PlayCon to Relaunch in 2018 – Biannual Event Promises to Deliver Best-in-Class Content & Speakers

October 11, 2016 | The Toy Industry Association (TIA) announced today that PlayCon – TIA’s International Conference of Play Professionals will be held biannually in a vibrant, major city beginning in the spring of 2018. Formerly an annual event, PlayCon will broaden in its appeal and inspiration, making it a “must-attend” conference for professionals occupying a range of roles within the toy and play communities.

“Thanks to a longer development and planning cycle, PlayCon will build upon its reputation as the quintessential networking and educational event in the toy and play industries,” said Jane Ritson-Parsons, group executive of global marketing at Hasbro, Inc. and chair of PlayCon’s new advisory board. “Our goal is to create an event with a fresh, two-year format that will deliver best-in-class content and speakers that are relevant and inspiring to inventors and designers, marketing and PR professionals, entrepreneurs, and executives.”

While the dates and location for PlayCon 2018 have not yet been finalized, advisory board members are considering moving the conference to San Francisco, CA, to provide attendees with a variety of hotel options and “walkable” experiences that will complement the conference’s energetic atmosphere.

Continuing PlayCon’s recent trend of cutting edge research and actionable content, sessions are expected to cover a broad range of ideas – including global consumer toy and play preferences, tips for bringing new toys, games and apps to market, how to reach and resonate with millennial families, advice for tackling emerging issues in the evolving toy and play industries, and tactical business applications of the latest innovations.

“For years, our industry’s executives and thought-leaders have reaped the rewards of attending PlayCon, gaining insights that have made them sharper at their daily jobs while fostering business-building relationships,” added Marian Bossard, TIA senior vice president of global market events. “When PlayCon returns in 2018, it will offer everyone who conceives, designs, and develops the ‘tools of play’ with exciting new opportunities for networking and learning from esteemed veterans and rising stars!”

More information about PlayCon 2018 will be shared on the TIA website in the coming months.