Richard Gottlieb

Who is a toy manufacturer and who should be a member of the toy industry?

It is interesting to take a look at the Toyinfo.org website and see a list of the last ten “manufacturers” to have recalled toys:

1. Dunkin’ Donuts – Pink and orange glow sticks
2. JoAnn Stores – Toy garden tools
3. Gymboree – Toy pirate swords
4. JC Penney – Winnie the Pooh play sets
5. Toys R Us – Toy decorating sets
6. Energizer – Pirates of the Caribbean squeeze lights
7. Kipp Toys – Bendable dinosaurs
8. Baby Einstein – Discover and play blocks
9. KB Toys – Wooden pull toys
10. Pottery Barn - Mini Zooper doll strollers

Of these ten, only one, Energizer, is considered a manufacturer in the traditional sense and none would be a considered a toy manufacturer. What constitutes a toy manufacturer? Well, I would say that a pretty good working definition would be that a toy manufacturer is any entity that is recognized as such by the Toy Industry Association, the organization (formerly called the Toy Manufacturer’s Association) that represents the interests of the toy manufacturing community. 

In a world in which the number one toy manufacturer is McDonalds, it is probably time to take a good look at all of the established definitions of our industry and ask the following questions:

• In what category do we place retailers like Toys R US and KB who manufacture as well as retail?
• Where do we put traditional food outlets like Dunkin’ Donuts who manufacture and sell toys?
• What should be the industry’s relationship to clothing companies like Gymboree?
• If a company like Energizer makes a product that is considered a toy, should they be considered a toy manufacturer?

Whether we like it or not, any company that is seen as producing toys by the consuming public is for all extents and purposes a toy manufacturer. It would seem to be wise to bring some or all of these companies into the toy industry tent. Perhaps it is time for all of us to rethink our working definitions and by doing so get these companies to become a thriving part of our industry whose reputation and fortunes they so strongly affect.

Posted by Richard Gottlieb on October 29, 2007 | Comments (0)