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TOY FRENZY! Update: Flu Storms the Fair Bugs Won’t Slow Momentum, Say Toymakers
 “The flu hit just as I wrapped up the show,” reported Fabio Elias of Voxal. He and Brett Diffley of Frolicking Floaters were still coughing more than a week later. SOLDIERING ON Despite contagious viruses, our “Toy Frenzy!” subjects built on the momentum of the fair, following up on “hot leads” as soon as they returned, Elias said. TDmonthly called Dave Crockett from Beyond Chess as he was on his way out the door for a “big business meeting” about his movable chess-board game.  Diffley had to quickly get a Frolicking Floaters bank account together so he could start taking credit cards. Though he’d sent out a few on-credit orders to “ma-and-pa” type stores, he’s still waiting to see a cash return on his investment — as is everyone else.OPPORTUNITIES AND ACCIDENTS Toymakers said they’d had interest from toy stores, big chains and prestigious retailers such as FAO Schwarz. They were grateful for the exposure the fair gave them, and for tips offered by Charles W. Allen, who was hired by the Toy Industry Association to teach newcomers how to present their products.  Michael Maddi, inventor of Puppetoys, was even chosen for a toy demo by a Late Show with David Letterman camera crew. Though Maddi was disappointed his toy didn’t make the cut, the sting was alleviated when the episode focused on comedian Andy Kindler trying out a Fly Bar pogo stick by SBI Enterprises, landing flat on his back and getting wheeled through the Javits Center to an off-site doctor who diagnosed soft-tissue damage.“Any publicity is good publicity,” commented Maddi, but most toymakers were probably glad not to be in SBI’s shoes that night. “We don't usually allow people to demo at Toy Fair because of the slippery carpeting,” Dave Jargowsky, principal with SBI Enterprises, told TDmonthly. “As with any active exercise, there's the chance for injury. Stay within your limit and use proper safety precautions, as we suggest on our packaging and marketing."  WAITING FOR RETURNSAt this point, the documentary toymakers are hoping the contacts they met at the fair turn into real sales. Tails of Abbygail’s Terri Link met with an agent the last night of the show, and other toymakers reported being approached by people who claimed to have worldwide distribution networks that could set up licensing and product-placement deals. Successful Kids’ Aimee Symington and her husband  were suspicious of one such rep, who wanted to meet them at night at what appeared to be his private residence.NICHES FOR RICHES  EthiKids’ Susan Adams said Toy Fair taught her who her target audience is: specialty retailers — a term she wasn’t familiar with before the show. In fact, most of the manufacturers hadn’t considered mom-and-pops for their bread and butter. Though still hoping for those big wins to wipe out their investment debt, the fair taught them all about niches. “The chances to sell in [a specialty] store are much better because that’s the store that will drive my kind of product,” summed up Elias. Here are the toys of the “Toy Frenzy!” subjects. Check back throughout the year as we begin uploading videos of their Toy Fair experiences:
 Writer's Bio: ALISON MAREK is an award-winning writer, director and cartoonist whose work has been published by Fairchild Publications and DC Comics (Piranha Press), broadcast on Showtime and other cable networks, and viewed worldwide in film festivals. See her short films and print work on www.alisonmarek.com. Watch her nefarious villains in the web series www.MuggsMovers.com. Get inspired by her cartoons "Daily ARFFirmations to Unleash Your Inner Fido" at www.ARFFirmations.com. Phew! And then ... Read more articles by this author |
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