By Gary Symons
TLL Editor in Chief
The two major associations representing the toy industry have announced they will be merging their assets, functions and events.
People of Play (POP) will be merging into The Toy Association, and POP’s founder Mary Couzin will be joining the senior leadership team at the Association. Couzin will be responsible for guiding the future and growth of this new addition to the Association, effective immediately.
“Who knew that over 20 years ago, when I started Chicago Toy & Game Group, now People of Play, and hosted our first big event, the Chicago Toy & Game Fair, to promote play, we would add so many events and initiatives as well as have such an amazing, long-lasting effect on the industry,” said People of Play founder, Mary Couzin. “By joining The Toy Association with their additional resources and new vision, we can strengthen our brands for generations to come. I’m thrilled that People of Play will continue to grow and flourish and want to thank everyone who has been a part of our initiatives, as we have shown, everything is possible when people of play collaborate.”
The Toy Association says the addition of People of Play will allow it to build on its current strategy of creating important experiences and events that connect the industry and toy consumers.
“Aligning with People of Play creates a deeper relationship with the inventor and design community, putting greater focus on creativity and innovation, one of the cornerstones of the toy industry,” the Association said in a statement. “Additionally, with the Chicago Toy and Game Fair, People of Play will leverage The Toy Association resources to continue to grow one of the preeminent consumer experiences during the all-important holiday season.”
People of Play’s assets and events include the Chicago Toy and Game (CHITAG) Fair, The Toy & Game Innovation Excellence Awards (The TAGIEs), the Bloom Report, Young Inventor Challenge, Toy & Game Inventor Pitch & Innovation Conference, Play in Education and POP Platforms, and the People of Play Holiday Guide.
Those events and programs will now join The Toy Association’s portfolio of events, including Toy Fair New York, LA Fall Preview, and The Toy Foundation’s Toy of the Year Awards.
“We saw the opportunity to be a catalyst for creativity and innovation by aligning with Mary Couzin and People of Play and utilizing our assets and experiences to help People of Play and its events grow,” said The Toy Association president, Greg Ahearn. “Mary, a toy industry Hall of Famer, has built an amazing community with some of the most unique events, consumer engagement moments, compelling content, and industry resources and we are excited to have her and People of Play as part of The Toy Association.
“With People of Play and The Toy Association working together, the possibilities are endless,” he added.
The 22nd annual holiday Chicago Toy and Game Fair, North America’s largest consumer toy and game fair, will take place Nov. 9–10 in Rosemont, IL. The event is open to the public with experiential and immersive events and interactive exhibits and activities for all ages.
The 17th annual Tagie Awards (TAGIE), celebrating toy and game excellence worldwide will take place on the evening of Nov. 8 at Joe’s Live in Rosemont, IL.
Inventors and student designers with ideas to pitch are invited to join the fun at the premier Inventor Pitch & Innovation Conference. For more information visit www.peopleofplay.com and www.toyassociation.org.
Founded in 1916, The Toy Association is the business trade association representing all businesses involved in creating and delivering toys and youth entertainment products for kids of all ages. The Toy Association leads the health and growth of the U.S. toy industry, which has an annual U.S. economic impact of $102.8 billion, and its roughly 900 members drive the annual $41 billion U.S. domestic toy market. The Toy Association serves as the industry’s voice on the developmental benefits of play and promotes play’s positive impact on childhood development.
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As a global leader, The Toy Association produces the world-renowned Toy Fair in New York City; hosts marketplace activities in Los Angeles; engages in state, federal, and international advocacy on behalf of its members; sustains the Canadian Toy Association; acts as secretariat for the International Council of Toy Industries and International Toy Industry CEO Roundtable; and chairs the committee that reviews and revises America’s widely emulated ASTM F963 toy safety standard.
The Toy Association’s philanthropic arm is The Toy Foundation, a 501 children’s charity that acts as the uniting force for the collective philanthropy of the toy industry. To date, The Toy Foundation has delivered the joy of play to 32 million children in need worldwide.
People of Play (POP) leads the global toy and game industry in promoting innovation, creativity, and connectivity.
A one-stop source of community for toy industry veterans, newbies, inventors, buyers, educators, influencers, media, consumers and people of all ages who love to play, POP hosts a wide range of events. This includes the Chicago Toy & Game (CHITAG) Fair, the Toy and Game Innovation Excellence Awards (the TAGIE’s), Young Inventor Challenge (YIC), PlayCHIC, Play in Education (PIE) Conference, Toy & Game Inventor Pitch & Innovation Conference, People of Play platform and newsletters, and People of Play Holiday Guide.
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