Spielwarenmesse Reveals Lineup of Toy Business Forum Speakers

A group of international speakers will be bringing the trade audience up to date in the Toy Business Forum at Spielwarenmesse from Jan. 30 to Feb. 3, 2024.

In the Toy Business Forum, speakers from a diverse range of fields will deliver industry expertise and discuss trends in toys and retail. Some of the topics discussed will include digitalization, influencer marketing, and artificial intelligence (AI). The coverage will also include the highlight topic of the show “Life’s a Playground — Toys for Kidsters, Kidults, & Co.” 

Adults who play games are a target group with real purchasing power for the industry to consider. Six of the presentations in the Toy Business Forum will tackle this theme, displaying examples of relevant products. Toan Nguyen, Founder of Jung von Matt NERD in Hamburg, will speak about the kidult target group and offer an introduction to the pop culture of a new generation in the keynote speech on Jan. 31. On Feb. 2, a presentation by Axel Dammler, Managing Director of iconkids & youth in Munich, will highlight the target group in the German toy market and explore their interests, motivations, and needs. Christian Braun, Founder and CEO of hobbyDB, one of the world’s largest databases covering all collectibles ever produced, will discuss the 10 key criteria that define what makes a collectible.

In addition to new target groups, factors such as trends, competition, and changing customer needs also shape the future of the retail trade. On Jan. 30, Stefan Nilsson from Stockholm will demonstrate the link between a feeling of happiness and the act of buying things in his presentation “Happy is the New Black — Trends for 2024/2025.” American toy expert Reyne Rice will present the latest trends and technologies for the upcoming season on Jan. 30 and Feb. 2. Plus, on Jan. 31, Nick Sohnemann, Founder of innovation agency Future Candy, will give attendees a glimpse into the future of the toy trade with the aid of actual business models and innovation methods.

There are plenty of new and promising opportunities for online and social media presence, making the topics of digitalization and online marketing very important. On Jan. 31, a quick tour of Google Business Profile, focusing on regional businesses with retail stores, will be presented by Beatrice Köhler, Managing Director of Kampagnenreiter GmbH. Meanwhile, on Feb. 1, Benjamin Brüser of BR-AIN Brüser Architektur & Innovation will provide answers to questions concerning multi-channel opportunities and will shed light on the benefits of digital tools. Influencer marketing in the toy sector is on the program too in a presentation by Philipp Hagl, Managing Director of InfluenceME GmBH in Munich.

As AI increasingly makes its way into our everyday lives, the business world must also adapt. On Feb. 1, Marilyn Repp of Mittelstand-Digital Zentrum Handel will present various examples of applications from the retail SME sector. CEO of Toysino GmBH and Managing Director of Spielwaren Krömer GmbH & Co. KG, Christian Krömer, will follow up with his personal experience of how AI relates to his daily business. Digital architect Patrick Klingberg will give a presentation on Feb. 2 studded with practical examples and personal insights into his working life. Gaming enthusiasts can look forward to the Internationale Spieleerfindermesse — Game Inventors Convention on Feb. 2, and on Feb. 3, qualified games designer and AI enthusiast Markus Utomo will demonstrate practice-based revolutionary opportunities for developing toys and products using AI.

The complete Toy Business Forum program and more information on the speakers is available here.