November Spotlight on Toy Association Members
November 12, 2019 | The latest Toy Association member spotlight features Faber-Castell, GIANTmicrobes, Mattel, Sesame Workshop, The Strong, and more.
Faber-Castell announced a new collaborative effort with the American Art Therapy Association (AATA), which will supply mental health professionals with Faber-Castell art materials to use in treatment. The collaboration kicked off at the AATA’s annual conference (October 31 to November 3), which Faber-Castell attended.
GIANTmicrobes, has created new plush products to raise awareness for digestive diseases, chronic illnesses, and biology education. New products cover digestive health include Crohn's disease, colitis, gallstones, IBS, acid reflux, kidney stones, food safety, and the gut microbiome. Also new from GIANTmicrobes are chronic diseases that touch the lives of millions including arthritis, asthma, back pain, migraines, hip and knee surgery, and nine specific types of cancer.
Goliath’s new SuperThings collectibles line, which transforms everyday things into superheroes and villians, go on sale on Amazon on November 15 and will follow with their first industry appearance at the Chicago Toy and Game Fair (ChiTAG) later this month.
Mattel will launch new dolls inspired by YouTuber CookieSwirlC. The line will include a Barbie playset with a doll modeled after the kids’ content creator, along with miniature versions of her dogs, and the CookieSwirlC Lotta Looks doll line that features mix-and-match pieces. The dolls will be available this December exclusively at Walmart.
To mark the 50th anniversary of Sesame Street – and the nonprofit educational organization behind the show, Sesame Workshop – the Empire State Building lit up in the signature yellow and green of the Sesame Street sign on Sunday, November 10.
The Strong announced the three newest inductees into the National Toy Hall of Fame: the collectible card game Magic: The Gathering, Matchbox Cars, and the classic coloring book. The honorees were narrowed down from a field of 12 finalists that also included Care Bears, Fisher-Price Corn Popper, Jenga, Masters of the Universe, My Little Pony, Nerf Blaster, Risk, the top, and the smartphone.
Quercetti and Viking Toys established two new companies, Quercetti USA and Viking Toys USA to directly manage the brands’ presence in the U.S. market, effectively immediately. Formerly distributed by KidSource Products, both brands have appointed Tracy Gavin as sales manager and will continue managing their operations with Total Biz Fulfillment.
Women in Toys (WIT) has extended the nominations deadline for the 2020 WIT Wonder Women to November 15. Members of the toy, entertainment, and licensing industries are invited to nominate a colleague, friend, or any woman who has made an impact on these industries. The winners will be honored during the WIT Wonder Women Awards, which will be held Sunday, February 23, at Pier 60, Chelsea Piers during Toy Fair New York.