Maria Vera Whelan will be promoted to Vice President, Marketing & Brand Engagement, PBS KIDS. She will oversee the marketing of PBS KIDS across all user touch points, leading a holistic strategy to engage new and existing audiences with PBS KIDS’ mission, values, content and distribution platforms. Maria Vera Whelan starts when she returns to PBS from parental leave.
Happy Line Toys is pleased to announce that its award-winning and adorable glow in the dark plush line, Dream Beams, is launching in the US market this season, arriving just in time for the holidays, and is available for sale now on its US Distributor’s website, www.worldrollertoys.com.
Eleven is here to defend against the horde of creatures from the Upside Down…just in time for the holidays. Mighty Jaxx, the award-winning integrated future culture platform, is releasing a new Stranger Things: Demopets Funboxx series. This collection offers something for casual collectors and impresses hardcore collectors with quality vinyl art toys, all connected by a captivating story. Fans can collect all six demo species and potentially find the ultra-rare Eleven herself in these fun and exciting blind boxes – Stranger Things: Demopets Funboxx.
MGA Entertainment, Inc. (MGA), one of the world’s largest and fastest growing privately held toy and entertainment companies, has announced two never-before-seen, innovative collections just in time for holiday gift giving – MGA’s Miniverse Make It Mini Food Diner Edition and Make It Mini Food Café Edition. Delivering hands-on fun to make a mini food masterpiece for the first time ever, MGA’s Miniverse is the only brand of toys bringing highly detailed, fully functional everyday items into mini form. The new line is expected to grow into the company’s next billion-dollar ball brand.
Endemol Shine North America’s Senior Vice President Tamaya Petteway has added oversight of the studio’s licensing team for a second time and industry veteran Chris Lucero has joined the Banijay-owned studio as Executive Director of Licensing Partnerships. Petteway, who has been with Endemol Shine North America since 2015 and most recently served as Senior Vice President of Brand and Digital Partnerships, has taken on oversight of the studio’s licensing department for a second time. Petteway, who formerly led the company’s licensing initiatives from April 2016-August 2019, will now lead the newly named Brand Partnerships, Licensing and Digital team for the studio.
Fun In Motion Toys was honored to have its Shashibo and Mozi toys both selected by the Autism Network for its prestigious 2022 Autism Toy & Gift Guide. The announcement was made by Kevin Daniels, President and Co-Founder of the company. For Shashibo, given the Autism Network’s “Adult Boredom Buster” Award, it’s the latest accolade for America’s #1 fidget toy. Mozi, often described as being like a Slinky for your arm, with its ability to spin continuously and effortlessly as it moves up and down from one arm to another, won the “Caregiver – Best Sensory Toy” Award.
Since establishing a dedicated office in Mexico in September 2021, enthusiasm for ZAG’s multiple award-winning flagship brand Miraculous – Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir continues to soar across the region. In response, ZAG is hosting its first brand summit at Teatro Centenario Coyoacan in Mexico City on November 17. In addition to Miraculous, ZAG will present the latest series, Ghostforce, an original comedy-action series for kids and families about high school teens turned superheroes who defend their city from the ghastly ghouls haunting it, and the animated feature Melody, directed by Jeremy Zag and starring the voice talent of singer, songwriter, and actress Katy Perry. The announcement was made by Angela Cortez, Vice President, Licensing, Latin America.
Wild Republic, an international toy company lauded for its forty-plus years of giving back and supporting various humanitarian, environmental and animal charities, is pleased to announce its relocation of its U.S. corporate headquarters from Twinsburg, Ohio to Independence, Ohio. The move to a larger, more modern space comes as the company has seen tremendous growth with innovative, groundbreaking and environmentally friendly products. To mark the occasion, an official ribbon cutting ceremony is slated for November 29th, Giving Tuesday, an International Day of Generosity which encourages organizations to do good and give back to their communities.
Pressman Toy Corporation, one of the world’s oldest family-owned toy and game companies, is celebrating 100 years of family playtime. Over the past century, Pressman Toy Co has seen great success with many best-selling games, including Rummikub and Mastermind. In addition, Pressman has paved the way for empowering women as leaders, especially for other leading companies within the industry. Founded in 1922, Pressman expanded from classic games in eye-catching red boxes to focus on product licensing, developing and marketing best-selling games. Having started from humble beginnings working in his father’s novelty store, Jack Pressman worked his way to partner at the North American Toy Company, later to become J. Pressman & Company, proving his leadership ability when the company started to experience demand for one of their products, the Zellopiano, an original toy-size hybrid of a xylophone and a piano.