The Toy Book - 2016 NY TOY FAIR EDITION

State of the
Industry
SIMHA KUMAR
President, Children’s Entertainment,
Kmart
How do you engage consumers in store to
drive toy sales?
As a retailer that has been selling toys
for more than 50 years, we know driving
toy sales starts with being well-positioned
to deliver on what’s trending, but equally
as important are engaging with our members in-store and delivering
an unparalleled retail experience. To capture this excitement,
Kmart launched a new brand identity this year, leveraging our iconic
heritage and making shopping fun again by bringing back member
favorites such as Bluelight Specials, Freebie Saturdays, and other instore
events to create an overall enhanced experience at Kmart.
Did the popularity of Star Wars toys drive additional, non-Star
Wars toy sales in the fourth quarter? Do you plan to dedicate as
much space to Star Wars in 2016?
Enthusiasm for the brand was high when we introduced products
from the new movie into our existing robust line of Star Wars toys on
Force Friday in September. Interest grew throughout the season as
the frenzy reached a fever pitch with the movie’s premiere coinciding
with the peak of holiday shopping. By positioning Kmart as a
destination for Star Wars toys and offering exclusives such as the
limited-edition Kylo Ren (Starkiller Base) figure and A-Wing Micro
Machines, we drove customers both online and in-store to capture
their piece of our cross-category assortment of Star Wars toys and
beyond. We’re ready for the Star Wars interest to continue, and
we’re excited to tap into proven pop culture powerhouses such as
highly anticipated 2016 movie sequels, including Teenage Mutant
Ninja Turtles, Captain America, and Finding Dory, to inform our
inventory selection and offer on-trend toys for all ages and stages.
Record numbers of shoppers used mobile devices to make holiday
purchases in 2015. How will you address the needs of mobile
shoppers this year?
A recent survey commissioned by the National Retail Federation
(NRF) found that 22 percent of shoppers planned to purchase on
mobile during the season, the highest since NRF began asking the
question in 2011, so obviously mobile continues to play an important
role in the shopping mix. To kick off the busiest shopping season
of the year, Kmart refreshed its mobile app this past November with
easy-to-use features designed to help shoppers cross everything
off their shopping lists. New features and benefits include Bluelight
Special Alerts, layaway options, and exclusive offers to make it easier
than ever for our members to shop, earn points, and get the best
deals online, in-store, and through their smartphones.
PAUL SOLOMON
Co-CEO,
Moose Toys
What were your top-selling toys/toy
categories of 2015? Any surprises?
Shopkins was definitely our top-selling
brand in 2015. We expected Shopkins
to continue to grow in popularity;
however, we were delighted to see that
the brand dominated so many major markets around the world,
led strongly by the U.S. More children are collecting, trading,
and displaying than ever before. Our strong licensed merchandise
program is also thriving, giving kids ways to wear, decorate,
and accessorize their life. This year, Shopkins has evolved
from a brand to a lifestyle. We’ve also seen great success with
Little Live Pets. The Little Live Pets Birds continue to be one
of our strongest sellers. The brand expanded this past year to
include Mice and Turtles, which both proved to be favorites
among kids as well.
How have consumer expectations changed over the past
few years?
Over the past few years, as technology advances, children
have grown to expect a brand to be immersive and interactive.
Children enjoy experiencing their favorite brands through a
variety of mediums. For example, Moose has expanded Shopkins
to have a strong social presence, including Facebook, Twitter,
Instagram, and Snapchat. We also introduced an app with which
kids can play games and interact with their favorite characters in
Shopville. With almost 3 million downloads in four months, the
app is a great example of how technology helps immerse a child
in a brand. Finally, kids can experience Shopkins on YouTube,
watching the brand’s webisodes or their favorite YouTube personalities
hunt for rare characters. This all ties back to consumers’
desire for immediate content and the importance of a brand to
deliver engaging and interactive experiences.
We’re beginning to see more innovation and risk-taking in
new product introductions than in recent years. Will you introduce
any new products or lines that take play to a new level?
The Little Live Pets family of electronic pets continues to grow.
With its huge success in 2015, Moose is excited to push the
boundaries and explore the “live” part of the brand this year.
Implementing all new advanced technology, Moose is launching
its most lifelike pet yet—the Little Live Pets Puppy. Children
of all ages will fall in love with the newest pet in the Little Live
Pets family that takes lifelike play to the next level.
66 THE TOY BOOK | FEBRUARY 2016 | TOYBOOK.COM