Without a doubt the biggest talking point on ToyNews Online and our Twitter feed this week has been the mooted Gangnam Style toy. The Psy action figure can recreate all the dance moves from the video, which has scored over 420 million ...
Tags: gangnam style, Toys, Blog, Toynews
It seems that not a day goes without an email popping in to my inbox from a supermarket or national chain advertising a toy sale. Of course, toys aren’t a grocer’s core market, and driving footfall via any temporary deal or ...
Tags: asda, disney, dominic sacco, grocers, retail, supermarkets, toynews blog
Magasins de jouets sans frontières? Do you remember the TV game show It’s A Knockout or the Peter Gabriel song Jeux Sans Frontières? Now it’s toy shops’ turn to expand beyond traditional frontiers. ...
Tags: jon salisbury, Toys, toy shop, dream toy
What you see before you is the first in a series of regular blogs that the ToyNews team - myself, Samantha and Dominic - will be writing for you every Friday. We very much hope that you’ll enjoy them and would love to hear what you ...
Tags: Toys, blog, techpet, top drawer
It has been a veritable stampede this week. There’s been a whirlwind of events and launches - just as the kids feet hit the playground the diary dates have started to stack up again in earnest – although that might sound like a ...
Tags: dream toys, peter jenkinson, Toys, Toyologist
There once was a time when a holiday in early August was far removed from the realms of possibility. Only once the new Argos book had been studied could I consider taking a week off. However, no longer are there the nasty surprises in the ...
Tags: counter insurgent, Christmas toy, toy price
Kids have never had it so good. It wasn’t that long ago when children’s TV scheduling was limited to post-school and early weekend viewing. Now the wealth of child-focused TV stations has created an environment where young ...
Tags: Kids'Tv, TV stations, child-focused T
Dr Amanda Gummer from The Good Toy Guide takes a look at what kids want from bikes and scooters as they grow up, and what manufacturers should be mindful of... Wheels are great fun for all ages. From sitting on something and being ...
Tags: Toy Guide, Wheeled Toys, Toys
Little Nut Tree Toys Billed as an ‘independent traditional online toy shop’, Little Nut Tree Toys is an inviting, perky website with an appealing colour pallete that befits a toy shop. The landing page features a ...
Tags: Mystery Shopper, Toys, tree Toys
Geoff: Congratulations – Lego has just posted some impressive results. You must have some great plans to keep up the momentum – anything you can share? Drew: Thanks Geoff, yes we have some really exciting plans in the ...
Tags: Tag Team, Interview, market trends
Mattel 01628 500 000 Mattel had two of the top five family games last year, according to NPD December 2011 data, and Uno was the number one card game. This season it has a number of fresh products, including Chameleon Crunch, which ...
Tags: Sector Guide, Puzzles, Games
Mattel Apptivity launched in August – it’s a new concept for kids where ‘toy meets tablet’, enabling them to play with their favourite toy on iPad. While opening the door to new brand engagement, Apptivity creates ...
Tags: Apptivity, Mattel, Apptivity toys
How did you come up with the Slow Toy concept? What inspired you? I’ve got a strong feeling about what I would call the ‘slow toy’. It’s a concept that was introduced to me when I went to France and met a lady ...
Tags: Thierry Bourret, Interview, slow toys
So a particular toy is being sold in a particular retailer exclusively for a limited period. There’s nothing wrong with a little exclusivity between friends, right? Why shouldn’t a company and a retailer be able to ...
Tags: toys, retailer, trade figures
Trick-or-treating, costume parties and apple bobbing… Halloween conjures up plenty of fun childhood memories. The annual holiday is well-known with children across the world, with thousands dressing up in scary costumes on October ...
Tags: Spending Habits, Halloween, Halloween toys