Just Play Cooks Up a Deal for Hasbro’s Easy-Bake Brand



Hasbro’s Easy-Bake brand has a new home with Just Play. Under the newly baked global master licensing deal, Just Play will create a full line of Easy-Bake ovens, baking sets, and accessories that will launch at retail in select markets beginning in 2024. Read more…

Funko Reveals Leadership Shuffle to Strengthen Operations



The C-suite is poppin’ at Funko amid a raft of executive changes. Following a tumultuous third quarter that presented record sales mirrored by weak earnings and a reduced outlook, Brian Mariotti has returned as CEO to lead a restructured organization. Read more…

Spin Master, DoorDash Team Up for Toy Delivery Program



DoorDash is delivering toys this holiday season. Spin Master teamed up with the delivery service to offer on-demand delivery of toys and games in a pilot program timed to the season of giving. Under the new deal, DoorDash drivers can deliver a dozen different Spin Master toys, games, and activities to consumers in multiple cities across 20 states. Read more…

Playmobil, Disney Strike Licensing Deal for Toddler Toys



The magical world of Disney is coming to Playmobil‘s toddler portfolio. The German toymaker inked a deal with The Walt Disney Co. — its first licensing deal for the Playmobil 1.2.3. line — to create a series of six new playsets inspired by classic characters. Read more…

MGA’s Paris Hilton Rainbow High Fashion Doll Taps Further into Kidult Market



The new Paris Hilton Rainbow High fashion doll is a premium doll designed for collectors. MGA Entertainment is targeting the kidult market, a growing sector in the toy industry that has risen by 19% in the last four years, per NPD. Read more…

LEGO Selects Grant Recipients for the Build a World of Play Challenge 



This week’s decision comes after considering more than 600 applicants for the program, which launched in February with the goal of drawing attention to the barriers to proper resources that some kids face on a global scale. The campaign awarded a total of $117 million to organizations that prioritize early childhood development. Read more…

Radio Flyer, GPI, Toy’n Around Named ‘Best in Business’



The annual Inc. Best in Business list is out, and this year’s crop includes a handful of familiar players that are being recognized for going above and beyond in putting purpose before profit. Radio Flyer, GPI, Toy’n Around, and Just Funky secured positions among the 240 companies being honored this year. Read more…

Hape Unwraps Holiday Marketing Campaign

Hape’s “Unwrap Their Potential” campaign shows that the holidays are about kids finding new ways to play and develop useful skills — not just opening presents. The campaign emphasizes the importance of creativity and imagination while highlighting Hape’s latest products. Read more…

Bandai Adds ‘Bleach’ Characters to Anime Heroes Line



Bandai Namco Toys & Collectibles America added Ichigo Kurosaki and Renji Abarai to its growing line of Anime Heroes action figures. The new additions from the Bleach anime series stand 6.5-inches tall and feature 16 points of articulation. Read more…

From the Editor: Riding the Rails to a Flipper Frenzy



Toy Book Editor-in-Chief James Zahn takes a look at the rail strike that wasn’t and serves up an update on inventory levels as the holidays approach. Additionally, despite the lack of a singular hot toy, scalpers are zeroing in on surprising products to flip. Read this week’s commentary…

Property Profile: Nickelodeon's 'Santiago of the Seas' Strikes Gold



Pirates, beware! There’s a new matey setting sail on the high seas‭ ‬—‭ ‬and he’s not your average buccaneer‭. ‬Eight-year-old Santiago‭ ‬“Santi”‭ ‬Montes is the brave and kind-hearted pirate taking center stage in Nickelodeon’s‭ ‬Santiago of the Seas,‭ ‬and his adventures are inspiring action in the toy department. Read more…

December's Must-Have Merch Roundup



The Pop Insider is keeping track of all the latest pop-culture-inspired collectibles and licensed merch in a December roundup that’s being updated daily. Fuel your fandom with the latest…

Toys ‘R’ Us Jumps Into the Metaverse with Anybodies Deal



WHP Global, the parent company of Toys “R” Us, formally announced a partnership with Anybodies, a Web3 technology agency. The collaboration has been teased on social media since October and will launch with 10,000 digital collectibles on Solana, a carbon-neutral blockchain. Read more…

Amazon Says Toys Topped Carts in ‘Biggest Holiday Shopping Weekend Ever’



The challenges of inflation and a potential recession didn’t stop shoppers from loading up their virtual carts during the five-day Thanksgiving weekend. Dubbed the “Turkey 5” by Amazon, the weekend running Thanksgiving through Cyber Monday put more than $1 billion into the coffers of small business partners that work with the e-commerce giant in the U.S. Read more…

Black Friday May Have Lured More Shoppers, but NPD Says it Underperformed



According to The NPD Group, Black Friday closed out the sixth consecutive week of in-store sales revenue declines for U.S. discretionary merchandise. This includes toys, tech, and apparel — all of which are typically Black Friday winners. Read more…

Jazwares President Named Chair of the Board of Directors for Make-A-Wish Southern Florida



The president of Jazwares is all about making wishes come true. After serving on the Make-A-Wish Southern Florida board of directors for three years, Laura Zebersky has been named the chair of the board. Read more…

ZAG Play Toy Division Taps James Nunziati to Lead Global Sales Efforts



Nunziati joins the company from ZURU where he spent the past seven years as vice president of sales and marketing for North America. In his new role, Nunziati will report to Helena Perheentupa, senior vice president, ZAG Play Toy Division. Read more…