TTPM (Toys, Tots, Pets & More)

Spin Master’s digital game studio Toca Boca is partnering with Pusheen, the globally recognized cat character known for her playful and relatable online presence, to introduce new content in Toca Boca World. Pusheen, a global phenomenon with tens of millions of fans and licensed merchandise in more than 60 countries, will bring her cozy and humorous style to the game, offering players a new way to engage with both brands. ? The collaboration focuses on the concept of "No Plots, Just Vibes", encouraging players to create their own stories without set narratives. Drawing on meme culture and the idea of romanticizing the everyday, the content is centered around simple, relatable moments like spending time with pets or relaxing at home, themes that resonate with both Toca Boca and Pusheen’s audiences. ? The collaboration includes the Pusheen Style Pack, available in the in-app shop starting November 26. The pack features a range of outfits, accessories, and hairstyles inspired by Pusheen, allowing players to customize their characters with Pusheen’s cozy, laid-back style. ? In addition, a free Gift Event will take place from November 21 to 25, offering exclusive Pusheen-themed items such as Pusheen and Stormy as virtual pets along with other surprises, available to claim until January 5, 2025. #toys #toyindustry #pressrelease #news

The Young Inventor Challenge (YIC) International Championship celebrated its 19th annual awards ceremony on November 9 at the Chicago Toy & Game Fair, showcasing aspiring young inventors ages 6-18 from five countries. Dedicated to fostering creativity and entrepreneurship, this event recognized exceptional young inventors who brought forward original toy and game inventions reviewed by toy industry professionals. The Young Inventor Challenge offers youth a platform to express their ideas, refine their skills, and receive mentorship from toy industry experts. Winners were selected based on their inventive concepts, compelling pitches, and strong potential for market success. The 2024 Young Inventor Challenge International Championship winners include: Best Pitch - Sponsored by Amazon ● Senior Winner: Skirmish-Battle-War by Gideon Koffman, 6th grade, Toronto, Canada ● Junior Winner: Aliens vs. Cows by Elliott Anderson, 4th grade, Palos Park, IL Most Innovative - Sponsored by Mattel ● Senior Winner: MetroNet by Keegan Franck, 9th grade, Belmont, MA ● Junior Winners: Makenix by Claire Drapa, 4th grade, Palos Heights, IL & Richard Lee, 4th grade, Palos Park, IL Most Engaging - Sponsored by Crazy Aaron's ● Senior Winner: Ultramons Board Game by Palash Bhasin, 6th grade, Issaquah, WA ● Junior Winner: Calming Cuddlees by Maria Schwartze, 4th grade, Saint Charles, MO Most Original - Sponsored by The Op ● Senior Winner: Wizard Quest by Andrew Hebdon, 9th grade, Forest, VA ● Junior Winner: Spladder by Hyacinth Speropolous, 4th grade, Palos Hills, IL Most Marketable - Sponsored by Jill & Tom Barad ● Senior Winner: Battle Blox by Bella Mulligan, 6th grade, Rolla, MO ● Junior Winner: Chopstick Chef by Nate Tellone, 4th grade, Palos Park, IL Best Potential - Sponsored by People of Play ● Senior Winner: Tenball by Alex Kirsch, 11th grade, Scarsdale, NY ● Junior Winner: Smack It! by Olivia Scheetz, 4th grade, Palos Park, IL This year, 168 young inventors submitted a total of 120 toy and game creations to the competition, representing 18 U.S. states, as well as countries such as Canada, Spain, Mexico, and Guyana. Each participant brought global perspectives to their creative concepts. The YIC continues to expand its international reach, offering a platform for young inventors worldwide to share their ideas. Our esteemed judges collectively dedicated over 200 hours to reviewing, scoring, and providing thoughtful feedback for each participant online. This rigorous review process helped identify winners across six categories, representing the best in innovation, creativity, and market potential. Congratulations to all the young inventors who participated in this year’s Young Inventor Challenge International Championship! #toys #toyindustry #pressrelease #news

In celebration of actress Rita Moreno’s upcoming 93rd birthday, Mattel, Inc. is honoring her with a doll as the newest addition to the Barbie Tribute Collection. As one of only 21 performers to ever achieve EGOT-status through winning Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony awards, Moreno is an accomplished actress, singer, and dancer who fearlessly carved her own path in the entertainment industry. Moreno is a star on stage, known for her fierce advocacy for Hispanic representation and celebrated for her iconic performances across TV, music, film, and theater. Despite the obstacles of sexism and discrimination that she faced as a minority on her self-made path to stardom, including being forced to play into Latina stereotypes, Moreno emerged as the sole Puerto Rican movie star in the Golden Age of Hollywood. The Barbie Rita Moreno doll exudes confidence and glamour in a gown inspired by her most famous red carpet moments. The Barbie Rita Moreno doll wears an elegant black and gold gown, with a strapless sweetheart neckline and a long skirt with metallic designs that reflect many designs Moreno has worn on the red carpet. The doll also features opera-length gloves, statement earrings, and a sleek updo to complete her look. Barbie worked closely with Moreno to sculpt a doll in proper reflection of her likeness, working with the star from the initial design to the final touches of her outfit. Mattel is honored to have collaborated with Moreno and to have her support in creating a doll that shares her inspiring story with girls across the world. The doll will be available on Mattel Shop starting November 20 for a suggested retail price of $40. #toys #toyindustry #pressrelease #news

I’m The Chef Too! announced it has entered into a multi-year licensing agreement with Mattel, Inc. and signed a Barbie partnership to create a collection of co-branded baking kits. These new collections of Barbie Baking Kits are now available and will allow fans to bake and create with the iconic brand. Each kit in this collection will explore a variety of themes, from motivating young girls to follow their passions and careers in STEM to designing a new fashion line of clothing that’s also delicious enough to eat. Each kit will emphasize celebrating the brand’s slogan of “You Can Be Anything.” The line of limited-edition baking kits will be sold individually and as bundles online at www.imthecheftoo.com.

LEGOLAND New York Resort announced the launch of LEGO DUPLO Peppa Pig Playground, coming in 2025 to the theme park in Goshen just 65 miles from New York City. As North America’s first-ever collaboration between LEGO DUPLO and Peppa Pig in a real-world play experience, this immersive space will bring the world of the preschool series to life.?Building on the recent work between the LEGO Group and Hasbro, this unique play space unites two iconic brands in an engaging, interactive environment.??? ? Spanning just over 13,000 square feet, the Playground will feel like stepping into a giant?LEGO DUPLO?toy box, featuring several of the most well-known and iconic elements from the?Peppa Pig?universe.?Fans of the?"Peppa Pig" animated series can explore Peppa’s house, hop into Daddy Pig’s red car, set sail on Grandpa Pig’s boat, and have loads of fun in Peppa’s Treehouse. Merlin Entertainment celebrates a successful seven-year partnership with Hasbro and the Peppa Pig franchise in North America and globally. Current attractions include three Peppa Pig Theme Parks (one is steps away from LEGOLAND?Florida Resort, another next to LEGOLAND?Deutschland, and the third opening in 2025 in the Dallas/Fort Worth area of Texas); two Peppa Pig Lands (Heide Park in Germany and Gardaland in Italy); five Peppa Pig?World of Plays (three in the United States: Chicago, Michigan, Dallas/Fort Worth, and the other two in the Leidschendam-Netherlands and Shanghai-China) and a LEGO?DUPLO?Peppa Pig Playground at LEGOLAND?Billund. #pressrelease #toyindustry #news #toys

The Toy Association announced that Kathrin Belliveau, who most recently served as EVP and Chief Purpose Officer at Hasbro, will be joining the organization in the newly created role of Chief Policy Officer. After 16 years of service to the toy industry, Ed Desmond, Executive Vice President, Global Government & Regulatory Affairs, will be leaving The Toy Association to pursue new consulting opportunities. Belliveau will join The Toy Association as Chief Policy Officer, effective November 18. She will be responsible for global regulatory affairs and representation, toy safety and ethics initiatives, marketing and strategic communications, and consumer outreach. Belliveau will oversee both the Global Government & Regulatory Affairs and Strategic Communications departments, reporting to Greg Ahearn. Her direct reports include Adrienne Appell, EVP, marketing communications; Owen Caine, VP, government affairs; Jos Huxley, SVP, technical affairs; and Joan Lawrence, SVP, standards & regulatory affairs. Belliveau is a seasoned leader in global regulatory affairs, corporate social responsibility, and international business with more than 25 years of experience in the consumer and children's products industry. While serving as EVP and Chief Purpose Officer at Hasbro, she was a member of the executive leadership team, overseeing global regulatory, government, and corporate affairs. Her tenure at Hasbro included a variety of roles where she held responsibility for safety, quality assurance, sustainability, ethical sourcing, philanthropy, and social impact functions as well as The Hasbro Foundation. Kathrin holds dual U.S. and EU (Greece) citizenship. She is a Magna Cum Laude, Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Wellesley College and holds a J.D. degree from Boston College Law School. #pressrelease #news #toyindustry #toys

Moose Toys expanded its Latin American presence adding Mexico to a growing list of direct-to-retail markets. ? Moose Toys entered the region in 2003 when it engaged a network of dedicated distributors to build relationships with retailers. The evolution to supply directly will expand the number of products available to the toymaker’s retail partners and consumers in 2025, including the new MrBeast Lab line of toys and collectibles, Moose Games, and more. Among the newly available toys appearing at retailers in Mexico in early 2025 is the recently launched MrBeast Lab line, co-created with the YouTuber and philanthropist MrBeast, aka Jimmy Donaldson. ? To support growth in the market, Moose is in the process of signing a local media agency to help spread awareness of its toy lines across the region. Moose Toys' transition to direct-to-retail in Mexico will commence in the first quarter of 2025. #toys #toyindustry #pressrelease #news ?

The Toy Foundation (TTF) announced its 2025 Toy of the Year (TOTY) Award finalists. Known as the “Oscars of the toy industry,” the TOTY Awards celebrate the creativity of the global toy community and serve as a key fundraiser for TTF’s year-round philanthropic work supporting children in need. See the full list of finalists here: https://lnkd.in/ePbYSpci Between now and January 10, 2025, play-lovers of all ages can visit ToyAwards.org to vote for their favorite playthings in each of the 16 categories, browse toys, and make shopping lists for the holidays. Winners in each category, as well as the coveted overall Toy of the Year winner and the People’s Choice winner (based solely on consumer votes), will be announced at the TOTY Awards gala on Friday, February 28, 2025, at Cipriani 42nd Street in New York City. The celebration kicks off Toy Fair 2025 (March 1-4, 2025) and includes the induction of seven trailblazers into the Toy Industry Hall of Fame. All event proceeds (including TOTY nomination fees) benefit TTF’s initiatives, including the Children’s Hospital Play Grants program to bring the healing power of play to children in hospital settings; Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion program to reach all communities with play; and The Toy Bank program to deliver the comfort and security of a toy to children in need around the world. The TOTY celebration will spotlight each of these program areas and the impact of bringing the benefits of play to children in need, as well as serve as an opportunity to donate and further its mission. #toys #toyindustry #pressrelease #news

Moose Toys?and?e.l.f. Cosmetics Australia?launched a first-of-its-kind Roblox campaign featuring the new?XOX Kweenie?pop art collectibles. The collectible figures will make their Roblox premiere across both e.l.f.'s existing game, e.l.f. UP!, and the popular native Roblox game, Bayside High School. ? Developed by leading metaverse media company,?Gamefam, this crossover is designed to inspire fans to unleash the power of self-expression and embody the fearless, quirky spirit of Kweenies. Connected by a common ethos of fearless authenticity, both brands hope to surprise and delight their communities within Roblox.? ? Gamefam has crafted an immersive debut experience for XOX Kweenies, featuring four interactive quests that challenge participants to collect e.l.f.-branded makeup items, express their creativity through painting, attend virtual high school classes, and more. As players complete the quest, they will interact with the XOX Kweens themselves as NPCs– including the Kween of Suga, Kween of Plushies, Kween of High School, and Kween of Spicy. Players will unlock in-game Kweenies-themed outfits, pets, and backpacks, and special UGC items that will stay with them across all their Roblox adventures. The items collected in the quest allow for unique customization and player personalization within the game. ? With over 445 million visits across both e.l.f. UP! and Bayside High School, the integration will connect fans in a way authentic to them in the digital spaces they frequent daily. ? This Kweenies integration marks the latest in Gamefam’s ongoing and successful partnership with Moose Toys. The companies have previously collaborated to bring Heroes of Goo Jit Zu and Magic Mixies toy lines to several of Gamefam’s existing Roblox games, resulting in tens of millions of visits to date. This marks Gamefam’s first collaboration with e.l.f. Cosmetics. ? The activation within?Bayside High School?and?e.l.f. UP!?is available to play for free on Roblox via most platforms and devices, including consoles, PCs, mobile, and tablets. #pressrelease #news #toys #toyindustry

JAKKS Pacific, Inc., announced the release of its Nintendo products this fall. The recently launched?Super Mario Course Complete Playset?lets fans experience the fun of conquering a course just like in the iconic video games, helping Mario climb the famous stairs using the spinning lever. The set comes with a 2.5-inch Mario figure, interactive stairs, flagpole, castle, and base platform, offering multiple ways to display and play. It’s available for $21.99 at major retailers and online. ? From the world of The Legend of Zelda, the?Link with Master Sword and Shield?action figure features 20 points of articulation and comes with the iconic?Master Sword and Shield. It?is available at major retailers and online for $10.99. ? For Metroid Prime fans, the?Samus in Phazon Suit with Morph Ball?action figure features 17 points of articulation. This figure showcases Samus Aran in her powerful Phazon Suit, equipped with her Arm Cannon and the Morph Ball accessory. It is available at major retailers and online for $10.99. ? The?Mario Kart Mini Anti-Gravity R/C Racer lets Mario race in standard mode or switch to anti-gravity mode for drifts and thrilling tricks. The enhanced performance of this R/C allows you to pop wheelies and perform 360-degree spins with a range of up to 100 feet. Each set includes a Mario R/C and a remote control, available now at major retailers and online for $44.99. ? In addition to the new products, JAKKS Pacific announced a multi-year extension of its global licensing agreement with Nintendo of America. This partnership allows JAKKS to continue designing, developing, and manufacturing a wide range of toys based on beloved Nintendo characters. ? #toys #toyindustry #pressrelease #news