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Ubisoft Will Feature Watch Dogs at New York Comic Con

October 8, 2013 By

Ubisoft.logoUbisoft’s lineup for New York Comic Con will feature the companion app for Watch Dogs, the company’s upcoming open-world action-adventure video game, and its The Next Level competition. Attendees can check out the company’s booths between October 10 and 13 at the Javits Center in New York City.

At the Watch Dogs theater, the adversarial mode of the app Watch Dogs—ctOS Mobile, will be highlighting ways in which players can invade each others’ games within the world of Watch Dogs. Players take on the role of Aiden Pierce, a vigilante who, with the help of his smartphone, can hack into Chicago’s central operating system and control almost every element of the city.

The Next Level puts attendees’ gaming skills to the test in head-to-head competitions. Gamers will try their hand at popular Ubisoft titles, including Assassin’s Creed IV Black Flag, Just Dance 2014, and The Mighty Quest for Epic Loot, before facing-off in a mystery title for the final round. Each day, the winner of The Next Level competition walks away with a package that includes a gaming PC, a next-generation console with pre-ordered hardware, and tickets to PAX East 2014.

Filed Under: News, Trade Shows/Events Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Licensing Expo, American International Toy Fair Announce Collaboration

October 1, 2013 By

licensingAdvanstar Licensing, organizers of Licensing Expo, and the Toy Industry Association Inc. (TIA), organizers of the American International Toy Fair, have announced a new collaboration to cross-promote attendance at their two complementary trade events next year.

Through this new alliance, Advanstar Licensing and TIA will introduce Licensing Expo exhibitors to current and emerging toy trends, and inform Toy Fair exhibitors of licensing issues and opportunities in emerging international markets. The collaboration will also provide cross-promotional opportunities via direct mail and electronic marketing, editorial content, and co-hosted seminars.

The American International Toy Fair will take place February 16 to 19 at New York City’s Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. Licensing Expo, which is sponsored by the International Licensing Industry Merchandisers’ Association, will take place June 17 to 19 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas.

Filed Under: News, Toy Fair, Trade Shows/Events Tagged With: , , , ,

TIA Hosts Fall Toy Preview Networking Philanthropy Events

September 27, 2013 By

tia_logo[1]With the Fall Toy Preview comes 750 long-lead buyers from around the world and 345 innovative toymakers all there to gain insight into emerging industry trends and of course be among the first to scoop up new product lines slated for release next year. The amount of business opportunity is a major draw, but the Toy Industry Association (TIA) is reminding all Fall Toy Preview attendees of networking and philanthropic events that will also be taking place the week of the show:

  • Opening Night Party: Benefiting the Toy Industry Foundation (TIF), 
Fall Toy Preview’s Opening Night Party will take place on October 1 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the Dallas Market Center. Food and drink will be served at this annual event which gives buyers, exhibitors, and other trade show guests the opportunity to connect, network, and spend time with colleagues. Each exhibitor will receive two complimentary tickets to the party; additional tickets can be purchased on-site at the Fall Toy Preview registration desk (or during the show registration process). All proceeds benefit the philanthropic activities of the TIF.

  • Toy Industry Next Generation (TING) Cocktail Party: 
Immediately following the Opening Night Party, TING will hold a networking event from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the Hilton Anatole Gossip Bar. The party is designed to foster relationships and business opportunities for young professionals working within the toy industry; the first-ever TING event was held at Toy Fair 2013. One complimentary drink per guest will be served; additional drinks and food will be available for purchase. Admission is free for TIA members. Guests may RSVP online.
  • Women in Toys (WIT) 4th Annual Breakfast of Champions
: WIT is hosting its 4th annual networking breakfast on October 2 from 7:30 to 9 a.m.  The breakfast will take place in Room D15 at the Market Center. Tickets can be purchased in advance online.

  • End-of-Show Toy Collection: 
TIF will once again hold its annual Toy Bank collection at the close of the show on October 3. The collected toys, games, and youth entertainment products will benefit Dallas-area children in need. Companies that would like to participate are encouraged to email TIF and state their interest in making a contribution. Volunteer staff will circulate the show floor on Thursday afternoon to collect the donated products. 

TIA’s Fall Toy Preview is an annual go-to-market event that attracts mass market retailers from around the world to preview the hottest toys and games slated for release in Q4 the following year. Fall Toy Preview 2013 will take place October 1 to 3 in Dallas.

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DC Collectibles Announces “Con Exclusives” for New York Comic-Con

September 16, 2013 By

poisonivyDC Collectibles, the high-end toy and collectible line from DC Entertainment, has revealed two new “con exclusive” products that will only be available for purchase at New York Comic-Con 2013.

The first is a Super Best Friends Forever: Poison Ivy PVC Figure, designed by Lauren Faust and sculpted by Irene Matar. Super Best Friends Forever is from the popular interstitial shorts shown during DC Nation on Cartoon Network. Poison Ivy measures approximately 6.625 inches tall.

The second con exclusive is a DC Comics Super Heroes: Hal Jordan & Saint Walker Action Figure 2-pack sculpted by Robert Lynders. This set is the latest in the 3.75-inch scale. The 3.75-inch action figures continue to be a must-have con exclusive from DC Collectibles.

Check out DC Collectibles’ blog for more information.

Filed Under: New Products, Trade Shows/Events Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

XOS Sponsors Free Webinar to Maximize CPSIA Compliance While Minimizing Costs Under New Testing Requirements

September 5, 2013 By

xoslogoXOS will sponsor free webinar on September 26 at 2 p.m. EST. The webinar’s featured speaker is attorney Quin Dodd, noted CPSIA expert and former Chief of Staff at the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). Dodd will provide an overview of new and proposed CPSC regulations and requirements pertaining to the testing and certification of toys and other consumer products. He will also provide concrete suggestions for maximizing compliance while minimizing testing, administrative costs, and compliance risks. Following Dodd’s presentation, Satbir Nayar of XOS, will provide a brief overview of High Definition XRF (HDXRF) technology, with regard to reducing the cost and increasing the effectiveness of heavy metals testing programs.

Combined, the presentations will cover and overview of the current and complex CPSC Testing and Certification Rules, including the 1107, 1109, 1110, and 1112; the proposed new 1110 Certification Rule that may significantly change the who, how, and what of CPSC certificates; strategies to avoid administrative costs and compliance risks with the existing and proposed rules; strategies to minimize the cost and burden of both third-party and in-house (“production”) testing, especially for the CPSC heavy metals limits; and the latest intel regarding the new CSPC commissioners and agency penalty policies, port enforcement, and field investigation activities and tips to avoid problems with any of these. The session will then open up to questions for either of the speakers.

To register for the webinar, click here.

Filed Under: News, Trade Shows/Events Tagged With: , , , , , ,

COMMENTARY: Kids Getting Older Younger—Or Younger Older?

September 3, 2013 By

Everyone always talks about how kids are getting older younger. Kids as young as 8 years old are swapping their Barbie dolls and Transformers for iPods and tablets—but this isn’t the case for everyone. There are big kids everywhere, and toys have a funny little habit of bringing an adult’s inner-child giggling wildly to the surface.

Nostalgia is a huge trend in toys today—classic properties such as The Smurfs, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and Pac-Man have resurfaced and are engaging a whole new generation. Traditional toys, such as Hasbro’s Easy Bake Oven, Kahootz’s Spirograph, and POOF-Slinky’s Slinky, all still appeal to young kids the same way they did decades ago. However, adults and older kids will find just as much fun in new products primarily targeted toward youngsters, too.

RainbowLoom.Butterfly Blossom braceletThis weekend, I was loomed. A family friend’s daughter, Karli, had her wrist covered in the colorful rubber bracelets that are a product of Rainbow Loom, from Choon’s Designs. A huge craze among kids, I was enamored by the bracelets and begged her to teach me how to make one. She did, and of course, hers came out better. I’ve been staring at it on my wrist every day since she made it for me, and I was extremely tempted to purchase my own loom when I went into a Michael’s craft store and saw the enormous display (but I thought to myself: “You’re 23 years old, Marissa! Taking home product samples is one thing, but you cannot justify BUYING a toy!”).

[Read more...]

Filed Under: 0-2, 3-5, 5-8, 6-8, 8 and up, 9 and up, Commentary, The Toy Book, Trade Shows/Events Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

American International Toy Fair to Host Digital Kids Conference

August 22, 2013 By

digitalkidsThe Toy Industry Association (TIA) and media company Engage Digital have announced that the eighth annual Digital Kids Conference will co-locate with the American International Toy Fair in February at New York City’s Jacob K. Javits Convention Center.

Taking place February 18 to 19, the Digital Kids Conference will address new strategies, tools, and marketplace insight that will enable youth-focused media professionals to create digital toys, games, and media services for kids. The partnership between the two shows will provide Toy Fair attendees with access to the Digital Kids Conference, and TIA members will receive reduced rates to attend the sessions. Digital Kids attendees will gain access to the Toy Fair show floor, where they will be among the first to view 150,000 new toys and games on display by more than 1,000 toy companies.

Toy Fair 2014 will be held from February 16 to 19. Toy Fair will showcase the year’s new products and also include an educational program designed to help toy inventors and designers, licensors, independent and specialty retailers, and many more constituents grow their businesses, comply with new safety requirements, identify the biggest toy trends of the year, and more.

Filed Under: News, Trade Shows/Events Tagged With: , , ,

The World Congress of Play Aims to Unite Play Industries of the 21st Century

August 6, 2013 By

congressThe play industries—traditional toys and games, video games, digital, and theme parks—have often been seen as four separate industries with little crossover in competition. After all, theme parks aren’t taking over any of the traditional games’ retail shelf space, right?

Not quite. This compartmentalized view of these industries could actually stop industry players from realizing their true competitors. As the concept of play develops and changes, so does the market in which it exists.

“Children do not experience a gap between virtual play and physical play. It’s seamless. So as a result, they live in a much bigger universe than we do,” says Richard Gottlieb, CEO of Global Toy Experts. “They don’t think like that; it’s just play. One of the real secrets to success in the future, I think, is creating seamless play.”

From this idea comes the birth of the World Congress of Play, a new conference co-founded by Gottlieb and Charles Albert, co-founder of Creativity Inc., Inspire Ltd. (HK), Funfare LLC, and Creativity Mobile. The conference, which takes place from September 9 to 11 in San Francisco, brings together leaders from the traditional toy and game, video game, digital, and theme park industries to create one big play industry. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Articles, Trade Shows/Events Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Toy Fest West 2014 to Be Held in Las Vegas

August 5, 2013 By

toyfestThe Western Toy & Hobby Representatives Association (WTHRA) will hold its annual West Coast Toy Trade Show for its second year at the South Point Hotel, Casino & Spa in Las Vegas.

WTHRA’s 2014 ToyFest West Show, the largest toy show in the west, will feature more than 600 manufacturers, serving as the West Coast premiere for their new 2014 products. In addition to toys, other represented categories include infant and toddler, gift, educational, museum, hobby, and costume.  Traditionally a manufacturers’ representative show, the move to Las Vegas saw an increase in vendor attendance, which will continue in 2014. Retailers who attend will be able to see numerous first quarter specials and unique industry events.

Attendees receive Monday night free when they book to stay Saturday and Sunday night (March 8 and 9). This offer is limited to the first 300 rooms booked.

For more information on Toy Fest West, the manufacturers and representatives who will be present, the special room rate, and the 2014 program, visit www.toyfestwest.com  or call (909) 899-3753.

Filed Under: News, Trade Shows/Events Tagged With: , ,

Tocati Festival to Focus on Hungarian Traditions

July 23, 2013 By

Untitled1The eleventh edition of Tocatì, the International Festival of Street Games, will focus on the Hungarian traditions and on Ferenc Molnár’s novel The Paul Street Boys. The festival is organized by Associazione Giochi Antichi (AGA) in collaboration with the Municipality of Verona-Culture Department. The event is held in the streets and squares of the Historical Centre for three from September 20 to 22. There will be about 40 traditional games coming from different Italian regions and from this year’s host country, Hungary. The games will be presented by a group of players, who came to share the ancient games of their territory and to narrate their habits and history. The traditional game is part of the heritage of humanity recognized by the Charter of International Games in 2003.

The audience will see and try traditional Hungarian games such as Grundbirkózás (Hungarian fight), Gombfoci (a sort of football table that initially was played with buttons), archery, stick fighting, Hungarian whip, and Csürközés ( a challenge in which the sticks are first thrown and then used to hinder the adversary).

Among the traditional Italian games there will be, Sicilian stick (Sicily), Bardunfa, the spinning top of Sardinia, Paga l’ost, a game of bowls typical of Friuli Venezia Giulia, Sburla la roda, an athletic race with hay bales (Lombardy), Palla col bracciale (Tuscan), and three types of special skittles: Bbrigghja (Sicily), Is briglias (Sardinia), and e Stacchje (Puglia). There will also be table games such as carrom, chess, and checkers, and urban games, including Parkour, bike polo, frisbee, and for the first time at Tocatì, Slackline and Kendama. During the festival, Piazza dei Signori will become Piazza Ungheria (Hungary Square), where the audience will be able to discover attractions of Hungarian territories. Artists will interpret music, songs, and Hungarian dances of tzigana’s tradition. [Read more...]

Filed Under: News, Trade Shows/Events Tagged With: , , ,
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