“Play All May” Generates National Buzz & Reaches Millions of Parents

June 5, 2019 | Play All May, The Genius of Play’s first-ever month celebrating the importance of play, generated national buzz during the month of May with millions of media impressions and social media engagements.

“Our first-ever Play All May was a huge success, with news media coverage generating more than 540 million impressions and engagements across the country,” said Ken Seiter, executive vice president of marketing communications at The Toy Association. “With the help of our member companies, online influencers, and the public at large, this important campaign reached families nationwide to educate them about play’s vital importance for all children.”

Highlights of the campaign:

  • The Play All May Satellite Media Tour (SMT) generated more than 10 million impressions with 29 broadcast and online segments. Additionally, MSN.com and Yahoo! News each shared the broadcast segments on their sites, for an additional 252 million impressions.
  • News about Play All May was featured in a host of trade publications, including The Toy Book, aNb Media, and Gifts & Decorative Accessories, and shared by over 50 parenting bloggers on their social channels.
  • The new “Prescription for Play” PSA, released just in time for the celebration, appeared on TV in major media markets such as Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, and Washington, DC for a total of more than 4,800 airings. On social media, the PSAs scored over 4 million+ views and over 109,000 social engagements across Facebook and Instagram.
  • Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram posts using the #PlayAllMay hashtag reached 5 million people and generated 10 million impressions.
  • The Play All May Sweepstakes, which featured playthings from Toy Association member companies, received more than 40,000 entries from nearly 11,000 entrants, and was The Genius of Play’s most successful contest to date.
  • TheGeniusofPlay.org recorded its highest month of traffic ever with 100,000 visits to the website.

Toy Association staff got to participate in Play All May fun, when the Association hosted its first-ever Staff Olympics competition using members’ toys and games. Challenges included axe throwing by Toysmith, scooter racing using Jakks Pacific’s MorfBoard, an unboxing challenge using MGA Entertainment’s L.O.L. Surprise! Fuzzy Pets, a basketball throw challenge, a toy industry trivia challenge, and a tie-breaker challenge using Alpha Group’s Massive Monster Mayhem inflatables.

“Who says only kids can play? Thanks to our members’ products, we had a really fantastic day ‘playing’ and getting a chance to bond with our fellow co-workers. It was a great way to engage The Toy Association staff in fun-filled, team-building exercises to commemorate Play All May,” Seiter said.

Added Seiter: “We are already making plans for our 2020 Play All May celebration and look forward to sharing more exciting details of how members can join in on the fun in the coming months.”

The Genius of Play is a national movement spearheaded by The Toy Association to raise awareness about play’s critical role in child development and encourage more play in children’s lives. The Genius of Play’s website offers expert advice from play and child experts ranging from child psychologists to play community activists, play ideas, and play-inspired resources for teachers. Follow The Genius of Play on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.