by ANNA KNIGHT, senior vice president of licensing, Global Licensing Group

Over the past couple of years, the toy industry has seen substantial growth with no plans of slowing down — a market forecasted to surpass $46 billion by 2027 in the U.S. alone. Even amid such growth, toys have the power to transcend backgrounds and cultures, bringing kids and families together for decades.

Major companies and new industry players bring innovations to consumers, evolving the role that toys play in kids’ lives from entertainment, emotional support, promotional merchandise, and collectibles, to brain training toys designed to develop kids’ minds.

Jazwares, a global leader in consumer products, is dedicated to creating toys that reflect and transform new trends. Jazwares is confirmed to exhibit at Licensing Expo from May 24-26, joining the $292 billion global licensing industry at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas for three days of industry connection, trend spotting, deal-making, and education. Licensing Expo serves as the largest event dedicated to licensing and brand extension, whether you want to spot trends, build partnerships, or secure brand rights for your products. Click here to register for Licensing Expo for free.

I recently caught up with Gerhard Runken, senior vice president of brand and marketing at Jazwares, to discuss the company’s new products and technologies and what it’s looking forward to at the upcoming event.

Anna Knight: For those of you who don’t know, can you tell us about yourself?

Gerhard Runken: My career spans more than 20 years in brand marketing, from action sports to kids’ entertainment to toys. I can genuinely say I’ve loved each of the past and present experiences — plus all that I still get to do! At Jazwares, I have the great privilege of managing the day-to-day business side of brand marketing. Still, nothing gets me more excited than seeing ideas come to life and building a brand to its fullest potential through team collaboration. I am a brand architect and brand builder who truly believes in brand authenticity. I still learn every day by collaborating alongside world-class partners and a best-in-class team.

Bioworld Squishmallows product concepts | Source: Jazwares/Kellytoy/The Toy Book

AK: Any recent news you can share?

GR: Jazwares has a full pipeline of new initiatives that I can’t divulge now. We currently have partnerships with Pokémon, Moonbug Entertainment, Epic Games, Microsoft, and many others, so there will be a strong cadence of exciting announcements soon.

The big news for us heading into Licensing Expo is that we are first-time exhibitors at the trade event, and we will be showcasing our Squishmallows brand as we build it into a truly global franchise powerhouse. Soon we will announce a content production partner who will support us in developing the Squishmallows origin story — a key pillar for the brand’s long-term strategy. On the outbound licensing front, many of our key licensees’ products have just started hitting shelves, and it’s been great to see Squishmallows emerge across so many lifestyle brands. Fans have been posting on social channels about all the great new collaborations; Squishmallows has many new ways to engage with the brand outside of core plush toys.

AK: What trends are coming down the pipeline?

GR: One of the great things about the toy industry, and the overall CPG industry, is the continued innovation that happens every year. We see exciting new products and technologies coming in all shapes and sizes, and we never know what the next big thing will be. I think as an industry, we continue to work on cracking the digital to physical component of toys. With the popularity of the Metaverse and how brands are integrating into it, I think we will see more interesting concepts emerge from various places, and that’s exciting! An expansion into collectibles is something we’re seeing a lot. People are getting into all kinds of collecting and in various ways. Some notables include digital collectibles that unlock physical versions and in limited runs, which enhance the experience, and trading cards are now creating innovative new ways to reinvigorate the category.

Related: 41 Things to Do at Licensing Expo

AK: Why did you decide to exhibit at Licensing Expo for the first time?

GR: We have been fortunate to have built Squishmallows into one of the largest brands in the industry. Now in its sixth year, Squishmallows has ascended to the No. 2 toy property overall and the No. 1 plush brand, according to The NPD Group’s April data. Squishmallows won three coveted Toy of the Year (TOTY) awards, including the overall Toy of the Year. To build a brand that such a global and diverse audience has embraced is truly something special — and with such a wide demographic, we have a truly multi-generational brand. We continually have people reach out to us that they want to be connected to our brand, and with our outbound licensing program just launching, we knew that the Licensing Expo would be a great place to showcase everything Squishmallows has to offer!

Global Licensing Group's Anna Knight chats with Jazwares'
Source: Jazwares

AK: What excites you most about reuniting with your community in person at Licensing Expo this month?

GR: Just to see everyone in person again, reconnecting with peers face to face that we have only seen as a square tile on the screen, is the most exciting to me. Also, having the opportunity to make new connections is equally as important. We are fortunate that we live in an age where we can hold virtual/digital meetings, but nothing beats a face-to-face conversation, a handshake, seeing actual products, or going to dinner with a colleague. It has been what we have all missed most, and my hope is this is the start of more to come!

Register here to attend Licensing Expo and schedule a meeting with Jazwares.


Register here for Licensing Expo to discover the thousands of IPs ready to license from more than 200 brands that span every product category imaginable. Registration is free, so do it today. Also, be sure to visit Adventure Media & Events in Booth No. B121 to pick up new issues of the Toy Book and the Pop Insider at the show!

About the author

Anna Knight, Senior Vice President of Licensing, Informa Markets

Anna Knight, Senior Vice President of Licensing, Informa Markets

Anna Knight brings more than 18 years of experience in the events sector to her role as Senior Vice President of Informa Markets’ Global Licensing Group, where she is responsible for the production of the world’s leading trade shows, conferences, and trade media brand supporting the global licensing community. In addition to the Global Licensing Group’s robust suite of products — Brand Licensing Europe, Brand & Licensing Innovation Summit, Licensing Expo, Licensing Expo Japan, Licensing Expo Shanghai, and License Global magazine— she led the strategic development of two virtual events in 2020 that directly supported the growth of the licensing industry amid-pandemic: Licensing Week Virtual and Festival of Licensing.

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