The Toy Book - 2016 NY TOY FAIR EDITION

TOY FAIR 2016
STEVE PASIERB
President and CEO,
Toy Industry Association (TIA)
What challenges are currently facing the toy
industry and how is the TIA addressing it?
Some of the hot topics right now include
online privacy and drone registration. Our
members are just as mindful of safeguarding
privacy as consumers. When a major brand recently launched a toy
with an innovative online component, we had the foresight to collaborate
with the manufacturer and government stakeholders to ensure
responsibility, and will continue to work closely with our companies
moving forward. Toy drones can be wonderful sources of entertainment,
but there are regulatory challenges from the FAA and elsewhere
that impact our members and partners while confusing consumers.
We also anticipate more unnecessary state and local legislation
aimed at regulating the composition of children’s products. We have
consistently maintained that any state laws should align with the strong
federal standards that have governed toy safety for years. Addressing
legislative challenges on behalf of the entire toy industry and advocating
tirelessly for members’ interests is always a cornerstone of TIA and
something our members identify as a top value of membership.
We also recognize that we will forevermore have a global reach.
Our staff is already working internationally and members are seeking
growth in both developed and developing nations. In addition to the
business challenges of opening new markets, there are regulatory
and other hurdles to address. Southeast Asia is a particular region of
opportunity where TIA can and will do more.
What are your key initiatives for the year ahead?
We will be loud and proud. The industry and TIA are committed to
advancing the universal concept of open-ended play. One phenomenal
example is TIA’s Genius of Play, which touts the role, value, and intrinsic
joy of play. This is a digital and grassroots campaign that had parents
pledge 60 minutes of open-ended play daily and our first-year goal
was for 1 million hours. We’ve already surpassed 5 million hours in just
six months and blown away every metric of success. TIA looks forward
to championing the developmental benefits of play to parents and
caregivers, with more content and information in 2016.
Leading the conversation around toy safety is an essential role where
we’ve seriously upped our game. Our goal is to engage proactively in
a year-round dialogue. We made great strides in 2015 by balancing the
conversations and questioning the validity of claims and accusations
made by NGOs, and we will build upon that for 2016. Given the deep
commitment to safety and overall burden of testing that each member
brings to their products, we need to take back the dialogue on safety to
help families make appropriate choices and ensure safe play. Toys are
the instruments of play and TIA members make great, safe toys.
SHEHNAZ SAFIUDDIN
Senior Vice President of Toy &
Hobby, TOMY International
What were the top selling categories
in 2015? Were there any surprises?
Our licensed toys performed
strongly in 2015. Beginning with the
blockbuster Inside Out in the early summer
and continuing through the end of year with the holiday
release of The Good Dinosaur, our toy lines based on these
Disney•Pixar movies brought the rich storytelling and treasured
characters to life.
We were delighted that the key driver item in our Miles
from Tomorrowland line (the Stellosphere) delivered high play
value, and as a result sold well at key retailers in stores and
online from the time it hit shelves in late summer through the
holidays. A pleasant surprise for us was the fact that our Miles
from Tomorrowland Blastboard completely sold out at retail.
Pokémon delivered growth for us in 2015, both in the core
figure and plush categories, and our John Deere lines had
another solid year.
We believe the reason our licensed lines did so well in 2015
is because of the TOMY magic and innovation we bring to
product design. We work hard to bring our licensor partners’
characters to life, and that is what keeps kids smiling and their
parents coming back for more.
What do you anticipate will be strong categories in 2016?
We are getting early reads from retailers predicting that evergreen
play patterns and classic licenses will be strong in 2016. In
particular, our line of licensed toys based on the upcoming Disney
Animation Studios film Zootopia has sold-in strong for early
2016—mostly focused on action figures, vehicles, and plush. We
will also have some incredible new additions to the Miles from
Tomorrowland line that will build off our 2015 success.
We are also excited to unveil an all-new licensed vehicle
line, Gear Force Horsepower, designed to fuel continued success
in the vehicle aisle.
Both Pokémon and Sonic the Hedgehog celebrate milestone
anniversaries—20th and 25th, respectively—in 2016,
and we are looking forward to augmenting those perennial
best-selling brands with special anniversary items and promotions.
2016 also marks our 70th anniversary as a John Deere
licensee, and we have no plans of slowing down.
In addition, we will refresh our flagship Lamaze infant
brand—now in its third decade—to solidify its leadership position
in that category later this year.
TOYBOOK.COM | FEBRUARY 2016 | THE TOY BOOK 63