Day: March 5, 2024

The fabled windows of FAO Schwarz at Rockefeller Center were aglow with vibrant hues as the iconic retailer unveiled the delightful Decora Girlz doll line, a new creation from the toy innovators at Cepia, LLC. Decora Girlz has officially taken over New York City’s most famous toy store with a jaw-dropping Decora Girlz window display for all of Rockefeller Center to enjoy, giving spectators a sneak peek of what’s inside. The immersive shopping experience begins with a dedicated Decora Girlz feature shop, displaying the complete collection of five-inch Decora Girlz collectibles and eleven-inch Decora Fashion Girlz, as well as the Decora Girlz Sticker Store Playset. Not only will FAO Schwarz be the first place to find eleven-inch Decora Fashion Girlz Sweetie and Luna characters, but they’ll be offering sweet surprises each weekend in March including a chance to win a Decora Girlz Influencer Box as seen on TikTok!

Just Play, a leading global toy company, has announced the acquisition of Tara Toy, the #1 manufacturer of licensed arts and crafts products sold at major retailers in the US. Tara Toy has grown their business over the past fifty years with a robust portfolio of licensed arts and crafts, activities, toys, and more. They hold top tier licenses including Disney, Marvel, Star Wars, Nickelodeon, LOL, Barbie, and Hot Wheels. With this acquisition, Just Play will take a strategic step further into these same categories at retailers worldwide beginning in Fall 2024. Geoffrey Greenberg, Just Play’s Co-CEO stated, “It’s an honor for us to carry on the incredible legacy that Bruce and the Tara Toy team have built over the last nearly 50 years. Just Play and Tara Toy are synergistic in many important ways – licensing and retail partners look to us to deliver quality value and speed to market. We are looking forward to welcoming the team from Tara Toy into the Just Play family, seamlessly integrating operational processes and our brand portfolios.”

Family Entertainment Live, one of the world’s leading presenters of family-oriented live events, and Mattel, Inc (NASDAQ: MAT), a leading global toy company and owner of one of the strongest portfolios of children’s and family entertainment franchises in the world, have announced 37 additional dates of Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Live Glow Party for the remainder of 2024. With more shows announced than ever before, Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Live Glow Party will hit 9 new locations in 2024 while returning to fan-favorite venues, bringing the action-packed live show to families across the United States! Presale tickets for new Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Live Glow Party 2024 announced dates will be available beginning Wednesday, March 6th, 2024, with the public sale beginning Friday, March 8th, 2024 at hotwheelsmonstertruckslive.com.

Super Impulse is preparing to make a BIG STINK in 2024, with the nostalgic return of Stink Blasters, the gang of collectible misfits designed to tickle the funny bone while offending the olfactory senses. In a daring move to thrill and repel the toy market, Super Impulse has resurrected the brand with complete disregard for good taste! Stink Blasters originally launched in 2003 in over 30 countries with millions of units sold, experiencing worldwide success. Responding to the persistent demand for gross-out toys, Super Impulse, renowned for its success in high profile licensed, functional miniatures, adds Stink Blasters to its stelar portfolio alongside best-selling brands like World’s Smallest, collectible licensed Micro Figures, and co-branded Potato Head Poptaters.

The Genius of Play, a national movement spearheaded by The Toy Association to raise awareness about play’s vital role in child development, marked the first day of Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month with the launch of “Let’s Play – A Playbook for All Abilities.” With nearly 2 in 3 U.S. parents1 saying they consider how a toy builds specific skills when picking playthings for their kids, this free guide offers families a variety of adaptive, play-based activities to help children meet developmental milestones and promote social inclusion while having fun. Developed in partnership with occupational therapist Antonia Llull and her MPOWERME team, and Ellen Metrick, a human factors specialist with UL Solutions, a global safety science leader & product safety testing company, the Playbook features nine play ideas that can be adapted to children’s varying interests and abilities.

“For the third consecutive year we have met or exceeded our key financial full-year targets” said Stephen Berman, CEO of JAKKS Pacific. “The year began with the challenge of revenue comparisons with a 2022 hit-driven blockbuster product line, but we also saw opportunities for gross margin improvements with a normalized supply chain. Gross and operating margins improved year-over-year despite a $80+ million decline in Net Sales, generating over $66 million in operating cash flow for the year.