The annual Toy Fair is coming up again and you don’t want to miss it! This year’s fair will be on February 16-19th at the Jacob K. Javits Center in New York. It’s going to be an awesome four-day weekend filled with seminars, networking opportunities, and tons of demonstrations geared toward helping you discover the latest and greatest that the toy world has to offer.
Here are 10 reasons you should schedule a trip to New York this February.
1. Connect
The Toy Fair is an amazing opportunity for you to make connections. As in every business, it’s important to connect with other people in the same industry so that you can bounce ideas around and make some progress. The Toy Fair gives you the perfect opportunity to meet people in the same line of work as you and connect with them for future collaborations or ideas.
2. Spot New Trends
Find out what’s new before everyone else! There are over 150,000 new toys and products being showcased and presented at the fair and you definitely don’t want to miss out on an opportunity to see them all. It’s a great time to find out what the new trends are going to be for the upcoming year and plan ahead.
3. Showcase your own ideas.
If you have an amazing idea that you have been waiting to release into the world, now is the time! Pack up your genius idea and bring it to the Toy Fair for potential buyers and sellers to discover and use in their own stores. It’s the perfect place to show what you can do and even get some ideas to perfect your product.
4. Go Global!
The Toy Fair features almost 30,000 professionals in the toy industry from over 100 different countries across the world. It doesn’t matter if you are a buyer or a seller, this is the place you want to be if you want to stretch your ideas or your business across the country or beyond.
5. Impress the Press
Speaking of global, there is tons of global press there to capture every moment and report on the thousands of new toys and ideas present at the fair. This is the perfect way to snag some free publicity and learn more about the other exhibits. The Fair even features a “Virtual Press Office (VPO)” which allows “exhibitors to post e-press kits, press releases, news, and wire distribution services via PR Newswire (additional fee).” This lets you get your information out there without even having to talk to the press.
6. Meet some Big Names
There are thousands of different companies and manufacturers represented at the Fair and this is your chance to meet some of the biggest partners in the toy world. Buyers such as Costco, Macy’s, and McDonalds will be in attendance, along with thousands of other amazing who will be there to exhibit their newest products. And the best part is that everyone is equal at the event. Even if you are a newcomer, you are made welcome with a special newcomers seminar that helps you get the most out of the fair and prepare you for what the next few days have to offer.
7. Attend the TOTY Awards
The self-proclaimed “Oscars” of the toy world, the Toy Of The Year Awards are an awards event put on by the Toy Association as a part of the philanthropic work of the Toy Foundation to bring toys to children in need. It is great opportunity to recognize and congratulate companies who have done an excellent job in the past year.
8. Learn Something New
There are seminars each day featuring topics ranging from licensing or marketing research, to how social media is influencing the industry. There is important information at each of these seminars, such as the newest updates to toy safety and compliance along with how to create and promote a STEM/STEAM toy (which is a toy that contains specific standards in science, technology, engineering, and math) Each of these seminars has something beneficial to offer and furthers your knowledge of the industry and its standards.
9. Make a Difference
At the close of every Toy Fair, volunteers go through each exhibit and pick up donated items to be given to children in need through The Toy Foundations Toy Bank. If you choose to donate, your business’s name will be included in the 2020 Toy of the Year Awards Tribute Book and you will, of course, be given a donation receipt for tax purposes. What an amazing gift to give to those in need!
10. Play!
The purpose of toys is to play! And this Toy Fair is the perfect time to remember your inner child and appreciate the importance of play again. Whether you are a buyer or a seller, you can experience what other companies have to offer and play around with some of the industry’s newest and most innovative toys and games.
There are so many more reasons you should come see this amazing Toy Fair, but don’t take our word for it. Check it out yourself! Come and see the many exhibits that they have to offer, including our own License 2 Play exhibit located in booths 2553 and 2565, right across the aisle from one another. See you there!