EDITORIAL SUBMISSIONS FOR THIS ISSUE ARE NOW CLOSED. Thank you to all of the companies that submitted new products!
Production on the next issue of The Toy Book is underway!
The Toy Book’s 2023 Classics & Specialty issue (sometimes referred to as “The ASTRA Issue”) shines a spotlight on classic, open-ended play categories alongside products Made in the USA and the best in Specialty Toys & Gifts launches for 2023. This includes products carried by independent specialty toy stores, gift shops, hobby shops, comic shops, and more.
If you have products that fit the bill, we want to hear from you!
Important Update: Due to the unexpected overlap in the dates for ASTRA Marketplace & Academy (June 11-14) and Licensing Expo (June 13-15), The Toy Book‘s Classics & Specialty Issue will be published and released to subscribers on May 10, but will be available in print at ASTRA Marketplace & Academy in Columbus, Ohio in June. If you wish to reach retail buyers attending the ASTRA show, this is the issue for you!
Our next two issues will be:
- The Classics & Specialty Issue — Street date: May 10. Bonus distribution at ASTRA Marketplace & Academy, June 11-14.
- The Licensing & Entertainment Issue — Street date: June 13. Bonus distribution at Licensing Expo, June 13-15
Featured Categories in The Classics & Specialty Issue Include:
- Specialty Toys & Gifts — New Product Launches: This roundup showcases new products sold at specialty retailers, gift shops, hobby shops, local comic shops, etc. Products from any category not already listed below can fit here, so think classic play, action figures, collectibles, confectionery, toy adjacent products, outdoor, etc.
- Arts, Crafts, & Activities: Products geared toward keeping kids creative.
- Construction: Building sets and construction materials of all kinds.
- Dolls: Any toy that fits into the traditional doll category, including small dolls, baby dolls, fashion dolls, etc.
- Games & Puzzles: Traditional games and puzzles, card games, tabletop games, roleplaying games, 3D puzzles, and more.
- Made in USA: Toys and games that adhere to the official “Made in USA” designation.
- Plush: Traditional stuffed animals and plush in all sizes and variations.
- Vehicles & R/C (Updated): Die-cast vehicles, radio-controlled vehicles, action figure-compatible vehicles, pull-back cars, construction vehicles, slot racing sets, train sets, and more. If it has wheels, treads, flies, or floats, this is the spot.
Additional Highlights include:
- Our annual specialty Industry Q&A in which retailers, manufacturers, and others in the space discuss the latest trends, industry happenings, and how business strategies are evolving across the specialty toy market.
- Spotlight on new, independent specialty retailers that have opened in the past year.
- Select Toy Book departments plus exclusive features covering all aspects of the industry, including retail, the state of freight, hot trends, packaging, invention, marketing and public relations, and much, much more.
Submission Guidelines & Instructions:
There is no fee to submit for editorial consideration, but submissions that do not follow the guidelines will be rejected.
If you have products that you want retailers and the rest of the industry to see, we’d love to share them.* Due to the large number of submissions that we receive, we request that you read and adhere to the submission requirements below. Only products that are NEW FOR 2023 will be accepted.
Please send your new, 2023 product descriptions in a Word document attachment to James Zahn, james@toybook.com. Only one company should be included in each document, and all correspondence should be kept to one email thread per company.
You may submit using the following format:
PRODUCT NAME | AGE GRADE | MSRP $USD | AVAILABILITY DATE
(Street date, month, or season, i.e. Summer 2023, Holiday 2023)
Short description of your product.
Prioritize your submissions in each category, listing your most important items at the top of each category list, and your most important category first. Please only include top-line talking points in the product description. Our space is limited, but we will try to cover as many of your products as possible.
Please include high-resolution 300 dpi images with transparent/no background as email attachments. If possible, include an image of every item for each category, and name your images so that it is clear which item it is.
Please do not send PDFs or PowerPoint presentations, and do not embed images within documents.
*Please note that due to the large number of submissions that we receive, inclusion in The Toy Book is not guaranteed. The Toy Book editorial team, at its sole discretion, may approve or reject a submission for any reason. We reserve the right to categorize products, edit product descriptions for length, clarity, and adherence to AP and house style, and may limit the total number of products showcased for this no-cost editorial opportunity. We do not, for any reason, include legal symbols in editorial coverage.
DO NOT Checklist:
- Do not send PDFs or PowerPoint presentations
- Do not embed images within documents.
- Do not send links to folders
- Do not send Wetransfer links that include subfolders within Zip files (they often do not unzip properly)
- Do not submit products missing key information
- Do not submit multiple companies in a single doc
- Do not submit multiple companies in a single email
- Do not submit mass retailer exclusives for this issue (specialty only, please)
The deadline for submissions was March 24. Submissions are now CLOSED.
For questions related to editorial coverage and submissions, please reach out to James Zahn: james@toybook.com
ADVERTISING OPPORTUNITIES:
This issue of The Toy Book will be distributed through a multitude of touchpoints, reaching thousands of retailers throughout North America. We are offering the following options to expand visibility for your new products and get your toys onto more retail shelves this year:
- Print and digital magazine advertising
- Toy Report and toybook.com digital ad placement
- Sponsored E-blasts (limited quantity available)
- Combination print/digital/editorial packages
For ad rates and marketing opportunities, please contact:
- Jackie Breyer, Vice President & Group Publisher: jackie@toybook.com
- James Devin, Executive Director of Sales & Marketing: jd@toybook.com
- Stephanie Infantino, Sales Executive: stephanie@toybook.com
FUTURE ISSUES
Want to get in on the action with future issues of The Toy Book? Check out our 2023 editorial calendar for details on what we’re cooking up for the year ahead.
