Blog - Page 52 of 1503 - The Toy Book

Aldi Launches Squishmallows Slides in Stores

Supermarket giant Aldi has new footwear on the way, featuring the fan-favorite Squishmallows brand from Jazwares.

Aldi is known for its stores with small layouts of rotating products and good deals. Now, Squishmallows will join that product portfolio, with Squishmallows Slides making their way to Aldi shelves July 17.

Squishmallows Slides Cat | Source: Aldi

Squishmallows Slides Owl | Source: Aldi

Squishmallows Slides Unicorn | Source: Aldi

Squishmallows Slides Bee | Source: Aldi

The new Squishmallows Slides are available in women’s and children’s sizes, so both kid and adult Squishmallows collectors can get footwear made for them. Each slide retails for $9.99 and features a cushioned insole and a Squishmallows-inspired design. There are four slide designs available in the initial collection: a pink slide featuring a cat, a green slide featuring an owl, a purple slide featuring a unicorn, and a black slide featuring a bee.

Jazwares subsidiary Kellytoy got started making Squishmallows plush back in 2017, and has seen success with the brand since. The plush are popular with collectors young and old due to their soft squishiness, as well as their individual names and character stories. Beyond plush, Squishmallows have launched as apparel, pet beds, and more.

Squishmallows Slides will hit Aldi shelves across the country July 17, and will be available while supplies last.

Hasbro Launches Furby Wuz Here Campaign

Hasbro has launched a new campaign, Furby Wuz Here, in New York City. The campaign, which runs from today until July 17, celebrates the one-year anniversary of Furby’s return to Earth and features several activation points. Families can use the map to find different Mischievous Moments.

The campaign follows Furby as the character “furbifies” objects in the city. | Source: Hasbro

Mischievous Moments includes giant Furby footprints, paint and glitter on sidewalks, and objects wrapped in fur. This includes lampposts, bikes, cones, benches, newspaper stands, and more. Activations are located at Herald Square Plaza, Astor Place Plaza, Elizabeth Street Garden, and other areas throughout the city. Visitors are encouraged to use the hashtag #FurbyWuzHere when posting photos and videos online.

Families can also visit Furby’s Crib on July 14 by signing up for a time slot on eventbrite.com. The fur-covered, ’90s-themed room features disco balls, posters, lava lamps, and more inspired by Furby’s original visit to Earth in 1998. Furby’s Crib and the “furbified” objects feature QR codes that lead to Hasbro’s Furby page on Amazon, which plays a video related to the campaign.

“After reintroducing Furby last year, 25 years after the toy’s initial, craze-inducing launch, we were thrilled to see the same level of excitement for the return of our iconic furry friend,” says Kim Boyd, President, Global Brands & Franchise Management, Hasbro. “In celebration of this generation of Furby’s first birthday, we’re continuing the craze with a Furby takeover in New York City, and a new wave of colors for Furblets, our miniature besties. This is just the beginning for Furby, and we look forward to expanding this incredible brand.”

For more information on Hasbro’s Furby offerings, visit shop.hasbro.com.

Toys ‘R’ Us Launches Worldwide Holiday ‘Play Day’

Toys “R” Us has plans to celebrate a new holiday at locations across the globe, one it has dubbed Play Day, on July 20.

The holiday will primarily consist of two activations and initiatives. This first is the Pledge to Play, which is a form customers can fill out and sign asserting their commitment to “make play a priority” and to “vow to create space for joy no matter how busy” they are. Customers that sign the pledge will receive a year’s worth of product recommendations, discounts, and more.

Customers who sign the pledge receive a year of Toys “R” Us content. | Source: Toys “R” Us

Play Day’s second major component is the Parade of Play, in which customers will parade through stores. Customers can also find special giveaways, photo-ops, and more activations on Play Day.

“As the world’s greatest champions of play, launching this holiday underscores our belief that play can change the world,” says Kim Miller Olko, Global CMO of Toys “R” Us. “Harnessing our knowledge and authority we are inspiring kids, adults, and families to commit to putting the power of play into action for themselves.”

This is the second holiday Toys “R” Us has launched, following Geoffrey’s Birthday on Oct. 17. To learn more about Play Day, visit the Toys “R” Us website.

PlayMonster, Diverse Marketing Partner to Expand Retail Reach

PlayMonster is partnering with wholesale representative group Diverse Marketing.

Known for its wide array of toy and game brands, PlayMonster has entered into a three-year open-ended agreement with Diverse Marketing and Diverse Brands. Under the new arrangement, Diverse Marketing will represent PlayMonster across most of the company’s retail accounts.

Pigs on Trampolines | Source: PlayMonster

Colorforms Travel Play Set: Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood | Source: PlayMonster

Five Crowns | Source: PlayMonster

The Diverse Marketing partnership aims to improve service for PlayMonster partners across mass retail, specialty toy, and independent retailers. Combining efforts, the two companies will streamline representation and enhance PlayMonster’s retail presence.

PlayMonster has a full portfolio of games, toys, activity books, and more. The company has several licensed offerings, such as the Bluey–themed Original Spirograph Jr., a Disney Trivia game, and more. Other PlayMonster brands and products include Pigs on Trampolines, Farkle, Colorforms, Five Crowns, Fashion Plates, and more.

Diverse Marketing has showrooms in Dallas, Atlanta, Las Vegas, Minneapolis, and Seattle.

PlayMonster plans to expand its portfolio of offerings throughout the year, with new products across categories such as games, crafts, and activities.

Forecast: The Insights Family’s 2024 Report Reveals Emerging Industry Trends

The Insights Family has released its Industry Impact 2024 Report.

With the advisement of more than 100 industry experts and data from more than 3 million families across 22 markets, the study includes comprehensive information about challenges, trends, and opportunities in the kids’ and family markets.

Highlights from this year’s report include a high number of industry professionals identifying budget constraints as an obstacle; an increase in teens planning their futures; and a push for localized strategies, with 72% of industry professionals recognizing the challenge of engaging kids.

What is so interesting in this report, is that we have taken not only the views of the professionals but also provided examples of our own data as context to demonstrate why organizations need to continually adapt their strategies as this generation moves faster than any in history.

Nick Richardson, Founder of The Insights Family

Overall, the report indicates ever-changing market dynamics, with media fragmentation and other trends highlighting the need for organizational adaptability. The report indicates 26% of industry experts acknowledged organizational rigidity as a barrier to adapting to market conditions. Concerns about the industry’s uncertain future also played a part in this year’s report, with 84% of professionals expressing uncertainty about how their organization will operate in the future and the effectiveness of their marketing efforts.

Nick Richardson, The Insights Family’s Founder, will also be hosting a webinar on July 18 to discuss the report’s findings with industry experts including including Ian Wickham of Licensing Link, Danielle Davies of Meon Media, and Tristan Brooks, Managing Partner of Havas Media. Registration for the webinar is available online now.

The Industry Impact 2024 Report is available to download for free now on the official webpage.

Bandai Namco to Launch Second Gundam Base Mobile Tour

Bandai Namco Toys & Collectibles America (BNTCA) has revealed the tour dates and locations for the 2024 Gundam Base Mobile Tour. This marks the second Gundam Base Mobile Tour to travel within the U.S.

The tour begins on Aug. 7 and ends on Oct. 27. Families and collectors can participate in free GUNPLA workshops, access exclusive model kits, take fun family photos with Gundam, play video games, participate in a VR experience, and more. Event-exclusive figures will also be available.

Families can expect various stations at the tour. | Source: BNTCA

Tour locations include Illinois, Ohio, New York, Virginia, Georgia, Colorado, Washington, Nebraska, and more. The full schedule is available at gundam.info. The event will start between 10 a.m.-12 p.m. and end between 5 p.m.-6 p.m.

The Gundam Base Mobile Tour will arrive at each town in a unique truck and trailer that features the giant robot. Certain GUNPLA model kits and event exclusives will be available online following the tour as well. Visit gundam.info for more information.

MGA Entertainment Reveals Harry Potter, The Lord of the Rings Miniverse Make It Mini Collections

Two iconic fantasy franchises are going miniature.

MGA Entertainment is partnering with Warner Bros. Discovery Global Consumer Products for new collections featuring fan-favorite fantasy brands. The newest Miniverse Make It Mini lines will feature Harry Potter and The Lord of the Rings, both launching July 21.

The new line includes potions inspired by the Harry Potter movies. | Source: MGA Entertainment

The Miniverse Make It Mini Potions collection includes miniature replicas of items and artifacts found in the Harry Potter films. From Wolfsbane to Polyjuice, potion-makers can now create their own collectibles. Each surprise ball-shaped capsule contains everything needed to make potions. Once the potions have cured in UV or daylight, they are ready for display. There are 15 different styles of potions, with 12 core styles and three rare, limited-edition items.

The mini magic doesn’t stop there. MGA Entertainment is also launching a new The Lord of the Rings mini collection. Each ball-shaped capsule includes everything needed to make a miniature replica armory inspired by the movies, with 15 different styles to collect.

The Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter Miniverse Make It Mini Collections are designed with kidult collectors in mind. Both will launch July 21. The new lines join other Warner Bros. Discovery products from MGA Entertainment, including collectibles inspired by Elf and Wonka.

Wow! Stuff to Bring WWE Toys and Novelties to Market Starting Fall 2024

World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), notorious for being choosy with licensing deals, has partnered with Wow! Stuff to introduce new products beginning in autumn 2024. The deal was brokered by WWE’s licensing agency, IMG.

The first product to hit retailers will be a Thumb Wars line, in which recognizable WWE stars will be rendered as “thumb caps” for kids and collectors to stage thumb wars. There will also be a Thumb Wrestling ring. Thumb Wars will come as blind two-packs, and are slated to hit an as-yet-unspecified mass retailer. The price point for the new products will range from about $5 to about $25.

“The WWE brand’s ‘always on’ presence and exciting storylines have kept it at the forefront of family entertainment for years,” says Kenny McAndrew, Director of Licensing at Wow! Stuff. “With this new collection, we wanted something on-brand and in-universe for WWE and our research said it’s time that thumb wars became a branded gameplay.”

WWE is known for being selective with its licensing deals, which Mattel has historically dominated. For information on WWE’s licensing partnerships and opportunities, visit the IMG website.

Paramount, Skydance Media Merge to Form New Paramount

Signing off on the definitive agreement, Paramount and Skydance Media are joining to form New Paramount.

The agreement will take place through a two-step transaction. It includes the acquisition of National Amusements, which holds the controlling share stake in Paramount, and a subsequent merger of Skydance and Paramount Global.

We are committed to energizing the business and bolstering Paramount with contemporary technology, new leadership, and a creative discipline that aims to enrich generations to come.

David Ellison, Founder and CEO of Skydance

New Paramount aims to expand Paramount’s existing presence as a media enterprise, focusing on technological advancements across entertainment platforms such as animation, gaming, film, sports, and more. The management team will be led by David Ellison (Founder and CEO of Skydance) as Chairman and CEO; and Jeff Shell (Chairman of RedBird Sports & Media and former CEO of NBCUniversal) as President.

The two companies have partnered previously several times in the past 15 years. Paramount brings to the merger its numerous IPs and extensive experience in the entertainment industry. Skydance will provide investment opportunities, two in-house game developer studios, a partnership with the NFL, and more.

As one of the iconic media brands and libraries in Hollywood, Paramount has the IP foundation to ensure longevity through this evolution — but it will require a new generation of visionary leadership together with experienced operational management to navigate this next phase.

Gerry Cardinale, Founder and Managing Partner of RedBird Capital

National Amusements has agreed to sell to Skydance for $2.4 billion, offering full control over Paramount’s Class A shares. Skydance Investment Group expects to own 70% of the equity of New Paramount following the full transaction.

Skydance Investment Group, led by the Ellison Family and Redbird Capital Partners, will additionally invest up to $6 billion to offer Class A stockholders other than National Amusements an election to receive in the merger $23 cash per share or 1.5333 shares of Class B stock of New Paramount; offer Class B stockholders other than National Amusements an election to receive in the merger $15 cash per share or one share of Class B stock of New Paramount, subject to proration if Class B elections exceed $4.3 billion in the aggregate; and use the remainder to pay down any debt and re-capitalize the balance sheet of New Paramount.

“Our hope is that the Skydance transaction will enable Paramount’s continued success in this rapidly changing environment,” says Shari Redstone, Chair of Paramount Global and Chair, President, and CEO of National Amusements. “As a longtime production partner to Paramount, Skydance knows Paramount well and has a clear strategic vision and the resources to take it to its next stage of growth.”

The transaction agreement includes a 45-day go-shop period in which the Special Committee of Paramount’s Board of Directors can seek other acquisition proposals. Skydance and Paramount held a meeting this morning to discuss the transaction with security analysts, with a listen-only webcast of the meeting available online now.

Wyncor to Launch Miraball Line at Carrefour Stores in Europe

Recently launched toy company Wyncor has inked an agreement with Carrefour to see its Miraball brand in stores across Europe this September.

Wyncor established itself this past January and has since continued development on several product offerings, including patented toys such as Miraball. Wyncor has already established a variety of licensing partners for Miraball, including Spin Master’s PAW Patrol, Hasbro’s Transformers, Paramount’s SpongeBob Squarepants, and more. The toy line had its retail debut last fall, and will now see itself expanding into European markets.

As a new toy company with a mission to offer speed and flexibility to retailers and partners, best-in-class product development for alignment with partners’ IP content, and premium quality and innovative products to consumers, we couldn’t be more excited that our first patented product, the Miraball, has been an astounding success.

— Julian Jacob, CEO, Wyncor

The Miraball line of toys are surprise pack collectibles in a compact sphere, a little less than 3 inches in diameter. Kids can open the sphere to reveal a hidden expanding plush charm, as well as a metal charm ball and a sticker.

Carrefour Group has several stores across Europe that will offer Miraball products. Coinciding with the launch, a month-long TV advertising campaign will run three times daily during weekends on TF1.

Miraball has already seen success in U.S. locations such as Target, Fred Meyer, and Meijer. The brand will debut in European Carrefour stores this September.

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