Chicago Toy & Game Group Reinvents the TAGIES as the Toy & Game International Excellence Awards

Source: Chicago Toy & Game Group/The Toy Book

The Chicago Toy & Game Group (ChiTAG) is reinventing its TAGIE Awards by expanding the platform with new meaning.

The Toy & Game Innovation Awards have been renamed the Toy & Game International Excellence Awards, keeping the TAGIE designation while broadening its scope to honor innovators, designers, and marketers in the toy and game industry. The change celebrates the international reach of the ChiTAG community, which includes members from more than 150 countries.

This year also sees the addition of a new category for Most Innovative Supplier. Inspired by the creativity that has been forced by the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, the new category seeks to honor individuals and companies that have stepped up to lead in challenging times.

Nominations for the awards are being accepted through Aug. 15.

2020 TAGIE Categories Include:

Toy Innovator of the Year;
Game Innovator of the Year;
Rising Star Innovator of the Year;
Young Inventor of the Year;
Innovative Art and Visuals of the Year;
Innovative PR & Marketing Team of the Year;
and Most Innovative Retailer Award

The top 10 finalists from each category will be announced on Sept. 15 when voting opens to the general public, media, and industry.

The nominees will be revealed during a virtual event with a “celebration” theme. Full details on the event will be announced in a few weeks.

Karri Bean, senior manager, licensing at Disney Parks, Experiences, Products returns to host the TAGIEs for a second year. The keynote speaker will be JoAnn McLaughlin, senior vice president of hardlines product development, Disney Parks, Experiences & Products.

In keeping with the event’s celebratory theme, the virtual program will honor milestone anniversaries.

Anniversaries to be Celebrated:

90th Anniversary of Fisher-Price
85th Anniversary of Monopoly
75th Anniversary of Mattel
70th Anniversary of Rummikub
40th Anniversary of Rubik’s Cube
25th Anniversary of Winning Moves
20th Anniversary of Razor
10th Anniversary of the Rainbow Loom

Visit the TAGIEs official site for more details and to submit nominations.

About the author

James Zahn

James Zahn, AKA The Rock Father, is Editor-in-Chief of The Toy Book, a Senior Editor at The Toy Insider and The Pop Insider, and Editor of The Toy Report, The Toy Book‘s weekly industry newsletter. As a pop culture and toy industry expert, Zahn has appeared as a panelist and guest at events including Comic-Con International: San Diego (SDCC) Wizard World Chicago, and the ASTRA Marketplace & Academy. Zahn has more than 30 years of experience in the entertainment, retail, and publishing industries, and is frequently called upon to offer expert commentary for publications such as Forbes, Marketwatch, the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, USA Today, Reuters, the Washington Post, and more. James has appeared on History Channel’s Modern Marvels, was interviewed by Larry King and Anderson Cooper, and has been seen on Yahoo! Finance, CNN, CNBC, FOX Business, NBC, ABC, CBS, WGN, The CW, and more. Zahn joined the Adventure Media & Events family in 2016, initially serving as a member of the Parent Advisory Board after penning articles for the Netflix Stream Team, Fandango Family, PBS KIDS, Sprout Parents (now Universal Kids), PopSugar, and Chicago Parent. He eventually joined the company full time as a Senior Editor and moved up the ranks to Deputy Editor and Editor-in-Chief.