From the Editor: Playing From Coast to Coast

I used to say that LA was my second home.

Years ago, long before I took this gig, I spent much time in Los Angeles. My early trips were those fueled by creative pursuits as an actor, screenwriter, and musician. My later adventures leaned heavily into the business side of things, particularly media, marketing, and consulting.

Who knew that the toy industry’s organic migration to the West Coast would eventually put a new spin on life’s adventures? For me, it all feels right, as if the relentless pursuit of many seemingly unconnected interests has led to this moment— a serendipitous synergy sparking new tales yet to be told.

In short, the LA Fall Toy Previews were inspiring.

Our Toy Book team, including Vice President & Group Publisher Jackie Breyer, Executive Director of Sales & Marketing James “JD” Devin, and myself, rolled into the LA area with a jam-packed new issue of The Toy Book and left behind a pile of NDAs, each exchanged for an early look at new toys and games set for launch in fall of 2025 and beyond.

While some of these products won’t make it to Toy Fair New York (a lack of retail buy-in will doom a toy), I believe that the industry as a whole is positioned for a big holiday season next year.

I’m not knocking this year’s product assortment — after all, Q4 begins in about a week, and the industry needs some hits — but next year looks great. In a business where “newness” and “innovation” are constant buzzwords (and sometimes more talk than action), it’s great to see excitement on the horizon. Not only have many companies upped their game, they’ve done it while keeping costs in line. Barring any unforeseen weirdness (I’m looking at the tariff conversation again), kids and families can look forward to some incredible new toys and games, many of which pack a ton of value for the price. Of course, MSRPs can undoubtedly change.

What I can say is that the [REDACTED] and [REDACTED] from [REDACTED] and [REDACTED] should do quite well at retail. Can I really write 1,000 words without sharing a single product that I saw in LA? Yes, and I’m doing it now. Ok, I’ll admit to having seen [REDACTED] while in The Loyal Subjects’ showroom, and you can guess what that might be if you’ve read this.

Beyond the buzz of industry events, including The Toy Foundation’s Party with a Purpose (shout-out to Blues Traveler for the funky covers of “War Pigs” and “The Devil Went Down to Georgia!”) and Women in Toys, Licensing & Entertainment’s Wonder Women Awards, the scattered nature of this year’s previews was a hot topic as buyers and others sought to navigate multiple rental spaces in El Segundo while also making it out to existing toy and game manufacturers with permanent spaces throughout the greater Los Angeles area, including JAKKS Pacific, Jazwares, MGA Entertainment, Moose Toys, Spin Master, Wham-O, and ZURU. By the end of the trip, I could’ve written a book entitled The Ubers of El Segundo.

On one side of town, anchored by Mattel, 1960 on Grand has flourished into a vibrant center of action filled with friendly faces and great products from dozens of companies. The work of John Ollen and Jonathan Busher is noted and appreciated, as this “new Toy Building” stands tall with some new additions, including exterior signage for Connetix and Sunny Days Entertainment, both of which have established beautiful ground-floor showrooms.

Other locations, including Regus, OPEN, and Spaces at OPEN, were also bustling with activity despite feeling a tad more “sterile” than the welcoming halls of 1960. According to several sources, the positive response to showrooms in these buildings prompted the signing of some 3 to 5-year leases.

Up the road, the big wildcard this year opened its doors as The Toy Association played host to its first official LA Fall Preview with three floors of a building across from LAX. There was an incredibly positive vibe — a welcome change from recent years — while roaming the floors in the Association’s space, and I had a great meeting with new Toy Association President & CEO Greg Ahearn alongside People of Play founder Mary Couzin (stay tuned for more from that). Despite being advertised as an appointment-only affair, nearly all exhibitors accepted walk-ins, and some noted that their appointment books weren’t as full as they’d hoped, but they remained upbeat. That said, I believe that the learnings of this year will positively impact future activities in El Segundo, perhaps including a move to get the Association into a space a bit closer to the cluster of other buildings. There is some real potential here, and I’m excited to see it.

Having created a print directory in the LA Fall Toy Previews issue of The Toy Book, we, too, have some learnings — including a request from International sourcing expert Thierry Bourret to make it a pull-out next year (noted!).

With the number of exhibiting companies jumping from around 30 a few years ago to nearly 300 this fall, a good number of players from the international community set up shop in El Segundo with the aim of establishing or growing their businesses in North America. Outfits like Addo Play, Spinnovation, Heathside Trading, and Blokees are just a few of the companies making noise and potentially making a big splash in the year ahead.

A personal highlight of this year’s previews occurred on September 12, thanks to Steven Ekstract, Genna Rosenberg, Sid Kaufman, and the rest of the crew that put on the X Tracks Forums Future of Licensing Summit at United Talent Agency in Beverly Hills.

It was an honor to speak alongside Bruce Gersh (Paris Hilton’s 11:11 Media), Adam Goodman (INVIZ for Skibidi Toilet), and Elie Dekel (Dekel Brands) about the next wave of mega-franchises that are emerging from digital-first content.

This timely panel arrived on the cusp of a revolution that I believe will force an overdue acceleration in speed-to-market within the toy industry. Collaboration between content creators, toymakers, and retailers will be the key to success as audiences seek seamless opportunities to engage — and play — with their favorite new brands. But they won’t wait. They want fully developed worlds with thoughtful toys, games, and publishing tie-ins. If those don’t exist, they’ll either create them themselves or move on.

Skibidi Toilet and The Amazing Digital Circus are just two examples of brands about to pop in a big way, and the world is watching. For those playing along at home, Bonkers Toys has Skibidi Toilet on deck while Moose Toys is joining the Circus.

While our industry is steeped in tradition, sometimes old walls must crumble and fall to make way for a new era. This is happening now as industry legends of the past and present unite to lend a hand to those who will carry the business into the future. There was no better example of this than at The Toy Association’s mixer at Otis College of Art and Design.

The hands-on creativity on display in the student galleries is astounding. Even now, as the definition of “play” evolves and companies turn to dubious AI to churn out new and untested product ideas, kids are still learning to express themselves in ways that will ensure a human touch remains the guiding force of new play experiences created for the future. Yes, the tech will evolve, hopefully for use as a helpful set of tools, but a true creator has to guide the project. With these talented students, the future of the industry shines bright!

After a week in LA, I made a quick stop home to the Third Coast (Chicago) before regrouping with our Toy Book team at Adventure Media & Events (AM&E) in New York City. Last week, our sister publication, The Toy Insider, launched its 19th annual Holiday Gift Guide at Holiday of Play, the toy industry’s unofficial kick-off to the holiday selling season.

In a packed house, top press, media, content creators, and social media influencers went hands on with the products featured on The Toy Insider’s legendary Hot 20, STEM 10, and 12 Under $20 lists, all of which were exclusively revealed on NBC’s TODAY Show in the hours leading up to the event.

Having debuted an exceptionally well-received new issue of The Toy Book in Los Angeles followed by a stellar Holiday of Play in NYC — and The Pop Insider‘s 2024 Holiday Gift Guide set to debut at New York Comic Con (NYCC) next month — the power of our small but mighty AM&E team is unmatched!

Now, it’s time to rock the holidays. Are YOU ready?