Natasha Tous | Source: VTech / the Toy Book

Natasha Tous, senior director of product development at VTech, talks about upcoming products and innovation in the Toy Book’s annual State of the Industry Q&A.

The Toy Book: How important is licensing to your overall business strategy?

Natasha Tous: Licensing has quickly become a key pillar in the toy industry as it relates to the preschool category, especially as we start seeing more and more edutainment-type shows enter the landscape and become successful. As leaders in the electronic learning aids category, we are ramping up our efforts to ensure that we are fostering our existing partnerships, such as with Blue’s Clues & You! and PAW Patrol, while expanding our portfolio and adding the hot properties that are entering the market, such as CoComelon and Bluey. There are also a lot of really cool new product platforms and categories that we are exploring, as well as the form factors for which VTech is known.

TB: What types of innovation are you offering to consumers this year?

NT: We are bringing a lot of fun and innovation to the baby category with products that will help guide parents in sharing precious moments as they are first bonding with baby. Our new multistage play gyms offer a unique experience for parents and little ones alike, letting them play together until babies can explore the gym on their own. 

In the infant category, we are introducing new products that combine traditional, age-based developmental elements with gaming themes that are very trendy right now. We are also looking forward to the launch of our next generation smartwatch for parents that are looking for wearables to aid with healthy routines like brushing teeth and potty training. This new watch will have the same successful, award-winning features as our DX family of watches, but include fun new elements for a younger audience.

TB: What trends will have the biggest impact on the toy industry in 2022?

NT: One of the top trends we are following is using video games for kids ages 3 and up to introduce them to basic school readiness concepts, such as learning shapes, colors, and the alphabet. We are also very excited to see how audio is starting to make its way down to the youngest of listeners, with kids as young as 4 starting to show interest in listening to podcasts and screen-free storytelling. And when we move past the toddler and preschool ages and move into the age 5 and up category, we think we’ll see a continuation of what we saw during the height of the pandemic, with an increase in outdoor play.


This article was originally published in the February 2022 edition of the Toy Book. Click here to read the full issue!

About the author

Maddie Michalik

Maddie Michalik

Maddie Michalik was the Editor-in-Chief of The Toy Book from 2020-2022. She was also a Senior Editor at The Toy Insider and The Pop Insider.

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