Here's to the next 100!

As we wind down our centennial year here at PLAYTHINGS, we are already well into our 101st year; at least as far as planning goes.

In fact, we are starting a little early with December launch of the PLAYTHINGS Industry Almanac. Formerly the Buyers Guide, the Almanac will serve as a more dynamic industry resource, adding in-depth research and trend data to the Buyers Guide's wealth of data.

Subscribers can look forward to receiving the Almanac automatically, as it will be included with their annual subscriptions. It will also be available for sale at playthings.com in our new Online Store.

And speaking of our Online Store, we plan to have it well-stocked with need-to-know and good-to-know resource information. Right now, A look into America's Perception of Children's Toys, is in stock, as are Kaleidoscope Kids and PLAYTHINGS Giants.

The 'perception' survey, one of PLAYTHINGS first forays into consumer waters, is definitely a must-read for manufacturers and retailers alike, as is Kaleidoscope Kids, an in-depth report about demographic changes in the youth market. Top 50 is packed with vital information about the top 50 toy retailers.

And speaking of 'manufacturers and retailers alike,' we are adding new categories to our annual awards contest: Manufacturer of the Year and Toy Rep of the Year in both mass and specialty markets. We've also renamed the contest to the PLAYTHINGS Industry Achievement Awards. Details are in this issue on pages 6 and 7.

2004 marks the 34th year PLAYTHINGS will be honoring outstanding achievements in our industry.

Now, while our awards were not initiated by a celebrated reporter like Joseph Pulitzer (the Pulitzer Prize, 1917) or have a history as long as the Oscars (1928), the Tonys (1947) or the Emmys (1948), they are, nevertheless, an institution in our industry.

Not so, however, the plethora of 'toy awards'—most given by industry outsiders—that are now so commonplace. In fact, we have to wonder if the word 'award-winning' attached to a toy has, indeed, become superficial by virtue of the sheer volume of award-winning toys.