ToyNews Toy industry news: business, marketing, retail, wholesale and distribution
Visitors are invited to step onto the Basic Fun! stand at the London Toy Fair for a splattering of celebrations, as the team marks Care Bears’ 40th year, Tonka’s 75th anniversary and 30 years of K’Nex. The team promises there will be some big reveals, too, with new IPs to be …
Read More »Masters of the basics | How K’NEX and Basic Fun are ‘breaking the STEM toy space wide open’
When K’NEX first launched on to the scene way back in 1992, the idea that it would one day become a core product within the children’s STEM education space hadn’t yet began to sprout. The K’NEX of the ’90s was very much more focused on imaginative play and building without …
Read More »Bossing It | Basic Fun’s Tim Ives: ‘The toy industry is headed in an exciting direction’
This quarter, ToyNews is catching up with Tim Ives, the new general manager for the UK and ROI at Basic Fun to learn what the role means to him, his ‘best of’ career highlights, and the serendipitous nature of launching Lincoln Logs to the UK Hello Tim, congratulations on the …
Read More »The Spring/Summer issue of ToyNews is ready to read online now
The ToyNews Spring/Summer issue it available to read online, on your smartphone, iPad, or desktop now, featuring exclusive interviews, features, insight, market data, and more – all at your fingertips. In this issue of ToyNews, we kick proceedings off with an exclusive chat with Exploding Kittens’ Joeri Hoste about the …
Read More »Basic Fun! names Tim Ives its new general manager for the UK and ROI
Basic Fun! has promoted Tim Ives from the role of head of sales to the position of general manager for the UK and Republic of Ireland. Ives is one of the original members of K’NEX UK, and joined the company back in 2013 to head up the sales division. Following …
Read More »Basic Fun pledges £10,000 worth of K’Nex to UK schools in new learning initiative
Basic Fun has pledged £10,000 worth of K’Nex resources to schools across the UK as part of the company’s campaign to promote the construction toy’s application to fun learning at all stages of a child’s development. Having launched the initiative on March 8th this year – coinciding with the re-opening …
Read More »Dolled up and looking plush: ToyNews’ guide to the latest in the dolls and plush markets
Both staples of the traditional toy sector, the doll and plush markets have seen a year of strong sales and investment among gift-givers, parents, and families looking for long play value and toys that encourage empathy and social development – in a year of social distancing – through nurture and …
Read More »Early Earners: ToyNews’ guide to the latest products in the pre-school sector
Housing some of the industry’s most established brands and toy manufacturers, as well as some of its biggest and most successful licenses, the pre-school sector sits at the very heart of the toy space. As such, it has been at the front line of this year’s evolving consumer trends, that …
Read More »Basic Fun to sponsor Dadvengers podcast series fro CBeebies presenter Nigel Clarke
Basic Fun has taken sponsorship of a new podcast series produced by the co host of the hit CBeebies series, The Baby Club, Nigel Clarke. Called Dadvengers, the parenting podcast will see an initial run of 20 episodes feature branded K’Nex and Tonka messages at intervals throughout. The Podcast, designed …
Read More »Basic Fun partners with UK’s Dogs Trust in Pound Puppy money raising campaign
Basic Fun is partnering with the UK’s dog welfare charity Dogs Trust for a money-raising initiative that will donate a portion of the proceeds of every Pound Puppy sold at retailers. Established in 1891, Dogs Trust is the UK’s largest dog welfare charity and cares for over 14,300 dogs each …
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