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“Users spend almost twice as hours per week on TikTok than they do on Facebook.” ………. Where do you want to spend your advertising money? The Internet offers so many choices, and with Facebook and Google dominating, it is hard to know. Therefore, it is crucial to understand which platforms are getting the most time from users. For that reason, I was struck by a … [Read more...] about Choosing TikTok for Toy Advertising; Its Gen Z’s Preferred Choice

In 1947, General Mills’ KiX cereal brand offered the Atomic “Bomb” Ring as a premium in exchange for 15 cents plus a cereal box top. Also known as the Lone Ranger Atomic Bomb Ring, it was a reflection of the public’s preoccupation with the power and potential of atomic energy at the time. The ring had an adjustable gold-colored band with lightning-blast explosions on its … [Read more...] about Radioactive Bling: The Atomic “Bomb” Ring from KiX

Group of materials from Bally-Midway-Williams collection, The Strong, Rochester, New York. When The Strong created the International Center for the History of electronic Games (ICHEG) in 2009, we recognized the important role that coin-operated games played in the evolution of video games. Indeed, the first commercial video game, Nutting Associates’ Computer Space(1971), and … [Read more...] about The Strong’s Comprehensive Collection Chronicles More than a Century of Coin-Operated Games

Here comes another potential challenge for the toy and consumer products industries. Toy manufacturing hub, Shenzhen, is facing a possible shutdown due to the spread of the Coronavirus into the area.  Here is how a Bloomberg News report, “China Outbreaks Shift to South With Shenzhen, Macau on Alert,” reports it: China’s Covid-19 outbreak is shifting to its south coast, with … [Read more...] about Shenzhen Under Covid Threat

Ocean Shipping Reform Act IS NOW LAW The Ocean Shipping Reform Act has passed the House and the Senate and signed by the President. According to Bloomberg News: The bill is intended to alleviate supply-chain bottlenecks at sea that were exacerbated by a spike in demand during the pandemic. It directs the Federal Maritime Commission to prevent ocean carriers from … [Read more...] about Disruption Report #57 – West Coast Port Strike Deadline July 1, Ocean Shipping Reform Act is Law, Ocean Freight Carriers Unhappy

Schaper’s U-Drive-It Action Set taught children ages five and up the fundamentals of driving a car. The tabletop driving game was released in 1974 and ran on two D-batteries. Kids could drive a toy car through twisting roads on a board using the connected steering wheel, ignition switch, gear shift, and foot accelerator. One side of the board featured a series of country … [Read more...] about Road Tripping in Primary School with Schaper’s U-Drive-It Action Set

I found an intriguing article on “What To Expect,” a website for expectant parents. The report “The Biggest Baby Registry Trends of 2022.” provides some crucial insights into how Gen Z parents differ from their Millennial predecessors.. The article reports on a survey of 1,852 pregnant women. According to the article, 75% of pregnant women create baby gift registries, so … [Read more...] about Learning from Pregnant Moms – Recent Baby Registry Trends Provide Insights for the Toy Industry

Samir Kulkarni is CEO and owner of Showcase, a national retailer and “Home of the Hottest Trends” with 119 stores in top malls across Canada and the USA.  Showcase’s combination of i) proprietary trend identification technology, ii) nimble supply chain, and iii) interactive store environment has propelled it to retail leadership of the greatest emerging trends in health, … [Read more...] about Canadian Retailer, Showcase, Is Opening 27 U.S. Stores this Summer – My Interview with CEO, Samir Kulkarni

Click here to listen to this episode Richard and Chris talk with Toy Industry Hall of Fame designer Jeffrey Breslow about his career, his time with Marvin Glass and Associates, and the inspirations and tragedies that shaped his career. “Brez,” as he’s known, entered the toy industry when Marvin Glass hired him on the spot. He spent the next 41 years developing games, and … [Read more...] about Jeffrey Breslow: A Gamemaker’s Life

Oh Lord, here we go again. A private equity company is seeking to buy Kohl’s by piling on debt. Does this sound familiar? It certain does to The Wall Street Journal which led with this headline: Kohl’s Suitor Wants to Buy the Chain by Selling Kohl’s PropertiesFranchise Group seeks to finance its $8 billion bid using a strategy that failed for Toys ‘R’ Us and others“Kohl’s … [Read more...] about A Private Equity Firm Wants to Buy Kohls – It’s Toys R Us All Over Again