Sales of tabletop games and puzzles in the U.S. grew 14.4% in 2021 versus 2020, according to NPD Group research conducted for the Toy Industry Association. That was on top of a 32.5% increase during the peak lockdown year of 2020. While sales are unlikely to maintain these lofty growth rates in 2022, marketers and […]
Archive | Toys/Games
Food Truck Feast
By Karen Raugust on October 21, 2021 in Character/Entertainment, Content, Design and content themes, Licensing, Toys/Games
Food trucks have become ubiquitous on street corners across the U.S. and in some other territories since at least the mid-2010s. As a result, they have emerged as a frequent element within children’s storytelling—including both food-centric and non-food-centric TV shows, books, games, and movies—as well as a common theme in kids’ consumer products, especially toys. […]
It’s Anyone’s Game
TV competition shows are a growing area of interest for brand extension, particularly for properties from the worlds of board games, interactive gaming, and character/entertainment. Some of the IPs, gaming-based and otherwise, that are lending their names to current and upcoming reality competition shows include: Harry Potter. A four-part quiz show, Harry Potter: Hogwarts Tournament […]
The Numbers Are In
The toy industry is having a good year in 2021, as measured by the major public toy companies’ quarterly results to date. Some observers had thought industry growth would slow in 2021 after a significant bump in dollar sales in 2020, fueled by the need to keep families occupied during the COVID lockdowns. In addition, […]
Competitive Advantage
Thanks at least in part to the rise in board games’ popularity during the pandemic, corporate and fashion marketers have gravitated to this category. Several have recently created limited-edition board game releases as a means to promote their brands: Vivetta Ponti, an emerging Italian designer, paired with Mattel’s new collaborations platform, Mattel Creations, for a […]
Game Play
Three leading toy companies recently signed renewals of existing licensing deals tied to mainstream video game properties, or otherwise expanded their current assortments. This is a reminder of how the toy-licensing landscape has changed over time from almost entirely TV- and film-based to an environment where video games, one of today’s major leisure-time activities, play […]
Signs of a Comeback
The last few months have brought news about the signing of several multi-faceted, multi-year toy deals, both in the U.S. and globally, many involving well-established properties: Spin Master joined the Wizarding World through a deal with Warner Bros. Consumer Products, with plans to produce playthings tied to the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts franchises. Merchandise […]
Everyday Heroes
Toys and collectibles depicting police officers have taken a hit since the protests against police brutality began almost a month ago with the killing of George Floyd. Lego temporarily stopped marketing its police-centric building kits (but did not stop selling them), while Paw Patrol has come under scrutiny in some quarters for portraying the police […]
Kid Stuff
At Toy Fair New York in February, one of the trends was the large number of influencers signing toy deals. Most of the celebrities associated with the products on display there were young adults whose content appealed to children or collectors. More recently, a raft of agency representation and toy-centric licensing agreements have been focused […]
More Visibility for Disability
By Karen Raugust on March 16, 2020 in Character/Entertainment, Demographic groups, Licensing, Toys/Games
Over the past several years there has been a focus on diversity and inclusion of all types in advertising, content, and consumer products. The introduction of characters with physical and mental disabilities has been a recent manifestation of this trend, with more and more examples in the toy and children’s entertainment industries, especially in the […]