Buzz Report: 2007 Toy Fair Edition No. 1
By Cliff Annicelli, Tina Benitez & Karyn M. Peterson -- Playthings, 2/11/2007 6:00:00 AM
Sunday, February 11, 2007—Business is, in fact, in business this year
at the 2007 American International Toy Fair, with the threat of
snowstorms and other distractions seemingly minimal, at the Jacob
Javits Center and throughout various showrooms throughout New York
City.
Weather for the duration of the show is expected to be in the low ’30s
and dry, a far cry from last year when nearly 30 inches of snow
blanketed the city on the opening day of Toy Fair. Of course, that
could change, and depending on which weather forecast you watch,
probably will—some are already talking about a Nor'easter in time for
Valentine's Day, so keep the bad weather shoes handy.
Regardless of what happens outside, more than 1,500 exhibitors and an
estimated 20,000 attendees from 94 countries are expected at this
year’s show. The few showrooms that remain in use this year were
alternately busy or eerily quiet prior to today’s official show start
at Javits, a change from past years when several days worth of
showroom appointments were an essential stop for any Toy Fair
attendee. This year, the two main toy buildings are mostly off limits
except for a few still functioning floors where the last dozen or so
exhibitors hold on for one more week. With building construction
gutting most of 200 Five Ave., a trip to the sixth floor now entails
an elevator ride to the ninth and a three floor walk back down, and we
were warned that on some floors the elevators open to empty air, so
watch your step! And while it seems strange to see mostly silent toy
showroom building during Toy Fair, some remaining tenants are actually
enjoying it.
“It feels a lot more like Hong Kong,” said one exhibiting executive of
his showroom’s vibe. “The only people coming in are those with
appointments. I like it—it’s more business-like. People forget how
chaotic it could be around here in the past.”
One showroom that was busy earlier than many was Mattel’s (which is
not in either toy building, but across 23rd Street next door to the
Home Depot store) as the company’s Fisher-Price division played host
to the media on Thursday morning with a press event starring fitness
guru Richard Simmons designed to unveil its new Smart Cycle, a
child-sized stationary bike for kids ages 3 to 6 that’s actually a
plug-and-play video game system. The product’s notable feature is that
the video games offered only work when a child is pedaling the bike,
and the games themselves are learning-focused with challenges based on
letter and number recognition and other similar preschool-level
skills. Simmons, looking trim in trademark short-shorts and a Smart
Cycle singlet, seemed impressed by the product. “I was astounded,” he
said of his reaction to the toy. “When I saw it, I said I had to
endorse it.”
Elsewhere at Fisher-Price, learning’s also encroaching on role play
with the Laugh ‘n’ Learn Learning Kitchen, part of an assortment of
interactive role-play products that test kids’ knowledge while they
pretend play their way to culinary mastery. And taking a page from
Guitar Hero’s success, I Can Play Guitar introduces younger kids to
six stringing. In changes to its continuing lines, both Little People
and GeoTrax now feature articulated figures, which make for characters
that can actually sit down in the vehicles they ride in. The TMX Elmo
line adds Cookie Monster and Ernie plush, while Elmo returns as
feature plush that sings along with a pizza pie he holds in his
hand—it’s odd, but charming. Dora gets all dolled up in an assortment
of almost-fashion dolls tied into Dora Saves the Mermaids that feature
its heroine gussied up in fancy dresses and Saturday night hairstyles.
Over in Mattel’s boy’s departments, the Matchbox Mega Rig Shark Ship
is a floating research ship that can be reconstructed into 40 boat or
vehicle combinations, while a Squid Sub set adds a motor. Both are
compatible with the construction-themed Wrecking Rig. Cars continues
into 2007 with Matchbox-scale die-cast, several Lighting Storm McQueen
SKUs and a Mr. Potato Head-style Body Shop Swap set that lets kids
customize their Lightning McQueen. And speaking of Hasbro, Mattel
seems eager to tap into a bit of Transformers’ thunder with two Shadow
Tek SKUs that transform the Batmobile and Bat Plane. The company’s
also eager to get a piece of the miniatures game market with its
Battle League “battle figure game” featuring 32 characters from DC
Comics’ universe and packaging that can be reused as scenery. In other
boy-friendly licensing news, the Naruto role-play line keeps
expanding.
Among Mattel’s dolls for 2007 are Barbie designs based on the upcoming
DVD Barbie in The Island Princess, plus designs tied into M.A.C.
cosmetics, Gymastic Divas and Twirl Team dolls that do what you’d
expect they’d do, and mouth-moving Chat Divas with an iPod Nano
tie-in. The My Scene assortment adds Growing Up Glamm, fashion dolls
that go from “cute” tween to “cool” teen by growing an inch taller and
developing small breasts. There will also by a four-SKU assortment of
High School Musical fashion dolls that play sound clips from the
movie, due out in June, and three dolls based on the Latino pop group
RBD that sprang from the popular Rebelde telenovella. Winx Club dolls
continue, led by a 17-inch-tall version of Bloom. And Polly Pocket
gets wheels—Matchbox-scale cars with mini dolls and a Matchbox-style
track playset.
A collectible Betti Page statue and other pin-up girls from the 50s
and 60s are part of Dark Horse Comics’ line this year. The Betti Page
($124.99) sculpt by Tony Cipriano, who has also worked on sculpts for
Disney, DC Direct and more, will be available in May. Pin-up girls of
the past are part of Bernard of Hollywood, an new line of statues,
modeled after famous photographs by Bruno Bernard, famed photographer
of Hollywood, and also the man credited with discovering Marilyn
Monroe. The first poly resin statue, available now, is limited to 950
pieces and retails for approximately $125. Stationery, journals and
note cards designed with all of Bernard’s girls will be available in
June.
As the sole worldwide (with the exception of New Zealand and
Australia) distributor of Weta Collectibles, the New Zealand-based
collectibles company, new Hellgate limited edition 18-inch statues,
based on the popular game, including: the Hunter, the Female and Male
Templar and Cabalist. Also from Weta is an originally-designed line of
Rayguns, which will retail for $690. The antiquated-looking guns were
modeled after old collectibles, auctioned and in attics from around
the world. Each comes packaged in a collectible tin box with booklet.
David Scroggy, vice president of product development for Milwaukie,
Ore.-based Dark Horse, tells Playthings that the company is expecting
a successful Toy Fair this year.
‘We’re such a niche player,” he says. “We’re aware of the industry’s
concerns over Toy Fair, but sadly that doesn’t apply to Dark Horse.
Given the special market we’re in, it tends to be smaller retailers
who seek us out and come to see us at the show.”
DC Direct has launched a new collectibles brand specifically for mass
market consumption, DC Unlimited and are currently in talks with
Target and other big box stores for their first two properties, World
of Warcraft and Afro Samurai. World of Warcraft collectibles will
include PVC figures and more scaled and articulated figures. Product
will be available this fall.
The Afro Samurai animated series will include action figures, resin
busts and statues and will be available in October. Voiced by Samuel
Jackson, chronicles Afro Samurais quest to avenge his father’s death.
A Sandman Absolute statue, based on the book written by Neil Gaiman,
will be available in September as well as Gaiman-penned and Charles
Vess illustrated book Stardust, with statues and mini busts designed
by Vess out this fall.
When asked why DC has moved away from the five figure wave releases
with sixth variant, Georg Brewer, vice president design for DC Direct
Creative tells Playthings that it’s a more effective way to ship with
four figures rather than an odd number of five figures, which often
have an extra space when shipping. Four-packs pack in to shipping
boxes easier and do not run the risk of getting damaged on the way
over to the states. Brewer adds that it also works out in the end if
extra variants or figures are ordered separately. “It gives retailers
a bonus to get extras,” he says. “They can still buy character single
figures, and it’s a more effective way of shipping.”
Gentle Giant just closed the deal with Microsoft to release mini
busts, 12-inch figure, smaller, Kubrick-style figures designed by
Medicom and a quarter scale figure based on the online game, Halo. The
license is for all three games and collectibles will be limited to
1,500-2,500 pieces.
In the Gentle Giant Maquettes line are Star Wars, Pirates of the
Caribbean, Lord of the Rings with new Gandolf, Legolas and Gimley
statues, Disney’s Dragonkind, of dragons in the Disney book:
Maleficent, Mulan-Musha and Elliot.
In the collectible busts line are Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings and
Star Wars, which will include a special Leia and Darth in scenes from
the Empire Strikes Back, available in spring and summer. A Jabba the
Hutt larger scale diorama will be available and will be offered with a
free Bib figure if all parts are sold. Lord of the Rings busts will
also be available with small drawers, which will serve a special
promotion to win one of 40 rings valued at $130. Characters Sam and
Frodo join the line this year. Exclusives the Star Wars line include a
Darth Malicious and Clone Communicator with light-up features.
Amanda Burns, marketing coordinator for Gentle Giant tells Playthings
that Star Wars, Lord of the Rings and also Harry Potter have been some
of the more popular sellers across all figure lines for the company.
‘Star Wars has got a huge following,” she tells Playthings. “But Harry
Potter and Lord of the Rings are just starting to grow more going the
way of Star Wars. The fans that grew up with those two movies, some
who were 12 when they came out are a little older now, have a little
more money and want something a little cooler.”
New MiniMates, designed by Art Asylum, make up part of Diamond Select
Toys’ offerings this year. New MiniMates licenses for 2007 include:
80s Madonna film Desperately Seeking Susan, Rocky, 24, Star Trek, Back
to the Future, Ghost Rider A Few Dollars More as well as new DC and
Marvel comic characters and Battlestar Gallactica additions.
In celebration of the 25th anniversary of Star Trek film Wrath of Kahn
are three new figures—Captain Kirk, Khan and Captain Terrel—and a
Enterprise Ship model from Wrath, also designed by Art Asylum. Figures
for Deep Space Nine are also available as well as new Retro Cloth
Figures in 70s style, out this June.
A hot new property for Diamond this year, Battlestar Gallactica, will
include a Baltar bust (September), Batttlestar Galactica Ship model
and an action figure line, designed by Jean St. Jean Studios.
Marvel Toys will launch Legendary Comic Heroes figures this fall,
based on popular comic characters taken from Dark Horse (i.e. Sin
City) and Top Cow Productions with up to 40 points of articulation and
added pieces are included in each package to build a larger piece.
“It’s a cool line,” says Patricia Rinaldi, director of marketing, toy
division, Marvel Toys. “It can start with the comics and branch out
more.” New TNA wrestling figures will also include the build a figure
add-on to create a female wrestler, but new12-inch figures with 44
points of articulation are the highlight in the TNA this year,
according to Rinaldi.
Speaking of wrestling toys, Jakks Pacific continues to grow beyond its
roots as an action figure company specializing in wrestling. This
year, the company has its widest assortment yet, with products in just
about every toy category - and playthings for pets, to boot. The
company's Vmigo virtual pet line adds a Tabby Cat theme and an
Spider-Man assortment. The company's plug-and-play system adds
additional of-the-moment licenses for games based on game shows like 1
vs. 100, while also creating titles that age down with the help of
properties like Dora. They also get smarter with an educational
plug-and-play game line called Sharp Cookie, "the straight 'A' plug
'n' play," with overtly educational games, again based around popular
children's licenses, including Scooby-Doo and Thomas the Tank Engine.
A really interesting surprise was the company's Knot Wud line of
puzzles and building sets made of the foam most often used for the
soles of flip-flops but colored and layered to look exactly like wood.
And there's a line of large-scale building blocks - ideal for
institutional play - called Gorilla Blocks. Jakks' CDI division
focused on a different jungle animal, the cheetah, for inspiration for
new dress-up items based on The Cheetah Girls along with music-themed
role-play products based around Disney sibling, Hannah Montana, and
Pirates of the Caribbean, with a play environment shaped like
captain's position on a sailing ship - at the wheel and with two
firing cannons at his side.
At Jakks' Play Along division, the Doodle Bear (and others) line
continues for '07 with its own pirate design and a host of additions,
including Magic Air Brush Doodle Bear. The company's other notable
bears, Care Bears, turn 25 this year with a special all-white
anniversary plush with a sterling silver nose and crystal eyes, and
exclusive DVD that will hit shelves in September after this summer's
Care Bears movie stirs up the nostalgia. There are also The Cheetah
Girls and Hannah Montana fashion dolls, and a brand new, proprietary
doll line, The Hopscotch Club, that the company says is getting a good
reaction from buyers. The soft dolls are articulated and poseable,
have an online component and are packaged with books. Marketing plans
call for playing up their "positive values" in doll aisle that most
often goes straight from baby dolls to sassier tween fare. There's
also an updated version of an '80s-era Tonka/Matchbox line called
Puppy In My Pocket, tiny flocked dog figurines (think: Calico
Critters) with their own playsets. It debuted recently and is already
"selling so fast we coudn't run the TV we'd planned because we can't
keep them on the shelves!," according to one company executive. Said
TV will debut later this month.
Another company that continues to morph slowly into a wide-spectrum
toymaker is MGA Enterainment, where, this year in particular, Bratz is
just one of several notable lines. The company expects this is to be
its last show at its first floor showroom at 200 Fifth Ave. and the
line they chose to display upfront wasn't any of its mainstays, but
its new sister division, Little Tikes. Among this year's Little Tikes
line are learning-focused kitchen role-play products in a new Play
Smarter series that includes a kitchen environment and a grocery store
check-out station that introduce concepts like counting and number
recognition. There will also be a six-SKU assorment of inflatable play
environments, in themes like firehouse, castle and Victorian house,
several outdoor sports toys led by a giant Multi-Sports Station that
includes not only a basketball net, but also football goal posts for
practicing field goals and PATs! The brand also joins the doll aisle
this year with the Lilly tikes Playtime Pal and the kids electronics
world with a Little Tikes Digital Camera. Under its Zapf deal, MGA
will offer a swimming baby doll, Mommy I Can Swim. In other baby doll
news, Bratz Babyz get considerable attenton with Super Hero dolls with
a related DVD, a Storybook assortment with said book built into the
packaging, and a Princesses theme. The Bratz Kidz dolls, in the
meantime, are on a ski trip with a Winter Vacation assortment, and the
Bratz Sportz theme features a Nascar-style R/C race car and doll
packaging that doubles as a working water bottle. The mainline Bratz
go green in the My Secret Garden assortment, all in recycled packaging
and with a to-be-announced charity tie-in, that includes a playset
with real seeds and garden tools; and get glitzy in time for their
feature film debut this summer with dolls, several sparkly R/C
vehicles, a movie playset that includes a digital video camera so
girls can make their own stop-motion Bratz movie, and styling bust
that's full body so girls can do their dolls' finger and toe nails,
among other products. The company is also "soft launching" a new doll
line, Hi Glamm - five very tall fashion dolls with unnaturally long
legs. They should turn heads with the fashion set.
Talkback
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