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Walmart Reveals 2020 Top-rated by Kids Toy List
As Adventure Media and Events gets ready to unwrap the annual Toy Insider Holiday Gift Guide, we’re taking a look at some retailer picks, starting with Walmart. The company unveiled its annual Top-Rated by Kids Toy List, a collection of 36 toys across six categories, many of which are exclusives that can be found only at Walmart. Read more...
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Amazon Unveils 2020 Toys We Love Hot Holiday Toy List
While big-box stores such as Walmart and Target have seen massive growth in e-commerce this year, Amazon remains the top player in that space and is making moves to get parents’ attention ahead of the holidays with the release of its annual hot toys list. This year, the Amazon Toys We Love list includes more than 100 top toy picks as chosen by the Amazon staff. Read more...
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National Toy Hall of Fame Introduces 2020 Finalists
The Strong today revealed the 12 finalists for induction into its National Toy Hall of Fame, including Baby Nancy, bingo, Breyer Horses, Jenga, Lite-Brite, Masters of the Universe, My Little Pony, Risk, sidewalk chalk, Sorry!, Tamagotchi, and Yahtzee. The final 2020 toy inductees will be announced at The Strong museum on Nov. 5. Read more…
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Hasbro Launches Guess Who? Hometown Helpers
Guess Who? Hometown Helpers is a new take on the family-friendly game that shines a light on essential and healthcare workers, first responders, and everyday heroes. Available for pre-order now to ship in late October, players will guess characters like Mom, Dad, Firefighter, Teacher, Nurse, Mail Carrier, Post Officer, Doctor, and more. Hasbro will donate $10 per game sold now through March 31, for a maximum contribution of $100,000, to No Kid Hungry, a national campaign focused on ending childhood hunger in the U.S. Read more…
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Jakks Pacific Debuts First Apex Legends Action Figure Squad
Jakks Pacific is entering the battle royale with its first wave of 6-inch action figures inspired by Apex Legends. The reveal follows the news that the toymaker had inked a multiyear global licensing deal with Electronic Arts to become the master toy partner for the popular free-to-play game for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Origin for PC. Read more…
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Nintendo Reveals Super Mario 35th Anniversary Games
Velan Studios and Nintendo revealed Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit, one of many games announced at the Super Mario Bros. 35th Anniversary Direct Event. Families will also soon be able to play Super Mario 3D All-Stars, Super Mario Bros. 35, Super Mario All-Stars, Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury, all for Nintendo Switch. Read more…
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Step2 Expands U.S. Manufacturing Operations
The Step2 Co. is expanding its manufacturing base with its acquisition of manufacturing, distribution, and shipping assets for its new facility in Decatur, Georgia. Step2’s Decatur location opened this summer in an effort to meet increasing demand for the Ohio-based company’s signature line of rotationally molded toys and home products. The company plans to add staff to its Cleveland area and Decatur plants. Read more…
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Disguise Debuts First-ever LEGO Star Wars Halloween Costumes
Jakks Pacific‘s Disguise Inc. division is punching the hyperdrive to debut the first-ever line of LEGO Star Wars-inspired costumes, just in time for Halloween. The minifigure-style costumes will debut with Darth Vader and an Imperial Stormtrooper in kids sizes. Structured foam elements within each costume mimic the look of LEGO’s iconic minifigures. Read more…
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MGA Entertainment Opens New Offices to Expand European Reach
MGA Entertainment (MGAE) is extending its reach in Southern Europe with the opening of three new local offices. Former Bandai Sales and Marketing Director Mila Gonzalez will manage Iberia and Spain while former Melissa & Doug and Schleich Managing Director Thierry Thivolle will lead the office in France. Filippo Agnello, formerly of Mattel, will head operations in Italy. Read more…
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Kellytoy Expands Star Wars Squishmallows Line with New Characters
Kellytoy — a subsidiary of Jazwares — dropped the news a short time ago in a galaxy not too far away that it would add Star Wars Squishmallows to its squad of huggable plush. The Toy Book exclusively revealed the first character — The Child (Baby Yoda) — and now more huggable versions are joining in. Read more…
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Playmobil’s Volkswagen Line Unites 2 Classic German Brands
Playmobil featuring Volkswagen (VW) will debut in January with a pair of iconic vehicles that are being presented as Playmobil miniatures for the first time. The VW Volkswagen T1 Camper Van will be joined by the VW Beetle, the classic family car that sold more than 21 million units to become VW’s best-selling model until the VW Golf surpassed it to take the top spot. Read more…
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Cloudco Entertainment’s Care Bears Join The Sandbox Metaverse
Cloudco Entertainment and Animoca Brands inked a new deal that allows players to interact with Care Bears and explore a virtual Care-A-Lot within The Sandbox metaverse. Players can also purchase Care Bears-themed in-game content for use in their own game worlds. In The Sandbox, players can build, own, and monetize their gaming experiences using blockchain cryptocurrency. Read more…
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Nikko’s Bruce Canner Talks R/C, Classic Toys on the ‘Power Kid Podcast’
In this week’s episode of the “Power Kid Podcast,” host Phil Albritton of Power Kid Design speaks with Bruce Canner, president of sales, North America at Nikko Toys. Canner’s long career path includes stops at Remco, Tyco, Fisher-Price, Shelcore, Hit Toy, and Toy State before joining the relaunched Nikko last year. Listen here...
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Goliath’s SuperThings Blast into Meijer and Fred Meyer Stores
The new range of miniature collectibles include everyday items that are transformed into superheroes and supervillains. Globally, SuperThings are known as SuperZings, which have already become an international hit. SuperZings is the No. 1 boys action figure line in Spain, and is the No. 2 collectible brand in the UK. Read more…
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Funrise Taps WildBrain Spark for BFF Bright Fairy Friends YouTube Content
WildBrain Spark is producing more than 100 minutes of short-form animated and live-action digital content to be released weekly on the BFF Bright Fairy Friends YouTube channel. Since the dolls launched just over a month ago, the YouTube channel has already garnered more than 1.4 million views. Read more…
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Fight Off Thanos with New Avengers-themed Stern Pinball Machines
Stern Pinball just introduced its newest machine, and Thanos is ready to fight on the pinball battlefield in “The Avengers: Infinity Quest.” Available in Pro, Premium, and Limited-Edition models, this pinball experience comes straight from the pages of Marvel Comics. It’s up to the player to stop Thanos and the Black Order by hunting down and recovering all six Infinity Stones. Read more…
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Xbox Reveals Another Next-Gen Console: Series S
Say hello to the Xbox Series S, which is “the smallest Xbox ever” and will retail for $299. There is no news yet as to when the console will be available, but it is officially a next-generation system. The early-hours social media reveal seemed to be in response to online leaks about the new, entry-level system. Read more...
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How to Unleash Your Marketing Fist
When developing campaigns, many companies approach their process from a granular level without due consideration of the broader strategy to deliver the brand message. Rather than thinking of marketing as a symphony of activations to drive consumer awareness, engagement, and sales, they rely on a strategy of hope focusing on a singular and budget-friendly tactic. The reality is that in today’s world of fragmented consumer touchpoints this will not work. Read more…
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Entertainment and Diversity to Drive Doll Sales
As stay-at-home orders lift and businesses and other public spaces reopen, trend experts at The Toy Association predict that toy categories that did not fare as well earlier in the year, such as dolls and plush, will see a resurgence as families transition out of home-schooling and into “regular” life. Read more…
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Sustainability Is Driving the Construction Category
The construction toys category is a rarity in that products in this space can often command the holy grail of strong parental and strong kid appeal. When you apply brand licenses or entertainment content to construction brands, the effects can be powerful in terms of making construction toys compelling to kids. From a parental perspective, this play pattern is seen as worthwhile play, and as we know, construction play is proven to develop affinity and capability in terms of science and even math. Read more…
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