Emoticon Robot, Wow-Wee

02 Zoomer Chimp, Spin Master

WHY TECH TOYS

18 ARE HERE TO STAY
 ELECTRONIC PETS

As kids become more sophisticated

and adept at technology, their toy electronic pets
have also become more interactive. The CogniToy
Dino, is a cloud-based WiFi Connected Toy that
allows kids to engage in intelligent conversations.
C.H.I.P. is an electronic puppy who is trained by its
owner to follow a child, to learn tricks and even to
play with an object that uses beacon sense smart
technology (Wow-Wee). Spin Master has created a
variety of smart technology pets in multiple play
iterations. Their Meccano Meccasaur uses sensors
and touch-points that are built into the creature,
so that kids just need to activate the touchpoints
to get reactions such as roars, speech, attack mode
and other playful sounds. Hatchimals (Spin Master)
offer a new form of nurturing play, to evolve new
characters that actually hatch from their inner
eggshell over time, to become unique, function-
ing, interactive pets. Zoomer Chimp is a playful
chimpanzee that uses smart technology to sense
its owner and to respond to tricks and commands.

02

ROBOT TOYS

So many new iterations here engage

kids to teach and control their robots. Coji Emoti-
con Robot by Wow-Wee uses emoticons as the
social and emotional intelligence programming
language. Dash and Dot (Wonder Workshop) teach
coding to preschoolers and older kids can create
more sophisticated programs, such as devising
obstacle courses, or building with accessories,
to create more complicated stunts and actions.
OzoBot mini one-inch robots and the Sphero BB-8
robot have both encouraged character-based play
with coding sequences that surprise and delight
kids as users.

19
 VIRTUAL PLAY

Augmented Reality:
More companies are using augmented reality technology in
ways that are more elegant and playful for the end user. AirHogs Con-
nect: Mission Drone Augmented Reality RC by Spin Master incorporates
drone technology, and uses an augmented reality controller as a viewing
device. The built-in play pattern is all about initiating and completing
missions, while actively playing, and flying your drone. Reach Robotics
MekaMon Battling Robots, Anki OverDrive Racing Vehicles, and WowWee
R.E.V Vehicles and R.E.V Air Drones all encourage kids to drive their air
and land vehicles, with dexterity and purpose.

td.
film L
TM Lucas
&

01
Electronic Learning:
With a continued emphasis on STEM Learning, more manu-
facturers are adding coding, programming and logic-building into toys
and games. The Fisher-Price Think N Learn Code-A-Pillar teaches the
basics of computer programming to preschoolers who add segments to
a caterpillar-shaped toy. Each connectable segment represents a coded
command which the caterpillar will execute in sequence, such as turn-
ing, moving forward or reversing, adding sound components and more.
Vtech Go Go Smart toys, little Bits Gadgets & Gizmos, Sphero S.P.R.K Edi-
tion, Kosmos Verlag Kosmo Bits (CodeMaker in the USA), Happy Atoms by
Thames & Kosmos, LEGO Education WeDo Version 2, HexBugs VEX Robot-
ics, Marbotics alphabet blocks, Tiggly Learning, Edwin the Duck (pi labs),
and OSMO (Tangible Play), are all new manufacturers who are joining this
STEM to STREAM (Science, Technology, Robotics, Engineering, Art and
Mathematics) movement.

Virtual Reality:
Google and Mattel partnered to re-invent the ViewMaster
adding new 360 degree viewing capabilities to an old classic. Mel-Sci-
ence has developed Science Kits that incorporate VR viewing in the final
experiment stages, to make the learning even more relevant. Zing Toys
has added a Green Screen Stage to their StikBots products, to encourage
kids to create and share their digital movies and scenes, via an immense-
ly popular social media gallery website.

Visit us
WARUM DEN TECH TOYS
20
Hall 9 D-57, E-58
DIE ZUKUNFT GEHRT

Rubies Deutschland GmbH | www.rubies.de

 RC DRONES

From the smallest portable

Pocket Drone by Odyssey Toys that
folds as flat as a credit card to the most
sophisticated DJI Phantom 4K camera
flying drones, there is a wide spectrum
of flying RC drones to choose from.
Horizon Hobby has launched their First-
Person-View (FPV) drones to experience
the thrill of racing, as seen through the
pilots eyeglasses. Other key stand-out
manufacturers in this segment include
SilverLit, SkyRocket Toys, Revell, Carre-
ra, and AuldeyToys.

02

3D PRINTING

These products bring concepts to life in a very tangible way, using 3D

01 View-Master 2.0, Mattel
02 Phantom 4, DJI
03 3D Magic ImagiPen, Tech 4 Kids
and 4D modelling. Whether kids use a 3D printer to create their toys, or a 3D doo-
dling pen, to build products with filaments in the air, the excitement is in building
something unique in the colours and combinations of the kids choosing. Some
examples include: Mattel ThingMaker 3D printer, XYZ Printing Robot Building Sys-
tems, 3D Magic 3D Pen (Tech4Kids), The original 3D Doodler Pen, and their newer
3D Doodler Starter Kit, SkyRocket Toys 3D Chocolate Pen, and Redwood Ventures
3D Drawing Pen.

03

NEW for 2017: Tech2Play will be a new special feature area at Spielwarenmesse 2017, housed in hall 4A. This showcase
exhibit for new technology products will span across a wide spectrum of toy categories, and new applications for virtual play
in toys and games. Come and join us, and get connected with tech play!

21
 MORE PLAY
FOR
GAMES Author: Waltraud Ritzer
With the point of sale becoming a point
of emotion, see how shopfitting is chang-
ing in a digitised world.

Blister panels, overflowing racks, in between

as little empty space as possible in order to fill every single
inch of valuable surface that is what classic retail outlets
looked like in the past. But times, customer preferences and
therefore even shopfitting concepts, have changed. Retailers
everywhere around the world and in all industries are look-
ing for a way to turn their point of sale into a point of emo-
tion. A place where customers feel good, which they enjoy
frequenting and where they (naturally) prefer to do their
shopping.
The German sports maker adidas, for example, has
announced that in future its stores will manufacture running
shoes which will literally feature a printed-to-measure
interim sole for the wearer, as it is printed in-store by a 3D
printer for each and every customer individually. A special
service which customers are likely to find highly appealing.
Whereas on the one side there is a strong trend among
customers for individualised, personalised products, on the
other, the 3D printer is a gimmick that is likely to arouse the
curiosity of many shoppers.
Union Square in San Francisco, on the other
hand, is where Apple launched its latest store which, in ad-
dition to a new design also provides many service offerings
which later are to be transferred to other PoS. They include,
for example, a forum as a meeting point for artists, photogra-
phers, musicians, gamers, or even developers. Displays have
been hung on the walls for interactive screen services and
for product presentation. The special experience factor is
the focal point for the entire concept. What is striking about
the new shop is the wooden design that is found throughout
the stores entire new look. The understated aesthetic which
has dominated the stores of the cult brand to date seems a
thing of the past.

01 Apple Store, San Francisco

MORE PLAY
22 FOR GAMES
 CULTURAL PREFERENCES
The USA and Great Britain
are currently experiencing a renais-
sance of artisanship, reports Angelika
Krause, consultant to the management
of the German-based network Laden-
bau e.V. in Germany. Tailors, barber
shops or milliners are springing up
like mushrooms. Customers in these
countries are specifically looking for
shops that create something genuine.
Italy is also seeing this trend and it will
become more present in Germany, too,
so her forecast. In principle, so her ex-
perience, shopfitting ideas are popular
that advocate a sustainable concept.
Once again Apple recognised and im-
plemented these developments at an
early stage. The building in which the
new store is housed will be powered
by green energy from photovoltaic sys-
tems. This creates an I-like feel amongst
customers.
This is not the case in Asia
where preferences differ: According to
Krause, metropolises in Asia have digital
screens not only in shops they are
omnipresent and found even on faades.
The latest collection from the runways
is projected directly onto the faade of
the retailer, says the shopfitting expert.
Visit us
Hall 9 D-57,
23
E-58
Jofrika Cosmetics GmbH | www.jofrika.de
 EMOTIONAL CUSTOMER APPROACH
All concepts share the common goal
of wanting to gain the customers attention and
arouse the need in them to enter the shop and stay
there for as long as possible. Compared to other
industries, toy retailers have huge advantages here
because their merchandise as such evokes strong
emotions and desirability, emphasises Krause.
And while shop owners in other sectors are almost
desperately seeking possibilities to give their
customers a genuine shopping experience, the
possibilities available to the toy trade are obvious:
Small events like an afternoon of crafting, or a
toy competition, workshops where children make
their own teddy bears and even offering child care,
there are no limits to what can be offered, Krause
lists. (See also Regional Marketing article)
Retailers literally create the freedom
they need for this through digitisation. For example,
sales staff can show customers on a tablet what the
bobby car looks like in different colours meaning
the full product range need not be on display on
the shelves. Native apps, beacons, RFID tags or QR
codes are tools which can support sales assistants
01/02 weShop Munich
Visit us at
Hall 2/B05-C04
MEHR RAUM
24 FR DAS SPIEL
Contact: Karl-Heinz Wittmann khwittmann@hauckhkg.com +49 174 9955622
02
with their consultation, they are a digital extension
of the real product presentation in terms of product
width as well as product depth, emphasises on the
other hand Bernd Mayer of Serviceplan Consulting
Group. For a good two years now, the agency has
been testing the so-called weShop jointly with
the shop maker, Vitrashop as well as technology
partners Cancom, Cisco and NEC, to find out what
a shop of the future could look like.
And also the German buying group
Vedes is currently testing the use of a so-called
Digital Shop Window jointly with some partners
in order to combine the advantages of classic re-
tailing with online trading. Specifically, there is a
virtual product range extension at the point of sale
via terminals, tablets and screen walls, allowing
customers to place their orders at the shop from
the full online range.
A concept that will set a precedent.
Experts like Mayer are convinced that even a
traditional sector such as the toy trade will in the
future increasingly refer to digital means for their
product communications. Genuine product and
pricing communication as such does not suffice to
generate added value for customers, he stresses.
The retail trade must change from a point of sale
to a point of emotion.
www.hauck-toys.com
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25
 SUCCESS
AT THE
PUSH OF A
BUTTON
How does one find a way to combine the means of trans-
port that matter most to children, a scooter and balance
bike, within one vehicle? The team at Scoot & Ride GmbH
in Austria put their minds to this question and came up
with a unique mechanism. The product can be converted
in no time at all from a simple scooter to a comforta-
ble balance bike. The route from unknown start-up to
sought-after toy manufacturer, a success story.

26
 It took more than two years
to come up with the 2-in-1 mechanism,
which has been enthusiastically re-
ceived by retailers, key accounts and
distributors. Scoot & Ride has
revolutionised the scooter and FROM A SCOOTER TO A
balance bike market and now
offers five different products. BALANCE BIKE IN JUST
All are based on the same
mechanism, capable of turning
SECONDS THANKS TO THE
a scooter into a balance bike in 2-IN-1 MECHANISM.
just seconds.
In year 2 of the companys
history, Scoot & Ride took part in the
Spielwarenmesse 2015, which repre-
sents to it the most important trade
fair for childrens products. The team
made key contacts there and were able
to do business with them just shortly
after the trade fair in many cases. The
first Spielwarenmesse was extremely
stressful in a positive sense for Scoot&
Ride, according to Sales Manager Chris-
toph Lechner. After winning the 2015
ToyAward in the PreSchool category,
the company enjoyed overwhelming
interest from visitors. It was an incred-
ible experience. Even though the trade
fair lasts six days, it felt like two days
at the most to us, said Lechner. A year
on, everybody was still talking about
the ToyAward win. Many contacts from
the previous year came to our stand to
find out what new products we were
working on.
Things have continued in
the same exciting vein for the team
since then. There have been no signs
of the summer slump typical in the
industry at Scoot & Ride. The company
has since broadened its general posi-
tioning, invested a great deal of time
and money in marketing, tapped into
new markets and engaged in a lot of
follow-up work. Numerous countries
have been added on the sales
side by getting new distribu-
tors on board, with very good
sell-through levels being seen
now. We have focused heavily
on particular markets so as
not to lose the overview and
to ensure we can sustain our
success to the best of our abilities, said
Lechner. Scoot & Ride is very happy
with how things are going in its home
market of Austria and in the Benelux
countries in particular, where they have
a strong sales partner on their side.
This partner, like the young Austrians
themselves, is trying out completely
new sales channels in order to get the
products to the right target group. This
concept will be adapted and adopted
for other countries in the future.
In spite of the acclaimed
successes and positive growth in the
company, the team is still the same. This
is very important for a young company.
Scoot & Ride will bring a completely
new product to the market in 2017.
People will already be familiar with
the product in and of itself, but it has
been completely reinterpreted by us
and equipped with technology that
has not existed and is truly unique,
revealed Lechner. Scoot & Ride is rais-
ing the excitement levels following its
decision to unveil the new product at
the Spielwarenmesse 2017 for the very
first time.
Author: Andrea Horn
27
 THE 90s
ARE BACK!
These three comebacks will get parents hearts beating
faster in 2017: Wendy is coming to the big screen, Simba
from the Lion King will be back on TV and the popular
gimmicks from the YPS! comics will hit the stores.

Author: Bianca Hauser

The lions are finally returning! Disney

has been broadcasting its The Lion Guard TV se-
ries since September 2016, based on the successful
The Lion King film classic from 1994. Simba Toys
is exclusively offering Simbas and Nalas sweet son
Kion and many other products relating to this.

Mothers and daughters will love this

licence! The Wendy movie will be taking cine-
mas by storm in January 2017. Wendys show horse
Penny is great for playing with and cuddling. But
there are also various rocking and ride-on horses
in the range.

03

We will experience another revival in

2017 with the YPS! old school theme. Various toys
for performing magic and experiments based on
the old original gimmicks will enthuse both par-
ents and children.

28
 www.mts-sport.com

TM

01

02

01 Kion, The Lion Guard, Simba Toys

02 Wendy soft toy horse Penny,
HEUNEC Plschspielwarenfabrik
03 YPS! retro products, TRIPLE-A-TOYS

Specialist in Funsports 29
 TRENDSETTER:
SPIN MASTER TAKES AIM AT
HIGH-TECH AND LICENCES
Interview with Hedley Barnes, General Manager North Europe at Spin Master

Established in 1994 in Toronto, Canada, toy manufacturer Spin Master International S.a.r.l. is one of the
worlds leading companies in the childrens entertainment segment. Its successful brands are distributed glob-
ally and include such names as Air Hogs, Meccano, PAW Patrol, Spin Master Games and Zoomer, as well as toys
based on the hit film How to train your dragon. Hedley Barnes, General Manager North Europe at Spin Master,
participated in a question and answer session which gave us a glimpse into the future of toys.

What do you see to be trending for toy

markets in 2017? 01
Products will develop even
more towards digital, interactive, and
augmented reality. Otherwise, licences
remain very important you can see
that in the sheer number of licensed
products on the market. We are of
course also taking aim at this market:
Our company is active in the childrens
media market through our subsidiary
Spin Master Entertainment. Here, we
concentrate on the design, develop-
ment and production of TV and media
formats. This covers such TV series
as Bakugan Battle Brawlers and
PAW Patrol, broadcast in over 160 coun-
tries.
You mention the importance
of licences on the market. Which prod-
ucts and licences will Spin Master be
looking towards for the coming year?
As far as licensed toys are
concerned, Spin Master has cast a wide
net with themes for the pre-school to
teenager target groups. Most recently:
The 5th part of pirate cult film Pirates
of the Caribbean, starring Johnny Depp
and anxiously awaited by fans, will be
coming to theatres in May 2017. We
were able to obtain the toy licence for
the Disney film highlight, starting us
off on a new and far-reaching licence
product range for the target group of
boys age six and over. Focus action fig-
ures and role-play. The forecast? Armed
01 Zoomer Meowzies Arista, Spin Master
02 T
 oothless Night Fury (Catapult Tail),
Spin Master

INTERVIEW
30 SPIN MASTER
with Capn Jack Sparrow and his wicked For which toys are you already using
crew in our portfolio, we intend to cap- digital and interactive components?
ture the seven world markets over the Interactive electronic toys have been
long haul. part of Spin Masters DNA since the company was
Our drawing card in the founded. Our autumn highlight, the Hatchimals,
licence segment is and remains the have interactive options that make them seem
DreamWorks dragons. Here, we are lifelike. The Hatchimals were hatched in October
continually working at expanding our and set new standards for interactive toys in the
distribution channels, pushing develop- area of robotics.
ment of the POS presentation forward Our much loved self-assembly robots,
so as to obtain active support of the Meccano Techs Meccanoids, also have their own
trade. Our cooperation with Super RTL, programming and app control system, which is
which has been crowned with success, constantly under expansion and development.
will also be continued in 2017, when WHEN The Zoomer family, revolving around
we will also be launching a number of
new, action-packed collectible drag-
DRAGON prize-winning robotic dog Zoomer 2.0, will also be
having offspring: This year, four cat characters, the
ons. With many additional characters TRAINERS AND Zoomer Meowzies, along with adorable puppies
in collectible and plush form, we are CLEVER TOY Zoomer Zuppy Love in peppy designs, will be join-
also riding the wave of the box-office
success of family animation film Pets.
ROBOTS SHAKE ing in the fun. These all offer various play options
and interact with children from age five on.
Additionally, there will be toy sets for HANDS Can you let us know now what special-
the mini-figures. ist visitors may look forward to at your stand at
As our own brand in the the next toy fair?
pre-school segment, we naturally have Of course I cannot say too much,
a particular fondness for PAW Patrol but this much I can tell you: Spin Master will
these products stand out through high be represented with exciting licence themes,
quality, design that remains true to reasonably-priced full-year products and many
the original and special play value. We innovative, interactive novelties.
concentrate here on the established
categories of toy figures, plush, vehicles
and playsets.
You have already spoken
about your own brands. Where do
these stand in relation to other licence
themes and does Spin Master prefer
one category over another?
The bottom line is the mix.
There are always several focus topics
on the verge of becoming trends. One
of these is licences, which experienced
two-digit growth in the last fiscal year.
These supplement the core brands in
the Spin Master portfolio. Our so-called
evergreen brands are Air Hogs, Kinetic
Sand, Zoomer and Meccano. When the
situation presents itself, we integrate
licences here as well for individual 02
products. As is so for our Air Hogs En-
terprise Starship and Meccanos sleek
LaFerrari model.

Author: Sebastian Billmeier

31
32
 THE FUTUREIS
LICENSING
Peter Hollo, Germanys new head of LIMA
(Licensing Industry Merchandisers Associa-
tion) speaks openly about licensing, reflec-
tion and self-criticism, as well as opportu-
nities and strategies. He tells us just what
makes the market for licensed products so
unique and exciting. And last but not least,
how everybody involved can benefit.

Author: Peter Hollo

Any idea which question I have been

hearing frequently in the past years? Could you
please tell me what the next Star Wars-like hype
will be? No, I cannot do that. But one thing I can COURAGE IS WHAT IS NEEDED
tell you: you is that most likely we have all held
such a licence in our hands at some point in time HERE! RID YOURSELF OF SELF-
and have probably done nothing with it. And that
puts us right in the middle of things. Just how
RESTRAINT WHEN IT COMES
inconsistent our handling of licensing is: On the TO DECIDING WHAT CUSTOMERS
one hand, licensed products give the retail trade
dreamlike sales, while on the other we never tire WANT, AND WHAT NOT.
of emphasising that consumers want something
else. But what? The figures speak for themselves:
Licensed products are consumer favourites.

33
 GETTING TO THE BOTTOM OF THINGS
Where does this perception come
from? As is often the case, matters are also highly
complex. The industry is caught up in its constant
self-fulfilling prophecy loop. The retail trade
forecasts that a licensing theme will not take off
and as a result does not list it at all or only with
little effort. And, much to nobodys surprise, sales
are poor. That then creates a feeling of once again
having made the right decision. Only few will ques-
tion what would have happened if the retail trade
had really pushed things, distributed the licensed
theme on a large scale and made it sufficiently
visible for the consumer.
On the other hand, time and again
there have been licensed themes in the past which,
with little self-criticism, were taken to the market
with a lot of noise, only to fail miserably. When
it was about a realistic assessment of ones own
chances and discussing them with the retail trade,
a certain penchant towards over-enthusiasm
became apparent. Of little help in this context
was the repeatedly committed cardinal mistake
of sending overly-motivated marketing people
to retailers when professional sales staff would
have been needed. So it comes as no surprise
that the retail trade politely declines when the
second or third visit is announced.
Courage is what is needed here! Rid
yourself of self-restraint when it comes to deciding
what customers want, and what not. Those who
have ignored this very issue in the past have actu-
ally turned out to be particularly successful. I think
it is indeed our job to give consumers a realistic
offer, but not to exercise self-censorship before
things even start. Or worse: We should not try to
become educators and compellingly want to do the
right thing. Not everything needs to have an edu-
cational value, and not everything always needs to
be politically correct. Our products should indeed
be fun! We will always come across customers who
do not particularly like this, yet others that do. An
ultimate success story always has something to
do with polarisation. The mainstream will follow
from a certain tipping point onward on its own.
Consumers are sufficiently responsible. We need
not protect them from themselves.
THE FUTURE IS
34 LICENSING
A SECTOR FULL OF OPPORTUNITIES
The other day I had a long conversation
with someone I greatly value who told me: You
can tell the maturity of a sector by how self-critical
and self-reflective it is. I completely agree with
that. Licensing is a fantastic segment offering a
sheer endless supply of unbelievable opportunities
for everyone involved in this process chain from
IP owner/licensor to the agency, the licensee,
the retail trade and the consumer. It is not about
treating each other as opponents. Most of all, it is
about this: How do we make consumers spend
their money so that it flows to us and not to
others?
That which is better is always the en-
emy of what is good. As a licensing industry we
should carefully listen to what the retail trade
as a gatekeeper has to say. And they, too, will
(have to) contemplate new concepts. Licensed
products give the retail trade the possibility to
distinguish themselves from others, to add
value to proven products with the attributes of
a successful licensing theme, to capitalise on
current trends, to develop new target groups
or regain lost ones. I see entire licensing theme
worlds before me, full of exciting products
from many different categories. Theme worlds
combined with great courage, which customers
can immerse themselves in, which give them the
possibility to live their fandom and shop to their
hearts desire. For this, the retail trade needs
genuine category managers for licensing, who
have decision-making powers and profit responsi-
bility with their own retail spaces and everything
that comes with that.
That definitely does not make licensing
a no-brainer. But it makes the business interesting
for everyone wanting to approach it with innova-
tion, commitment and courage. For my personal
taste quite a good first step towards success. As
they say in the retail trade: It is not so important
to know when to join a licence you rather have
to know when to leave it. That might hold some
truth. However, I firmly believe that all profession-
als from the entire process chain will proactively
and successfully work that out with each other.
Much more important than when to join and when
to leave, is the time in between. This is when suc-
cess is born, legends are created, and money is
earned! And that is what it is about.
35
 BLOCKBUSTER
ON THE

LICENSINGTHRONE
The increasing convergence of media and toy companies presents the possibility of getting licences onto a sustainable track. With this in
mind, manufacturers are mainly focusing for the coming season on the great licensing potential of cinema themes involving familiar char-
acters earmarked to appear in a number of upcoming movies.

They are known for their colourful, striking,

up-combed hair: the Trolls are currently conquering
big screens worldwide, and DreamWorks Animation
has also set a corresponding merchandising machine
in motion. From figures, playsets and puzzles through TOYS IN THE LIMELIGHT
to electronic toys and school supplies various
manufacturers are presenting a broad spectrum with With Transformers, Hasbro
the aim of building on old successes. The Troll dolls has already impressively demonstrated
from Denmark began their triumphal march back in that screen adaptations of toy themes
the sixties with a primarily female target group and can work over a long period of time.
were able to sustain their success until the nineties. A fifth instalment is being readied for
With the cinema debut, also involving superstar Justin 2017: Transformers: The Last Knight.
Timberlake, a new generation of girls is now being The manufacturer is using its own
targeted. studios and hopes to cater for other
genres besides action in the future as
well. A My Little Pony film will appear in
the second half of the year. Work is cur-
rently ongoing on adapting other toy
themes, such as Monopoly and Magic:
The Gathering.
The current brand range
of competitor Mattel is also offering
various lucrative possibilities for the
major movie theatres. For example,
Sony is putting the most famous doll
in the world on the screen in her first
live-action film in contrast to the 32
home-movie adventures produced so
far, Barbies cinema debut will not be
an animation. Mattel, and no longer
Hasbro, will also be the main global toy
licence holder from next July for NBCU-
niversals Jurassic World movie series,
which will continue in 2018.
01

BLOCKBUSTER
36 ON THE LICENSING THRONE
 DISNEY CLASSICS

As is well known, Disney blockbusters have great marketing

potential. The biggest cinema event of 2017 will happen in December:
Star Wars: Episode VIII is the second part of the new trilogy of the
eponymous space epic, with a two-year interval planned between each
release. However, the wait will be shortened for fans and toy manufac-
turers. The three-part Anthology series will begin in December 2016
already with Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. Following Star Wars in the
global merchandising ranking is Frozen. The public was delighted with
the Frozen Fever short film in 2015, but the date for the next full-length
movie has not yet been announced. The Marvel universe is also growing.
With Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 and Thor: Ragnarok, two block-
busters which will have an impact on an extended toy range are about
to hit the cinemas.

02

01 Toy manufacturers from various product categories are offering a comprehensive range of merchandise for the
Trolls film.
02 Disney, Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2
Besides Star Wars, the Disney universe is also preparing new releases featuring the popular Marvel heroes.

37
 THE WARNER BROS. HEROES

The Warner Bros. DC Comics

giants are also uniting again. In Justice
League, Superman, Batman, Wonder
Woman and other superheroes battle
together against the forces of evil.
Wonder Woman, the first solo adap-
tation involving this character, is also
coming to the big screen. Another eight
blockbusters of this kind are earmarked
through 2020. The associated merchan-
dising is in full swing, with Mattel and
Lego being the main licence holders
for toys for the entire DC Comics world.
There will also be other outings in the
Lego Movie franchise. After profitable
box-office receipts of almost 500 million
US dollars, Warner Bros. has announced
another three releases, two of them in
2017: Lego Batman in February and
Lego Ninjago in November. The Lego
Movie 2 sequel is planned for the year
after that. The Danish toy manufactur-
er will support these with playsets to
match.

01

01 Warner Bros., Wonderwoman

02 W arner Bros., The LEGO Batman Movie
03 Playmobil, Ghostbusters

02
BLOCKBUSTER
38 ON THE LIZENSING THRONE
 OLD FAMILIARS IN A NEW FORMAT

The big studios are increasingly turning to tried-

and-tested favourites which can give a strong boost to the
international licensing business thanks to new productions.
Cars 3, Smurfs 3: The Lost Village and Despicable Me 3
will be just some of the highlights of the 2017 cinema listings.
The return of the Power Rangers to the big screen is also
worth highlighting, as well as an animated adventure involv-
ing smileys and co., otherwise known as emojis, which can
already be found in various plush incarnations. Playmobil is
simply turning the tables and has announced a collaboration
with Sony Pictures based on the Ghostbusters cult classic.
Beginning in early summer 2017, this will be the first time the
German toy manufacturer brings out playsets inspired by an
internationally renowned entertainment property.
Whether a toy from a film or a film of a toy this
licensing segment will continue to grow because the themes
are increasingly being communicated to the consumer
and they offer retailers numerous ways of differentiating
themselves, tapping into new target groups and monetising
current trends.

03

Author: Scarlett Wisotzki

HALL 6 STAND A-18

Exclusive ball
manufacturer

www.star-toys.com
OFFICIAL LICENSEE

39
 PROGRAMMING
WITHOUT A SCREEN
Interview with Filippo Yacob, CEO of Primo Toys

Filippo Yacob (CEO, right) und Matteo Loglio (Head of Design, left) founded Primo Toys in 2013. The birth of
his son inspired Yacob to invent Cubetto, a premium quality wooden programming toy which quickly went on to
win numerous top-class awards. Filippo addresses a number of topics within this interview, including what
makes their product special, the importance of design in toy development and how he believes things will go
for edtech toys in the future.

THE WORLD IS
BECOMING EVER MORE
DIGITAL AND
PROGRAMMING SHOULD
BE AS MUCH A PART OF
WHAT CHILDREN
LEARN TODAY AS
READING, WRITING AND
ARITHMETIC.

INTERVIEW
40 PRIMO TOYS

What makes the Cubetto Playset different?
Cubetto differs from other
programming toys in that it has no
screen and is made from natural ma-
terials. Children aged three years and
older can learn the basics of program-
ming in a playful and vivid way, without
having to actually sit for hours in front
of a screen. As parents, we want our
children to learn something, but we
also want them to play without just
swiping on a tablet. Children learn best
when they can really get to grips with
something.
Programming from just
three years of age that is relatively
new. How do you believe the market for
edtech products will go in the future?
The world is becoming ever
more digital and programming should
be as much a part of what children
learn today as reading, writing and
arithmetic. At the end of the day, we
want to equip our children with the
skills that will matter in their future.
With Cubetto, we are making program-
ming logic accessible for even the very
young. The aim is to develop their abil-
ities to use digital devices to help them
solve problems as a matter of course
from early on. We are encouraged by
the positive response from teachers and
parents and Cubetto is already on sale
in 96 countries now. Edtech products
are definitely trending at the moment.
We expect this to continue in the years
ahead and for them to become even
more popular.
Cubetto, Primo Toys
How important was your
participation in the Spielwarenmesse
2016 to you in terms of the market
launch?
Learning how to program
with just your hands and no screen
the retailers really had to try this out
for themselves. Important retailers and
sales partners from all over the world
congregate in one location at the Spiel-
warenmesse. This allowed us to meet
lots of them in a short time. Participat-
ing in the Spielwarenmesse helped us
create awareness of our product and
get feedback.
Your Cubetto Playset was
awarded a Golden Lion in the Prod-
uct Design category at the festival of
creativity in Cannes in June. This puts
you in the illustrious company of firms
such as Google and Aston Martin. How
important is design when developing
your products and toys and games in
general?
It takes great expertise to
convert something as complex as pro-
gramming into a comprehensible, vivid
and useful toy. From the interaction to
the presentation, the user experience to
the industrial design, all aspects of the
design have to be taken into account
as well. This is the only way to come
up with a toy that will generate lasting
memories for children. It is incredibly
important for us that we have received
an award from the experts in Cannes, as
well as the experts of the Red Dot Award
and the Junior Design Award in the UK.
You raised around 1.6 million
US dollars for Cubetto from more than
6,000 backers from 90 countries at the
start of the year through crowdfunding.
How do you explain this enormous
success?
Just 17 hours after launching
our campaign, we had already received
pre-orders totalling 100,000 dollars.
After 30 days, these had reached 1.6
million dollars. The orders have tripled
again since then. This is an overwhelm-
ing and also very emotional experience.
We assumed there was demand for pro-
gramming toys, and we also assumed
that this demand is growing, and this
has been confirmed. We have expand-
ed our team as a result of this, while
remaining true to our own aspirations
and principles.
Author: Sebastian Billmeier
41
 Experience Spielwarenmesse Trends, innovations and inspiration

Win a
bright red Vespa!
Details and terms and conditions:
www.spielwarenmesse.de/en/win
42
Closing date: 07.02.2017
ITS

PLAYTIME
IN

NUREMBERG
The Franconian city has been at
the heart of the toy industry for
hundreds of years.

Author: Waltraud Ritzer

The city of Nuremberg has

long been synonymous with high-quali-
ty toys, with the first historical mentions
way back in 1398: for the first time, two
doll makers appear in the citys tax lists
from that year. Their clay dolls quickly
evolved into coveted collectors pieces
and were sold far and wide as Nurem-
berg bric-a-brac (Nrnberger Tand) via
the free imperial citys trade channels.
The first papier-mch fig-
ures were produced in the Franconian
city just a short time later. They were
fabricated within wooden moulds, an
indication of the first use of series pro- Neues Museum, State Museum for
duction techniques in the toy industry. Art and Design, Nuremberg
Later dolls made of wood, tin and sheet
metal appeared as well as dolls houses
and kitchens, and soon also windmills,
animals and stick horses. The Nurem-
berg bric-a-brac business flourished,
with one workshop supposedly pro-
ducing an impressive 30,000 toys a year
already at the time. THERE IS STILL MORE TO BE
Resourceful merchants event-
ually began having showpieces, originally
ADDED TO THE NUREMBERG
manufactured in Nuremberg, recreated TOY CITY STORY AFTER OVER
in other regions. There were two rea- 600 YEARS.
sons behind this: firstly, it was no longer
possible to meet the steadily increasing
demand, and secondly, they wanted to
undercut the prices of the Franconian
artisans. The rules of capitalism were
already in effect back in those days.

43
Nurembergs old town and castle

In the 19th century, Nuremberg and the But the region still plays a prominent
neighbouring city of Frth were considered the role in the toy industry today. Well-known toy
first point of call for collectors of tin figures. Sol- manufacturers such as geobra Brandsttter (Play-
diers in all possible uniforms were right at the top mobil), BRUDER, and Simba Dickie, to name just a
of countless customers wish lists. The French king few, have kept their headquarters near Nuremberg.
Louis XVI, for example, is supposed to have com- The city has successfully defended its international
missioned Nuremberg enterprises to produce an reputation as a toy city and is host each year to the
entire army of tin soldiers. The figures produced by Spielwarenmesse toy fair, by far the most impor-
the Nuremberg-based company Ernst Heinrichsen tant trade fair in the industry. It is still playtime in
are still popular among collectors today. By 1910, Nuremberg!
the number of Nuremberg toy manufacturers had
ultimately grown to 283, of which over a hundred
were producers of sheet metal toys. More than
8,000 people were employed in these enterprises
alone. One company, Bing from Nuremberg, was
even considered the biggest toy manufacturer
in the world by far. Even today, the name is well
known among collectors.
World War II and its political and eco-
nomic impact resulted in a massive decline in the Dates and events at:
toy industry, and in the citys fortunes. Many Jew-
ish manufacturers who used to live in Nuremberg www.spielwarenmesse.de/
and Frth had also fled to the UK and US, taking
their know-how with them. en/nuremberg

ITS PLAYTIME
44 IN NUREMBERG
E-mail us: sales pppolesie.com
45
 THE RIGHT

MIX FOR
LOCAL

MARKETING
Regional campaigns reinforce customer loyalty and are a signifi-
cant tool in the recruitment of new customers at the point of sale.

They make the retailer the talk of the town in

a positive sense, of course with flyer distribution here and
advertising in the local paper there, supported by social
media marketing campaigns on Facebook and the like. There
are various ways for retailers to boost their familiarity in the
region and thus increase customer frequency at the point of
sale.
Depending on individual requirements, we
recommend our retailers to use a mix of print and online
advertising, together with local promotions, said Stephan
Bercher, Marketing Director of the Vedes trade association in
Germany. The decisive factor is to achieve the right balance,
making the different promotions into a campaign which
reaches all target groups.
Print advertising is, for example, still an important
method, even in the internet era. There are lots of people
who subscribe to a daily newspaper or search through free
advertising papers for special offers. Younger customers, on
the other hand, primarily use social networks, which should
also be included in the marketing mix. However, an advert,
irrespective of the medium in which it is placed, will only pro-
duce the desired success if there is a reason for the campaign.
Festivals like Easter, Christmas, Divali or Chanukah are part
of the obligatory programme, when advertising can promote
special presentation areas or ideas for presents or the most
popular games of the season. But it is more difficult to design
promotions which bring customers and primarily new cus-
tomers to the point of sale outside of the times which are
always busy anyway.

Visit us
46 Hall 9 D-57, E-58
Mottoland GmbH | www.mottoland.de
 PROMOTIONS IN AND AROUND THE SHOP
There are a wealth of different ways of ar-
ranging promotions in toy retailing. Spielwaren Kurtz,
for example, a tradition-rich toy retailer in Stuttgart,
favours the following marketing tool: at events like the
Kids & Activity Village at the Porsche Tennis Grand
Prix or the Festival for Children and Teenagers, it
is regularly represented by a childrens world very
successfully, according to Managing Director Harald
Hepperle. After all, several tens of thousands of visitors
from the region come to these events. In addition,
Spielwaren Kurtz holds its own events, like a games
night or promotions organised in co-operation with
manufacturers. The more frequently we organise
such events, the more successful they become, said
Hepperle.
Jouets Bass, on the other hand, a retailer
with two shops in Paris, created a lovingly designed
online book for the summer holidays, in which sugges-
tions for toys during the holiday period are presented
very attractively. This makes it popular with customers
and boosts the shops creative character. Similarly
Starjouet LAs Vgas Forez, also a French retailer, in-
cludes current topics in regional campaigns, such as
the summer holidays, and supplies numerous ideas for
outdoor and board games on Facebook.
In North America, the beginning of Christ-
mas business is celebrated with the Neighborhood Toy
Store Day, which comprises a large number of special
promotions in toy stores, ranging from handicraft
activities through paper chases to product discounts.
Customers from the neighbourhood come to the shop
and buy the first Christmas gifts of the season. Support
for and participation in local projects and events is
also a way of attracting attention. A childrens corner
with handicrafts, jigsaws, drawing and painting at the
local football club tournament or at a school theatre
production can promote interaction with customers.
Public-spirited programmes are very pop-
ular with customers (young and old) too. Retailers can
enhance their image in the region by giving the local
sports club financial support or collecting donations
to charitable organisations in joint programmes. In
this way, they appear likeable and committed, encour-
aging customers to trust them.
These examples illustrate that there are
numerous options available and that, with a balanced
marketing mix for all target groups and consideration
of regional features, success will be achieved at the
point of sale.
Author: Waltraud Ritzer
47
 SAFETY FIRST TOY SAFETY
PUT TO THE TEST
Interview with Dr Ina Michaelis of TV Rheinland

A lot has happened since the technical testing organisation TV Rheinland tested its first product, a steam
boiler, in 1872. Nowadays just under 20,000 employees in 65 countries test technical equipment, products and
services. TV Rheinland is one of the leading suppliers of toy safety tests worldwide. Dr Ina Michaelis, Head
of the Toy Department, explained what you have to watch out for in toy safety.

TV Rheinland is one of the biggest providers worldwide in

the field of toy safety testing. Safety issues concerning toys and games in
particular always attract a great deal of media and public interest. What
importance do you attach to toy safety in your daily company life?
The size of our department, with almost 50 employees in
Germany alone, plus numerous colleagues in the various laboratories,
shows just how important the topic of toy safety is for TV Rheinland. In
addition, our company is involved in a number of national and interna-
tional bodies, committees and groups that exchange experience in order
to make sure we are always up-to-date with the latest developments and
can offer our customers and their children the very best safety.
A lot of different factors and aspects are taken into account
when testing toys. What are the greatest sources of danger and risks
when it comes to toy safety?
For the end consumer, the most difficult aspect is most cer-
tainly assessing the chemical risks as these are not visible to the naked Dr Ina Michaelis
eye. But in any case, if there are any unusual smells, you should always Head of the Toy Department
be careful and, if in doubt, dont give the toy to the child. We recom-
mend that you look for a mark of conformity (GS (Tested Safety) symbol
or another private symbol used by TV Rheinland Editor) so that you
can be sure that the manufacturers have complied with the prescribed
threshold limits.

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The comprehensive Horse Club play world can be extended with new figurines, lovely horses, cute accessories 42346 42344
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and wonderful play sets. Pick-up Riding centre
For more information, please contact your Schleich representative or visit www.horseclub.com with horse box with rider and horses
 A lot of potential sources of risk often make par-
ents uncertain. What criteria does TV Rheinland use in their
tests?
When testing products, we base our tests on the
prescribed test procedures for the country in question. In the
EU this is the EN 71 series of standards together with other
specifications, e.g. for electrical safety (EN 62115) as well as
country-specific requirements such as chemical threshold
values. At TV Rheinland we also conduct tests that go be-
yond the statutory specifications before we award a mark
of conformity. Some of our customers also lay down stricter
guidelines than required under usual legislation because of
consumer protection. We take these into account in our as-
sessments accordingly.
Are there any special aspects or designations that
dealers and also end customers can watch out for?
We can only advise end customers and dealers
to look out for test marks. A CE label unfortunately does not
always offer the necessary level of protection so that it might
be advisable to find out about the manufacturer in advance
or, more simply, look for a mark of conformity awarded by
TV Rheinland or the LGA Tested Quality Seal, for example.
These marks all include an identification code which you can
use to find out online what tests have been conducted on the
product in question.
The Testing & Inspecting Center is the first point
of contact for exhibitors and trade visitors at the Spielwaren-
messe when it comes to toy safety. TV Rheinland has had a
stand there for many years. What do you do there exactly and
what questions do visitors ask who come to your stand?
A lot of manufacturers and specialist dealers use
this opportunity to inform themselves about our work at first
hand. It is the easiest place to find out, from experts, all the
latest news and developments in connection with toy safety.
In addition, we offer compact Expert Talks during the trade
fair. In these talks we summarise and present the most essen-
tial information about the various current issues.
Apart from the Spielwarenmesse, where else can
manufacturers, specialist dealers and end customers get in-
formation about the latest developments in toy safety?
TV Rheinland offers various seminars and sym-
posia several times a year on this subject and also sends its
customers newsletters informing them of the latest develop-
ments. It is also possible to train as an Expert in Toy Safety
in our company. The European Union also offers a lot of infor-
mation about toy safety on its website. Another good place to
get information is the ZLS homepage (Zentralstelle der Lnder
fr Sicherheitstechnik = Central Office of the Federal States for
Safety Engineering www.zls.de Editor).

Author: Katharina Nlein

49
 LOTS MORE
T H A N TO Y S
Children can fashion a toy out of almost anything they deem suitable at that moment. So it is hardly
surprising that there are no limits to the product diversity to be found at the Spielwarenmesse. The toy
sector is acutely aware of the need for people of all age groups to play and caters for this with a rich
selection of toys and games. Ultimately, virtually everything playable belongs in toy stores, even if
some products may surprise consumers at first glance.
01

Digitisation is no longer
a foreign concept in the world of tra-
ditional play and opens up lots of new
opportunities, as demonstrated by Tep-
pino, for example. A childrens playmat
forms the basis for the Teppino educa-
tional toy. Children can find everything
that is typical for a town or city on the
playmat, from a doctors surgery to a
garage. The free educational game app
is used to scan selected locations and
buildings on the playmat. This opens up
a teeming world, where children can
listen to interesting and educational
tales in an audio drama and re-enact
them on the playmat. Through this,
the classic, free play on the playmat is
combined with the digital world of the
Teppino app.

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 335 exhibitors at the Spielwarenmesse
clearly demonstrate: there is a very broad market
for baby and infant articles. From classic baby toys
such as rattles, mobiles and grasping toys through
to all of the initial gear in the form of furniture and
accessories: the Baby and Infant Articles product
group has plenty to offer the toy trade. Parents
and loved ones are particularly interested in qual-
ity and added play value which fosters the babys
development. It goes without saying that products
for the very small also deserve their own product
segment.

02

Party decorations, rockets and fancy dress cos-

tumes and accessories: celebration-themed products and
licensed articles are a very good fit in any toy range and
stimulate seasonal business, and not just during Halloween,
Carnival and New Year. Without doubt, there are many reasons
to celebrate, so it is worth having a broad range. Therefore,
an entire hall at the Spielwarenmesse is filled with festive
articles and Europes largest selection of fireworks.
C

At the other end of the target group, so to speak,

adults looking to buy for their own needs are playing an Y

increasingly important role in the toy trade. With the latest CM

technical gadgets and faithfully accurate model kits, even the

MY
biggest are amazed by all the things that can now be played
with. For example, a kit from fischertechnik GmbH allows CY

users to build their own 3D printer, providing a simple intro- CMY

duction to the latest fascinating 3D printing technology. Users

K
learn the basics of the process and gain an insight into this
revolutionary technology with great potential for the future. For more information
visit www.heless.de or
email sales@heless.de.
01 Playmat "Meine Stadt (My city), Teppino We are more than
02 Much more than toys even for babies happy to assist you!
03 3D printer, fischertechnik

03

Visit
our booth!
Additional 2%
discount on top of
discount
our 3% fair 51
bringing this voucher.
 Of course, interesting
novelties can regularly be discovered
among the classics as well, including
dolls, soft toys, board games, model
railways; the list of toy themes is long.
Lifestyle products are relatively new
but increasingly important for retailers
as well. Small gift items and dedicated
trend or themed worlds are a great way
to regularly renew a range by adding
premium touches and also to respond
quickly to trends.

01

We should not forget the products

on offer for all kinds of creative design activities
which are becoming ever more important: school
supplies and toys go wonderfully well together
also in the same shop.
02

01 Decorations, fashion, and accessories emphasise the individual lifestyle of children.

02 Plasticine and other do-it-yourself products are very popular among children and adults.
03 The fun of rolling along: Scooters with modern designs and more at Spielwarenmesse.

LOTS MORE
52 THAN TOYS
 03

It is usually more fun for kids to expend excess energy in the open air once they
have the right tools and equipment. And lots of these are toys. Boomerangs and basketball
hoops, childrens bikes and sleds, trampolines and scooters, everything you need to get chil-
dren (and often adults as well) moving can be found in the Sports, Leisure, Outdoor product
group at the Spielwarenmesse. The right accessories, like camping supplies and bicycle hel-
mets for children, create additional buying incentives in stores for toy purchasers interested
in outdoor pursuits.

Author: Harald Hemmerlein

We are lookiNg
For diSTribuTorS
many plush product lines for all target groups
successful plush programme for infants
big vartiety of gift- and merchandising-products
display- and spinner-concepts for retail
marketing, product and logistical support
from the German HQ
Benefit from a cooperation with one of
the leading plush and gift brands in Germany.
Visit us at Toy Fair (Spielwarenmesse)
Nuremberg in hall 1, or contact us
by e-mail export@nici.de.
53
 5 TIPS
ON HOW
TO GET THE
IF YOU DO NOT
YET KNOW THE MOST
EFFECTIVE WAY TO
STRUCTURE YOUR VISIT,
READ THESE TIPS

MOST
FROM STEVE REECE

OUT OF
SPIELWARENMESSE
Author: Steve Reece
Based on my personal experience 17 years visiting Spielwarenmesse, with only one missed
due to leisure travel this event is easily the most effective for conducting international toy
business. I find it all too easy to fill a diary with necessary meetings for days on end at the
show, and usually fail to connect with a few people just because I cant fit all the relevant
meetings in. I believe my personal record is 52 meetings, a number which I know many
exhibitors eclipse, however to achieve those 52 meetings, as a non-exhibiting visitor I have
to walk considerable distances between exhibitor booths. My step counting gadget informs
me that my record walking distance in one day is 16 miles, or roughly 26km!

Discover
diversity!
om
r to ys.c
ww w.knor

Nuremberg 1.2. - 6.2.2017

Hall / Booth
54 1 / C11
Mattel
 Discover the world of Peggy Diggledey!
1
North German, outgoing, cheeky and cheerful,
shes ready for autumn fantastic!
WEAR COMFORTABLE SHOES! She has her heart in the right place, and occasionally she wears it on
her sleeve. She explores life where its really happening in the outdoors.
If there is one piece of advice you take She isnt pink, and she isnt plush. Shes a proper girl!
from this article, I would recommend this one.
There are other (better) places to sacrifice comfort
for fashion. I have conducted meetings with peo-
ple wearing sports training shoes (sneakers), and
thought nothing of it. The purpose of the show is to
do business, and limping around in major discom- 63903
fort is not going to enable you to focus on what Bicycle
bell
needs to be done!
62928
Ding-a-ling! Peggys Magnifying
bicycle bell made of glass box
high-quality metal.
Eyes open and look
carefully! Just because
an insect is so small,
it doesnt have to be
uninteresting.
A steady hand
is required. This
game trains the fine
motor skills and is
suitable exclusively
as an indoor game
from gale force 3!

56668
Wobbly Tower
2 Gale Force 9

PRE-BOOK MEETINGS!

You can just drop onto exhibitor

booths, and sometimes this can be an effective
start point, but the key method of getting on in
the toy industry is building a strong network of
contacts. Why would you leave this to chance?
When pre-booking, if you have to book meetings
close to each other in your schedule, make sure
they are also close in physical terms on the site (Hall 3, Stand A 2)
you wouldnt be the first person to book a meeting
for 30 minutes and then be nearly 30 minutes late
getting there!

www.goki.eu 55
 3

START AS YOU MEAN TO GO ON!

Trade shows are not plac-

es where shy and timid people usually
prosper, especially when trying to build
a new business. Make sure to talk to the
first person you see inside the doors,
whether it is the person checking your
badge, or another visitor, strike up a
conversation, and get into the habit of
talking to people you dont know well
in advance of when you hit the first
sales pitch.

UTILISE ONLINE RESOURCES/DATABASE!

Spielwarenmesse has a very

user friendly and thorough exhibitor
database on www.spielwarenmesse.de
which will allow you to search by ex-
hibitor name or product group. This
excellent database is available after the
show also, allowing you to check back
on companies you visited or saw, or to
check for a phone number so you can
follow up.

ONCE THE SHOW CLOSES FOR THE DAY, THE BUSINESS GOES ON!

This is not to suggest that business is not done at

the show in fact billions of in business is conducted dur-
ing show hours. However, the after-hours time can be just as
important in terms of meeting new contacts, having informal
discussions over a fine German beer or bumping into some-
one on the underground train. From a personal perspective,
I can directly link some of my biggest commercial deals to
conversations made out of show hours. Its usually easier
than it might appear to tap into the after-hours scene, for
instance the UK toy trade people can often be found in two
Irish bars in Nuremberg Aldstadt OSheas and Finnegans.

5 TIPS FOR THE

56 SPIELWARENMESSE
57
THE Advertisers are looking to connect with kids through new

GAME
ideas and campaigns such as Pokmon Go and influencer
marketing.

WITH THE

HYPE
A smartphone game surged like a wave
over the whole world this summer: Pokmon
Go tempted countless gamers outdoors, mobile
phones in hand, on the hunt for virtual monsters.
Marketers quickly saw the opportunity to stimulate
business through the hype surrounding the game:
locations which were frequently visited in the real
world were turned into battle arenas (gyms) or
places for restocking equipment (PokStops) in the
game and were particularly sought out by play-
ers as a consequence. Brick-and-mortar retailers
in particular could and can benefit from the game
because of this, as a PokStop ultimately means
greater footfall at the point of sale.
As a result, retailers in the US started
shortly after the release of Pokmon Go to inte-
grate the game into their marketing, using social
networks to highlight the presence of a PokStop aging Director of consulting firm Profski GmbH
in front of their shops, for example. A juice bar in in Cologne. Many players had played Pokmon in
Gainesville, USA, gave gamers a free smoothie if their younger days and felt like they were recap-
they attracted other gamers using the app. The city turing a bit of their youth again with the mobile
of Basel enjoyed rip-roaring success on YouTube variant. Now they are playing Pokmon Go with
with an unusual campaign: in its viral video, four their children the game is bringing different gen-
men dressed as Pikachus can be seen travelling erations together and there is a lot of emotion tied
through the Swiss city in a small van. Armed with up in it, he continues. And what is more: he sees
Pok Balls the size of gym balls, they hunt for an opportunity for the toy trade in particular to
passers-by collecting Pokmon, who can be seen boost its turnover. If customers have been drawn
gazing at their mobile phone screens. In tandem to a location in front of a store or actually inside
with the creative video, the Basel tourist board also a store through the game, retailers can motivate
started a campaign in which the citys attractions them to buy by offering the right products, goes
were exposed and made prominent PokStops in his advice. This applies to the sale of licensed
the app so that Pokmon gamers could visit them. products in particular, which are sure to play a
At first glance, the success of Pokmon key role over the Christmas season this year. He is
Go seems really unexpectedly crazy, but it is rela- convinced that, Toy retailers are perfectly placed
tively simple to explain in retrospect, says social to use the marketing opportunity on offer to them
media expert Professor Klemens Skibicki, Man- with this game.

THE GAME
58 WITH THE HYPE
 INFLUENCERS GENERATE ATTENTION
Pokmon Go may have already passed the
peak of its hype in some countries, but the success of
the game indicates how marketing is evolving, espe-
cially when it comes to the younger target group. After
all: Todays 15-year-olds are deaf and blind to con- Welcome to Playbox
ventional advertising, explains Simon Loebel, Chief
Digital Officer of consulting firm United Digital Group.
a world full of crafts
Using augmented reality games such as Pokmon Go, Hall 4/C20 Spielwarenmesse
companies can quickly build awareness within a new
target group and demonstrate their innovative capa- RETAIL SCHOOL PRIVATE LABEL
bilities to young people as well and in particular.
But this is not the only potential new
approach to advertising products and shops. Simon
Loebel also advises connecting with young people
where they most like to spend their time: in social net-
works. If a product or content is recommended there,
then awareness is significantly higher than through
a traditional campaign, he emphasises That is why
for this target group we recommend working with
influencers who are known in the community and
whose opinions matter to young people in particular,
continues Loebel.
And influencer marketing is indeed being
increasingly used as a marketing instrument: compa-
nies approach celebrities and stars for this, but also
frequently bloggers as well whose articles and posts
are clicked on thousands and sometimes millions of
times. Advertisers usually let these opinion leaders
test products and offerings, hoping that a recommen-
dation from them will generate interest among others
as well. The most important communities for this are
Facebook and Twitter, along with video and photo
networks such as YouTube, Snapchat, Instagram, Pin-
terest and Tumblr.
YouTuber PewDiePie is one of the stars of
the influencer scene. Swedish by birth and with the
real name Felix Arvid Ulf Kjellberg, he now lives in the
US and has collected 50 million fans.
A campaign run by the manufacturer Sen-
nheiser also shows that influencer marketing works.
The company started an Instagram campaign for its
Urbanite headphones. Four opinion leaders each
in Germany, the UK and the US received gifts of the
headphones. The image gain for Sennheiser is clear:
the influencers posted photos of themselves using
the headphones and commented on their experienc-
es almost seven million people viewed the photos,
300,000 tapped the like heart icon and some 3,400
commented. The Sennheiser fan group on Instagram
also grew to 71,500 fans an increase of no less than
58 per cent.

www.playbox.se
Author: Waltraud Ritzer Head office: Playbox AB, Spngatan 4, 343 34 lmhult, Sweden
Tel: +46 476 602 10 | E-mail: info@playbox.se
Sales office: Playbox AB, Hstholmsv. 29, 131 71 Nacka, Sweden | Tel: +46 8 462 00 75
China office: PuLeBo, 29 Ping Feng Road, Zhongda Plaza, Building 6,
59
Room 707, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China | Tel: +86 571 876 461 11
THE FACE OF
ACTIVE
SALES IS
CHANGING:
DONT
INTERROGATE,
RELATE!
Author: Jrg Winter

If you feel like finding out

Every customer is different. Some enjoy a leisurely
more, join us at the Toy Business
stroll without being approached, while others know what
Forum on 4 February 2017 for a look
they want and can be quite displeased if they do not receive
into the exciting world of how to
an immediate warm welcome. This simple example shows us
deal with customers from all walks
why general recommendations are so difficult to make when
of life with aplomb. Bring your sales
it comes to giving advice on how to treat customers. Our ex-
staff along to this event, which is free
periences from day-to-day business are simply inconsistent.
of charge and does not require reg-
This creates insecurity and tends to make customers act more
istration! Jrg Winter will prep you
reserved in the retail space.
between 1 pm and 3 pm for your
What is the most practical solution? The method
retailing job!
to be acquired is called rapport. It is the capability of relating
quickly to the personality of the other person. We want the
customer to feel understood and accepted. He is supposed to
see, hear and feel that we accept him at face value, just as he is
and as he appreciates from his usual living environment. The
challenge for us is to accommodate the customer, no matter
what. Through our body language, our choice of words and
much more.

ACTIVE
60 SALES
 Two typical examples: The emotional customer
will appreciate being addressed personally, with a touch
of small talk for his mood to be picked up on. He wants to
be asked about his reason for visiting the store. He likes to
choose, because quite often, he is not set in his ways. Many
emotional customers are open to ideas that supplement
their gift. Sympathetic advice pointing out the possibility of
an exchange takes away any concerns against making the
purchase. The world experienced by the factual, level-headed
customer who is much less emotional, is totally different. He
knows exactly what he wants and would like to close the deal
fast. Having a choice is not that important to him. For him, a
shop is not the right place for small talk. Additional offers? Not
a chance! Pointing out the possibility of an exchange? No need
for that, he takes that as a given.
These two cases show us what potential there is in
treating customers more specifically in accordance with their
target group. What is important to one person, is totally lost
on another. Individualised retailing by type of personality is
an effective concept in order to give customers a special buy-
ing experience. In other words: We adapt to each and every
customer individually. As a result, the sales conversation runs
much more smoothly, and inconsistencies are solved while
our aplomb increases. Treating people according to their
respective type is a USP and helps us to stand out from online
competition as well as competition from the more sedate
traditional retailing.
Do you have any idea which treasure lies hidden in
your talks with customers when you gain access to a highly
practical methodology, in order to accommodate the most
important types of customers according to their respective
type? Far away from the supposed universally-applicable
standard questions?

Adventurous
Toys from
HAMA
HAMAs unique product
range opens a colourful bead
universe in a class of its own.
Children have many hours of
creative fun and developing
play with beads, patterns and
pegboards with attractive and
interesting shapes.

www.hama.dk Stand No. 4 - A89

Made in Denmark
61
 TOY BUSINESS ACADEMY
FREE OF CHARGE: SALES TRAINING FOR
YOUR EMPLOYEES

WEDNESDAY:
Trends in retailing
setting sights on the future
THURSDAY:
Lets license keeping business
moving and shaking all year long
FRIDAY:
Viewing the bigger picture
smart product range policies in
the toy trade
SATURDAY:
Toy Business Academy
getting your sales team in shape
SUNDAY:
You snooze, you lose
retail success with new ideas
TIPS AND TRICKS ON CONSULTING AND SALES
ADDITIONAL SALES THROUGH TARGETING SPECIFIC
CUSTOMERS
CONFIDENT DEMEANOUR AND REAL MOTIVATION FOR
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WHEN: SATURDAY, 4 FEBRUARY 2017, FROM 1 P.M.
WHERE: TOY BUSINESS FORUM, HALL 3A

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63
 STAY IN THE
to y s LOOP,
365
DAYS A YEAR
Do you want to make sure you are always up to date on
the latest goings-on in the toy industry? And would you
like to have all important information to hand quickly
and efficiently before your visit to the trade fair? Then
avail of the Spielwarenmesses varied media offering.

hall 11.1. / booth C-23

You will find everything about the Spielwarenmesse,
current highlights from the industry, comprehensive
services and contact information, directions and much
more at www.spielwarenmesse.de.

You will not miss out on anything

imagine delivers
The impressive range of UV LED flatbed printers and cutters from Mimaki
gives you the power to create fun, one-of-a-kind designs and special
limited edition toys, from jigsaw puzzles and model miniatures to foam
animals and letter blocks, that are as unique as they are playful.
happening in the toy industry after the trade fair
either. The Spielwarenmesses Spirit of Play online
magazine provides you with up-to-the-moment
news and a wide range of articles dealing with
trends, safety, marketing tips, licences and much
more. Experts and other movers and shakers in the
toy industry regularly get a chance to have their
say there and tackle the trends that have the in-
dustry talking. Simply go to www.spiritofplay.com.
You can also subscribe to our news-
letter to receive regular updates on the latest
developments and important dates. This way you
can benefit from practical services and exclusive
industry knowledge as well.
Organise your visit to the trade fair very
simply using the Spielwarenmesse app. It offers
you complete exhibitor and product group direc-
tories, hall plans, a trade fair calendar and many
other useful features. Make sure you always have
the toy industry at your fingertips with your
smartphone.
Besides the information channels men-
tioned, the Spielwarenmesse can also be found on
Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Google+, LinkedIn,
Xing and Instagram. Click through and enjoy the
many interesting posts and videos.

The results are limited only by your imagination.

Lets create... TOGETHER

info@mimakieurope.com
64 @MimakiEurope

www.mimakieurope.com
 TOYS IN
BOOKSHOPS
Statistics show that e-books
are becoming increasingly popular and
digitisation continues to make steady
progress. Small classic booksellers
will sooner or later have to realign
their business so they can remain at-
tractive for customers. Both small and
large retailers have developed a new
product-mix strategy to counteract
declining sales. There are few products
that have such a complementary inter-
relationship and accompany each other
so harmoniously as toys and books.
The non-book assortment
can attract the attention of both book-
worms and reluctant readers alike,
luring them into the shop. Through
clever displays, non-book products can
have a positive visual impact on your
business. And there are no limits to the
nd fu n
o n a
cti ly to ys
a th rol
w i
...
140
128
110
growing with
Franz Schneider GmbH & Co. KG Siemensstr. 13-19 96465 Neustadt bei Coburg www.rollytoys.com
creativity that retailers can employ, Are you reluctant to jump
especially when it comes to the very onto the licensing bandwagon but
latest licences, which can be found in would rather create something of your
the product ranges of many toy manu- own? No problem! The trend towards
facturers. sustainability and the deceleration of
These theme worlds are the pace of life is spreading. You could
particularly popular with the younger easily display, for example, wooden toys
generation and are relatively well and use greenery to create an oasis of
known. So why not put Darth Vader, calm in your shop.
Yoda and B-88 on display in the youth
book department? Girls would probably
feel more at home with a Frozen set-
ting, where they can peacefully browse
through the latest childrens books,
next to their role models Elsa and Anna.
Naturally, you can casually display the
appropriate toys dolls, laser swords,
crowns. Anything that harmoniously
blends into the overall setting is al-
lowed.
Author: Sabrina Kaul
Nuremberg
1. - 6. Feb 2017
65
 HIGHLIGHTS AT THE SPIELWARENMESSE

HALL 4A
Tech2Play
New technologies which very recently gained a foothold in our lives
are now finding their way into toys as well. Stay on the ball and
visit our new Tech2Play activity area.
HALL 3A

TrendGallery
Looking for the 2017 trends?
Visit the TrendGallery! Besides trade fair innovations presented by
exhibitors, you will also find the toy trends from around the world
collected for you by the Spielwarenmesse TrendCommittee.

HALL 3A
New Exhibitor Center / Innovation made in Germany
Some 60 international companies exhibiting at the Spielwarenmesse
for the first time will showcase their products in the New Exhibitor
Center. Other innovations of German newcomers can be found at the
Innovation made in Germany pavilion.
HALL 3A

ToyAward
The ToyAward recognises new innovative products at the trade
fair in four different categories each year.
Discover the winners of the ToyAward 2017 in Hall 3A!

HALL 3A
Toy Business Forum
Top-class speakers will propose toy retailing approaches that will
prepare you for the challenges of the future. The Toy Business Forum
will focus on a specific topic each day.

Fireworks
A dazzling firework display above the exhibition grounds
will be held on the Saturday of the trade fair with the
PARK

support of the company WECO. Mulled wine will be offered in

FAIR

the exhibition park and at Entrances Mitte and Frankenhalle

during the fireworks.

66 66
IMPULSE PRODUCTS FUSE BEADS
guarantee of fast moving products New interpretation of fuse beads 'put to colors
Strong licenses - huge portfolio and numbers'
Optimal placement options Strong licenses - huge portfolio
Bracelets, tattoos, earstickers and more
Successful in the
German-speaking market.
Now we are looking for
distribution partners
worldwide!
TOP-
RANKING
NPD-EUROTOYS

Visit us ...
Stand A-03 ADVENTCALENDAR
Huge license portfolio only top-licenses
Hall 6 calendar with exclusive 3D-content: slap-snap-bands,
MODELING SAND stickers, buttons and many more items
Products have received several accolades "Disney Quality Product Award 2016" for
Huge portfolio Frozen adventcalendar

67
YOU ARE INTERESTED IN DISTRIBUTING OUR TOYS IN YOUR COUNTRY? PLEASE CONTACT US:
CRAZE GmbH Karlstrae 27 76133 Karlsruhe Germany Telefon: +49 721/381 347 0 info@craze.toys www.craze.toys
 kids
THE ORIGINAL SINCE 19 9 9

YOUR
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Visit us at the
International Toy Fair
in Nuremberg
01. 06. Feb 2017 www.micro.ms Micro Mobility Systems Ltd.
www.microscooter-shop.de 8700 Ksnacht
VISIT US HALL 7 / Booth F-09 www.microlino.ch Switzerland

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