Create a Castle
News
Create A Castle Breaks Toy Industry Glass Ceiling in Going From “Best Outdoor Toy” to Year-Round Success

When newcomer Create A Castle shook up the toy industry by winning the coveted TOTY for “Best Outdoor Toy” in 2020, everyone admired its success in beating out more-established brands as a hot summer toy. But that wasn’t good enough for the fledgling company’s co-founding husband-and-wife team – Kevin and Laurie Lane – who were certain their unique, patented sand castle-building toy had equal potential as a year-round winner if it could be adapted, not only for building snow castles in the winter, but equally for indoor use with different materials.

People of Play Webinar Truths
Events News
People of Play Commits to In-Person Conferences for 2022 with Pitching Opportunities, Speakers, a Pub Night, and More

Get ready to learn, pitch and network your way to success with some of the most recognizable brands in the toy and game industry! The People of Play Inventor & Innovation Conferences, the largest and longest running toy and game inventor conference in the world, are back in person this year with an extensive lineup of speakers and panels inside and outside the industry. Plus, on the much anticipated Pub Night, we’re putting one of our own to roast, the indelible Matt Nuccio, President of Design Edge.

Grinch Hot Sauce Whoville Market
Licensing News
Jade City Foods and Dr. Seuss Enterprises Bring Whoville Market Website Online with Grinch Themed Goods

The wanna-be citizens of Who-ville and Grinch fans everywhere are in for a tasty treat! Jade City Foods is collaborating with Dr. Seuss Enterprises to create a line of Grinch-themed products from Grow Your Heart 3 Sizes Grinch Dark Roast Coffee to Roast Beast Sauce that will be available online at the Whoville Market and at Foxtail Coffee Co stores throughout Florida and Georgia throughout the Yuletide season.  The store is also launching just in time for the 65th publishing anniversary of How the Grinch Stole Christmas!

Crown Zenith Pokemon Trading Card Game
News
New Pokémon Trading Card Game: Crown Zenith Expansion Introduces Special Illustrations

The Pokémon Company International has announced a new special expansion for the Pokémon Trading Card Game (TCG), Crown Zenith, releasing worldwide beginning January 20, 2023. The Pokémon TCG: Crown Zenith expansion will introduce a multitude of new art styles and unique illustrations, with an emphasis on alternate art cards, including the first-ever special art Pokémon VSTAR. Crown Zenith will also introduce a Galarian Gallery subset of 70 cards highlighting regular Pokémon, Pokémon V, Pokémon VMAX, Pokémon VSTAR and Supporter cards with special illustrations that showcase the uniqueness of each featured Pokémon and character. Fans can look forward to discovering Mewtwo VSTAR, Darkrai VSTAR and Hisuian Zoroark VSTAR in the Galarian Gallery. In addition, with a new linked illustration feature, Trainers will also have the chance to collect and connect nine different Galarian Gallery cards to reveal a larger image.

Astra New Logo Winners Trends 2023 2024
News
ASTRA Reveals Brand New Logo

The American Specialty Toy Retailing Association (ASTRA) has just announced a bold new logo for their organization. Ahead of their trailblazing new endeavor, the Toy Boat, on February 20-24, ASTRA has revamped its logo and restated its vision statement as they move forward into a new toy landscape. Registration for the Toy Boat can be found here.

MGM New Logo Third Annual Licensing Summit BLE Clip Locator second Leo Awards
Entertainment Licensing News
MGM Launches Game Changing AI-Driven Clip Locator, Enabling Marketers, Filmmakers to Quickly Source Clips

MGM has announced the launch of the MGM Clip Locator, an innovative, AI-driven solution that will enable marketers and filmmakers to quickly surface and source clips, reducing hours of research to just a few minutes. MGM is the first Hollywood studio to offer this type of platform, and paired with its vast library of content, the MGM Clip Locator is an absolute treasure trove for those researching clips for their creative endeavors.

Rainbow High Rainbow Vision
Entertainment Licensing News
Rainbow High Competition, Rainbow Vision, Culminates with Season Finale and Roblox Livetopia Collaboration

Rainbow High, the leading global fashion doll brand and hit animated YouTube series from MGA Entertainment(MGA), takes classic, friendly high school rivalry to the next level with the most highly-anticipated competition of the year, Rainbow Vision. Introduced earlier this year via the animated series and new product launches, the friendly rivalry between fine arts schools Rainbow High and Shadow High will reach new heights in the series and beyond this Fall. In weeks to come, fans can look forward to a shocking season finale, as well as several new ways to engage with the brand, including a first-ever Rainbow High streaming music album and the brand’s first foray into the online gaming platform, Roblox, via a Livetopia integration. 

Manic Panic Hundreds
Licensing News
The Hundreds X Manic Panic: A Collaboration to Dye For

On Thursday, November 3, The Hundreds and Manic Panic are teaming up for the most colorful collab of the year, a collection to truly dye for. In 1977, artists and musicians Tish and Snooky Bellomo opened America’s first punk store on St. Marks Place in New York’s East Village. This not only set the backdrop for the burgeoning American punk scene, it forged the foundation for Manic Panic, the sisters’ avant-garde hair dye company.