Last week, more than 85 toy and game companies came together at the Toy Insider‘s 10th anniversary Sweet Suite event in New York City. There, the industry showed off its latest products to members of the media, bloggers, YouTubers, and influencers. For the first time ever, podcasting was a part of the event, with Richard Gottlieb of Global Toy Experts and Chris Byrne, The Toy Guy, on hand to record interviews and commentary for their new show, The Playground.
In their latest episode, Gottlieb and Byrne share conversations with Ashley Mady of Basic Fun!, Lisa Wuennemann of PlayMonster, Ryan Birkicht of Pacific Cycle, Erika Merklinger of Crayola, and yours truly, all focused on the business of play.
The Playground made its debut earlier this year with a goal of reaching parents, caregivers, and adults who are interested in play and playfulness. Beyond the current business of the toy industry, Gottlieb and Byrne will also delve into toy history with stories behind the toys, as told from the people who lived them.