Ben Poate

Interviews with the creators of LEGO Stranger Things, Ritzy Rollers and Boppi, the booty-shaking llama, all make our top ten of 2019.

Issues of eco-friendly design, ethical manufacturing and social sustainability will go under the microscope with Kids Industries’ Gary Pope, Ethical Toy Program’s Carmel Giblin, The Marketing Store’s Ben Poate and design consultant Erin Deighton.

Despite its product not being on shelves, as the company responsible for creating McDonald’s’ Happy Meal toys, The Marketing Store is the world’s largest manufacturer of toys. We caught up with Ben Poate, the firm’s Vice President of Sustainability and Innovation, to find out how the team stays the creative when coming up with over 300 toy designs every year