by WENDY SMOLEN, founder, wendysmolen.com

Toy Fair is older than all of us, despite that it caters to those younger than most of us. But it leaves its mark on everyone who attends.

“The basics of Toy Fair have remained the same since the industry first came together in 1903,” says Toy Association President and Chief Executive Steve Pasierb. “We must provide opportunities for meaningful introductions and engagements that build business, whatever a company’s or person’s role is in the industry. The challenge is to evolve with the times.”

For me, this is Toy Fair No. 25. I’ve made lifelong friends since first trekking the halls of 200 Fifth Avenue, and called on some of them to share their thoughts prior to this year’s Toy Fair. Though we all approach the event from different perspectives, it’s funny how many of the same memories we had in common.

I started attending as a freelance writer for Parents magazine, the author of a book on kids’ activities, and a mother of three young children. My knowledge of toys was experiential at best. My first badge could easily have said “Novice.” The seasoned editor who guided me around had recently given birth and had to make frequent stops to pump breast milk. We snaked up and down the narrow and dusty stairways of the old Toy Building, avoiding the over-crowded, over-rated elevators.

“The elevators were part of the adventure, especially for an academic ethnographer like me,” says Warren Buckleitner, Ph.D., editor of Children’s Technology Review, and a Toy Fair veteran of more than 20 years. “Consumers have no idea that the toys they buy are often made by chubby men who smoke cigars.”

We schlepped elaborate press kits and samples until our arms ached and gorged on candy until our teeth hurt, but I was smitten. The showrooms exuded excitement and the air buzzed with possibilities—toys were important! I discovered which companies served real lunches—always hit ALEX Brands around 12:15—learned to bring a wheelie suitcase for all the giveaways, and was convinced that Spin Master threw the best parties.

“I have many tales of late night escapades that can’t be told (but have been retold hundreds of times!), that have helped to build and strengthen the camaraderie that’s part of Toy Fair lore,” says Jim Engle, president of Little Kids.

By year two, I was an official editor at Parents, and a more confident judge of toys. I recognized many key people. I knew what questions to ask. And I developed a Toy Fair rating system that I still use today.

In 1997, Javits was added—at first, a no-man’s land, the after-thought you attended on the last day to quickly see any small or strapped companies that couldn’t afford a larger space.

“The big boy Toy Fair had HUGE booths with walls around them and secretive sales guys in suits watching over the entrance,” remembers Mia Galison, president of eeBoo. “The Javits ‘specialty tent’ felt like a bazaar for my people. There were lots of 10 by 10 booths with a single person in it and a lot of older married couples. Everyone had very small, focused lines—many of them new to the market. We didn’t get that much traffic the first year or so, but I did pick up one of my best and most enduring customers there: Land of Nod. They were brand new as well, looking for things that were different and that’s where we all were.”

When something was really different, everyone gravitated to it, like witnessing a solar eclipse.

“For me, the most memorable new product introduction was Coleco’s Cabbage Patch Kids in the early ’80s,” reminisces Engle. “They had a delivery room, doctors, and nurses, along with a product concept that broke all the rules of promotional doll introductions.”

In 1998, Furby debuted at Tiger Electronics. I was scheduled to showcase them on TV with six kids, and had to carry a half dozen home in a bag on Metro North. Somewhere between Rye and Portchester, N.Y., they started “talking” to each other. Frantically, I tried to turn them off. The entire train was mesmerized. I knew right then that I had a hit on my hands.

And then there were the snowstorms. No one can recall a Toy Fair without winter boots.

“One year, we had a contest to see who could make the best snow angel in the middle of a deserted Fifth Avenue,” says Engle.

Buckleitner remembers “a blizzard so bad, that when I walked into the Toy Building, no one was there. However, every showroom was staffed because companies had flown in days ahead. I had the whole place to myself.”

Fundamentally, however, Toy Fair is about doing business. And good business is always about good relationships, whether they’re business-to-business, or peer-to-peer.

“In the early years, I loved the camaraderie of being around the smaller companies. We shared a lot of information about reps and retailers,” says Galison. “I still maintain many close friends from that period—other small companies that in another context might have felt like competitors. Every year we hosted a party at my home for sales reps, retailers, and other toy companies, and that solidified the sense of community for me.”

Buckleitner began holding his annual end-of-Toy Fair “Huddle” in 1999, as a peer discussion group. “Toy Fair is so huge—there are so many stories, sub-stories, and trends—that it’s useful to listen to others and share what we’ve seen,” he says. “The Huddle is a (very) low-budget, open-to-all forum. It’s a chance to see old friends and bring new voices into the discussion. Our goal is to ‘get it right.’ Email me if you want to come this year!”

Fast forward to today. A digital press room, flash drive catalogs, a plethora of recyclable bags, endless aisles and levels of Javits, and of course, the friends you haven’t seen in a year.

“The future is wide open for Toy Fair,” says Pasierb. “The fact that Toy Fair sold out last year and again this year is actually a problem and a missed opportunity. Companies that need exposure, inventors with a great idea, brands that are growing, all require more space. Having the expanded Javits Center at our disposal in 2022 will allow us the luxury of planning for a new and larger experience. As licensing, IP development, and youth entertainment properties continue to prosper, Toy Fair can have an even wider appeal. The media and financial strengths that New York offers continue to be of high value to our members and they’re why NYC remains our home.”

And so begins Toy Fair 2018. I hope you didn’t forget your boots.

[author] [author_image timthumb=’off’]https://toybook.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/wendysmolen.png[/author_image] [author_info]Wendy Smolen has spent more than 20 years playing in the toy industry. She cofounded Sandbox Summit, an idea forum focused on the intersection of play, learning, and technology. Currently, she works with companies and organizations to create playful solutions that engage kids and families in innovative and impactful ways.[/author_info] [/author]

TOP TOY FAIR TIPS

1. Wear comfortable shoes. Padded soles are best. High heels and pointy toes are out of the question. Javits’ floors are brutal on your feet, whether you’re walking the aisles or standing in a booth. No one will judge you for wearing sneakers.

2. Schedule key appointments. Confirming meetings ahead of time guarantees you’ll see those you want to see. For your sanity, give out your cell number. People don’t always stick to time slots.

3. Schedule free time. Allow yourself a chance to walk the aisles and see what others (competitors or not) are doing. It gives you a good sense of trends and the industry mood. It’s also pretty inspiring.

4. Talk to everyone. Listen to feedback. If you’re collaborative, others will be too.

5. Buy coffee before you hit Javits. The main floor kiosk has to be the most overpriced Starbucks in all of NYC.

6. Take copious notes. After more than four days of talking and smiling, everything starts to take on a hazy glow—not in a good way.

7. Ask reps to mail catalogs if they don’t have flash drives. While you may think “What’s so hard about carrying one catalog?,” by the fifth or sixth catalog, it’s no longer easy. They’re also a pain to pack.

8. Swag is for taking. Grab a bag when you enter Javits. They’re on every post. (And they make great grocery bags after Toy Fair.)  It’s also fun to pick up samples in the showrooms. If you have kids, they love the freebies you bring them. If you find yourself too swag-saturated, consider the FedEx that’s conveniently located in Javits.

9. Take advantage of industry meetings. The TOTY Awards ceremony is a great way to kick off Toy Fair. Women in Toys also has a gala dinner. (Both dinners require advance registration.) The Toy Association holds info sessions throughout the event. At the very least, private breakfasts and dinners are a good way to get to know your customers in a less formal setting.

10. Double the number of business cards you think you’ll need. Nerdy as it is, consider a fanny pack to hold them. Alternatively, you can stash them in the pocket behind your name badge. But you also need a place to put the cards you receive, which, unfortunately, brings you back to the fanny pack.

11. The 7 subway to Javits (34th Street and 11th Ave.) is the quickest way to get to and fro. Avoid the endless taxi lines. At 5 p.m., you’ll never get a cab and even Uber will be tough. The hotel buses are also convenient, though a lot slower.   

12. Go digital. Download the Toy Fair app. And use it!

 


This article was originally published in the February 2018 issue of The Toy Book.

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