The Toy Association Promotes TOTY ’21 Finalists as Must-Have Toys of Holiday Season

November 17, 2020 | With the pandemic already impacting how early and where consumers plan to shop for toys this holiday, The Toy Association has been making its rounds across the U.S. promoting the 21st Toy of the Year (TOTY) Awards finalists as holiday shopping list “must-haves.”

Since the 117 finalists were revealed on October 26, The Toy Association’s trends team has spotlighted finalists in segments in major markets including Charlotte, Dallas, and Los Angeles, with several more in the pipeline. The Toy Association’s Genius of Play also kicked off a giveaway on Facebook and Instagram inviting toy fans in the U.S. to enter to win toys in each of the 16 categories.

As in years past, top toy and game online influencers, including DisneyCarToys, KhanFlicks, Lucky Penny Shop, My World, Pixel Dan, and others, revealed and unboxed the 2021 TOTY finalists on October 29. Each influencer showcased toys from one of the 16 TOTY categories. The efforts have thus far resulted in 25+ million online and social media impressions.

“The holiday shopping season has already begun for many families, and we are excited to continue to highlight our members’ innovative playthings and the TOTY finalists as a comprehensive, go-to guide for shoppers,” said Ken Seiter, The Toy Association’s executive vice president of marketing communications.

Toy fans everywhere can vote for their TOTY favorites at ToyAwards.org through January 5. Winners in each category, as well as the highly coveted overall “Toy of the Year” Award and the “People’s Choice” Award, will be announced during the first-ever virtual TOTY Awards gala on Friday, February 12, 2021.

In addition to recognizing the best toys, games, and properties in the marketplace, The TOTY Awards program and ceremony serves as a critical fundraiser for The Toy Foundation, which delivers the magic of play to millions of children in vulnerable situations through toy donations and grants. Companies can lend their support when they reserve ad space in the Foundation’s digital 2021 Tribute Book, the official event program for the Toy of the Year (TOTY) Awards ceremony. Visit TOTYAwards.org for more information.