The legendary toy industry tradition continues!
The Toy Book‘s 39th volume kicks off with the 2023 edition of The BIG Toy Book, the industry “Bible” that Adventure Media & Events has delivered each February for nearly four decades. This year marks the first time that the annual BIG Toy Book was crafted without the intention of debuting it live and in person at Toy Fair in New York City. Despite Toy Fair’s move to September — a monumental shift that shaped the contents of the magazine — The BIG Toy Book is packed with the must-read features, interviews, and more that readers have come to expect from the leading trade publication covering the toy industry in North America.
Our editorial cover features the exclusive, global reveal of Hasbro’s Dungeons & Dragons Golden Archive Owlbear action figure inspired by the upcoming film, Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves. Crafted by Mitchel Wu Toy Photography, the cover is designed to capture the theme of our cover story, Dungeons & Dragons: From the Tabletop to the Toy Department. The Owlbear stands tall alongside Edgin the Bard atop D&D campaign materials. In the background, eagle-eyed readers may catch some Easter eggs, including Autobots and Decepticons from this summer’s Transformers: Rise of the Beasts.
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The 2023 edition of The BIG Toy Book also features our largest and most comprehensive State of the Industry Q&A roundtable ever, with top industry voices from nearly 50 companies representing toy and game manufacturers, licensors, public relations and marketing agencies, and more from the U.S., Canada, and the UK.
Of course, this issue also includes the industry’s most product-packed showcases featuring hundreds of new toys, games, and adjacent products that retailers will want to have on their radar in the months ahead.
Additional highlights include:
- Searching for More Than Just a Cuddly Pillow: Gerrick Johnson of BMO Captial Markets shares predictions for this year.
- Low Price, High Impact: The Changing Role of Discount, Value, and Outlet Stores in the Toy Industry: Senior Editor Madeleine Buckley presents an in-depth look at how retailers including Dollar General, Five Below, Ollie’s, and others are working with toymakers to deliver name brands at an incredible value.
- Backstory: 40 Years in the Cabbage Patch: Senior Editor Jackie Cucco looks back at how the Cabbage Patch Kids crazed America in 1983.
- PAW Patrol Turns 10! A special, 8-page supplement celebrating Spin Master’s famous preschool brand.
- Hong Kong Homecoming: Chris Byrne, The Toy Guy, shares thoughts on the welcome return of the HKTDC Toys & Games Fair.
- New In Town: Afro Unicorn: Editorial Assistant Hannah Sacks chats with April Showers, the driving force behind this growing brand that will soon make its presence known in the toy department.
- The International Toy Box: A Deep Dive into Latin America’s Toy Industry: Editorial Assistant Annabelle Canela explores growth in Mexico, Brazil, and beyond.
- A New PR Opportunity: Clark Nesselrodt of Glorious Story shares insight on why now is the time for toy and game manufacturers to start planning their booths for the Toy Fair of the future.
But that’s just the beginning!
As always, The Toy Book is packed with actionable insights from The Toy Association, ASTRA, The NPD Group, GPI, SuperAwesome, and more. Flip through the pages and let us know what you think, and feel free to shoot me a note via email or on LinkedIn if there’s something that you would like to see in The Toy Book.
As always, be sure to check out toybook.com early and often and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn to stay on the #pulseofplay with the latest toy news, trends, and new products all year round!
