Welcome to Your Weekly News Brief!
Happy Bloomin' Friday!
I had the pleasure of speaking with Phil Bloom this week. Yes, Phil Bloom, the self-proclaimed 'curmudgeon' (in truth, the exact opposite), who created the Bloom Report almost three decades ago. He entrusted his legacy and shared his knowledge with me, which changed my life (thank you, Phil!). This week Karri Bean writes about sharing what she does at Disney with a class and I bet at least one of those kids ends up in our industry. We've shared before that Tony Serebriany had an elementary teacher whose influence led him to the toy industry and is why he shares his insights with our Young Inventor Challenge (YIC) kids. Nick Metzler's YIC win years ago led him to Spin Master and being mentored by Anton Rabie. Sharing our love and knowledge of what we do is one of the many things that makes our industry so special!
Thank you for reading the Bloom Report here or on the Bloom Report 24/7 News Feed! Please support our work by advertising and/or setting up a POP profile.
Mary
-
"Congratulations on the outstanding job that you and your team are doing on producing The Bloom Report. It seems like it is getting better and better almost every week!!! Bravo!!!" -Ron Cantor, Rainbow Concepts, Inc.
-
If you are tired of these quotes, send me yours!
Person of the Week: Disney's Karri Bean
Always Say 'YES" to being a Career Day Guest!
A couple of weeks ago I was asked out of the blue to speak to 6th graders at a local elementary school on career day. So, picture this: there I was, thrust into the limelight of a 6th-grade career day like a reluctant stand-up comedian at an elementary school talent show! Cue my inner showman and a sprinkle of nerves as I prepared to dazzle these pint-sized critics. The class of 6th graders rotated in and out of the classroom. There were 5 groups and I had 15 minutes per group. The kids shuffled in, eyes scanning the room with the skepticism of miniature CEOs about to grill a potential hire. But then, boom! My introductory slide lit up the screen like a firework, and suddenly, I had a chorus of voices chatting about LEGO, Disney, and every superhero under the sun. I had to shush them like a librarian on roller skates just to get a word in edgewise.
Kids can be super rough, but they can also be your greatest fans... especially when you’re fortunate enough to work on some of the most iconic brands in the world today such as LEGO, Disney, Star Wars, Marvel - it doesn’t get much bigger than that!
As I launched into my spiel about managing the LEGO business at Disney you could practically hear their brains buzzing with curiosity. I tailored my talk to speak to each kid in that room—speaking to the math whizzes, the debate champs, the poets, even the goth girl in the back who was clearly plotting world domination (or maybe just doodling). I wanted these kids to know that you don't have to be a rocket scientist (though that helps too) to land a dream job in the toy biz.
As a kid, the idea of working in the toy industry never crossed my mind. READ MORE...
Industry Commentary - Arch Anderson
A Beanie Baby Birthday
In the late 1990s, Beanie Babies entered the public consciousness with an intensity untouched by today’s drinking vessel trends. Linda Triveldi may not have realized it at the time, but she perfected a formula by bringing these plush creatures to life with little poems and giving them an official home on the internet. Ty Warner, the toy line’s creator, pulled the strings of scarcity to make these plush toys ascend from a simple novelty to one of the most celebrated toys of all time.
And he’s at it again.
Admittedly, I’m pretty late to the party. The anniversary event featured a contest tie-in that encouraged fans to “stay in the hunt” and post about it on TikTok. One lucky cash winner was chosen each week until the end of 2023. I missed my chance to win $1000 by doing what I do best: Nosing around different stores to check in on the toy section to see what’s new. Which is exactly what I was doing the other day at my local Hallmark Store when I saw the rotating tower of stuffed toys from Ty. The familiar red heart sign at the top of the display boasted with a bright yellow starburst, “Beanie Babies are BACK!” READ MORE...
Cartoon Lovers, Lexophiles & People in Need of a Smile!
Cartoon of the Week: Thank you, Michael Kohner, for the funny cartoon this week!
Lexophile Humor: "My friend said she wouldn't eat cow's tongue because it came out of a cow's mouth. I gave her an egg!" Thank you, Jerry Cleary, for this gem!
Memorable Quotes: ""Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go." -TS Eliot
Toy Industry Word of Day: NRFB - submitted by Rana Schenke (thank you!) If you can think of a toy/game industry word not in our POPDictionary, add it and we will connect it to you POP profile, feature it here in an upcoming week and on POP's homepage!
People celebrating birthdays this past week - Happy Birthday! Trina McFarland and Jazmine Darden
Have a cartoon, quote or a joke to share with your colleagues? Send it to me! Mary
Financial and Legal
Toy Association Advocacy Leads to Modernized ‘Stuffed Toy’ Law in Pennsylvania. PA's Governor Josh Shapiro Friday signed into law HB 1333, the Toy Association-sponsored legislation that lifts a long-held ban on the use of recycled materials in all stuffed toys manufactured and sold within the state. The Toy Association’s significant advocacy efforts were instrumental in the Pennsylvania legislature first introducing the bill...
Paramount and Skydance Near Merger Deal. Just weeks after the Paramount’s controlling shareholder and Skydance scuttled their talks about a potential deal, the two media companies have tentatively agreed to a merger. The agreement will still have to be approved by a special committee of Paramount’s board of directors, said the people, who spoke on the condition of anonymity as the talks resumed.
Basic Fun's PR Release - Basic Fun, Inc. announced that it, together with certain affiliated entities, has commenced a case in the District of Delaware. As part of the first day filings, the Company is seeking approval of $50 million in DIP financing from affiliates of Great Rock Capital, as well as a $15 million subordinate facility to be provided by RBC and the Company's founders, Jay Foreman and John MacDonald.
Basic Fun! CEO Jay Foreman Comments on Restructuring. “Many of those in our industry might be seeing the news about an event taking place around Basic Fun. Like some old houses, some are for knocking down and some have great bones and just need a new roof and some paint. Basic Fun has great bones! We have a solid foundation and we have the means to fix our roof and put a new coat of paint on the walls...
*** The above posted after tBR circulated on June 28th ***
(UK) Amazon has upped the minimum spend for shoppers to qualify for free delivery from £25 to £35, blaming external factors influencing shipping costs. Customers of Amazon who don’t belong to its Prime membership scheme must now spend a minimum of £35 to qualify for free home deliveries. That’s a 40% increase over the £25 minimum that was previously in force.
NY Governor Kathy Hochul (D) signed two bills into law on Thurs. that aim to protect kids and teens from social media harms, making it the latest state to take action as federal proposals still await votes. One of the bills, the Stop Addictive Feeds Exploitation (SAFE) for Kids Act, will require parental consent for social media companies to use “addictive feeds” powered by recommendation algorithms on kids and teens under 18.
Scholastic has finalized its agreement to buy Toronto-based kids content producer/distributor 9 Story Media Group for roughly US$182 million—US$4 million less than the original pricetag in March. Terms of the deal stipulate that the Magic School Bus publisher now owns 100% of the economic interest in 9 Story, but only minority voting rights.
The Jim Henson Company is looking to sell the studio lot on North La Brea Avenue in Hollywood that has been its headquarters for almost 25 years. The prodco would like to move to a location where all of its teams can work together under one roof—right now, Jim Henson’s Creature Shop is based in Burbank.
In his first major speech as the new chair of ABC Australia, Kim Williams mapped out several key programming priorities in his vision for the public broadcaster to serve as a “national campfire” in an age of increasingly fragmented media consumption. Williams, who took over from outgoing chair Ita Buttrose in March, addressed an audience in the State Library of Victoria in Melbourne on June 19.
Korean web comic giant set for $2.7bn market debut. Webtoon Entertainment, which describes itself as the world's largest web comic platform, has set its market value at $2.67bn (£2.11bn) ahead of its US listing. Its shares are due to start trading on the Nasdaq stock exchange on 27 June at $21 each, the top end of their marketed range.
Atari acquires Surgeon Simulator franchise through Infogrames label. Atari-owned publishing label Infogrames has acquired the Surgeon Simulator franchise from Tinybuild. Surgeon Simulator is over a decade old, having debuted with the release of the original title in 2013. Since then, the franchise has expanded with a VR spin-off called Surgeon Simulator VR: Meet the Medic.
Modiphius Entertainment acquires Strato Minis Studio - makers of 'Hardwar'. Modiphius Entertainment has acquired Strato Minis Studio, a Polish miniatures company. Strato Minis Studio manufacturers resin miniatures, and makes the Hardwar, Retrobots and Stratoyager games and miniature lines.
Program Highlights
-
A++ rated insurer, $20 Billion in assets
-
Exceeds Wal-Mart and other leading retailers insurance requirements
-
Variable rate based on sales projections
-
Foreign & Domestic Liability coverage
-
Blanket additional insured vendors
-
Employee benefits liability
-
All certificates and claims handled in house
-
Quick quotation turnaround
-
Product recall expense $250,000 limit
Additional Coverage
-
Umbrella up to $50,000,000
-
Ocean Cargo & Property
-
Commercial Auto
-
Lead coverage
-
Intellectual properties (copyrights, trademarks, & patents)
-
Credit Insurance
-
US Customs Bond Insurance
-
CYBER COVERAGE
Call us today at 800-392-6958 (ext. 318)
for a free consultation and quotation for your business needs.
185 Newman Springs Road, Tinton Falls, NJ 07724
Contact: Jason Welch: tel: 732-842-2012 (ext. 318), fax 732-530-7080, jawelch@york-jersey.com or Bob Witkin bobwitkin@york-jersey.com
Visit the York-Jersey Underwriters website at www.toy-insurance.com
Financial Reporting
Bandai Namco Online faces insolvency post-Blue Protocol launch. The online game-focused subsidiary of Bandai Namco reportedly hit a net loss of 8.201 billion yen (or $51.35 million) during the 2023-2024 fiscal year.
Trends, Lists, Market Research, and State of the Industry
YouTube Is Really Good at Getting Kids to Buy Stuff and Way Ahead of Its Competition, New Data Shows. Kids were more than twice as likely (53%) to recall ads on YouTube compared to TikTok (24%).
‘Despicable Me 4’ To Set Off Fireworks Over Independence Day Frame, Global Cume Bound For Potential $200M+ By Sunday – Box Office Preview
HOBBY GAME SALES FLAT TO DOWN IN SPRING 2024. As Market Continues to Adjust to Post-Covid Trends.
Back-to-school spending is set to increase by 21.8%. Parents are gearing up to spend an extra US$85 on each of their kids this year, outpacing the annual rate of inflation by 18.4%.
*** The above posted after tBR circulated on June 28th ***
6% of Households Watch TV Solely on Mobile Devices. Between 2022-’23, U.S. households without a TV set grew from 7% to 8%, according to the Advertising Research Foundation.
Walmart doubles down on Deal Days as consumers seek sales events.
Office for National Statistics reports rise in retail sales. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has said that the increase in retail sales in May is better than expected.
Stories, Comments, and Advice
Steve Reece - Geopolitics & The Toy Industry, Navigating An Ever More Complex World. THINGS USED TO BE SO MUCH SIMPLER…OR WERE THEY? If you watch Television news nowadays, it’s hard to avoid constant reportage of Geopolitical tensions amid a seemingly very disrupted world. Things had seemed so simple previously – ever since the collapse of the Soviet Union ended Cold War 1 & heralded the age of a...
'Play Science' is Making Learning Fun for Kids. Mara Mahmood, a psychologist, is the Exec. Dir. of University-Community Links, a network of "play-based" educational, afterschool programs, which emphasized the importance of play in cognitive, social and emotional development. The programs take inspiration from Lev Vygotsky, an influential 20th century Belarusian developmental psychologist and early advocate of play...
The 12 Longest-Running Sunday Comic Strips. The Sunday funnies are as much a part of the quintessential U.S. newspaper as the crossword puzzle and want ads. And though the number of print newspapers in circulation has decreased significantly over the past few years, comic strips and their characters are still a touchstone of our culture: Calvin and Hobbes, Cathy, Peanuts, Garfield, and Dilbert are just a few of the...
*** The above was posted after June 28th when tBR circulated ***
John Baulch, Toy World - The Kidults are alright… it’s the Friday Blog! Kidults – a term that has become somewhat ubiquitous in toy circles in recent years. So ubiquitous, in fact, that there are even people on LinkedIn who have nothing better to do than moan about how much they hate the word, and how we should find a better way of describing that particular audience demographic.
Chris Byrne - The Disruption Report: Whither Manufacturing? Well, of course, the future of manufacturing for global markets continues to be a hot topic. It seems even the New York Times has awakened to that with an article this week on manufacturing in India.
This is decidedly not new news to the toy industry where diversification of manufacturing has been top of mind in recent years.
Watch this fascinating roundtable discussion hosted by Marjorie Spitalnik. Marjorie and guests explore the fascinating connection between childhood toys and career choices later in life. Discover how the simple act of play can profoundly impact developing skills, passions, and career paths. Welcome Wendy Levey, Michael I., and Mikkel Lee to our Toy Industry Roundtable!
Wordle is a pretty clever name for the very good word game created by Josh Wardle. But when he was first working on it in 2013, Wardle had another name in mind that isn’t quite as catchy. “This is true: I was going to call Wordle, Mr. Bugs’ Wordy Nugz,” Wardle revealed as part of a presentation about Wordle at Figma’s Config conference on Wednesday. He also showed a slide that spelled out the name in big yellow...
The original cover art for the first edition of “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone” sold for $1.92 million at auction, becoming the most expensive item related to the series, decades after its illustrator was paid a commission of just $650. The year before the novel came out in 1997, its publisher, Bloomsbury, hired a 23-year-old from England who had just graduated from art school to design the book jacket...
Snow White Cafe, a kitschy Disney-themed diner and dive bar located at 6769 Hollywood Boulevard, has abruptly shuttered. It had been in business for 78 years. Its interior, which was decorated with murals of characters from Disney’s first animated feature, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, has been gutted. There is plenty of lore surrounding the Disney murals. Some say the artwork was drawn by Disney artists...
(NPR) In LA, a spate of high-profile Lego heists have taken place. But why? The thieves are targeting a very specific type of Lego - the minifig. Reporter Daniel Miller wrote a story about this for the LA Times. Hi, Daniel. DANIEL MILLER: Hey, thanks so much for having me. FLORIDO: OK, so what is a minifig?
Julia Fitzgerald - In today’s Midsize Match Up interview, I get to talk with Michael Watts, Co-Founder and CEO of Hook. Hook is our first Michigan-based agency review, so I’m putting aside my Ohio State Buckeye roots to fully embrace their awesomeness. Besides, Hook is kind of from everywhere, as you will learn! I also love that their website URL is byhook.com. So here we go!
Why is Stitch so popular? Toy expert explains how this Disney character is bigger now than when he was introduced. In honor of International Stitch Day (yep, that's totally a thing), we dig a little deeper as to why this Disney character is seeing a popularity surge right now. Disney's Lilo & Stitch was released in 2002 and tells the story of an orphaned Hawaiian girl named Lilo, who adopts a 'dog' that turns out to be...
Toys can change your life. What if your favorite childhood toys like balls, Frisbees, and jacks could predict the future? In a November 1984 story for Technology Review, Carolyn Sumners, curator of astronomy at the Houston Museum of Natural Science, described how toys, games, and even amusement park rides could change how young minds view science and math..
History and Nostalgia
Remembering Doodle Bear: The '90s Toy That Encouraged Kids to Draw Outside the Lines. In the era of the Beanie Baby Bubble, the Doodle Bear was a refreshing addition to the toy aisle. Instead of feeling pressure to shrink-wrap the stuffed animals and keep them as collector's items, '90s kids were encouraged to scribble on them with markers.
Jack Benny: "There are only 5 real people in Hollywood. Everybody else is Mel Blanc." While in a coma after an accident, drs. unsuccessfully tried to get Mel to talk. Finally, a dr., who was also a huge fan of his cartoon characters, asked Mel "Bugs? Bugs Bunny? Are you there?" In Bugs Bunny's voice, Mel responded "What's up, Doc?". After talking with several other characters, they eventually lead Mel out of his coma.
Subbuteo plays on: How the iconic tabletop football game inspired a generation of players and artists - and avoided relegation. The white ball crosses the green cotton and nylon pitch towards the defensive line. The oversized ball is as high as the miniature footballer’s waistline. The kicker stands over a semispheric base, with 10 teammates and 11 of their rivals surrounding the miniature human.
Terrytoons Mighty Mouse from Milton Bradley (1978). Published in 1978 by Milton Bradley, the Terrytoons Mighty Mouse game pitted the anthropomorphic superhero against the evil Dr. Catenstein in a race to save his girlfriend, Mitzi. The game was based on the children’s animated television series produced by the Terrytoons studio for 20th Century Fox.
928 Galaxy Explorer from LEGO (1979). Jens Nygaard Knudsen is arguably the one person who has had the most influence on what a LEGO set is. Working closely with company owner Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen, he designed the minifigure — the smiling character at the heart of most LEGO sets. The minifigure was introduced in 1978 and determined the scale of the models released in the new Town and Space collections.
Hot Wheels International Collector’s Catalog (1969). Hot Wheels was introduced by Mattel in 1968 but its success was solidified with its 1969 releases. These models established the line as a leading brand of small die-cast car models in the United States. The 1969 International Collector’s Catalog introduced 24 new cars across four classes: California Custom, Show & Go, European Models, and Custom Classics, along...
Licensing and Entertainment
Boss Fight Studio, creator of fan-favorite action figures and toys, has partnered with Paramount to create the first-ever fully articulated Garfield action figures. Based on the classic comics that have captivated audiences for over 40 years, this new product line brings Garfield and his beloved friends to life like never before. The deal was brokered by FanGirl Consulting & Brand Management, LLC.
The two KidZania locations in Japan are now offering Nintendo “Game Developer” experiences to engage with. This gives kids the chance to build their own software through Game Builder Garage, and then they can present their works to other kids in attendance. At the end of the experience, the kids get to take home an empty Switch game case sporting the name of their Game Builder Garage game.
*** The above posted after tBR circulated on June 28th ***
Moose Toys collaborates with YouTuber MrBeast for MrBeast Lab. Moose Toys has revealed its all-new line MrBeast Lab, co-created with the No. 1 most subscribed YouTuber in the world and avid philanthropist, MrBeast, AKA Jimmy Donaldson. The MrBeast Lab line features small-scale collectibles and action, vinyl and collector’s figures.
Crayola has partnered with Sony Pictures Entertainment to run a competition promo in the UK for the studio’s upcoming live-action feature film Harold and the Purple Crayon, which hits theaters in August. A limited number of specially marked purple crayons will be hidden in 24-color boxes distributed across England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales.
Kartoon Studios is going all in on iconic publishing brand Winnie-the-Pooh, which entered the realm of public domain when it turned 100 in January 2022. The studio plans to produce a 140-episode series, several festive specials and a holiday movie, and it has already lined up Alliance Entertainment to distribute a range of merchandise to its network of retail partners in the US.
BBC Children’s and Education has greenlit a pair of new domestic live-action projects, as well as renewing King Bert Productions’ teen period drama Malory Towers for two more seasons. West Yorkshire-based CanCan Productions has been commissioned to produce basketball comedy series High Hoops (10 x 30 minutes), originated by writer/creator and lifelong player/coach Sinead Fagan.
Hachette Jeunesse has been appointed publisher of the French language titles for the multiple award-winning Paddington films and TV series, developed and produced by Studiocanal. Publishing rights were acquired from HarperCollins Children’s Books UK, the publishers of Michael Bond’s original and classic Paddington titles since the first book, A Bear Called Paddington, was published in 1958. The deal includes....
Chris Sanders’ The Wild Robot will have its world premiere at the 49th Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), set to take place September 5-15. The Dreamworks Animation film about a robot that is shipwrecked on an uninhabited island and must learn to adapt to the harsh surroundings is adapted from Peter Brown’s bestselling illustrated book of the same name.
Viral Nation, a leading Social-First Marketing and Talent Representation Agency, is thrilled to announce a partnership with Wind Sun Sky Entertainment, marking the first collaboration between the two powerhouses. Together, they are embarking on a venture to produce a multi-platform universe including animated shorts, a series, and a Roblox experience featuring the beloved McCartys as part of a multi-content...
Warner Bros. Discovery is changing up its branding strategy for several high-profile Max releases, moving them under the HBO umbrella instead. On the list is the much-anticipated Harry Potter TV adaptation that’s in development and due out in 2026. Though it was first announced in April 2023 as a Max Original, the series will now move forward as an HBO Original. This tweak means it will debut and air on...
Kids & family audiences in Japan will be getting a big dose of BBC Studios content soon, thanks to several new sales the UK distributor has brokered with Disney, NHK and Warner Bros. Discovery. First up, Disney Junior has renewed season one and acquired season four of Studio AKA’s Hey Duggee, a nine-year-old 2D-animated series centering around a friendly dog who encourages his animal friends to try new things.
Greenlit by BYUtv in the US and New Zealand’s Sky Network Television, Kiwi prodco Libertine Pictures’ new family adventure series Red Rocks has also secured a heavyweight global distributor, with WildBrain picking up non-domestic sales rights to the eight x 30-minute live-actioner for 8 to 12-yr-olds and their families. The show is being shot on location in Wellington and revolves around a boy who’s drawn into...
The Described and Captioned Media Program has teamed up with Paramount Global to make a big package of Nickelodeon programming more accessible to young audiences with disabilities. DCMP’s free streaming service—which is distributed to registered families and schools in the US—has already added series such as Blues Clues & You!, Bossy Bear, Tiny Chef Show and Santiago of the Seas featuring...
Pop Mart introduces first Disney blind boxes. New Disney collections feature Marvel, Mickey, Toy Story, Disney Princesses and more. Pop Mart has announced the launch of six Disney original blind box collections and figurines that will bring fan-favorite characters from Toy Story’s Aliens, Marvel and Star Wars to the beloved Mickey and Friends and Disney Princesses to life in a new way.
Experiment 626 scores a hit: Wow! Stuff celebrates sell-out for real FX Disney Stitch. First editions have sold out online but can still be found at select physical retail locations. It’s International Stitch Day and already there’s a big hit right out of the gate. According to Wow! Stuff President Richard North, the initial online allocation of the “Puppetronic” toy has broken all sales records for the company...
Funko’s ready for Stitch Day with Stitch Pop! and Mystery Minis. Available now, the special range features Disney’s beloved Stitch dressed in a variety of fun and unique costumes inspired by the Disney universe. In this collection, the beloved Stitch dresses up as iconic characters from Disney classics.
AMC’s new ‘Orphan Black: Echoes’ creates slime with Sloomoo Institute. Sloomoo has teamed up with AMC Networks to create tension relieving slime for the thriller series “Orphan Black: Echoes.” Inspired by the new thriller starring Krysten Ritter, Avan Jogia and Keeley Hawes, the OBE You are a Limited-Edition Slime has a metallic, ruby shine, embellished with metallic sugar paper with a sophisticated custom blended...
Pop Mart launches collection of Minion blind boxes: Series of 12 mini-figures celebrate upcoming “Despicable Me 4” film. Ahead of “Despicable Me 4” hitting theaters, Pop Mart has launched a collection of Minions blind boxes. The Universal “Despicable Me 4” Series Figures feature 12 mini-figures of the yellow troublemakers in hilarious poses and costumes from the film, along with the secret Gru Jr. edition...
Mattel rounds off SDCC-exclusive lineup with ‘Barbie,’ ‘Jurassic World,’ more. Ken’s Mojo Dojo Casa House is headed to SDCC. Mattel’s final wave of Comic-Con International: San Diego (SDCC) exclusives features collectibles from some of the biggest pop culture brands, including Barbie, Jurassic World, Masters of the Universe (MOTU), and Star Wars.
Just Play, LEGO launch toys inspired by new ‘Ariel’ series. The Disney Junior musical series premieres on June 27. New licensed toys are on the way in celebration of the upcoming premiere of the Ariel series on Disney Junior and Disney+ this week. The animated preschool series stars Mykal-Michelle Harris as a young Ariel, and features fan-favorite characters from the original film such as King Triton, Ursula...
New ‘Masters of the Universe’ character gets Funko POP! Mondo and Mattel’s new creation has made it to the Funko world. Following the teaser of Mondo’s new, original "Masters of the Universe" character, Scare Mare, Mondo and Mattel’s creation is set to appear across several mediums, including a video game, comic book and more.
New Hornby Airfix RNLI Shannon Class Lifeboat range in stock. Hornby Airfix has unveiled the RNLI Shannon Class Lifeboat Starter Set and the RNLI Shannon Class Lifeboat Decal Sheet, both available now. AirfixRanked at skill level one, the RNLI Shannon Class Lifeboat Starter Set in 1:72 scale is now available within the Hornby Airfix Starter Set range, all designed with the beginner in mind.
‘Inside Out 2’ fills Disney with joy, even if its culture-war critics stay angry. As emotions go, Disney’s loudest critics might sound angry, but “Inside Out 2” is bringing the studio nothing but joy. The Walt Disney Co. has often found itself cast as a reluctant participant in the culture wars, yielding occasional calls for boycotts and proclamations the company has become “too woke.”
TLS Toy releases 4 new Rainbow Brite plush. The nostalgia trend still reigns within TLS Toy’s latest product release. TLS Toy is continuing its rollout of new Rainbow Brite products with a crop of four new Rainbow Brite plush. TLS Toy has previously released Rainbow Brite collectibles including figures, plush, and dolls.
SDCC: Jada Toys brings ‘Street Fighter II’, Cheetos figures to convention. Jada Toys has new exclusive figures for Comic-Con International: San Diego (SDCC). Jada Toys will showcase its figure offerings at this year’s convention, with two figures featuring characters from the fighting game Street Fighter II and one figure of Cheetos’ mascot Chester Cheetah.
'Inside Out' sets second weekend record; 'Penguin' trailer; 'Adventure Time,' 'Regular Show' return; RIP Donald Sutherland; 'Batman: Caped Crusader' and 'Blade Runner 2099' casting; 'Spaceballs' sequel. Showbiz Round-Up. Pixar’s Inside Out 2 has set a record for the second weekend of an animated film, grossing $100 million at the North American box office, according to Variety.
KessCo announces One Piece tabletop game. Luffy’s Bento Panic features pirates from the One Piece franchise. KessCo has announced Luffy’s Bento Panic, its newest tabletop game based on the One Piece franchise. Licensed by legendary anime studio, Toei Animation, KessCo brings the chaotic fun of One Piece to life in a light, party game with pirates fighting for their favorite foods.
Hasbro speaks on its latest collabs and licensing strategy. License Global: Hasbro has been delving into a lot of food and beverage collaborations lately. The CLUE, OUIJA and Scrabble x Mano’s Wine collab, the Dungeons & Dragons x Mythical Meats partnership, My Little Pony x Nowwa Coffee, NERF x Sonic kid’s meals and the KOOSH x Arby’s promotion.
AI-Generated ‘The Origin of Toys ‘R’ Us’ brand film debuts at Cannes Lions. Toys “R” Us has gone digital for a new brand film that debuted during an LBB Beach Event at the 2024 Cannes Lions Festival. The Origin of Toys “R” Us is the first-ever brand film created using OpenAI’s text-to-video tool, Sora.
Toys ‘R’ Us AI-generated ad controversy, explained. Toys “R” Us has sparked online backlash after releasing an ad created with OpenAI’s new video generation tool, Sora. While Sora has not yet been released to the public, AI enthusiasts have been busy experimenting with available video generators such as Luma Labs Dream Machine, animating iconic memes into surreal clips.
Licensing Street to represent Trustbridge Global Media’s properties. Trustbridge Global Media (TGM) has brought on Licensing Street as the manager of its global licensing and merchandising within the U.S., Canada, UK, Australia, and New Zealand. TGM has an expansive portfolio of companies focused on children’s content.
Craft Buddy achieves record sales for Disney 100 Crystal Art stickers. Craft Buddy has sold an unprecedented 1.6m units of its unique Disney 100 Crystal Art Sticker Album range in under 10 months since launch. Due to its incredible popularity, outstanding sales and positive feedback from Disney, Craft Buddy can now sell-through the line until the end of December 2024 – but is warning retailers that once a product runs...
Miniso opens flagship store in Paris, breaks single-day sales record. Lifestyle brand Miniso opened its largest European store June 22 in Paris on the Champs-Élysée. The new store is nestled among the luxury shops of the famed shopping street, and its opening broke Miniso’s single-day sales record outside of mainland China.
Fauna will act as the game’s licensing and merchandising agent for the Turkish market. Hit indie game Hello Neighbor is expanding to additional international markets, with entertainment company Fauna ready to support it. Istanbul-based Fauna Entertainment has signed on as the licensing and merchandising agent in the Turkish market...
The LEGO Group signs with WME. The Lego Group, the company behind the toys and all your favorite Lego-themed entertainment, has signed with WME for representation. As The Lego Group‘s agency, WME will advise the Lego team across the entertainment industry and provide insight and support on strategies to optimize the company’s footprint in Hollywood, helping them to build and expand their business...
People of Play
The Man Behind the Minions. Pierre Coffin helped invent the yellow animated creatures and has supplied their voices for nearly 15 years. He’s as puckish and subversive as his mischievous creations. When the French animation studio Illumination was developing “Despicable Me,” an ingratiating family comedy about a second rate supervillain and his adopted children, the team decided that the movie needed...
Kids industry veteran Rob Doherty has set up a new company called Relevant Content to help clients bridge the gap between traditional media and social gaming platforms like Roblox. The goal is to help developers working in this space expand their brands into linear content and streaming—and also to help TV producers and broadcasters figure out how to build brands there.
Embarking on a cost-cutting strategy, Kevin Mayer and Tom Staggs’ Blackstone-backed co. Candle Media is reorganizing its business by consolidating live action and animation under 2 separate units. All of Candle’s animated projects will be folded into kids content powerhouse Moonbug Entertainment—a strong performer in the LA-based company’s portfolio, driven by popular IPs such as CoCoMelon and Blippi.
The Rubik’s Cube Turns 50. Mathematicians and hobbyists have had a half-century of fun exploring the 43 billion billion permutations of Erno Rubik’s creation. Bright and early on the first Saturday in January, Tomas Rokicki and a few hundred fellow enthusiasts gathered in a vast lecture hall at the Moscone Center in downtown San Francisco. A big math conference was underway and Dr. Rokicki had helped organize...
*** The above posted after tBR circulated on June 28th ***
Hasbro sees end of an era: Extended interview with Alan Hassenfeld. For the first time in the history of the Hasbro toy company based in Pawtucket, there's no Hassenfeld sitting on the board. For the first time in the history of the Hasbro toy company based in Pawtucket, there's no Hassenfeld sitting on the board.
Chris Byrne - On the Playground Podcast, Chris talks to game inventors Jeff Breslow and Frank Adler about their new game Pickle Everything and how the fastest growing sport in the U.S. inspired a fast and funny card game.
How content has helped Mattel to standout in crowded market, explains CEO Ynon Kreiz. Ynon Kreiz, Chairman and CEO of Mattel, discussed Mattel's commitment to both growing its core toy business and expanding its entertainment offerings while accepting the recognition at Cannes Lions 2024. At Cannes 2024, Mattel’s CEO Ynon Kreiz was honored as the ‘Entertainment Person Of The Year.’
Mattel has announced the appointment of Jessica Dunne as general manager and senior vice president, consumer products. Dunne comes to Mattel from Disney where she served as executive vice president, licensing, Disney Classic Characters and Disney Baby. In her new role, Dunne will oversee licensing of Mattel’s stable of powerhouse brands including Barbie, Hot Wheels, Monster High, Fisher-Price and American Girl.
Spin Master appoints Caroline Tyre as Vice President of Global Content Distribution. Spin Master has named Caroline Tyre as its new Vice President of Global Content Distribution. In her role as Vice President of Global Content Distribution, Tyre will report to Spin Master Entertainment President Jennifer Dodge, and will guide the execution of business strategies for the distribution of Spin Master Entertainment’s...
Target shuffles up its leadership team. Rick Gomez will move up into a chief commercial officer position to oversee brand sourcing, design and merchandising strategy for all of Target’s key product categories, including toys, apparel and accessories. At the same time, chief growth officer Christina Hennington‘s remit is expanding to include strategic planning. Working alongside Target’s leadership team to build a new roadmap...
Geoff Sheffield announced as chairman of Toy Retailers Association. The Toy Retailers Association (TRA) has today announced that Geoff Sheffield, chief commercial officer at The Entertainer, has been appointed chairman of the association. Alan Simpson, the association’s long-serving former chairman, passed over the office at the TRA Annual General Meeting today, 26th June 2024, during the British Toy & Hobby...
Florida-based toyco Wyncor has appointed former MGA Entertainment exec Fatima Chafai Isorce as its first VP of global marketing. Her remit includes designing and executing multi-channel campaigns for Wyncor’s portfolio of toys, including its licensed ranges of Miraball collectibles, Magic ReClay compounds and Mon Ami animal plush.
Wind Sun Sky Ent. is bolstering its leadership team with two new hires who will focus on growing the universe of its flagship brand Future Chicken. Environmental consultant and advisor Mohith VJ Kumar has come on board as SVP & head of brand growth/partnerships. Former Knowledge Network marketing lead Linton Chokie has also joined the company as senior director of multiplatform strategies.
Matt Berkowitz joins Netflix as director of animation for preschool + kids. On the heels of resigning from his president and chief creative officer position at Thunderbird Entertainment and its Atomic Cartoons subsidiary at the end of May, Matt Berkowitz will be starting in a new job at Netflix as director of animation for its preschool + kids team on July 1.
Scopely adds Riot Games alum Mike Seavers as SVP for technology. Free-to-play developer Scopely is bringing on on Mike Seavers to run its technology department as senior vice president. Seavers previously worked as chief technical officer at Riot Games and Yuta Labs. The press release notes his work on League of Legends and Fortnite throughout his 25-year tenure and his skill in "scaling audiences...
Kartoon Studios welcomes Ryan Gagerman, 3 new members to Winnie the Pooh team. As Kartoon Studios prepares to release its take on A.A. Milne’s Winnie the Pooh, the entertainment company is adding four new members to its team focused on the brand.Ryan Gagerman will be joining as the Head of Global Licensing for Kartoon Studios’ Winnie the Pooh; Michael Maliani will serve as the Director; Sam Morrison...
Companies and Brands
Sesame Workshop is focusing on laughter this summer with the launch of a new “Gift of Giggles” campaign that’s designed to extend its ongoing emotional well-being and kids mental health initiative. It will run in the US first, and then migrate to Latin America and Germany. The linchpin entertainment driver is a series of digital shorts called The Giggle Group that launched with a first episode on Sesame Street‘s...
London exhibition looks at Barbie's design evolution over 65 years. A new exhibition looking at the evolution of Barbie opens in London this week as the famed Mattel doll celebrates her 65th birthday this year. "Barbie: The Exhibition", running at the Design Museum from July 5 to Feb. 23, features more than 250 items from the Barbie universe, including an array of dolls showing her changing appearance, design sketches...
2025 Hot Wheels Super Treasure Hunt Rumor Mill. The Super Treasure Hunt series has always been very popular with collectors worldwide. Some people have tried avoiding it, as it can be expensive to follow. Sure, paying the retail price for these special items is possible, but it implies many visits to many toy stores. I have only found three Super Treasure Hunt cars in 10 years of being devoted to the hobby.
*** The above was posted after tBR circulated on June 28th ***
Mattel plans to make 80% of games catalog colorblind accessible by the end of 2024. The toy manufacturer is also donating $30K worth of colorblind accessible games to summer camps. Moving forward, Mattel plans to make its games colorblind accessible wherever possible, and says it expects that 90% of its games catalog will be colorblind-accessible by the end of 2025.
Playmobil has unveiled its new Pirates range and is providing rigorous support for retailers with a YouTube episode focusing on Pirates vs. Sea Monsters, offering an exciting narrative that will captivate children and drive interest in the new range. The content has already racked up nearly 50,000 views. The comprehensive media campaign, featuring engaging advertisements and vibrant social media content...
Blue Orange Games will release 'Next Station Paris' into U.S. retail. Blue Orange Games will release Next Station Paris, a new transit board game by Matthew Dunstan, into retail in Q3 2024. This is the third game in the Next Station series of games, following up on Next Station London and Next Station Tokyo. It is a network and route building game with mechanics driven by line drawing.
'Magic: The Gathering Arena' offers up physical product prizes for digital play via new Arena Direct event series. Wizards of the Coast announced Arena Direct, a new event series that offers up physical Magic: The Gathering product as prizes for digital play. MTG Arena appears to be seeking to attract some of the collectors of physical Magic: The Gathering cards to play on the online platform.
Bad Egg Co. announces sell-out of latest digital collection in just a few hours after launch – a testament to the brand’s unique appeal and dedicated community. Bad Egg Co.Launched on OpenSea, the collection of 1500 unique Bad Egg digital collectibles, priced at 0.099 ETH each, sold out in record time.
Asmodee will release 'Azul Summer Pavilion Mini': Travel version of 'Azul' sequel game. Asmodee will release Azul Summer Pavilion Mini, a new travel version of Azul's sequel, into retail on July 5, 2024. Azul Summer Pavilion Mini gives players another way to enjoy building mosaics on the road, at the park, at a coffee shop, or even on a plane flight.
'Magic: The Gathering' Summer Superdrop 2024 unveiled: Features new Hatsune Miku set and 'Assassin's Creed' showcase treatments. Wizards of the Coast unveiled its Summer Superdrop 2024 sets, the next wave of Secret Lair sets for Magic: The Gathering, which will hit direct-to-consumer preorder on June 24, 2024 at 9 a.m. PT.
Wizards of the Coast announces more 'Dungeons & Dragons' 50th Anniversary Play Series events. Wizards of the Coast announced more Dungeons & Dragons 50th Anniversary Play Series events for FLGS to schedule. Back in March 2024, WotC unveiled the D&D 50th Anniversary Play Series which kicked off with the Descent into the Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth adventure to preview the Quests from...
WizKids reveals two 'Pathfinder' 'Phunny Plush' toys from Kidrobot. WizKids revealed two Pathfinder: Phunny Plush toys, which will release into retail in October 2024. The two plush feature Tuku and a Gourd Leshy. Tuku was Ija's imaginary friend, from the Mwangi Expanse (see "'Lost Omens Mwangi Expanse'"), who manifested to journey by her side.
LEGO expands Botanical Collection with two new sets. The LEGO Group has announced two new additions to its LEGO Botanical Collection, consisting of the LEGO Plum Blossom and the LEGO Chrysanthemum. Timeless gifts for a plant lover or perfect for creating an elegant floral display for the home, both new sets are designed to provide an immersive building experience for adults.
Monopoly Lifesized heads to Denver. Following its three-year run in London, Monopoly Lifesized: Travel Edition is set to launch in the U.S. in October in Denver, Colorado, before making its way to the rest of the country. Monopoly Lifesized is an hour-long, family-friendly experience in which four teams roll the dice and make their way around a giant Monopoly board guided by two human tokens.
Zuru launches Mini Brands for home, garden and more. Zuru continues to drive the miniature collectibles space with the latest of its Mini Brands ranges, which are hitting the UK market this month. Having launched the first Mini Brands range five years ago, the brand is synonymous with creating mini versions of some of the world’s most iconic brands and fuelling a global phenomenon of Mini Mania...
Floodgate's 'Landmarks' heads to retail. New word game by Rodrigo Rego and Danilo Valente. Floodgate Games will release Landmarks, a new word game by Rodrigo Rego and Danilo Valente, into retail on August 20, 2024. In Landmarks, players are lost in an island jungle with a treasure map in the possession of one player, the Pathfinder.
Hachette Boardgames will release 'Looot'. Hachette Boardgames will release Looot, a new board game by Gigamic, which will hit retail on August 14, 2024. In this game, players will lead a Viking clan as they gather resources then pillage and plunder their way to an expansive empires. Players will need to strategically outmaneuver their opponents by chaining Vikings together to capture castles and watchtowers.
Funko reveals ‘Funko Fusion’ figures. The video game launches on Sept. 13. Funko is preparing for the release of its new video game, and figures to go with it! Funko Fusion launches later this year and features a mashup of worlds and characters with looks inspired by Funko’s iconic Pop! figures.
'The Elder Scrolls: Betrayal of the Second Era' heads to retail. Chip Theory Games will release The Elder Scrolls: Betrayal of the Second Era, a fantasy adventure game, into retail in Q4 2025. This is a cooperative adventure game set in the world of Nirn during Tamrial's Second Era of Bethesda's Elder Scrolls lore. The plotline revolves around the events of the Planemeld and the Three Banners War.
Mantic Games takes 'Firefight' oo 'Edge of Sanity' with new two-player starter set. Mantic Games has placed Edge of Sanity, a new Firefight 2E miniatures game two-player starter set, onto preorder. The new starter introduces players to Firefight 2E with over 70 highly detailed miniatures. It pits the forces of the Asterians against the Nightstalkers in an action-packed battle.
It's 'Open Season' on adventurers' heads: New fantasy set collection card game. Sit Down Games will release Open Season, a new fantasy set collection card game, into retail on July 19, 2024 via Flat River Group. In Open Season, designed by Amelie Assie and Romain Lisciandro, players take on the roles of monsters that are trying to decorate their den with heads of slain adventurers.
Unstable Games launches four new games for the summer. Two games are available to purchase now, and two will be available next month. Unstable Games has recently released two animal-themed games, Unstable Unicorns Diamond Edition and Fishy Squishy Crusty Quirky, with plans to launch two nature-inspired games next month. Command of Nature and Garden Variety will join the company’s portfolio on July 1.
Gaming: Digital, Video, Hardware, and Development
Iconic football league FIFA is partnering with North Carolina’s Epic Games to develop a new international eSports competition built around Epic’s vehicular soccer game Rocket League. FIFA’s eSports division will invite 16 countries to participate in Rocket League‘s inaugural FIFAe World Cup, including the US, France, Australia, Brazil, Saudi Arabia and England.
Perfect World cuts staff in multi-unit layoffs, reportedly suspends game projects. Perfect World has reportedly made large staff cuts. The tech giant, which exclusively distributes Dota 2 and Counter-Strike 2 in China and sold its North American branch to Embracer, is said to have laid off over a thousand staff.
59 percent of devs say industry in 'bad' straits, blame investors and mismanagement. Over 600 game developers were surveyed by the Game Developer Collective in May 2024, and 59 percent of them collectively minced no words: the industry is is in a bad spot. Those surveyed were asked about present market conditions for the industry overall. 38 percent and 21 percent were respectively at "bad" and "very bad,"...
Hazelight's A Way Out has sold over 9 million since 2018 launch. A Way Out has now sold over nine million copies, said developer Hazelight Studios. While celebrating the game's success, the studio noted the co-op game about a pair of escaped convicts was already profitable when it first released in 2018.
Netflix taking mobile-first, 'phased approach' to game releases. While Netflix is still figuring out where it stands in the games space, the streamer thinks it's sorted out most of its growing pains and knows what to do next. Talking to the Washington Post, external games VP Leanne Loombe spoke about how the company's video game umbrella will keep its eye on mobile titles, at least for now.
Outright Games to launch ‘Nick Jr. Party Adventure’. A new video game from Outright Games will feature fan-favorite characters from Nick Jr. In partnership with Paramount Game Studios, Outright Games’ newest release will feature franchises seen on Nick Jr., such as PAW Patrol, Dora, Blue’s Clues & You!, Blaze and the Monster Machines, Bubble Guppies, and Santiago of the Seas.
Daily average controller use on Steam has tripled since 2018. Valve has shared a few choice stats to highlight how players interact with games on Steam, and controllers are becoming increasingly popular on the PC platform. Since 2018, daily average controller usage has tripled–rising from 5 percent to 15 percent. 59 percent of those players are using Xbox gamepads, while 26 percent are choosing PlayStation controllers.
Nex Playground launches Sesame Workshop games. The games will be part of Nex’s Play Pass subscription. Nex Playground announced its collaboration with Sesame Workshop earlier this year. Now, the games are finally available. Elmo Says is the first game in the collaboration. The game tests kids’ executive functioning skills as they listen to, focus on, and follow Elmo’s directions.
Shift Up predicts Stellar Blade sales surpassed 1 million copies. Shift Up considers Stellar Blade a successful launch and claims its sales have surpassed 1 million copies worldwide over the past two months. Per Game World Observer and GameMeca, the South Korean studio held a recent press conference for its future IPO.
Relatable joins forces with Games4Two. Relatable has announced a collaboration with the popular internet gaming duo Games4Two to develop three exciting skill and action games. Renowned for transforming internet and social media trends into must-have products for Gen Z and millennials, Relatable has partnered with the popular internet gaming duo Christopher and Alyson James from Games4Two...
Highlighted Press Releases
GIGAPETS®, NOSTALGIC VIRTUAL PETS ON A KEYCHAIN, ARE BACK AT AMAZON & NEIGHBORHOOD TOY SHOPS. Take Home One Or Collect Them All: Bit Bunnies, Floppy Frog, Pixie & The Original CompuKitty Now With StarCat. Chicago, IL (June 27, 2024) – Kids, ask your parents about their favorite childhood plaything before cell phones and desktop computers. They might answer CompuKitty, a virtual pet that started a global craze. In the late 1990s, kids woke up each morning to raise and grow a palm-size digital pet, attached to a keychain! This season, Top Secret Toys™ returns with GigaPets® ($19.99 at) in four nostalgic yet fresh collectibles to be adopted in your house!
Safety and Counterfeiting
21 Million of MGA Miniverse toy sets have been recalled because they pose a serious risk of skin burn, eye and respiratory irritation when touched, inhaled or ingested, the US Consumer Product Safety Commission said Tuesday. The recall involves the “Make it Mini” sets which contain resins that, when liquid, can cause those injuries and irritations to young children and adults alike. The CPSC also found...
Toys containing BPA may cause obesity in dogs, new study finds. Bisphenol A, aka BPA, is a chemical compound used in many plastics, and for years, it has been linked to a variety of health problems in humans and animals. For dogs, one potential source of exposure to BPA is also one of their greatest joys: their toy box.
Associations, Foundations, Shows, Awards, Events, and Festivals
LICENSING JAPAN, THE COUNTRY'S LARGEST CHARACTER & BRAND LICENSING TRADE SHOW. The next edition of Content Tokyo will take place from 3 to 5 July at the Big Sight convention centre. The event is Japan’s largest trade show, consisting of five concurrent content-related fairs: Licensing Japan, the premier international licensing trade show for all categories of properties and creative content from...
The nominees and winners of the Licensing International France Awards have been revealed at France Licensing Day & Licensing International Awards in Paris. The YPN committee (Young Professionals Network) rewarded Marie Van Buggenhout (Peyo Company) as the winner of the Rising Star category in France. In total, for this sixth edition of the Awards, 144 entries were submitted across 16 categories...
*** the above posted after tBR circulated June 28th ***
Learning Express Toys, the nation's leading franchisor of specialty toy stores, proudly hosted its 25th Annual Convention & Toy Expo at the JW Marriott Starr Pass Resort & Spa in Tucson, Arizona. The event, which took place from June 23rd to June 26th, brought together store owners, managers, and over 100 top toy vendors from across the country for a memorable week of networking, education, and celebration.
The World of Toys Pavilion by Spielwarenmesse at the Tokyo Toy Show is fully booked with 32 exhibitors, who will benefit from a full-service show package. Spielwarenmesse supports toy manufacturers in their efforts to open up new markets with its World of Toys programme. This programme provides manufacturers with a simple way to take part in joint international activities at selected trade fairs for the sector...
Licensing International’s UK Young Professionals Network (YPN), together with the UK charity foundation The Light Fund, is announcing a series of Coffee & Connect events. Set to be held over the next year, the series will focus on the theme “From Screen to Shelf.” Kicking off on 01 August from 10am-12pm at Paramount’s office in Camden, young licensing industry professionals will gain insights...
BTHA Industry Day returns for 2024. The British Toy & Hobby Association’s annual Industry Day once again played host to a raft of suppliers as well as top-flight inspirational speakers. Matt Jones from the BTHA unveils the Toy Trust Teddy, a major new fundraising initiative for 2024 developed in partnership with Golden Bear.
BTHA presents Lifetime Achievement Award to Padraig Smyth. The British Toy & Hobby Association (BTHA) has announced that a Lifetime Achievement Award has been presented to Padraig Smyth on the 26th June 2024 during the Industry Day, at Great Fosters Hotel.The BTHA Lifetime Achievement Award is presented only in exceptional circumstances.
Origins Award winners announced. GAMA and the Academy of Adventure Gaming Arts & Design announced the winners of the Origins Awards 2024 at Origins Game Fair on Friday, June 21. This year, GAMA gave out 16 Origins Awards across a number of categories. The categories were expanded substantially this year, from 16 in 2023 to 24 in 2024.
Gibsons Games wins Family Business of the Year Award 2024. Gibsons Games has won Family Business United’s Small Family Business of the Year Award 2024. Managing director and great-granddaughter of the founder, Kate Gibson, accepted the award on behalf of the company, which was thrilled to be recognised for its outstanding contributions.
RIP - Rest in Play - Remembering Those that have Passed
If you know of a colleague's passing, please send us information so we may share with our readers. Archives can be found HERE
Eugene “Gene” Hendel passed away on June 30, 2024. Gene was a man who was anything but ordinary, and it makes no sense to write a generic obituary for a legend such as him. He’s probably shaking his head right now, saying, “I asked for simple!”
Gene spent 50 years in the toy industry, working with giants like Kenner, Mattel, Hasbro, and Tiger Electronics. His family was so proud when he decided to launch his own company, Gene Hendel Associates, as a manufacturer’s rep. It was a huge leap of faith with a wife, two kids, and a dog to care for, but given his stellar reputation and work ethic, he thrived and became more successful than ever.
Joshua "Rod, Rodimus, Josh" Carter passed away on June 11, 2024, in Savannah, Georgia, at the age of 40. Born on February 29, 1984, in Charleston, South Carolina, Joshua was a cherished member of the community and a vibrant presence in the lives of those who knew him.
Joshua was the beloved owner of Rodimus Toys, a haven for collectors of vintage toys and action figures, which mirrored his personal passion. From his early childhood, Joshua was captivated by the world of action figures, a love that he carried and cultivated into adulthood. His business was not just a career but a reflection of his personal joy and enthusiasm for collectibles.
Chris Wiggs, the inventor of Polly Pocket, died peacefully on June 20 at his home in France surrounded by love and family, The Post can exclusively reveal. He was 74. Wiggs had been recently diagnosed with a rare form of neurological cancer.
The East London native dreamed up the portable dreamhouse in 1983, while in New York on business.
Worldwide Magazines Weekly Top Stories
Some Added Friday Morning Chicago Time. Check Back for Complete Lists.
Toy Trade Monthly Issues
Adventure Media & Events (US)
aNb Media (US)
Toyworld (UK)
-
BTHA presents its Lifetime Achievement Award to Padraig Smyth
-
Geoff Sheffield announced as chairman of Toy Retailers Association
-
Moose Toys collaborates with YouTuber MrBeast for MrBeast Lab
Licensing.biz Powered by Toyworld
-
Moose Toys collaborates with YouTuber MrBeast for MrBeast Lab
-
New Hornby Airfix RNLI Shannon Class Lifeboat range in stock
-
Craft Buddy achieves record sales for Disney 100 Crystal Art stickers
ICv2: The Business of Geek Culture (US)
- Modiphius Entertainment Acquires Strato Minis Studio
- Origins Award Winners Announced
- 'Marvel HeroClix' Opens Up the 'Collector's Trove'
- Explore the Kingdom of Dreams with 'DC HeroClix Iconix' Set
- 'The Elder Scrolls: Betrayal of the Second Era' Heads to Retail
- Upper Deck Will Release 'Halo: Mission Command'
- Make it Rain as an Exotic Dancer in 'Nightshift'
- 'Magic: The Gathering' Summer Superdrop 2024 Unveiled
- Wizards of the Coast Launches 'Magic: The Gathering' Love Your LGS Promotion
- WizKids Reveals Two 'Pathfinder' 'Phunny Plush' Toys
Nación Juguetes (Mexico, Peru, Argentina, Chile & Spain)
Global Toy News
-
The Bugg Report (Australia)
The Toy Universe (Australia)
hobbyDB
-
The Beanie Baby Phenomenon: How TY Inc. Revolutionized the Toy Industry
-
10 Valuable Star Wars Trading Cards From Topps, Decipher and More
-
Did You Own It: Original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Action Figures
Video of the Week
Lego marketing team - just purrfect!!!
JOIN PEOPLE OF PLAY (POP)
It's Linkedin + IMDb + Wiki
"I highly recommend that if anyone in this industry wants to be found, they join POP and fill out the skills and expertise section of their POP Profiles. I've had companies and a major media network reach out to me for a show based on my skills and expertise."
- David Yakos, Founder of Streamline Design and Owner of Salient Technologies
-
Display your entire portfolio, unlimited products, videos, photos, media, and more
-
Easy-setup and a real live helpful person to talk to if you have questions
-
Advanced search for industry contacts by roles, skills, location, and more
-
POP Pub networking – just one connection can change your life!
-
Access to information of products, people, and companies
-
Find person-to-hire based on skills, roles and expertise
-
Ad campaigns, target members of the industry
-
Exclusive discounts and events
-
Classified Ads
What are you waiting for? We've got the most powerful platform in our industry!
Join here: www.peopleofplay.com
Thank you for being a reader of the Bloom Report. — Mary and Graeme
Founding Editor and Publisher (1998-2020, Retired): Philip Bloom
We are honored to carry on Phil's 22 year legacy and continue the Bloom Report. Phil has been a mensch
and we've loved working with him. Here is a fun and interesting interview with Phil.
If you would like to reach Phil: philip.bloom100@verizon.net
Publisher: Mary Couzin, Chicago Toy & Game Group, Inc.
Managing Editor: Graeme Thomson
Assistant Editor: Patrick Fisher
Not only does the Bloom Report give you all the news you need to know...
we give you all the news you didn't know you needed to know!" -Phil Bloom
Do you have news to share? Send us a note! mary@chitag.com
