December 19, 2019
The December/January Issue of the Toy Book Is Here!

It’s hard to believe, but the end of the holiday season is a few days away. Before we head into Toy Fair to play with new toys, it’s time to honor the playthings that brought smiles and joy to kids all year long! Read the new issue…
Toy Book’s 2020 Toy Fair Issue — Space Available!

The Toy Book ’s world-renowned Toy Fair New York issue is the must-read issue of the year and there’s still time to get on board. Click here to see the 2019 issue. Email jackie@toybook.com for ad rates.
Vote Now for the 2020 TOTY Awards!

The Toy Book and the Toy Insider are showcasing the nominees in each of the 16 Toy of the Year (TOTY) categories that are open for public voting. Some of the hottest toys and games of the season are highlighted that appear as both TOTY finalists and featured picks in the Toy Insider ‘s 2019 Holiday Gift Guide! The 2020 TOTY Awards will be distributed at the Ziegfeld Ballroom in NYC on Feb. 21, the night before Toy Fair New York kicks off. Read more…
Tariff Fears Come to a Halt as the U.S. and China Sign Phase One Deal

The potentially devastating 15% tariffs on more than $160 billion in imported goods — including toys — covered in List 4B were called off. The U.S. and China entered into a Phase One agreement that was confirmed by President Donald J. Trump and the Office of the United States Trade Representative. Under the new deal, tariffs set to go into effect on Dec. 15 were not charged. Read more…
Mattel Reveals Plans to Use Sustainable Materials in Toys by 2030

In an expansion of its Environmental Sustainable Sourcing Principles that were announced in 2011, Mattel plans to use 100% recycled, recyclable, or bio-based plastics materials in both its products and packaging by 2030. Next year, the company will debut its first product aligned with the goal: a new version of the iconic Fisher-Price Rock-a-Stack made completely from sugarcane-based plastics and packaged in 100% recycled or sustainably sourced material. The Rock-a-Stack was first introduced in 1960. Read more…

Additionally, Mattel’s recently launched Hot Wheels id platform expands into coding this month via Apple Swift.
Hamleys Still Eyeing U.S. Expansion to Follow Flagship Redesign

A year ago, the toy industry was buzzing with reports that UK-based Hamleys was looking to enter the U.S. market with a 30,000 square-foot flagship in New York City's Herald Square. By May, the buzz had worn off as Hamleys Global Holdings Ltd. was acquired by billionaire Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Brands Ltd. Now the buzz of a U.S. expansion is back. In a new interview published by The Guardian , Reliance Brands' CEO Darshan Mehta says that the company has big plans for the U.S., where it expects to open stores in major markets once served by Toys "R" Us. Read more…
Hasbro Reveals Baby Yoda Figures, Plush

After a lukewarm initial release of Baby Yoda merchandise on starwars.com (and a small offering from Funko and Mattel), Hasbro has unveiled a range of items for fans of “the Child,” the breakout star of The Mandalorian on Disney+. Read more…

Additionally, Hasbro and Paramount are teaming up for a big-screen reboot of the Power Rangers franchise.
Jazwares Will Bring YouTube Stars from CKN Toys to Global Retail Next Year

Haven Global unveiled a master toy deal with Jazwares for YouTube stars CKN Toys. The launch will coincide with the debut of a preschool series on Nickelodeon and Nick Jr. Read more…
RedwoodVentures’ Andy Wiseman Appears on ‘Power Kid Podcast’

In this year’s final episode of the “Power Kid Podcast,” host Phil Albritton of Power Kid Design speaks with Andy Wiseman, founder and CEO of RedwoodVentures. At MGA Entertainment (MGAE), Wiseman played a part in the expansion of the Bratz line, after which he joined Cepia to pioneer the U.S. launch of ZhuZhu Pets. In 2010, Wiseman founded RedwoodVentures, which has grown into a powerhouse known for speed and innovation, with distribution of its toys across 65 countries. Listen here.

The Adventure Media and Events Podcast Network is now available through all of your favorite streaming services, including Anchor, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts , and more.

PlayMonster Debuts Face Paintoos with the Kidz Bop Kids

Wisconsin-based PlayMonster went Hollywood for the U.S. launch of its new Face Paintoos brand. At the sold-out Kidz Bop World Tour concert at the Wiltern in Los Angeles, popular Instagrammer @hails_world offered fans and attendees a look at the new line, which was created to “change the way people think about face painting.” Read more…
Madame Alexander Releases Classic Little Women Dolls

Madame Alexander ’s philosophy is that “love is in the details,” and the doll company holds true to its roots with a new line of Little Women dolls, timed perfectly to the release of the Little Women movie later this month. Read more…
Call of Duty , Star Wars , and Pokémon Dominate Video Game Sales Charts

Activision’s Call of Duty: Modern Warfare nabbed the top spot on the video game charts for a second month, maintaining its position as the best-selling game of the year to date. Electronic Arts’ (EA) Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order was the biggest of the new releases to move the needle, charting at No. 2 for November. Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield charted in the No. 3 and No. 5 spots, respectively, with the combined Pokémon Sword / Pokémon Shield Double Pack charting at No. 4. Read more…
MGA Entertainment’s Poopsie Surprise Glitter Unicorns Sparkle in New Music Video

The Poopsie Slime Surprise! dolls were a hit for MGA Entertainment (MGAE) during the last holiday season, and this year they’re back with a new look and a new song. Read more…
Elmer’s Teams Up with YouTube Stars for Global Slime Campaign

Elmer’s is reigniting the slime challenge craze for the holidays. The company teamed up with YouTubers Collins and Devan Key to craft an epic culmination to the company’s “Elmer’s What If?!” campaign. In a new video, the Keys take slime to new levels as they unveil their What If?! stunt — a bungee jump — to their more than 20 million YouTube subscribers. Read more…
Chicago Toy & Game Fair Showcases Young Inventors, Crowd Favorites

More than 30,000 visitors attended this year’s Chicago Toy & Game Fair (ChiTAG), capping off the annual Chicago Toy & Game Week at Navy Pier last month. The annual Young Inventor Challenge, which showcased the work of more than 250 creative kids across a variety of categories, was among the highlights. Each participant received written feedback from industry mentors from companies including Mattel, YULU, Kid Group, Target, Ideo, Nextoy, Getta1Games, and more. Read more…
Spielwarenmesse Offers Extensive Services, New Visitor Experience Zone

Spielwarenmesse 2020 is approaching, and Spielwarenmesse eG is helping to maximize visitor success with an extensive range of services and content-related features for trade buyers and retailers. The services are designed to help visitors prepare ahead of the fair and during the event itself, which is held in Nuremberg, Germany, from Jan. 29-Feb. 2. Read more…
The Best New Collectibles from the Super7 Days of Christmas

The Pop Insider takes a look at some of the new toys and collectibles released by Super7 during its week-long holiday promotion. The items are either brand-new or haven’t been seen since a convention event. Read more…
Greenlight Collectibles, StudioCanal Ink Deal for Terminator 2: Judgment Day Die-cast

The famous rides featured in James Cameron’s Academy Award-winning Terminator 2: Judgment Day ( T2 ) will soon roll into the die-cast aisle thanks to a new deal between Greenlight Collectibles and StudioCanal. Read more…
Paddington Gets in a Jam Brings Michael Bond’s Beloved Bear to the Stage

Ahead of the new animated series The Adventures of Paddington — which will be previewed on Nickelodeon later this month — the beloved bear from across the pond is coming to the stage for a limited run in New York City. Read more…
Clare Bennett Joins WildBrain Spark as Head of Paid Media

In her new role, Bennett will work with WildBrain Spark’s partners to maximize the effectiveness of their paid media across digital platforms, including YouTube, Amazon, and Roku, in addition to supporting the marketing and commercial teams in building WildBrain Spark’s own brands and intellectual property (IP). Read more…
Ellen Doherty Promoted to Chief Creative Officer at Fred Rogers Productions

In her new role, Doherty will oversee an expanding portfolio of children’s content across multiple platforms and manage a growing team of creative professionals. Prior to her promotion, Doherty had been overseeing the creation of television and digital content for the company’s existing series, such as Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood and Odd Squad , and developing new properties, such as Through the Woods. Read more…
Notice of Secured Party Public Sale of Personal Property

Notice is hereby given by ASSEMBLED BRANDS CAPITAL FUNDING LLC (the “Secured Party”), that pursuant to Section 9-610 of the Uniform Commercial Code, a secured party public sale to the highest and/or best bidder for cash, with reserve, will be conducted by the Secured Party on Monday, December 23, 2019 at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Standard Time (the “Public Sale”). The Public Sale shall be held at the offices of Cohen Tauber Spievack & Wagner P.C., 420 Lexington Avenue, Suite 2400, New York, NY 10170 and also telephonically, and “qualified bidders” may either attend the Public Sale in person or telephonically.

The Secured Party has a first priority perfected lien and security interest in and to all of the personal property assets of MADE MODERN, LLC, a Texas limited liability company (the “Borrower”). Read more…
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Group Publisher:
Jackie Breyer

Managing Editor:
Maddie Michalik

Toy Report Editor:
James Zahn

Senior Editors:
Jackie Cucco

Marissa DiBartolo

Sierra McCleary-Harris

Ali Mierzejewski

Associate Editor:
Madeleine Buckley

Editorial Assistants:
Josephine Baran

Ben Goren

Miranda Siwak

Art Director:
Joe Ibraham

Director of Sales and Marketing:
James Devin

Sales Executive
Branden Mendez

Production Director:
Bill Reese
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