Richard Gottlieb

Nuremberg Should Be America's Export Show

I smiled with recognition when Cliff Annicelli in his blogs from Nuremberg asked the question:  “Where are the Americans?”  It’s not a new question.  Americans have been largely missing in action at the Nuremberg show for years.  

When you visit the Nuremberg Toy Fair with its multitude of exhibition buildings, its thousands of toy companies and its tens of thousands of buyers from all over the world you truly get the sense that it is the single most important toy event in the world.  Everyone else is there, except us.  So, where are the Americans?

It is a question that resonates with more importance than ever this year.  As we can see from the latest NPD figures, the US toy market, yet again, lost ground last year.  Yet, rather than opening new markets, most US toy makers choose to fight each other for a piece of our slowly shrinking pie. 

For the US, Nuremberg is an export show.  It’s an opportunity to let the world’s toy retailers see what America has to offer.  It is an opportunity to grow sales in an expanding marketplace.

So, how do American toy companies go about becoming exporters?  Well as the saying goes, “showing up is half the battle.”  Toy companies need to throw their hats in the ring by signing up now to show at next year’s Nuremberg Toy  Fair which will run from February 5 – 10. 

Once done, they need to decide what they are going to do when they get there.  That is where the TIA as well as the various agents, consultants and authorities who understand the world’s toy markets can step in to assist.  We need seminars, podcasts, websites and whatever else is necessary to help Americans get there and, once there, get it right.

Next year should be the American year in Nuremberg.  See you there?

Posted by Richard Gottlieb on February 14, 2008 | Comments (2)