A Schleich billboard in Times Square 2020 | Source: Schleich

by CLARK NESSELRODT, Founder & Principal, Glorious Story

It’s time to plan your booth for the Toy Fair of the future.

With more than 20 clients on the show floor and an award-winning installation in The Javits Center lobby, I’ll never forget Toy Fair 2020. For many, it was our last taste of a previously unquestioned way of large-scale, public life. The toy industry has shifted and the world of commerce has transformed around us since that last Toy Fair. And according to my recent conversations with toy industry leaders and clients, Toy Fair 2023 will be more about new opportunities than the way things were. With that in mind, here are some things to consider as you plan your booth space and refine your product assortment to fully benefit from the new opportunities and possibilities that exist at the reimagined Toy Fair.

SHOWCASE HOLIDAY ‘23 PRIORITIES

Buyers may have already moved past holiday 2023, but the influencers who roam the show floor will be looking for the most visually appealing, interactive photo and video opportunities. Investing in giving them beautiful backdrops and engaging ways to showcase your current holiday consumer sales priorities could be a magic formula for kicking off your holiday influencer content strategy. This type of visual engagement is also an excellent way to satisfy The Toy Association’s new mandate to up the ante on at least 20% externally facing booth displays.

SPRING/SUMMER 2024 RELEASES

Fall 2023 is the perfect time to share your upcoming spring and summer releases with both buyers and media. Consider organizing your booth by release date so that you can give easy tours and demos. If you know that you’re going to need influencer heat on a new product in summer 2024, consider partnering with a content creator now to create a sizzle video to showcase in your booth. Your influencer agreement can stipulate that the content will post publicly months later when it comes time for the product to launch.

Related: The 2023 Edition of The BIG Toy Book is Here!

A TASTE OF HOLIDAY 2024

What little sneak peek might you be able to “show and tell” from your skunkworks? Buyers and media feel valued when you trust them to share what you’re passionately developing over time. And, sharing your outlook helps buyers and media think of you as a visionary. Steer clear of sharing anything with social media influencers that you aren’t ready to see on their channel immediately.

THE BIG OPPORTUNITY: FOCUS ON YOUR BRAND EXPRESSION

I’ve been counseling clients since long before 2020 about the vital need to pair their Toy Fair product presentations with meaningful brand expressions and attention-grabbing stunts. This helps ensure that attendees look forward to coming back to your booth year after year and helps you stand out among everyone else. As competition and copycats continue to besiege our industry, brand differentiation may be one of the few remaining competitive edges. The Toy Association will even be giving out a Reimagination Award this year to recognize those going above and beyond to create the most inspiring booths.

PLAN NOW TO MAXIMIZE RESULTS AND HELP SHAPE THE FUTURE

We have an opportunity this year to help define the Toy Fair of the future. What you decide to do in your booth will play a role not just in your own show return on investment (ROI), but will also help inform what Toy Fair becomes in this next chapter of its long history. It may feel like we have all year to prepare, but Toy Fair is just seven months away. Time is of the essence, and now is the time to plan for the many new opportunities presented by Toy Fair 2023.


A version of this article was originally published in the 2023 edition of The BIG Toy BookClick here to read the full issue! Want to receive The Toy Book in print? Click here for subscription options!

About the author

CLARK NESSELRODT

CLARK NESSELRODT

Clark Nesselrodt is an award-winning brand, business and communications strategist with more than two decades of experience developing and scaling transformative narratives and campaigns. His work in the toy industry includes integrated marketing strategy and execution for brands like Hasbro, Schleich, Learning Resources, Educational Insights, and more.

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