ToyNews Toy industry news: business, marketing, retail, wholesale and distribution

The inaugural Play for Change Awards, the awards event that will celebrate the best products to empower kids, champion sustainability, and encourage children’s future skills, is now open for entries. Orchestrated by toy Industries of Europe with entries judged by a panel of industry experts covering each of the fields, …

The crowdfunding platform, Kickstarter is giving creators extra time to meet their crowdfunding goals, allowing campaigns to request a seven day extension amid the coronavirus pandemic. Kickstarter says that creators have reached out to say COVID-19 has affected existing campaigns on the platform, and they’d like extra time to adjust …

Rainbow’s 44 Cats has landed on its feet across UK broadcasters and retail thanks to a growing popularity on channels such as Pop TV, Nick Jr, and Nick Jr Too, as well as a licensing programme spearheaded by Lisle Licensing. Already a nightwear collection from TDP Textile Aykroyds is poised …

The multiple Oscar-nominated Magic Light Pictures is to produce a new CG animated series called Pip and Posy, based on the Nosy Crow story book series from author Camilla Reid and illustrator, Axel Scheffler. The series will have the added weight of a first time co-production partnership between ViacomCBS and …

Cas Paton, founder and CEO of OnBuy.com There’s no doubt we’re in uncharted waters; the coronavirus pandemic has created a level of disruption that generations of people won’t have experienced before. As the Prime Minister said recently, “coronavirus is the biggest threat this country has faced for decades”. It’s had …

Intu, the owner of some of the UK’s biggest shopping centres, has said there are doubts that it can survive unless it raises extra funds, following its reported loss of £2bn in 2019. The firm – the owner of Manchester’s Trafford Centre and Lakeside in Essex – has said it …

The Pokémon Company International has launched a month-long pop-up in Harrods’ famed Knightsbridge store in London, featuring a host of special Pokémon activities for fans and families his half term. The pop-up opened on Friday, February 14th, with a special area in Harrods themed after the Galar region, which is …

Fortnite has been named Europe’s Top Gaining Toy Property of the Year by the NPD Group, who announced the video game IP among the winners of its Europe Toy Industry Performance Awards at Spielwarenmesse last night. The winners were revealed at an event held at the International Toy Fair in …