Buzz Report: 2007 Toy Fair Edition No. 3

By Tina Benitez, Karyn M. Peterson and Cliff Annicelli -- Playthings, 2/14/2007 5:43:00 AM

February 14, 2007--It never fails. Snow started to trickle down last night and continued into the morning today, the last day of the American International Toy Fair. But it comes too little, too late to have much of an impact on this show; in just a few hours exhibitors will pack up their samples and move into the next stage of 2007, turning this week's previews into paper, production plans and, eventually, product on shelves.

"We're getting a lot out of this show, there's no doubt about
it," Eric Levin, executive vice president for Techno Source, told
Playthings. "We'd love to see a showroom building, but the February
show is special because it creates interest in the industry. That's
what it's here for."

The company has been celebrating the debut of
its latest product, the electronic Rubik's Revolution, an addictive,
six-in-one game version of the classic brain-twister, with costumed cube
characters wandering the show floor and ongoing cube duels in the
Techno Source booth. Previews prior to Toy Fair were limited to mass,
so a much wider circle of buyers this week are finally getting the
chance to see the cube (which ships this summer). "It's been overwhelmingly
positive," he says of the reaction thus far.

"From day one we knew [specialty] would have to be involved," Levin
adds, noting that the company has put in place marketing resources and
strategies specifically to support smaller gift and toy retailers--all the things we need to extend our foray into specialty."

Specialty product was strong in terms of product offerings at the show this year, but entertainment licensing was still highly visible, particularly with the roster of toy-friendly films in 2007--The Transformers, Spider-Man, Harry Potter, The Simpsons, Ghost Rider, Shrek the Third, and the latest Pirates OTC

flick--just a few of the top-licensed properties Playthings noticed over and over at Toy Fair this year. The show was also a coming out part for Disney's Big 3 girls' television properties for the year: Hannah Montana, High school Musical and The Cheetah Girls.

Among the many license-heavy Toy Fair attendees is Corgi, which is showcasing
toy and collectible licensed movie merchandise this week from its own
collections as well as those designed by Master Replicas and Cards Inc.,
following the completion of their merger late last year. "The idea
[behind the deal] is that now we can take a license and do just about
whatever consumer product you want," says marketing manager Travis
Allen--action figures, role play toys, games, plush, die-cast,
high-end collectibles and even bookmarks.

The newly combined company (which operates under the Corgi name) has
hundreds of new items on hand at the Javits lower level this week,
including, ”but not nearly limited to,” the latest releases in its
beloved Star Wars prop replicas line (Force FX Lightsabers, Studio-Scale
replicas, scaled mini replicas, helmets and a limited-edition figure
series); Pirates of the Caribbean prop replica swords and scene-replica
resins sculpts for adult collectors as well as replica jewelry from the
films priced specifically for kids in the mass market; and new 3-D
Marvel comic scene replicas of Todd McFarlane's first Spider-Man
issue and Hulk in his original grey guise. Each release in the upcoming
series includes a detailed resin figure with base and a sculpted
replica comic-book backdrop.

Corgi also is previewing its extensive launch of product tied to The
Golden Compass, the first chapter in Philip Pullman's sophisticated
young-adult fantasy trilogy His Dark Materials. The much-awaited film
from New Line and Scholastic about 12-year-old Lyra Belacqua's
journey to the Northern Lights to rescue a kidnapped friend features shape-
shifting animal familiars, talking armored polar bears, and dozens of
intriguing characters, which will be represented in products for both
kids and adults, Allen says.

"This is a huge deal for us on a number of levels," he adds.
"We're really, really excited about it--it has the most beautiful style guide
I've ever seen." New products for kids in 2007 will include character
action figures; a battle-bear figure set; a digital pet that
incorporates the idea of animal familiars inside a toy compass; large
talking plush, smaller bean-bag plush and inside-out
"shape-shifting" animal plush; role-play costumes; a board game and collectible trading
cards. For adults, expect high-end prop replicas of the spy flies used
in the film and the alethiometer itself, the titular
"compass,” as well as detailed character statues and die-casts that feature "stunning
likenesses," Allen says.

Also timed to the December 7 release of the film will be a host of tie-
in books from Scholastic, the licensing agent for the
property as well as producer of the film, and other items from its
partners. "It's a really nice marriage and it's been really
interesting for us," Leslye Schaefer, senior vice president of marketing and
consumer products for Scholastic Media, tells Playthings. The Golden
Compass is the first film that Scholastic has been involved with that
has a budget anything near its size, some $150 million plus, she says,
noting, "We're launching a huge campaign."

Random House, the book's publisher, will rejacket the books in the
series with movie-themed artwork, and summer-reading promotional
programs with Barnes and Noble and Borders are also in the works to
drive kids' interest ahead of the film, Schaefer says. Additional
deals include games and puzzles from Mega Brands and Sababa Toys.

Bandai America is working on a 15th anniversary celebration throughout the year for animated series, Power Rangers with some heavy promotional programs in retail and new product available this spring and fall. New figures (5- and 9-inch), role-play items, and transforming Megazords will be available this spring. In fall, Bandai will launch the Mega Mission Helmet, which features 30 different role play missions once the helmet is on. The helmet also connects to the Power Rangers Web site for downloading more games. In retail, an on the road tour will cross 10 to 15 cities in the U.S., compared to 8 last year in order to get more retailers involved and meet more people on a local level. There’s something for older fans who started watching the series 15 years ago. A campaign cross country will begin to try to get the Power Rangers inducted into the Toy Hall of Fame in 2008.

The company is also working on its girls handheld game line, Girlz Connect, a Tamagotchi-esque game piece that they hope will satisfy the more 22 percent increase in handheld game playing by girls, according to the NPD Group. Also for girls are new Decoration Kits of Tamagotchi.

What started out as a toy line, then a comic and animated series in 1983 is back. The Michael Bay-helmed featured film Transformers, is scheduled to premier July 4 and collectibles and toys from Hasbro, Kid Designs, Diamond Select, Basic Fun and more will be in the retail promotional mix. According to Adam

Goodman, president of production for Dreamworks at a sneak peak of the film last night, the company is dedicated to supporting retailers with this film and the product tied to it. “For Dreamworks and Paramount, it’s the single biggest initiative we’ve ever had, globally,” says Goodman. “Our effort in marketing is something we’re putting together.” He adds, “We don’t have a Die Hard franchise or a Lethal Weapon sitting on our shelves, so we’re always looking for the freshest, newest idea. When it started with the idea of Robots in Disguise, we had to do it. It’s the first major franchise for Dreamworks.”

Director Michael Bay, who was also on hand to discuss the film and told some of the property's inherent challenges, like how to make live actors look like they were interacting convincingly with something that is 35 feet tall. "It was a fun movie to do," he said. "And it has four quadrant appeal."

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