Next week, hundreds of toy and youth entertainment industry executives will gather in Minneapolis for The Toy Association’s Annual Business Conference, where they will learn insights on the most important issues affecting their businesses, including critical updates about the threat of tariffs on toys imported from China. Registration is still open for those interested in learning how to grow their businesses and protect their brands in today’s challenging environment.
Co-hosted by Target, the two-day conference, taking place June 18 to 19, will feature top industry, finance, and retail leaders including Target executives, The NPD Group, toy industry CEOs, CIT Commercial Services, and others, in both open sessions and small-sized workshops addressing key topics.
Toy Association staff will share the latest information about the U.S.-China trade war, potential future scenarios, and what toy professionals can do to reduce the impact on their companies during a June 19 session, “China Tariffs: An Update from DC,” taking place from 1 to 2 p.m.
“The Administration’s trade war and potential negative impact on the toy industry has never been greater as the U.S. Trade Representative moves forward with a 25 percent tariff on the remaining $300billion in Chinese imports – which does in fact include toys,” says Steve Pasierb, president and CEO of The Toy Association. “The Toy Association continues to relentlessly fight against tariffs, but we need companies to help us push back on these damaging taxes on children and families. Toy executives who want the latest on how we as an industry can combat tariffs need to be in Minneapolis.”
Additional conference topics include:
- Protecting your intellectual property rights and brands from counterfeits;
- The future of brick-and-mortar and online retailing, licensing, digital marketing, sustainability, branding, importing, and product innovation presented by Target executives;
- Exploring the impact of online influencers on today’s marketing strategies;
- Capitalization, business valuation, and venture capital strategies with case studies from seasoned toy industry executives; and
- Finance and credit tactics.
The Annual Business Conference will take place at the Minneapolis Hilton. The registration rate for Toy Association members is $795 per person; the investment for non-members is $1,195 per person. For information about registration, hotel bookings, the conference agenda, and more, visit ToyAssociation.org/ABC.
