Playing At Business - toy & game business podcast with Steve Reece
Podcast about the toy & games business, hosted by leading toy business expert Steve Reece of www.KidsBrandInsight.com. Steve takes a look at different trends in the toy & game biz, and speaks to interesting people from across the business. © 2018 RG Marketing Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Ep 106 - Board Games: 10 Key Success Factors AKA What I learnt Working On The Best & Worst Selling Games Of All Time
02/22/2024
Ep 106 - Board Games: 10 Key Success Factors AKA What I learnt Working On The Best & Worst Selling Games Of All Time
In this latest episode host Steve Reece shares 10 Key Success Factors for Board Games based on decades working with and on some of the most iconic Games of all times, including Hasbro's stable of Family Games such as Monopoly. Clue/do, Risk, Game of Life and many more. Unusually Steve also acknowledges working on the worst selling board game of all time, as well as the best. If you are in the business of Games this is a must listen episode. Sign up for our free email newsletter on the Toy & Games industry here:
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Ep 105 - Spielwarenmesse 2024 Toyfair Review & EU Toy Market Outlook For 2024
02/15/2024
Ep 105 - Spielwarenmesse 2024 Toyfair Review & EU Toy Market Outlook For 2024
Another Spielwarenmesse Toyfair in Nuremberg has been and gone. This episode reviews this years show, and based on conversations at the show and market data released at this time gives an analytical outlook on the key drivers and trends of the European Toy market for 2024. Sign up for our free Email Newsletter here:
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Ep 104: 2024 Global Toy Market Outlook, Another Year Beckons
01/05/2024
Ep 104: 2024 Global Toy Market Outlook, Another Year Beckons
2020 and 2021 were unexpectedly boom years for the Toy business overall as locked down families invested out of season in play activities for their homebound children. 2022 and 2023 were significantly worse years for the Toy trade. The question now is what happens in 2024? Host Steve Reece talks through the factors affecting Toy market performance in 2024 in this latest episode. For more Toy business analysis, check out our Linked In newsletter here:
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Ep 103 - Why Product Selection Is Critical For Toy Companies (AKA Why I Turned Down Settlers of Catan)
11/29/2023
Ep 103 - Why Product Selection Is Critical For Toy Companies (AKA Why I Turned Down Settlers of Catan)
In this episode we take a look at how choosing the right products to launch is the fundamental success factor for Toy & Games companies. Host Steve Reece uses an example of when he turned down a now famous & massively successful product as an example of how sometimes turning away good products is necessary in order to focus on what will work best for your company and the business model and market positioning of your company. For more analysis & insights into the global Toy market, check out our Linked In newsletter which has 5000+ subscribers (including readers from all major Toy companies):
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Ep 102: Selling A Toy Business: How Mergers & Acquisitions Work In The Toy Biz
10/24/2023
Ep 102: Selling A Toy Business: How Mergers & Acquisitions Work In The Toy Biz
Many companies in the Toy business grow via acquisition. Company owners often want to sell up and retire or move onto other pastures. In this episode we take a look at some of the biggest Toy acquisitions of all time, we look at why and how Toy Cos are bought and sold and we discuss the details of the process of buying or selling. Maybe you have a Toy business you want to buy or sell, or maybe you just want to understand how company sales work in the world of Toys, either way this episode will have something for you.
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Ep 101, How To Run A Successful Tech Toy Start Up With HoloToyz
09/26/2023
Ep 101, How To Run A Successful Tech Toy Start Up With HoloToyz
In this latest episode host Steve Reece talks to Kate Scott & Declan Fahy, the Founders of Holo Toyz. Their company aims to inspire creativity and imagination via augmented reality technology. Kate stated "At our core, we believe that children should be able to experiment, play and learn through emerging technologies in a kid-safe environment away from the open web, whilst not losing touch with the physical world." We discuss this proposition, and the path from starting the business, through raising funding to achieving distribution for HoloToyz products. This episode is a must listen for anyone interested in or actively pursuing a start up in the Toy business, as well as international distributors looking for new products and new stories to latch onto.
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Ep 100 - How To Recruit Good People & Find New Job Roles In The Toy Business
08/08/2023
Ep 100 - How To Recruit Good People & Find New Job Roles In The Toy Business
Join Steve Reece in a deep dive into the toy industry's recruitment nuances. Drawing from over a decade as a consultant, Steve unveils key strategies for companies to recruit effectively and tips for candidates to land their ideal roles. Whether you're hiring or job-hunting, discover invaluable insights to navigate the toy business world. Our business is a Consultancy to Toy & Games companies. We have worked with more than half of the biggest Toy companies in the world, as well as 100+ startups and small businesses. Our main areas of business are: Export Sales Consultancy - let us help you sell more of your products overseas. Growth Consultancy for start ups with funding. 'Traditional' distribution Consultancy for companies who launched with success on Amazon and want a fast track acceleration into other 'traditional' Toy & Games distribution channels around the world. Strategic Sourcing Consultancy - we advise companies on how to diversify their sourcing from being over reliant on China to other geographies including India, Vietnam, Indonesia, Mexico & Europe. Recruitment - many of our clients who we have helped with expanding their distribution come back to us to help them find key staff members to allow them to go direct to retail in key markets. Consultancy phone calls - this is the entry level service we offer, comparatively low cost, but normally rated 5/5 in terms of value & impact from our clients. To find out more about our Consultancy services & how we can help your business, just click here:
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Ep 99, Gift & Hobby Distribution Channels
06/22/2023
Ep 99, Gift & Hobby Distribution Channels
Guess what – people have been buying Toys for adults for a very long time. Even though the ‘Kidult’ thing is the big thing nowadays, hobbyits sand people buying Toyetic gifts for adults have been around for a long while. Listen in to Episode 99 as we look at these adjacent areas in more detail! Our business is a Consultancy to Toy & Games companies. We have worked with more than half of the biggest Toy companies in the world, as well as 100+ startups and small businesses. Our main areas of business are: Export Sales Consultancy - let us help you sell more of your products overseas. Growth Consultancy for start ups with funding. 'Traditional' distribution Consultancy for companies who launched with success on Amazon and want a fast track acceleration into other 'traditional' Toy & Games distribution channels around the world. Strategic Sourcing Consultancy - we advise companies on how to diversify their sourcing from being over reliant on China to other geographies including India, Vietnam, Indonesia, Mexico & Europe. Recruitment - many of our clients who we have helped with expanding their distribution come back to us to help them find key staff members to allow them to go direct to retail in key markets. Consultancy phone calls - this is the entry level service we offer, comparatively low cost, but normally rated 5/5 in terms of value & impact from our clients. To find out more about our Consultancy services & how we can help your business, just click here:
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Ep 98 - How The Toy Industry Clears Excess Inventory
06/14/2023
Ep 98 - How The Toy Industry Clears Excess Inventory
A few episodes back we looked at why excess inventory is so dangerous - in this episode we move on to look at the practicalities of how our industry manages excess inventory, where they sell it, how it works and some major banana skins to watch out for when selling clearance stock! Our business is a Consultancy to Toy & Games companies. We have worked with more than half of the biggest Toy companies in the world, as well as 100+ startups and small businesses. Our main areas of business are: Export Sales Consultancy - let us help you sell more of your products overseas. Growth Consultancy for start ups with funding 'Traditional' distribution Consultancy for companies who launched with success on Amazon and want a fast track acceleration into other 'traditional' Toy & Games distribution channels around the world. Strategic Sourcing Consultancy - we advise companies on how to diversify their sourcing from being over reliant on China to other geographies including India, Vietnam, Indonesia, Mexico & Europe. Recruitment - many of our clients who we have helped with expanding their distribution come back to us to help them find key staff members to allow them to go direct to retail in key markets. Consultancy phone calls - this is the entry level service we offer, comparatively low cost, but normally rated 5/5 in terms of value & impact from our clients. To find out more about our Consultancy services & how we can help your business, just click here:
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Ep 97 - Unchanging Fundamentals Of The Toy & Game Business
04/12/2023
Ep 97 - Unchanging Fundamentals Of The Toy & Game Business
We are living through times of massive change and disruption. Technology is advancing at a frighteningly quick rate, and the very fabric of society has been changed by our adoption and development of new technologies. However, despite that there are 5 unchanging fundamentals of the Toy & Games business. In this podcast your host Steve Reece takes a look at what has not changed in his nearly 25 years in the Toy business, and what is unlikely to change looking forward another 25 years into the future. Our business is a Consultancy to Toy & Games companies. We have worked with more than half of the biggest Toy companies in the world, as well as 100+ startups and small businesses. Our main areas of business are: Export Sales Consultancy - let us help you sell more of your products overseas. Growth Consultancy for start ups with funding 'Traditional' distribution Consultancy for companies who launched with success on Amazon and want a fast track acceleration into other 'traditional' Toy & Games distribution channels around the world. Strategic Sourcing Consultancy - we advise companies on how to diversify their sourcing from being over reliant on China to other geographies including India, Vietnam, Indonesia, Mexico & Europe. Recruitment - many of our clients who we have helped with expanding their distribution come back to us to help them find key staff members to allow them to go direct to retail in key markets. Consultancy phone calls - this is the entry level service we offer, comparatively low cost, but normally rated 5/5 in terms of value & impact from our clients. To find out more about our Consultancy services & how we can help your business, just click here:
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Ep 96, 5 Characteristics Of Best Selling Toys & Games
03/23/2023
Ep 96, 5 Characteristics Of Best Selling Toys & Games
There are some recurring characteristics of best selling Toys & Games. In this episode we run through the 5 most important features. This is not so much creative inspiration as it is a ticklist for new Toy & Games products in development. Our business is a Consultancy to Toy & Games companies. We have worked with more than half of the biggest Toy companies in the world, as well as 100+ startups and small businesses. Our main areas of business are: Export Sales Consultancy - let us help you sell more of your products overseas. Growth Consultancy for start ups with funding 'Traditional' distribution Consultancy for companies who launched with success on Amazon and want a fast track acceleration into other 'traditional' Toy & Games distribution channels around the world. Strategic Sourcing Consultancy - we advise companies on how to diversify their sourcing from being over reliant on China to other geographies including India, Vietnam, Indonesia, Mexico & Europe. Recruitment - many of our clients who we have helped with expanding their distribution come back to us to help them find key staff members to allow them to go direct to retail in key markets. Consultancy phone calls - this is the entry level service we offer, comparatively low cost, but normally rated 5/5 in terms of value & impact from our clients. To find out more about our Consultancy services & how we can help your business, just click here:
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Ep 95, How To Sell More Toys & Games Internationally
03/15/2023
Ep 95, How To Sell More Toys & Games Internationally
Regardless of which country is your home market, the opportunity outside your borders is greater...in this episode we take a look at some simple ways to significantly increase your export sales of Toys & Games. Our business is a Consultancy to Toy & Games companies. We have worked with more than half of the biggest Toy companies in the world, as well as 100+ startups and small businesses. Our main areas of business are: Export Sales Consultancy - let us help you sell more of your products overseas. Growth Consultancy for start ups with funding 'Traditional' distribution Consultancy for companies who launched with success on Amazon and want a fast track acceleration into other 'traditional' Toy & Games distribution channels around the world. Strategic Sourcing Consultancy - we advise companies on how to diversify their sourcing from being over reliant on China to other geographies including India, Vietnam, Indonesia, Mexico & Europe. Recruitment - many of our clients who we have helped with expanding their distribution come back to us to help them find key staff members to allow them to go direct to retail in key markets. Consultancy phone calls - this is the entry level service we offer, comparatively low cost, but normally rated 5/5 in terms of value & impact from our clients. To find out more about our Consultancy services & how we can help your business, just click here:
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EP94 - 5 Key Tips To Find & Validate New Toy Factories
03/09/2023
EP94 - 5 Key Tips To Find & Validate New Toy Factories
Ep 94 - 5 Key Tips To Find & Validate New Toy Factories In this episode host Steve Reece talks about his experience helping more than 100 Toy & Game companies find manufacturing around the world, and he shares 5 key tips for finding & validating new Toy factories. We look at why most companies make a massive mistake by focusing on manufacturing cost as the primary assessment factor for a new Toy & Game factory, and much more. Our business is a Consultancy to Toy & Games companies. We have worked with more than half of the biggest Toy companies in the world, as well as 100+ startups and small businesses. Our main areas of business are: Export Sales Consultancy - let us help you sell more of your products overseas. Growth Consultancy for start ups with funding 'Traditional' distribution Consultancy for companies who launched with success on Amazon and want a fast track acceleration into other 'traditional' Toy & Games distribution channels around the world. Strategic Sourcing Consultancy - we advise companies on how to diversify their sourcing from being over reliant on China to other geographies including India, Vietnam, Indonesia, Mexico & Europe. Recruitment - many of our clients who we have helped with expanding their distribution come back to us to help them find key staff members to allow them to go direct to retail in key markets. Consultancy phone calls - this is the entry level service we offer, comparatively low cost, but normally rated 5/5 in terms of value & impact from our clients. To find out more about our Consultancy services & how we can help your business, just click here:
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Ep 93 - Excess Inventory Kills Toy & Games Companies
03/02/2023
Ep 93 - Excess Inventory Kills Toy & Games Companies
Excess inventory bleeds Toy & Games companies to death, unless the company makes bold steps to reduce the size of the problem. In this episode we cover in detail the issues caused by excess inventory, why inventory represents a recurring challenge which needs to be constantly managed and we look at some case studies of best and worst practise. Our business is a Consultancy to Toy & Games companies. We have worked with more than half of the biggest Toy companies in the world, as well as 100+ startups and small businesses. Our main areas of business are: Export Sales Consultancy - let us help you sell more of your products overseas. Growth Consultancy for start ups with funding 'Traditional' distribution Consultancy for companies who launched with success on Amazon and want a fast track acceleration into other 'traditional' Toy & Games distribution channels around the world. Strategic Sourcing Consultancy - we advise companies on how to diversify their sourcing from being over reliant on China to other geographies including India, Vietnam, Indonesia, Mexico & Europe. Recruitment - many of our clients who we have helped with expanding their distribution come back to us to help them find key staff members to allow them to go direct to retail in key markets. Consultancy phone calls - this is the entry level service we offer, comparatively low cost, but normally rated 5/5 in terms of value & impact from our clients. To find out more about our Consultancy services & how we can help your business, just click here:
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Ep 92 Spielwarenmesse-Nuremberg 2023 Toy Fair Review
02/15/2023
Ep 92 Spielwarenmesse-Nuremberg 2023 Toy Fair Review
This episode reviews the 2023 Spielwarenmesse Toy Trade show in Nuremberg. This show is the biggest trade show covering the Toy business in the world. This show marked Steve's 21st visit, and in this episode he talks through how the show went, the outlook for the Toy business in 2023 and much more. Our business is a Consultancy to Toy & Games companies. We have worked with more than half of the biggest Toy companies in the world, as well as 100+ startups and small businesses. Our main areas of business are: Export Sales Consultancy - let us help you sell more of your products overseas. Growth Consultancy for start ups with funding 'Traditional' distribution Consultancy for companies who launched with success on Amazon and want a fast track acceleration into other 'traditional' Toy & Games distribution channels around the world. Strategic Sourcing Consultancy - we advise companies on how to diversify their sourcing from being over reliant on China to other geographies including India, Vietnam, Indonesia, Mexico & Europe. Recruitment - many of our clients who we have helped with expanding their distribution come back to us to help them find key staff members to allow them to go direct to retail in key markets. Consultancy phone calls - this is the entry level service we offer, comparatively low cost, but normally rated 5/5 in terms of value & impact from our clients. To find out more about our Consultancy services & how we can help your business, just click here:
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Ep 91 - UK Toy Fair 2023 Report & UK Toy Market Update...
01/30/2023
Ep 91 - UK Toy Fair 2023 Report & UK Toy Market Update...
Report on UK Toyfair 2023, with a short UK Toy Market update based on newly available year end 2022 Toy market performance. Our business is a Consultancy to Toy & Games companies. We have worked with more than half of the biggest Toy companies in the world, as well as 100+ startups and small businesses. Our main areas of business are: Export Sales Consultancy - let us help you sell more of your products overseas. Growth Consultancy for start ups with funding 'Traditional' distribution Consultancy for companies who launched with success on Amazon and want a fast track acceleration into other 'traditional' Toy & Games distribution channels around the world. Strategic Sourcing Consultancy - we advise companies on how to diversify their sourcing from being over reliant on China to other geographies including India, Vietnam, Indonesia, Mexico & Europe. Recruitment - many of our clients who we have helped with expanding their distribution come back to us to help them find key staff members to allow them to go direct to retail in key markets. Consultancy phone calls - this is the entry level service we offer, comparatively low cost, but normally rated 5/5 in terms of value & impact from our clients. To find out more about our Consultancy services & how we can help your business, just click here:
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Ep 90, Global Toy Business Outlook 2023
01/19/2023
Ep 90, Global Toy Business Outlook 2023
2022 was a tough year for the Toy business. But finally that's over...now we can look ahead to what 2023 will bring. In this podcast we look at the 4 key factors driving 2023's Toy market: 1. RETAIL INVENTORY LEVELS 2. CHINA'S RE-OPENING 3. INFLATION RATE & CONSUMER DISPOSABLE INCOME 4. TOYETIC MOVIE SLATE We explain in full detail on this episode of the podcast... Our business is a Consultancy to Toy & Games companies. We have worked with more than half of the biggest Toy companies in the world, as well as 100+ startups and small businesses. Our main areas of business are: Export Sales Consultancy - let us help you sell more of your products overseas. Growth Consultancy for start ups with funding 'Traditional' distribution Consultancy for companies who launched with success on Amazon and want a fast track acceleration into other 'traditional' Toy & Games distribution channels around the world. Strategic Sourcing Consultancy - we advise companies on how to diversify their sourcing from being over reliant on China to other geographies including India, Vietnam, Indonesia, Mexico & Europe. Recruitment - many of our clients who we have helped with expanding their distribution come back to us to help them find key staff members to allow them to go direct to retail in key markets. Consultancy phone calls - this is the entry level service we offer, comparatively low cost, but normally rated 5/5 in terms of value & impact from our clients. To find out more about our Consultancy services & how we can help your business, just click here:
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Ep 89, The Future Of Toys Part 4: Toy Manufacturing
01/02/2023
Ep 89, The Future Of Toys Part 4: Toy Manufacturing
The Toy industry does not spend enough time worrying about available production capacity. For decades we have presumed that we can get our Toys & Games produced from the same old factories in China...but things have changed... ...and the pace of change may be set to accelerate. We discuss what Toy manufacturing will look like in the future in this episode.
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EP 88, THE FUTURE OF TOYS: PART 3 - CONSUMERS
12/01/2022
EP 88, THE FUTURE OF TOYS: PART 3 - CONSUMERS
In the third episode of this podcast series we take a further look at The Future Of Toys, this time looking at Toy & Game Consumers. We discuss what areas could see the most change, the areas which will most likely stay the same as well as identifying one massive threat to the Toy industry and at the same time one massive opportunity.
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Ep 87, The Future Of Toys: Part 2 - Product
11/15/2022
Ep 87, The Future Of Toys: Part 2 - Product
In the 2nd in this series we take a look at the most fun part of the Toy business - Products! Most people who work in the Toy business do so because they love Toys, most of us have a collection of the Products we have worked on around us as we work. The podcast looks at some fundamental factors of Toy products which are unlikely to change, even far out into the future, and we also look at how Technology will facilitate deeper play experiences and interactions with Toys.
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Ep 86, The Future Of Toys, Part 1: Retail
11/01/2022
Ep 86, The Future Of Toys, Part 1: Retail
In the 1st of a series of podcasts looking at the future of the toy business we begin with a look at Retail - how it's evolved, how it affects the toy business today and what future changes we can expect to see. Many fundamentals stay the same, we discuss these key areas in this podcast, but we also look at how technology is evolving constantly and affecting Toy Retail as a result.
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Ep 85, The 5 Hard Learnt Truths About The Toy & Game Biz
09/28/2022
Ep 85, The 5 Hard Learnt Truths About The Toy & Game Biz
Human beings tend to learn best by making mistakes. In this podcast we look at the 5 big learnings that toy & game people have to make...ideally as inexpensively as possible! There are 5 big areas where toy & games companies can really mess up, listen to the podcast to find out more about what they are.
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Ep 84, LOCALISATION: THE UNDERVALUED SALES DRIVER FOR TOYS & GAMES
09/15/2022
Ep 84, LOCALISATION: THE UNDERVALUED SALES DRIVER FOR TOYS & GAMES
Localisation is normally the poor cousin to the more exciting and glamorous parts of developing a toy or game product and bringing them to market. Yet localisation is a critical functionality and process for maximising the commercial success (or otherwise) of our products. In this episode we look at the key elements of localisation, and I share a few amusing anecdotes which show how localisation done badly can cause unintended consequences & commercial failure.
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Ep 83, The 5 Key Ingredients Of Massive Hit Toys & Games
07/20/2022
Ep 83, The 5 Key Ingredients Of Massive Hit Toys & Games
Products tend to vary from category to category, but at the heart of any top selling you will normally find most or all of the 5 key ingredients we run through in Episode 83 of the Playing At Business podcast. We discuss successful products such as Spin Master's Paw Patrol ranges, Monopoly board game & the truly iconic Rubiks Cube. This episode is for anyone who hopes to develop & launch a top-selling toy or game.
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Ep 82, How To Manage A Drop In Consumer Demand For Toys & Games
07/13/2022
Ep 82, How To Manage A Drop In Consumer Demand For Toys & Games
It's looking like 2022 is panning out to be a tough year in the toy & game biz! The question is what companies can do in the face of a drop in consumer demand. The reality for most companies is that they have not faced a significant drop in market size, at least not for a very long time. For sure companies revenues will have gone up and down due to competition and the quality of their own product lines, but most of us have not had to deal with a strong decline in the toy market. In this episode we look at how companies can manage a significant drop in consumer demand if that is what happens in 2022 overall. We also look at some reasons to be cheerful for those in the toy & game business right now!
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Ep 81, How To Manage A Toy Company In An Ever Changing World
07/06/2022
Ep 81, How To Manage A Toy Company In An Ever Changing World
The world has changed so much in the past couple of decades. Sometimes the rate of change can be bamboozling...but there are some underlying fundamentals of managing toy & game businesses which haven't changed. Listen to Episode 81 to find out more...
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Ep 80, Why Big Toy Companies Morph Into Entertainment Companies
07/01/2022
Ep 80, Why Big Toy Companies Morph Into Entertainment Companies
One of the major trends in the toy business in the last decade or more is the morphing of the major toy companies into cross platform entertainment companies. In this episode of the Playing At Business podcast we take a look at this trend, and we also look at what smaller companies can do to try to compete in the entertainment world to capture the opportunities to sell more toys!
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Ep 79, The Key Success Factor For Board Games Is...
06/24/2022
Ep 79, The Key Success Factor For Board Games Is...
There is one fundamental success factor for board games which is overwhelmingly present in the most successful board games of all time. From Chess to Clue/do, and from Monopoly to Mousetrap, any board game which sticks in the market features this one fundamental feature at the very core of the gameplay mechanic. It isn't glitzy marketing, it isn't necessarily a beautiful looking game box, but what it is reaches to the very heart of human existence. We reveal what this factors is at the start of this podcast...
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EP 78, Consumer Playtesting. The Secret Weapon Of Successful Toy & Games Companies
06/14/2022
EP 78, Consumer Playtesting. The Secret Weapon Of Successful Toy & Games Companies
Toy & games companies generally don't test their products enough with consumers. We all know how much testing goes into ensuring products are compliant with safety standards, but what about testing to see if they are compliant with functionality, fun and general appeal to kids & their parents? Consumer research playtesting is the not so secret, but shamefully under-utilised weapon of toy & game companies. All the major global toy companies have extensive consumer research programs, but as we discuss in this podcast, research doesn't necessarily have to be expensive to be useful.
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Ep 77, The Impact Of Inflation On The Toy & Games Business
06/07/2022
Ep 77, The Impact Of Inflation On The Toy & Games Business
Inflation is very high in most western markets right now. This is a challenge for the toy industry to manage, because our products are discretionary purchases, and when mandatories such as food and heating increase in price, this can reduce the amount of available funds consumers have to buy toys. In this episode we look at the current drivers of inflation, we look at the time it is likely to take for this inflation to diminish and we look at how toy & games companies can best navigate the muddy waters of inflationary times!
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