Congratulations to the 100 finalists for TIA's 2017 Toy of the Year Awards—about a quarter of which are licensed products! For the first time, the finalists will be identified on Amazon's and Toys "R" Us' homepages, across their websites, via social media/email channels, and in two Toys "R" Us inserts with a total circulation of 24 million. The winners in each of the 14 … [Read more...] about TIA’s Top Toys of 2016
Toys and Games
D&D and Little People in the Hall of Fame
Dungeons & Dragons, Fisher Price’s Little People, and the swing were inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame this week. The three join brands like Twister (2015), Rubik's Cube (2014), Star Wars Action Figures (2012), and Hot Wheels (2011). The toys are celebrated year-round in a state-of-the-art exhibit at The Strong museum in Rochester, New York. The museum received … [Read more...] about D&D and Little People in the Hall of Fame
2016 Only Gets Better for $100+ Entertainment/Character Brands
Karina Masolova, additional reporting by Glenn Demby and Marcy Magiera A total of 44 properties made TLL's latest list of entertainment/character brands that cleared $100 million in licensed retail sales in the U.S. and Canada. For the first time, we're casting our predictions for what next year's look will look like. See the retail sales breakdown here, and look below for … [Read more...] about 2016 Only Gets Better for $100+ Entertainment/Character Brands
44 Entertainment/Character Brands Make the $100 Million List
Karina Masolova, additional reporting by Glenn Demby and Marcy Magiera Forty-four entertainment/character properties make our list of brands that generate over $100 million in retail sales of licensed merchandise in the U.S. and Canada—accounting for a total of $41 billion in sales worldwide in 2015. See the full list here. Three brands cleared $1 billion in the U.S./Canada … [Read more...] about 44 Entertainment/Character Brands Make the $100 Million List
Top Retailers Tag Holiday Toy Favorites
The holiday shopping season is firmly upon us, with more retailers revealing their top picks for this year's holiday season. By the 7th of September—54 days before Halloween, 78 days before Thanksgiving and 108 days before Christmas and Hanukkah (which this year begins on Christmas Eve)—the two largest toy retailers in the U.S., Walmart and Toys 'R' Us, had announced the toys … [Read more...] about Top Retailers Tag Holiday Toy Favorites
Kid’s Tech Goes Back to the Future
By Karina Masolova The future of kid's tech products sees an overhaul in traditional play patterns even as less modern concerns are being addressed. TLL recently attended the Kids' & Family Tech Expo in NYC hosted by Child's Play Communications. From this intimate subset of kid's tech manufacturers emerges a picture of how the industry is addressing the biggest concerns in … [Read more...] about Kid’s Tech Goes Back to the Future
Rogue Film’s Miniature Launch
By Karina Masolova In a move reminiscent of last year's Force Friday unboxing events, Disney revealed the new toy line for upcoming film Rogue One: A Star Wars Story via a series of fan-made videos on Star War's YouTube channel. Unlike last year however, the toys—from Hasbro, LEGO, Funko, Jakks Pacific, Mattel and Disney Store—are brought to life in scripted stop-animation … [Read more...] about Rogue Film’s Miniature Launch
Star Wars Blasts Toy Industry Growth to Century High
By Marcy Magiera Toys based on movie, TV and other entertainment content licenses will push U.S. toy sales to growth of 7.0% in 2016, the market's fastest growth this century, predicts The NPD Group. U.S. toy sales grew a stellar 7.5% in the first half of this year, outpacing first-half growth in 2015, when full-year growth ended up at 6.7%, according to NPD. The biggest … [Read more...] about Star Wars Blasts Toy Industry Growth to Century High
Summer or Not, Mattel and Hasbro Still Feeling Frozen
By Marcy Magiera The extent to which the world's largest toy companies are reliant on entertainment/character licenses is crystal clear in a side-by-side Q2 comparison of giants Mattel and Hasbro. (We added Jakks Pacific to the chart for fun and to further illustrate the point). Two years after the property stormed retail, both companies are still feeling the Frozen effect: … [Read more...] about Summer or Not, Mattel and Hasbro Still Feeling Frozen
Apparel Fuels 3.1% Growth in U.S./Canada Fashion Licensing—Global Growth Is Even Higher
Growing competition; continued decline in the brick and mortar backyard; currency devaluation in Europe and Asia; a fourth quarter retail fiasco. 2015 was a tough year for the fashion industry. Yet, for all of the challenges, fashion licensing prospered in not only in the U.S./Canada but worldwide, according to The Licensing Letter’s Annual Licensing Business Survey. Global … [Read more...] about Apparel Fuels 3.1% Growth in U.S./Canada Fashion Licensing—Global Growth Is Even Higher