Blue Plate Media Services (BPM) will be hosting its 8th annual Media Lounge, featuring free presentations and workshops, on February 16 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Coinciding with North American International Toy Fair, the event is open to Toy Industry Association (TIA) members and Toy Fair participants. Along with providing competitive industry insights, BPM experts will present their toy industry media outlook for the year, delving into media spending, media mixes, and emerging trends across various toy categories from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. [Read more...]
Blue Plate Media to Host its 8th Annual Media Lounge at Toy Fair
January 30, 2015 By Leave a Comment
Record-Breaking Number of Consumer Votes Cast at ToyAwards.org
January 29, 2015 By Leave a Comment
According to the Toy Industry Association (TIA), a record-breaking 58,000 consumer votes were cast online during the voting period for the 15th annual Toy of the Year (TOTY) Awards. Toy lovers of all ages visited www.toyawards.org between Thanksgiving and mid-January to vote for their favorite toys, games, and properties across 12 categories, including activity, educational, innovative and outdoor. [Read more...]
Webinar on Value of Play Research Scheduled for January 29
January 28, 2015 By Leave a Comment
The Toy Industry Association (TIA) is hosting a webinar entitled “The Value of Play: A Generational Perspective,” taking place on January 29 from 2 to 3 p.m. Presented by Dr. Suzanne Martin, principal at Martin Research Consulting, the webinar examines research results on the role of play on children’s lives. [Read more...]
Julie Livingston Launches Livingston PR in New York City
January 28, 2015 By Leave a Comment
Public relations and marketing pro Julie Livingston has officially launched Livingston PR. Based in New York City, the consultancy will provide clients with a full range of strategic marketing and communications services, as well as assist in business development and strategic partnerships.
Over her career, Livingston has served and supported numerous prestigious clients and brands including Scholastic, Toy Industry Association, NY Women in Communications, and more.
U.S.-Canadian Steering Committee to Consider Unified Toy Standards
January 23, 2015 By Leave a Comment
As reported by the Toy Industry Association (TIA), U.S. and Canadian regulators, standards development organizations, and toy industry representatives held discussions in Ottawa, Canada, on January 7 to discuss the possibility of unified U.S.-Canadian toy safety standards that would be acceptable for both countries to use in regulating toys. [Read more...]
Registration Open for TIA’s Toy Fair Credit Meeting
January 20, 2015 By Leave a Comment
Registration is open for the Toy Industry Association’s (TIA) annual Toy Fair Credit Meeting, scheduled to take place on February 17 at the Affinia Manhattan Hotel in New York City.
An exclusive forum for TIA member manufacturers, the Toy Fair Credit Meeting offers trade information and educational and networking opportunities for credit, finance, and operations professionals. Through discussions and workshops, industry experts, major retailers, and fellow participants of the TIA Credit Interchange program will share knowledge from across the toy industry. [Read more...]
I Am Big Bird: The Carroll Spinney Story Screening Scheduled for Toy Fair
January 16, 2015 By
As reported by the Toy Industry Association (TIA), an exclusive screening of the documentary, I Am Big Bird: The Carroll Spinney Story, will take place on the evening of February 16 during the 112th North American International Toy Fair in New York City. The documentary explores the life of Spinney, the actor who has played Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch on Sesame Street since 1969. [Read more...]
TIA to Present Research on Australian, Mexican, U.S. Toy Markets at Toy Fair
January 10, 2015 By
The Toy Industry Association (TIA) will present new research reports on the Australian, Mexican, and U.S. toy markets at the 112th North American International Toy Fair next month (TIA is the producer of the event). Taking place throughout the day on Sunday, February 15, the educational sessions will be held as part of TIA’s ongoing efforts to help toymakers identify and capture valuable export opportunities.
Experts from global consultancies Altios International and Kidz Global will present commissioned research findings on Australia’s and Mexico’s market demographics and economic growth, children’s routines and play preferences, cultural gift-giving occasions, brand awareness, primary retail and distribution channels, media opportunities, and more.
The U.S. seminar will take place on February 15 from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m.; Mexico data will be shared from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m.; and Australia findings will be presented from 2 to 3 p.m. These sessions are free for TIA members and $179 for non-members; attendees save $80 when they sign up for both the market research package and TIA’s Licensing Content Connection program during general Toy Fair registration.
ISO and IEC Update Product Safety Guidance Document
January 3, 2015 By
As reported by the Toy Industry Association (TIA), the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) have published a third edition of ISO/IEC Guide 50. This guidance document, issued on December 15, is intended to help standards developers, designers, manufacturers, policymakers, and others in the development of products, packaging, and structures that minimize the potential for causing deaths or serious injuries to children. [Read more...]
COMMENTARY: Hey, Toy Industry! It’s Not Too Late for New Year’s Resolutions