Hasbro drops ‘Mr’ from Mr Potato Head brand to promote gender equality and inclusion
While the branding will change, Hasbro will still sell Mr Potato Head and Mrs Potato Head.
Jazwares debuts GlamCrush collectibles inspired by make-up crushing trend
“Inspired by the beauty trends taking over social media like makeovers and make-up crushing, we wanted to provide kids with a fun glam toy that allows them to express their creative style,” said Jazwares’ Laura Zebersky.
Hasbro extends Fortnite deal to cover action figures, vehicles and role-play gear
“This expanded product licensing partnership allows us to deliver an amazing line-up of Fortnite-inspired toys and collector items that we’re confident fans will be excited to experience,” said Hasbro’s Adam Biehl.
Creative technologist Jude Pullen on LEGO, lockdown and why consistent creative success needs grit
We caught up with Jude to delve into his approach to design, where he finds inspiration and what his time at LEGO taught him about working in the play space.
Bubblegum Stuff’s Courtney Wood talks gifts, games and trend-spotting
We caught up with Courtney to learn more about the origins of the company and find out about why its new range of games marks something of an evolution for the firm.
Mojo Nation launches Brands Untapped, a new site covering the design of licensed products and brand extensions
“The licensing industry has such a rich pool of creative design talent across lots of sectors, so we’re excited to dive in and celebrate the brilliant work being done,” said Mojo Nation’s Billy Langsworthy.
Trends set to fuel sales this year include kidult toys, music-play and mindfulness, says The Toy Association
“This year’s biggest trends underscore the ongoing impact of the pandemic on play; the toy industry’s growing commitment to helping kids become better global citizens; and the many social, emotional, and cognitive benefits of mindful, musical, and ‘kidult’ toys,” said The Toy Association’s Adrienne Appell.
LEGO minifigure DJ Llama signs record deal with Astralwerks
“It’s an honour to sign the first ever llama and LEGO minifigure to a global record deal,” said Luke Armitage, VP of Marketing at Astralwerks.
Gaming Goldmine
Phalgun Polepalli, Director at DICE Toy Labs, spells out what needs to happen for the Indian board game market to soar, and why international publishers – both tabletop and mass market – should look to license their next hit from India’s growing community of inventors
Sustainability in Licensing Conference to take place in June
“Our aim with SILC 2021 is to help both future-proof our industry and our world,” said conference curator Helena Mansell-Stopher.